The Shifters: Katrina
Part Three - Ch.24: Zella

Heather's chin tipped down, shadows from her hair hiding her face from me as she processed my words.

Then, she whirled around, storming toward the town.

"I hope you know what you're doing," she spat, "because people will remember this choice, Katrina."

I'm doing this because I don't know what I'm doing. The only place I can start is with my first goal; protecting my friends.

I watched her go, leaning into the tree behind me with a stressed sigh. My apprentice bands hit the bark with a soft clink!

Now that the foreign shifters were safer, the adrenaline was fading from my body, the exhaustion setting in once again. My plan to nap and try to contact the other Guardian had been replaced, and after the excitement that just happened, I didn't feel like I could concentrate enough to enter the right type of dream.

So what now?

People are mad, Coraline is stressed, and Koren is busy.

Xavier could be coming for us at any point.

Then, it hit me.

If there's nothing to betray us about, then people will trust the foreign shifters more...

If the hunters are defeated, then Koren won't be so busy anymore...

If Xavier was captured, Coraline could get closure, and we might not need to kill him in battle...

And if this ends as soon as possible, I might be able to save that other Guardian.

My head tilted back, my eyes on the bright sky as my thoughts tied themselves together.

My solution was violent and reckless, which meant it suited me perfectly. We knew where Xavier was. We knew who he had working with him. The Orgull shifters in Iluita knew the best way to get into their own home.

It was perfect.

Because the best way to get rid of Xavier, would be to bring the fight to Orgull.

"I know you just scared everyone away, like a total badass, but the way you're smiling is kind of scaring me, Katrina..."

I snapped out of my thoughts, glancing at Dani. She smiled sheepishly, holding Luke up. He had one arm around her shoulders, and she had one around his waist to help him stand. Not only was he still bleeding from the gash on his stomach, but he was also banged up from the Iluita shifters who had just attacked.

"I was just thinking," I murmured. "Let me help you guys back to the dorms and infirmary. No one will touch you with me around."

"It's appreciated," Anna sighed.

I shot a sympathetic smile at the friends I had around me. They were all far from home, responsible for themselves, and now they were being labeled as traitors. I caught Talia's eye, the frosty girl smiling back at me.

"Thanks for lending us a hand," she told me. "You didn't have to."

I waved her off. "Of course I had to."

Beside me, Rowan bumped my shoulder. "You really didn't. Thanks, Katrina."

One day, you won't have to thank me for these types of things, I thought, starting on my way back to the dorms. The others followed, some of them sticking closer than usual.

Because one day, I'll be a leader and a Guardian. I'll make our compounds true allies.

I'll prove that we can trust each other.

As we walked back, Dani got tired from all of today's stress, and I took Luke's weight.

The two of us hobbled along, leading the group. Luke sighed, cracking a joke about usefulness.

I'll prove that I belong in Iluita.

After getting everyone safely in their dorms, I was relaxing in my own, thinking about what to do next, when there was a knock on my door.

Chloe was dead asleep after today's stresses, so I sprung up and trotted to open it. On the other side was Victoria, the elite's face filled with concern.

"What's wrong?"

"There's a white haired woman," she panted, "she appeared in Coraline's bedroom. She's asking for you."

The wolf lady.

Ignoring the fact that I didn't have any shoes on and I wasn't dressed for the weather, I ran out of the dorm and down the hall. Victoria was hot on my heels, the door to my dorm left open. These days, I could keep up with the elites easily, and I even started pulling ahead of Victoria as we rushed to Coraline's building.

Unsurprisingly, the leader and the strange woman had gone from her bedroom to her office. Wolf Lady turned around the second we entered, fixing her gaze on me and me alone. Her long, white hair was tied back, her brown eyes soft and filled with friendliness.

"I came to warn you."

My eyebrows shot up. "How long have you been following us?"

Coraline and Victoria looked lost. "What's this about being followed?" The leader asked, glancing at the strange woman and I.

I didn't take my eyes off her for a second, but I did answer the question. "This woman is a wolf shapeshifter. I've seen her before. As early as our last search for Xavier."

"You have a good memory," the stranger murmured. "But I didn't mean you any harm, Katrina."

She knows my name.

"I trust you, somewhat," I relented. "After all, you protected Luke."

The stoic woman flashed a small smile. "The earth boy?"

I nodded. "Thank you, by the way."

Meanwhile, Coraline was gaping, and Victoria stared at my side profile as if I had grown a second nose.

I was talking to a strange woman like she was my friend, so I did understand their shock.

Coraline recovered from her confusion, clearing her throat.

"Why are you here, Miss, uh...?"

The wolf tilted her head, glancing over her shoulder at Coraline. She was facing me, which meant she had to twist to look at the leader. I found it strange that she chose to face me instead of Coraline, but this entire situation was off.

"My name is Zella."

Something tickled the back of my mind, and I tensed.

"Just Zella?" I blurted, narrowing my eyes.

She smirked.

"Clever question, Guardian."

The woman knelt, her head bowed.

"It's a pleasure to be in your presence, Guardian."

She offered her hand to me.

"I hope to be of service. I am Zella. Zella Droves."

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