If Only We Could Be Us

As soon as I felt Munro start to stir against me, I closed my eyes and pretended to be sleeping. I knew he would be upset when he woke, from whatever his dreams were, and I didn't want to scare him any further by having him wake up to me just staring at him.

I lay with my eyes closed, allowing Munro to untangle himself from my hold- though I'm not so sure I want to let go. As he heads to the bathroom I think about my next move. I couldn't stand hearing him crying and whimpering, and I know I need to help him. I also know exactly what I heard. He whimpered, "Daddy" in his sleep, and that is pretty much all I needed to know. I didn't need to know the entirety of Munro's secret, but now I knew one thing for sure. Whatever was wrong with Munro's ability to shift, it was his fathers fault. And I would venture to say that the reason he is so shy and afraid all of the time would be his father's fault too. And I knew one thing for certain. I wanted to tear that fuckers throat out for hurting my kitty.

Oh god Shayne you did not just think that. He is not yours.

When I don't hear any noises coming from the bathroom, I begin to get worried. I don't know how bad whatever Munro's dad did to him was, but I'm afraid for Munro after he clearly relived it in his dreams.

I knock three times on the door, before just letting myself in. I look to the small boy in front of me, and he casts his eyes to the floor. My eyes trace over his shirtless torso, taking in the horrifying scars that litter his back.

As I look at the broken boy in front of me, my heart just hurts.

"I know, I'm hideous." he whispers softly, and I'm not even sure he inteded for me to hear it.

My heart hurts even more now. It's like I'm being stabbed.

My body has clearly stopped listening to my brain, as it makes it's way over to Munro. My arms wrap gently around his scarred torso, as though afraid to re-open the old wounds. I pull him into me, holding him tight against my chest. It's literally like I have no control over my body whatsoever.

After a few moments I pull Munro back so that he is standing right in front of me, and place my fingers under his chin, tilting his head so that he's looking up directly at me.

"You're beautiful kitty. Don't you ever think anything less of yourself." I am only slightly surprised to find myself saying, "And I am going to help you. You will be an amazing shifter, the best in your clan."

Munro blushes at my statement but gently nods his head, fully agreeing to let me help him. With that, the two of us walk back into my room. It's after a few moments of silence that I happen to look at the clock.

"Holy shit! It's dinner time kitten!" I announce, getting excited. I'm starving, and the food here is actually pretty fantastic. "Let's go!" I say around a grin.

I gently grab at Munro's wrist and all but drag him down to the dining room. When we get there, he looks hesitant about walking in with me, so I nod my head, allowing him to go in first, and settle in with his roommates who have probably been worried sick. As he settles in, he turns back to me and grins, giving me a small wink.

Those are not butterflies in my stomach.

I eat dinner with a bunch of the other tigers, steering clear of Tommy for now. I know for a fact that he will be pissed that I broke up the fight he was clearly winning.

Dinner was uneventful, and instead of hanging around with the other tigers I went back to my room. But when I opened the door I was shocked to see my little sister sitting on my bed. Even more shocking was the way that her usually perfect platinum blond hair, was now resting on her shoulders, the same violent shade of purple as mine. But the hair wasn't the only thing that caught my attention. She was holding my sketchbook, open to a picture of Munro.

"You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun now did you Shayne-y-poo? I got myself sent here too. Life at home is hell without my big brother to stand up for me. But that doesn't matter yet, all I want to know is who is this cutie pie?" she asked pointing to Munro.

Oh shit.