BK 2 - Chapter 24 - Cat and Kitty
Four days after Cat's heat started, Aiden received a text from Trey inviting him and Kitty over for dinner. They decided to tell them about what happened with the kidnapping and Ronaldo. Aiden knew Trey would understand, but Kitty was still scared to admit what she had Harley do. He kept reminding her that Ronaldo kidnapped her intending to kill her. He was lucky he was only injured and not dead right now.
"Text Trey back and ask if we can come early so I can help Cat cook. I want to be able to fend for ourselves without eating out every night. It will also give me a chance to talk to her about her transition to werelion." Kitty looked in the closet to see what she was going to wear when she felt Aiden walk up behind her.
"That's a good idea. I'll talk to Trey about our eventful episode while you talk to Cat. I'm glad you get along with her so well." He kissed the top of her head, and she smiled.
"I can't imagine anyone not getting along with Cat." They both laughed, thinking of Trey's mate, who was so warm and loving that she seemed to radiate positivity. Kitty still wondered about Cat's past. They had talked a little about it, but she was sure there was more than what her new friend had shared. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from the closet.
They packed up the plans they had been working on for the group home and guest house after receiving the text from Trey saying they could come early. Aiden wanted to make a stop on the way to their house to get something that was long overdue. Kitty was confused when he didn't get on the freeway but drove in the opposite direction.
"Where are we going?" She asked, not recognizing their surroundings.
"I'm getting you a phone. I could have tracked you immediately if you had a phone when you were kidnapped. Once we're fully mated, you'll be able to mindlink me, but you still need a phone." He still couldn't believe she didn't have a phone and acted like she didn't need one.
"You can just get me one of those free phones. I don't need anything fancy." Aiden pulled into the cell phone carrier's parking lot and looked at her.
"I'm getting you a phone that can do everything and more. I want you to be able to have the world at your fingertips. Let me do this for you." She looked at his pleading eyes and sighed. When he looked at her like that, she couldn't say no.
"Fine, let's get this over with." Kitty got out of the car and missed Aiden's smirk. He was learning how to get her to accept the things he wanted to buy her even though she still didn't like spending much money.
When they walked into the store, a salesman came over asking what they were looking for. Kitty had no idea, so she looked at Aiden, who already knew the phone he wanted for her. She heard the word Samsung, but everything else he said sounded like gibberish.
The salesman had them sit on stools to wait for him, and he disappeared in the back. When he returned a few minutes later, he was carrying a rectangular box. Kitty watched as he opened it and pulled out the phone, turning it on. She had never had a cell phone, and despite not liking how much Aiden was spending, she couldn't deny her excitement.
The salesman reviewed all the features with her and let her pick a phone number. She then chose a case and screen protector. When they left, Kitty couldn't hide her smile as she looked at the phone in her hand. Aiden saw it and put his arm around her.
"Do you like the phone?" She beamed up at him.
"I love it. It's the first phone I've ever had." She got into the car and ran her fingers over the screen. Kitty couldn't believe all the apps that were already there. Aiden frowned as he walked to the driver's side of the car. When she said things like that, it reminded him of how little she had growing up.
Aiden laughed as they drove to Trey and Cat's house. Kitty talked about the new phone non-stop as she discovered everything she could do with it. When they pulled up to the pool house, Cat and Trey were waiting on the porch, both wearing big smiles. Cat ran over, giving Kitty and Aiden each a hug as they approached.
"We have exciting news. Come inside." She took Kitty's hand and pulled her into the house. Everyone sat down in the living room.
"Well, as you both know, I was in heat for a few days. Saira has confirmed that I'm pregnant." Cat was holding Trey's hand, smiling from ear to ear. Kitty and Aiden looked at the couple in shock.
"Congratulations. I'm going to be an uncle?" He was already thinking about turning the spare bedroom in the guesthouse into a nursery.
"Yes, but that's not all. When we were in Monterey, Trey asked me to marry him. Now that I'm pregnant, we want to have the wedding as soon as possible. We've already spoken with Valerie and Roger, who have agreed to let us have it here. Kitty, I would like you to be my maid of honor, and Aiden, we'd like you to be Trey's best man."
"You want me to be your maid of honor?" Kitty felt her eyes stinging. She had never dreamt of being in anyone's wedding. That was for women with money and friends, not a homeless loner like her.
"Of course I do. You're my sister." Cat walked over to her when she saw Kitty fighting back the tears. "I understand how you're feeling. I was the same way not long ago. Everything was new and overwhelming when I was used to being alone. You're not alone anymore. You have family and friends that care for you."
Kitty couldn't take it anymore. Her tears started spilling out, and she couldn't stop them. Aiden started to move closer, but Cat shook her head at him. This was something she and Kitty understood that Aiden and Trey never would. She sat next to Kitty and hugged her. She mindlinked Trey asking him to take Aiden outside so she and Kitty could talk alone. He nodded at her and motioned for his brother to follow him.
When they were gone, she continued to hug Kitty as she cried. Cat had only been around her a few times, but she felt her emotions as if they were her own. She remembered how she was when Trey had come into her life; it was similar to how Kitty was feeling.
Kitty took comfort from Cat and couldn't explain why it seemed as though she was sharing in her sadness. She could feel Cat's calming energy seeping into her, making her warm.
"I'm sorry I broke down. I've never had family or friends. When you asked me to be your maid of honor, it reminded me of where I came from." Kitty dried her eyes but still held on to Cat. She loved Aiden more than anything but needed someone like Cat to talk to.
"I understand. I told you some of my past, but there's a lot more that I don't want to bore you with. When I met Trey, I couldn't allow people to touch me; it caused physical pain. Trey has helped me get past that. I'm still cautious, but nothing like I was before. I've never had friends or family either, Kitty. I still don't have friends other than Trey's sergeant and his wife, who are almost like surrogate parents to me now. Having you and Aiden here with us has been so refreshing. You're my first real friend."
Kitty pulled back to look at Cat. She couldn't believe their pasts were even more similar than she'd thought. She felt a little more of her shell falling off.
"Thank you. Not only for being so kind but for calling me a friend and family. That means more to me than anything in the world. Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Yes, anything." Cat smiled when she saw Kitty was calmer.
"Can you give me some cooking lessons? Neither Aiden nor I know how to cook, and it would be nice to make a home-cooked meal rather than ordering out every day." Cat busted out laughing, not expecting that question.
"Of course I will. I love to cook and taught myself because I didn't like going out. How about we start dinner and we can talk while we cook. I'm making chicken pot pie with red velvet cake for dessert." Kitty nodded, and they stood up to go into the kitchen.
"I never answered you before, but I would be honored to be your maid of honor. I didn't think werelions typically had weddings." She watched as Cat began pulling things from the cupboard.
"They don't, but because I was human Trey wanted to have a wedding. I didn't need that because all I wanted was to be with him, but now that we're planning it, I'm excited. It makes it feel like we'll be tied together in every way possible. We're going to make the crust for the pot pie first. There's nothing better than a homemade flakey crust. However, if you're short on time, you can always buy store-bought pie crust."
Cat had Kitty measure everything out and mix it together. She then let her knead the dough on the counter. She was having a great time, and Cat was patient with her inexperience. Once the pie crust was in the dish, Cat started pulling out vegetables.
"I didn't realize a pie crust was so easy to make with so few ingredients." Kitty stared at her handy work with pride.
"There are many things you can make that don't take as much time as you think. I'm happy to help you or walk you through anything you want to make." Cat handed her the freshly washed carrots and showed her how to peel and cut them. While chopping vegetables, Kitty decided to ask some of her questions.
"When you went through the transition from human to werelion, was it bad?"
"No, the first few days, I was sick like I had the flu. After that, I started noticing changes in my eyesight and my speed. We can see better than humans, and we can move a lot faster too." Kitty couldn't believe it when she saw Cat move like lightning to the other side of the room.
"Aiden told me about the eyesight and the speed, but he hadn't shown me." She was still staring in surprise as Cat laughed.
"From what I understand, they don't use the speed too much because they're around humans a lot of the time. After the sickness stopped, it wasn't bad, and it wasn't long before I got Saira. That was strange at first to hear another voice inside my head, but I got used to it. She helped me with the transitioning too." They finished the vegetables, and Cat showed her how to make the filling. Once they had it in the dish, Kitty put the top crust on, and Cat had her make slits in it so the pie could breathe.
"Alright, that can go in the oven, and we'll start the cake." Kitty carefully put the pie in the oven. Cat took out the ingredients for the cake, and they got to work again. Kitty measured and mixed everything. Once they were in the pan, she felt like she had accomplished something. Cooking wasn't as intimidating as she'd thought.
"How was it when you shifted the first time? Aiden said it could be painful." Kitty was still wrapping her mind around the human-to-lion transition and understanding how it worked.
"I won't lie; it was painful, but my first time may have been more painful than average. When Sonya had me kidnapped, it forced my transition into a werelion. So rather than a month for my body to make changes, I only had about two weeks. Now it doesn't hurt at all; our bodies get used to it somehow. It's still weird for me to look in the mirror and see a human one minute and a lioness the next." Kitty laughed. That was precisely what she was feeling.
"Those were my biggest concerns. I'm almost ready to let Aiden mark me. I just had to get some answers before I took the final plunge." Kitty thought about telling Aiden when they got home tonight that she was ready. It would make her feel better to be a lion if Ricky dared to send more men after her. Then she really wouldn't need anyone to save her.
