Glad didn't sleep that night.
She sat in the cottage, staring at Anino, waiting for him to transform again. To explain. To do something.
He just slept.
By morning, she'd convinced herself it was a hallucination. Stress. Burnout. Too many blood spritzers.
Then Anino looked at her and nodded.
Not a hallucination.
"Ariel," she said, finding him at breakfast. "We need to go home. Now."
"Why? What happened?"
"Anino happened. He's—" She lowered her voice. "He's not a cat."
Ariel blinked. "He's... not a cat?"
"He's my father. My supernatural father. He's been protecting me for fifty years. And there's some kind of ancient enemy who's been after me since I was turned."
Ariel processed this remarkably calmly. "Okay. That's... a lot. But also, we're on a mystical island full of supernatural creatures. A cat being your father is honestly not the weirdest thing that's happened this year."
"It's not?"
"You went viral for being a Manananggal. You fought a congressman. You hosted an international summit. A secret cat father fits the pattern."
Despite everything, Glad laughed. "You're taking this well."
"I'm taking this however you need me to." He took her hands. "We'll go home. We'll figure this out. Together."
They packed within the hour.
Lolo Bencio saw them off, his ancient eyes knowing. "The prophecy unfolds," he said simply. "Trust your path, child."
On the ferry back to Dumaguete, Glad watched Anino sleep in her lap.
Fifty years.
Fifty years, and she'd never known.
"Anino," she whispered, "who are you really?"
The cat's ear twitched.
But he didn't answer.