Chapter 13

Kiera awoke the next morning with her head feeling heavy, her eyes slightly red and puffy. Last night's thoughts came back to her as she looked at the small box that sat on her desk, a precious treasure sitting inside. Needing to continue getting ready for school she pushed the thoughts away, she slid on a black tee shirt and changed into a pair of blue jeans. Before she left her room, she took a black jacket that was resting on her chair before making her way downstairs.

When she arrived, she saw that her younger siblings were up and eating breakfast before getting ready for their school day. Kiera not feeling the hungriest ran back up to her room and packed her backpack and slid the dark, glossy box in with her stuff as well. It was better to get it over with rather than not have her be a true Phantom.

Grabbing her backpack and her car keys, Keira made her way to the garage and into her blue pickup truck. The drive to the school was tense. It was Kiera fighting herself from throwing the necklace out the window before she arrived at school. But the necklace was too precious to meet that fate.

Pulling into the school parking lot, Kiera gathered up the nerve to actually act normal. Treat the day like any other and that the transformation was like any other. Give her the necklace, let her enjoy it, wait for the symptoms to kick in and then pretend it's all normal. Good plan. Kiera slumped against her steering wheel.

"Why is this one so hard? I've done this multiple times." Kiera mumbled under her breath. Looking at the time on her stereo, she gathered up her things and made her way to inside the high school.

Once inside, there was a single scent that stood out. It smelled of soaked garbage. Following her nose, she made her way to a small classroom where KitKat was stilling on a desk and watching her come in. "There you are!" The jaguar rocketed off the desk and collided with Kiera's chest, wrapping her arms securely around her torso. Kiera let out a soft oomph but accepted the hug.

"What's wrong KitKat?" She ran her fingers through the smaller girl's hair. "What's got you so spooked?" KitKat looked up with her stormy eyes, raindrops threating to fall down her face.

"It's you. The lick on my neck started to burn the other night and I felt so much sorrow. It was coming home in waves. And before you got in here I felt it again! But it wasn't as bad as before."

"Oh no." Kiera's eyes flashed golden before returning to a soft sky blue.

"What was happening to you? And what do you mean 'oh no'?" Katie pulled back a little, looking at her accusingly.

"It's nothing. I was completely fine after you left." Kiera gave a weak smile. There was nothing to stop what was going to happen even though she was already starting to show the start of transforming.

"You're lying to me; I want the truth. Your eyes changed color and they only do that when you feel strong emotion. Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" Katie pressed her nose to the Alpha's scent glands and closed her eyes as her body relaxed.

"I told you it's nothing. But I do have the necklace for you. You know the spirit one?" Kiera quickly wanting to change the subject reached into her bag and pulled out the glossy box.

"Fine, but I will get the truth." She sighed while letting go of Kiera. She wondered her eyes over to the wooden container her eyes becoming curious.

Kiera handed the small box to her. She gazed at the golden engraving embroidered on the top. The symbol was of the moon with a wolf howling at the bottom and the word Phantom in cursive below that.

"It's beautiful," she said brushing her fingers against the polished wood. Kiera chuckled, "That's not even the actual necklace." Unclasping the box, inside was a wolf in the shape of it lying down. It's nose laying on its paws. A soft glow of blue coming from the center, glittering as the water flowed within. The string holding it together was a dark brown shade of leather to contrast against her pale skin.

"Wow, it's just as pretty as you are." Sky blue eyes met stormy grey before they flashed with lightning speed away. The redness taking a tint to her cheeks.

"You are such a suck up and you know it." The Jaguar made a quick comeback before leaning in and stealing a kiss from the Alpha's lips.

"Would you like me to put it on you? Or do you need more time to stare at it?" There was a hint of a smirk to Kiera's tone but it was playful. "Oh, please I know you want to put it on me yourself what's stopping you now?" KitKat's demeanor was completely relaxed. She had no idea what was actually going to start taking place. Kiera pushed the thought aside now wasn't the time to dwell on what the consequences were going to be.

"Alright, but-" The wolf was interrupted as the teacher took interest as of what they were doing.

"Whatever it is that you are doing, it needs to stop. Take it outside and not make a scene. No one cares that you're gay." Both Kiera and KitKat both fought the urge to roll their eyes but Kiera gathered up her things and walked out with KitKat following close behind.

Once they were out in the hallway Kiera turned her attention to her girlfriend and got ready to place the necklace around her neck. "Are you ready? It can be pretty intense after the wolf's spirit enters your body."

Katie gave a look of reassurance before giving Kiera a nod and a soundless 'I love you'. The last thing that Kiera wanted to hear at that moment. Coming behind her, Kiera could feel her hands shake as the two ends of the leather string rested in her hands. Tormenting her mind and knowing what would be happening later in the day.

"Are you going to tie it? Class is going to start soon." KitKat pulled her out of her thoughts and back to reality.

"Yeah... Sorry." Folding the leather into a square knot, the Alpha let go and took a step backward giving herself space. "It should hold just fine." Before Kiera could be questioned, she walked away in distraught and guilt. Quickly making her way to the restroom and into a bathroom stall where she let her stomach lose it. Crumpling to the floor, Kiera rested her head on the toilet and let her tears fall. The deed was done and there was no stopping it even if she wanted to.

The bell that signaled the start of class went off while she was in there but she didn't care. Cleaning herself up she walked out. Out to her blue pickup truck and drove out of the school parking lot to the place she called home.