Chapter 6 - My Familiar
875 Words
“Every awakening begins with a visitor.”
Julieta POV
I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, my chest still aching from the stranger’s rejection.
My mind kept replaying everything:
His scent.
His hands on my waist.
His voice whispering, “Mate…”
Then the cold, confused look in his eyes when he pushed me away.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to cry.
I wanted answers.
Instead, I got a knock.
“I got an almond croissant with a hot latte—triple espresso for you!” Eric called.
Of course he did.
I got up, opened the door, and let him in.
He set my croissant and coffee on my computer desk—he knew that was the easiest way to bribe me.
“Look,” he said softly, “I didn’t know she was going to be there… or that she would attack you and Nate. I want her out of my life, but it’s complicated. I haven’t talked to her.”
“What do you mean you ‘can’t eliminate her’? I know four years is a lot, and I’m sorry you’re dealing with this… but she was with that guy.” I told him.
He let out a long sigh and sat on the edge of my bed.
“Yeah. I know him,” he admitted. “She was with him before she and I ever got together. I thought she really loved me, but… I guess she was with me for something else. Not for love. And I’m not ready to unpack that yet. But trust me—I didn’t know she would show up.”
I sat beside him and wrapped my arms around him.
He hugged me back tightly.
We stayed like that, still and quiet.
I could feel the sadness sitting heavy in his chest. Eric is strong, but he bottles everything. And one day, he’s going to break.
I’ll be there when he does.
He pulled back, cupped my face gently, and kissed my forehead.
“I’m gonna go check on Nate. I’m grabbing his favorite chicken pesto panini from the café.”
I raised a brow.
“You know getting our favorite meal won’t magically fix everything, right? Lol.”
He laughed, smiling big.
“Oh? You want me to take back the croissant?”
“Nah, leave it. Go.”
I snatched the croissant before he could change his mind.
He chuckled, stepped out, and closed the door.
Silence.
I took a bite of my croissant and sipped my hot latte.
Gosh… so good.
A perfect start to a stressful morning.
Moments later, I heard another knock.
I looked at the door.
The sound wasn’t coming from there.
It was soft.
Light.
A tiny tapping against glass.
My window.
I sat up slowly.
The curtains were drawn, but something moved behind them.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
My heart started racing.
“Please don’t tell me it’s another shadow,” I whispered.
I reached out—hands trembling—and pulled the curtains open.
And there—
perched on the ledge like she owned the entire damn universe—
was a tortie cat.
Her coat was a swirl of black, orange, and gold, with a splash of cream dusted across her cheeks like freckles.
She stared straight into my soul with big green eyes.
Confident.
Calm.
Like she had been waiting for me.
“…Hi?” I breathed.
She meowed once—sharp, bossy—and pawed at the window.
“All right, all right!” I opened it.
The second the window lifted, she walked in.
No hesitation.
Like my room was her territory.
She hopped onto my bed, circled once, and plopped herself onto my pillow.
“You… you don’t live here,” I told her.
She blinked at me.
Slow. Deliberate.
Then she spoke.
Not aloud.
In my mind.
“Now, I do.”
I froze.
“What the hell—?”
She flicked her tail with attitude.
“Took you long enough. I’ve been trying to reach you since last night. The fae who saw you in the parking lot told me a human could see them… I had to come confirm.”
My jaw dropped.
“You… talk?”
“You hear,” she corrected, her mental voice clearly feminine—sassy, smug.
“Big difference.”
I pressed a hand to my forehead.
“Oh my god. I’m losing it.”
She stood, stretched, then pressed her forehead to mine.
Warmth poured into my skin as her voice whispered through my mind:
“Julieta… you’re awakening.
And you’re not alone anymore.”
A soft glow slid down my spine—gentle, safe.
Nothing like the icy fear from the shadows.
“What’s your name?” I asked quietly.
She sat proudly, tail curled around her paws like a queen.
“Freckles. And I’m your familiar.
Now move—I’m starving.”
I blinked.
“…You’re what?”
She rolled her eyes dramatically.
“Witchling, please. You’ve got shadows stalking you, a mate bond screaming at full volume, and half your magic leaking from your pores.
You need me.”
I stared at her—shocked, overwhelmed…
but relieved.
For the first time today…
I didn’t feel alone.
- Writer
