✓ | ORACLE, garrett

0. Catherina

PROLOGUE
(catherina)

       "You can do it Cat" a child of at the ripe age of nine years, had cheered for his baby sister who took her first steps.

"Carlisle, do not rush her" The older man adjusted his tie, peeking over his shoulder to his children.

The young Carlisle huffed in defiance as he turned back to his younger sister. He continued to gesture his hands cheering for her.

A smile made it on his face as he watched the two-year-old puff her cheeks—as if she was saying 'I got this, stop pestering me!'

Catherina fell straight to her butt and Carlisle quickly shot up from his place on the ground. He made his way over to her seeing her eyes glisten—however when he tried to reach out for her, she slapped his hand away.

He made a face at her action and let out a laugh shaking his head. He stepped back to his place and knelt down as Catherina tried again. He held back his laugh at the look on her face that was pure concentration.

The father of the children had turned back the exact moment his youngest took another attempt. His eyes widened seeing her make the most progress since trying to learn. He had forgotten he was on his way to work, discarding his coat to the side and watched her thrive.

Catherina had reached Carlisle who loudly cheered," YES!!!" He shouted in contentment lifting his baby sister in his arms," You did it, Cat" He said gently rubbing his cheek on her own.

She attempted to push his face away but her older brother was not showing a sign of giving up. Their father walked over hugging his children and placed a soft gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead," Good job, Catherina, now just learn to speak"

"Father" Carlisle quipped jokingly as the older man laughed ruffling his hair," I've got to admit, son. Your sister is something special"

"I know she is" His son quickly responded proudly," I'm raising her" He mocked making the father chuckle," I have to head in for work, will you two really be okay?" The father sighed pulling out his pocket watch.

"Come on father," Carlisle said firmly," We'll be okay" He walked after his father towards the door still holding Catherina, who was entertained with her older brother's ear.

"Now remember—"

"Go to Mrs Clarke if there is an emergency"

"Okay...and remember—"

"To not open the door to strangers" Carlisle smiled patting his father's arm," We'll be fine, father—now go before you're late"

The father let out a small laugh walking out the door, though his eyes lingered on his children for a moment before shutting the door. It was always the same routine when he left to work and had been since losing his wife during childbirth.

He made it his goal to be twice the parent he could ever be and it gave him the reserve to protect them. He was prepared for the changes coming—and he wanted to rid the world of evil and sin. So, his goal was to convince others to hunt for those that corrupted the world his precious children lived in.

Their father had started the pursuit to hunt werewolves, witches and vampires—and it was his life goal. Throughout the years, Carlisle and Catherina had grown accustomed to the belief and would share the same disgust for the kind that their father claimed as monsters.

However, the pair had soon come to realize that their father had slain innocents throughout his hunts—making the siblings belief weaken.

As their father aged, Carlisle took over the raids—much to Catherina's worry. Though, the change was that unlike their father, he was intelligent on his hunts and pursed a real coven that inhabited the sewers of London.

"Li, please" A fourteen-year-old Catherina begged her older brother who was preparing for the raid he had been preparing for months. The young teen couldn't explain it—but she just had a gut feeling that something horrible was going to happen. She just knew it was not going to end well.

Carlisle sighed at his sister as he adjusted his attire," Cat, I told you—everything will be fine. I've prepared for this for a while now"

Catherina had started to bit her nails in habit as she felt her body scream in anxiety. Her nerves were out of order and all she wanted was to stop her brother. She would not be able to live if anything happened to him," Please Li, you can't go"

The older brother shook his head and raised his hand to her cheek," I promise you Cat, I'll be fine—I'll return home, and what do you say we have a feast? I'll buy your favourite"

As pleasing as the idea of a feast sounded, Catherina was far from accepting those terms. She quickly latched onto her brother's torso and nuzzled her face on his stomach," I don't want to lose you, Li"

"You won't," He said softly running a hand through her hair and placing a kiss on the top of her head," Everything will be okay"

When Catherina had stood at the door watching her brother slowly walk away, it was exactly as she feared—as it was the last time, she had ever seen him.

He broke his promise and never returned home.

Thus, breaking Catherina to pieces and her life fell into despair.

A couple of years had gone by, and Catherina had just turned nineteen—foolish and reckless, was what most would say she was.

It was no secret on how frivolous the female was as well with being known as the town harlot. Many people who've seen the child as pure and angelic, now saw her like a tramp and lady of the night.

She was a disgrace and it was only expected that her father had chosen to disown her. Throughout her choice of living; Catherina had soon become expectant and she had no way of knowing who the father was.

However, despite it—Catherina chose that moment to bring her life back to place. She did not want to bring a child into the world without the proper care. The idea of giving up her child was not even in her mind and in spite of the hardships of being not only a single mother—but as well with being shunned almost everywhere, she did not care.

Luckily, Mrs Clarke—who was the elderly widow that was her neighbour many years ago, had taken her in. It was the first of many great things that came with her life that was rebuilding.

Once her beautiful son, Thornton was brought into the world she had finally learned the meaning of life once again. She had finally felt the will to continue on and be happy.

Unfortunately, the blessing would all eventually come to an end, when a vengeful Witch Coven had sought out Catherina. Taking the life of Mrs Clarke and stealing her chance of normalcy.

The mother and son both robbed of their human lives—Catherina being stuck frozen at the age 24—and her son only aged 5 at the time had been taken from her.

The mother had been taken from her child—who she later had found many years later—however, his life was changed and just like his mother he was frozen at the age 16.

Later, the pair would come to find out that they had powers—which became a danger to their lives. The mother and son both had sought out for solitude—thus disconnecting themselves with the world for many centuries to past.

Cutting themselves off of anything of the new world—and both isolating themselves. Though, the sudden appearance of a petite vampire and her mate had found the mother and son—in hope for their help.

Help to prove an innocent child, a child born from a Vampire and Human—the details had been very vague but, the mother and son had quickly agreed.

However, what Catherina had not known—was that she was going to be reunited with her older brother. The brother whom she had thought to have left the world many years ago.