Scattered cereal boxes, a tipped-over donut box, and crumbled cupcakes that Zayne had brought home the day before graced the kitchen floor. A figure on the floor sat amidst the wreckage, wrapped loosely in a familiar blanket that Caleb recognized as Xavier’s. His mouth opened in disbelief as he entered the kitchen, but before he could utter a word, a loud sneeze echoed from the hallway.

“Oh, for heaven's sake!” Rafayel’s nasal voice echoed in the manor house, followed by another sneeze. “What is that smell?!”

Caleb, eyes wide, gestured frantically for Rafayel to stay quiet. “Shhh! Don't wake Sylus!” he hissed, glancing over his shoulder toward the landlord’s room once Rafayel stormed into the kitchen.

“What the—?!”

“Quiet!” Caleb whispered harshly, cutting Rafayel off. “Do you want to explain this to Sylus? Just help me figure this out.”

“What’s going on?” Zayne asked as he appeared from the doorway, his gaze drifting over the woman on the floor, a cupcake frosting on her nose. Not long after, Xavier, noticing the tense atmosphere between his roommates, entered the kitchen, only to see the familiar cat ears poking behind the counter.

For a moment, everything fell silent, and the only sound was the quiet rustle of the blanket. Xavier's jaw clenched as recognition dawned. The cat from last night that he saved from the storm... was now a woman.