TRENT
"We get to explore by morning, right?" Evolet's mother asked, looking satisfied with her big room and alone time.
I nodded, about to respond to her question when I caught sight of Derby entering the room, three doors away from me.
She had taken a glance but rushed into the room hurriedly when she saw me looking.
Eve's Mom is fine with the truth, but Derby's demeanor… It's really affecting me.
"Of course. You will get to do all that in the morning. Have a lovely night rest," I smiled, leaving the room.
I was supposed to go and see the sorcerer and talk to him about what occurred, but my heart and mind won't be at rest until I've spoken to Derby.
From the time at the hotel in Brook wave till we arrived here, she didn't say a word to me but stayed silent.
When I held her in my arms, paving our way down to my pack, I could hear her heart pounding real fast, showing how much she was afraid of me.
That trembling aura and silence she gave, made my heart quiver. It left me wondering if she'd stay this way forever, distancing and running away from me whenever she sees me coming.
But I don't want that.
I don't want Derby to pull away. She's… She's just in shock.
"I have to speak to her," I decided, heading to her room.
Standing outside the door, I slowly lifted my hand and took a brief pause, thinking about what to say.
Ready for anything, I knocked the door and patiently waited.
I heard the sound of the knob clicking from the inside, until the door came slightly open with Derby peeping through the little space.
She gazed at me widely, unable to say a word.
I knew she won't speak unless I start and say something.
With a smile, I asked, "Can we talk?"
She kept staring, until her she slowly lowered her eyes. That's when she pulled the door open for me, hiding behind.
"Thank you," I appreciated, stepping inside while she closed the door.
At least, she didn't shut the door on me.
Walking in, my eyes fell on Derby's bed. Her bags where on it, close to the edge.
When she noticed that I was staring at it, she quickly rushed up to the bed and began to apologize, attending to the bags. "I will get it cleaned up. Sorry."
"It's fine. Let me help you," I offered, almost helping her with the load.
But Derby suddenly reacted to this, drawing back with her bags, saying, "No, you shouldn't be doing that Tre… I mean, Alpha…" she stammered, finding it hard to call me by name.
"I can handle it," she added, keeping her gaze down before bowing in a funny way.
Seeing this, I immediately understood what was really going on with her.
Derby is being formal because of my status! I don't think she has a problem with me being a Werecat, but the fact that I'm not the ordinary Trent she thought I was.
I guess it makes sense now. She feels things would be different between us, now that she knows the truth.
But I need to make her understand that nothing has changed.
As she made her way towards the closet behind me, I placed my arm in her way, stopping her from moving.
She came to a halt, looking right at my arm.
Then softly, "Derby," I called, taking the bags out of her hands. "Can you please stop this?"
She still kept her head down without moving, until I took hold of her hands and directed her to the bed.
I made her sit while kneeling in her front to look at her face. She was trying hard to keep her eyes from looking into mine, but it was impossible for her to avoid me for long.
Her gaze were filled with sadness when we locked eyes. She had a swollen cheek which slowly turned red.
She's trying so hard not to say a thing.
Smiling, I carefully cupped her face and said, caressing those cheery cheeks, "Are you afraid of me? Don't you want to talk to your friend anymore?"
There was a pause before her lips came opened a little, responding, "I'm… not afraid of you, and… I do want to talk to you."
"Then why the behavior? Is it because your friend turned out to be one of the options you laid out that day?" I joked, referring to the moment she joked about me being either a secret millionaire or an Alpha.
A little smile curled to the side of her face, even though it wasn't much. At least it's a sign that I'm getting to her.
"I'm sorry," I apologized, still looking into her eyes.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings by keeping the truth away. I just wasn't sure about your reaction," I explained.
"Evolet and Cadell are cool with me being different. You were the only one I was concerned about and I didn't want you to see me as… an enemy," I pointed that out.
Derby's mood slowly came down. I could sense it from her body.
"But I don't see you as my enemy. I've never considered the Werecat from that night an enemy. Even Evolet knows that," she spoke softly, still feeling down.
"I'm only bothered about the fact that you're an…"
"An Alpha?" I completed, lifting my brow.
She held back for a bit and gave out a sigh, dropping her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Trent. I wasn't prepared for something like this. Learning the truth about you being an Alpha makes me think of all the silly things I've been doing around you which isn't normal but weird and the expression you always had when I act like a complete creep shows that…"
"Derby," I clipped her lips, stopping her from talking any further. "You need to calm down."
"I am calm," she responded through a small gap between her lips, looking funny.
I chuckled and said, taking off my fingers from her mouth, "You really are something, Derby. I bet if Alpha Allen was the one before you, you would have rolled your eyes and taken him as nothing, despite his status. But in my case, you can't even look at me."
"That's because you are closer to me than that creep. You… hold a special place in my heart."
My heart skipped on hearing Derby's response.
She looked at me and said, slowly taking hold of my hands, "You are also my best friend, Trent. So, discovering the truth about your identity sparked this… this discomfort in me. I couldn't picture you as the Trent I know but someone else."
I could understand her feelings. I would have felt that way if Derby turned out to be someone I least expected.
Still, I won't allow it to change our friendship. And I think I know how to settle this once and for all.
"But does that saying apply to Kitty?" I asked, drawing away from Derby and shifting into my cat right before her eyes.
She stared at me, looking amazed yet lost for words.
I walked up to her and lifted both paws in the air, letting out my innocent eyes and meows.
She struggled to resist, trying not to pick me up.
"Don't fight it, Derby. You know you want to cuddle with your favourite pet. Don't leave Kitty hanging," I said, placing my paws on her legs.
And just as I expected… "Why do you have to be so cute?!" she cried out, pulling me into her arms for an embrace.
"Oh God! I can't help it!" She squeezed me closely, running her fingers in my fur. "So adorable! I feel like eating you!"
Her reaction was heartwarming. It was the perfect mood to set things right with us.
She can't ignore Kitty when she sees him. He's more than just her pet but her emotional support.
"So, do you still feel uncomfortable with me?" I asked, placing my paw on her nose.
Derby smiled and swayed her head, placing me back on the ground. "Not fully."
"Really?" I tilted my head at her response, wondering if I missed out anything despite being so adorable.
That's when she said, looking a bit troubled while playing with her fingers, "Maybe I'll be fine after I… see your beast."
My body shivered at her request. She wants to see me in that form?
"I want to meet every side of you, if I want to fully accept this change. I've met with Alpha Trent, Kitty Trent… and now I wish to see Beast Trent, your Werecat. Please," she requested, standing to her feet.
The feeling overwhelming my body felt different but beautiful.
I couldn't say no to Derby. Besides, I've been waiting for a day she'd see my beast without getting scared of me for being the opposite.
Her needs are genuine.
Right there, I shifted into my Tiger, passing Derby's height.
"Wow," she gasped, shimmering her wolf eyes out of amazement. And when I saw that sparkle in her gaze for me, my heart fluttered.
Derby looked really beautiful. Her sweet reaction attracted me deeply, causing my hair to rise.
"Wait," she said, getting on the bed to reach my level, even if she didn't get there completely.
"I want to try something. Give me your paw," she said, extending her hand out to me.
As soon as she did this, something flashed in my memory, reminding me of the dream that kept bringing me back to Wolf Fall!
The woman… She's Derby?!
I felt the shock all around my body, as the dream replayed in my head, finally revealing the face of the woman who wouldn't leave my side.
It's Derby. She's the one!
I didn't know how to react to this. "What if her image got into my head by mistake? I mean, I've been thinking about her for long. It could be."
My heart was pounding. I couldn't tell if I had really found the one I left my pack to search for at Wolf Fall.
When Derby placed her hand in my paw, she gave out a sweet smile and slowly pulled me closer to her point.
I just did as she wanted like one under her control, watching how she carefully cupped my face and said, staring into my eyes, "You are one handsome Werecat."
That made my heart glow. I felt my body heating up.
She tried to lift herself to my level by standing on her toe, but she couldn't maintain her balance.
When I saw this, my body reacted, making the move.
I carefully wrapped an arm around Derby, pulling her up and closer to myself. Her eyes came large when she found her face right at my level. She had a burning red glow on her cheek, as she tried to avoid eye contact with me.
A beautiful smile went across her lips, as she wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her head down on my shoulder, and squeezing me close.
"You are perfect. Werecat, Alpha, Kitty… In any form, you are still my Trent," she whispered into my ear, stealing my heart with her words.
I felt a strong wave inside my body as I wrapped both arms carefully around her, feeling her close.
No, this is not a mistake. She is the one.
She's the one I've been looking for.
My missing piece.