My Favorite Beast

Cole (The Investigation)

Not long after Xi let us in the house, Xion mind-linked me, telling me to keep Karman distracted while he went to talk to Xi. He gave her some bullshit excuse to go upstairs. She seemed too distracted to stop him from bothering her new BFF. I knew she was aware that Xi was Xion's mate, but she normally would have confronted him about his actions. She would be hounding him to stay downstairs until she was ready, afraid that he might sabotage her recently formed friendship.

Instead, she just sighed and waved him off. It was strange to see her so indifferent, as if she had resigned herself to the inevitable chaos that always seemed to follow Xion. Once he left, she became lost in her thoughts. This behavior was unusual for her. I watched Karman, who was absentmindedly fiddling with her phone, with an unusual look of worry creeping across her face.

I'd been around Karman her whole life. I was there for every important moment and even the less significant ones as well. It was difficult to reconcile this version of her with the confident girl I knew. I couldn't help but wonder what was troubling her so deeply. As I observed her, I felt a surge of concern in myself, wishing I could bridge the gap and ease whatever burden she was carrying.

I noticed the changes in her after her sixteenth birthday. She no longer wanted to hang out with Xion and me. Instead, she seemed to gravitate toward solitude, spending hours lost in thought or absorbed in her art. I realized that the carefree laughter we once shared had been replaced by a quiet sadness, and it pained me to see her like this, feeling estranged from the vibrant spirit I once knew. At first it was cool because we felt she didn't need to be hanging around us and our guy friends. But as time went on, I began to worry that this distance was more than just a phase. I missed the deep conversations and spontaneous adventures we used to embark on together, and I couldn't help but wonder.

For a while I even entertained the idea that she had found her mate and was just trying to hide it from us. That made both me and my wolf angry. I questioned those responses often. I couldn't be lusting after my best friend's baby sister; could I? Would it be wise to consider taking such a significant risk for an opportunity that seems so unlikely? The more I thought about it, the more my heart raced, caught between the thrill of the possibility and the fear of losing my best friend forever.

I shake myself from my thoughts before I get lost in the question of where my feelings for Karman come from. I convinced myself that she was simply busy with life, but the nagging suspicion lingered in the back of my mind. Each day without her felt heavier, as if the bond we had was slowly unraveling, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it.

"Say, Queen K, what's been going on with you?" I asked, sliding closer to her.

She turned to me, her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and hesitation. "Nothing."

"Wh…y… why do you ask?" she stuttered over her words.

I took a second to actually stare at her. Our anger grew as she stared up at us. I could see the defiance in her eyes, a fire that only fueled our frustration. Her unwavering gaze challenged us, intensifying the tension in the air. It was as if her boldness ignited a spark, pushing our emotions to the brink.

"She's hiding something from us, Cole," my wolf Knight spoke to me.

I could feel the tension in the air as I considered Knight’s words. "What do you think it is?" I asked, my curiosity piqued and my instincts on high alert.

"I can't really tell. But it's pissing me off. Something is off about her. I haven't been able to smell her or sense her wolf since her birthday. It's like she's cloaking herself from us," Knight growled, frustration seeping into his tone.

I nodded, a knot forming in my stomach as I replayed the events of the past few weeks, searching for any clues that might explain her sudden secrecy. The more I thought about it, the more my mind raced with possibilities. Was she hiding something dangerous, or was there a more personal reason behind her withdrawal?

I opened myself up to the connection we share. I felt nothing whatsoever, which prompted Knight to step forward.

He growled and basically pounced on her, our hand going around her neck and applying a little pressure.

I could see the surprise in her eyes, and for a moment, I felt a pang of guilt for the intimidation. Yet, I couldn't ignore the tension that had been festering between us, and I needed answers. She let out a little squeak. Looking in her eyes, all we could see was fear and guilt. We leaned closer to her and gently turned her head to catch a whiff of her scent.

"What are you hiding from us, butterfly?" he growled into her ear. "Why can't I smell you or connect with your wolf? I've seen you shift, so why can't I sense her butterfly, huh?" he asked her while laying more of our body on hers and squeezing her neck a little more.

Her breath quickened, and the tension in the air weighed heavily around us. "I... I can't," she stammered, her eyes darting away from us, revealing a glimmer of lust. This confusion hints at an underlying connection that should exist between them, adding to the intensity of the moment. Her inability to explain her situation leaves a sense of mystery and desire lingering in the air.

He could see the struggle within her, a battle between instinct and desire. "You don’t have to hide from me," he murmured, his voice softening as he leaned closer, hoping to bridge the distance that her fear had created.

I could sense his longing for her permeating our relationship. Something was trying to bond us together, but another force was blocking it. It was as if an invisible barrier had been erected, keeping us apart even as our emotions tried to intertwine. The tension in the air crackled, palpable and electric, leaving us all aware that the moment hung delicately, waiting for someone to shatter the silence.

"She is ours, Cole."

"I can't explain it, and even without being able to pick up on her scent, I know she's ours." Knight said this before stepping back and leaving me in charge.

I couldn't help but look down at her as his words echoed in my mind.

"Karman…."

The sound of Xi and Xion coming down the stairs interrupted me. I quickly let her go and moved back to my end of the couch. My eyes never leave hers.

She quickly wiped away the tears that hadn't fallen from her eyes. I watched her easily hide her emotions behind a mask that, if I hadn't seen her put it in place, I wouldn't have known existed. As I studied her, I felt a pang of longing mixed with concern. I wanted to reach out, to break through the facade she had so carefully constructed, but the weight of my uncertainty held me back.

I wonder how long she's been using that trick, I thought to myself.

Mind-linking her, I let her know that our conversation was far from over. She locked eyes with me, basically begging me to let it go.

However, I entrusted Knight with my life, and if he declared her to be ours, she would need to provide a thorough explanation.