Page 36 of Pledge Of A Bobcat

I laughed. “Okay, then. Pancakes it is.”

Once we were finished mixing the batter, Ellis wandered into the kitchen. His hair stuck up in places and he looked adorable in his half-asleep state.

“Morning. What are you making?” he asked, walking to the coffee machine.

He paused to give me a quick kiss.

“Morning,” I replied, smiling at him. “What do you think we’re making?”

“Pancakes,” he and Serenity said at the same time.

We all laughed.

“Want to help?” Serenity asked.

“Looks like you’ve got it under control,” he said.

Serenity beamed at the compliment, and I could see how much she loved having him here.

A few minutes later, Aunt Maribel appeared to make her usual cup of tea. Her gaze skimmed over the three of us, and I noticed a gentle smile tug at her lips.

“The cottage hums a new tune lately,” she said, her eyes twinkling while she paused to sip her tea. “One that’s infused with life. Warm and happy hearts make for a cozy home.”

“I agree,” I said.

I glanced around, gratitude washing over me. While the cottage had always been home, it felt fuller now, brighter. We weren’t just a collection of people living under the same roof—we were a family.

After breakfast, as everyone cleared their plates and Serenity darted off to play, Aunt Maribel caught my eye and gave a small, subtle nod. I knew that look—she wanted to talk, and not in front of everyone.

I followed her outside.

She didn’t say anything right away. Instead, she sipped her second cup of tea. When she finally turned to me, her eyes were bright but distant, like she was looking at something only she could see.

“There’s a restlessness in the air,” she said softly. “Like the wind when it knows it’s time to change direction. I’ve felt it stirring, and it’s been whispering to me... calling me somewhere new.”

I frowned, not quite understanding. “What do you mean?”

Maribel’s lips curved into a gentle, knowing smile. “The ocean is calling to me, dear,” she said, her voice dreamy, like she was caught up in a far-off thought. “I’ve gained all I can from the winds in these woods, and now they’re telling me it’s time to follow it elsewhere. There’s a little cottage by the sea I’ve been dreaming of, where the tide sings the wind’s secrets that these trees can’t carry.”

It took me a moment to process what she was saying, and even then, it felt like it hadn’t fully sunk in. “You’re moving?” I asked, my heart squeezing a little at the thought.

“Not yet,” she said, her gaze softening as she reached out to gently pat my hand. “But the time will come. The wind near the ocean has its own lessons to teach, and I’ve learned to listen when something pulls at me. It won’t be tomorrow, or even the next day. But it’s coming, and I wanted you to know.”

I stood there, shocked. Part of me wanted to protest, to ask her to stay, but I knew better than that. Aunt Maribel had always followed her own path in life. She’d been guided by things most couldn’t even sense, and I couldn’t ask her to ignore that.

It was too much of what made her who she was.

“I get it,” I said quietly. “I understand. When you’re ready to go, I’ll support you. You’ll always have a place with us here at the cottage, no matter what.”

Her eyes twinkled, and she squeezed my hand. “Oh, my dear, I have no doubts about that.”

“Don’t get me wrong though. I wish you’d stay here with us forever.”

“I know, but I’ve seen it in the cards too. Your path and mine—they’ve intertwined for a time, but they don’t end in the same place. That’s as it should be.” She gave a soft, almost whimsical sigh. “But there’s still more to do here before I let the winds of the ocean carry me off. So don’t you worry just yet.” She winked.

I nodded, feeling relieved. Sienna hadn’t mentioned anything about a plan for how to get a feather from Xander’s raven yet, and while I’d been practicing how to control my new power, I hadn’t mastered much of anything.

“One more thing,” Aunt Maribel said. “The cottage has been given a new keeper.”

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