Werewolf Chapter 7

A Story by RayLynn

Chapter 7

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Lucas asks as we enter his room and sit on the edge of his bed.

I set my purse down on the floor by my feet and wring my hands nervously. I inhale deeply, bracing myself for what I’m about to say.

“Lucas, the thing is, I’m not exactly what I seem to be and there’s something I’ve been keeping from you that you really should know.” My eyes stay cast on the floor, but I can feel the heat from Lucas’s gaze boring into me.

“Whatever it is, Charlie, I’ll understand. You can tell me anything.” He rests a hand on my back and slides closer to me.

“Maybe not this time, hun. This thing is a lot bigger than anything else I could tell you about me.” I laugh nervously.

Lucas sits, watching me and waiting patiently for me to spit it out already and get rid of all this anxiety.

“God, this is so hard. I’m sorry. I really thought I’d be able to do this a lot better than how I am.”

“It’s alright, take all the time you need, Charlie. I’m okay with waiting. Even if you can’t tell me whatever it is today, that’s alright too.”

“It’s just that once I tell you this, things are going to change between us. It’s inevitable. I don’t know what your reaction will be, but things will definitely change and I’m so afraid that once you know this part of me, you won’t think of me the same way anymore. I know we’ve only been together for about three months, but we’ve known each other for years and you’ve always been someone I’ve really cared about. I can’t throw away everything we have.” Tears come to my eyes, but I try to hide it from him. The idea of ever losing him kills me and knowing it may only be moments away sends a wave of panic through me.

“I think you’re right. I will think of you differently after whatever it is you’re about to tell me.” Lucas takes me hand in his and gives it a light squeeze. “I’m only going to love you even more, Charlie. Whatever this thing is, it’s obviously very important to you and I can see how much you’re struggling to tell me. It takes someone very brave and caring to be this vulnerable, and I really admire that about you. This won’t change things in a bad way for us, it’ll just bring us closer together.”

“I’m really trying, Lucas. I just can’t seem to find the right words.” A million thoughts race through my mind of what he might say once I finally get this secret out. Will he be afraid of me? Will he be angry? Will he run from me? The possibilities are endless and I’m almost more afraid to see his reaction than to actually tell him.

“Maybe I could guess what it is. Then all you have to do is say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ instead of actually getting all the right words out yourself.”

“I’m not so sure if that’s a good idea. This isn’t something normal that you would guess.”

“I can totally guess it.”

“Lucas-”

“Are you a lesbian?”

“What? No, I’m not a lesbian. Why would you even-”

“Are you adopted?”

“Lucas, please.”

“Are you sick?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m not sick with anything.”

“Did you have cancer?”
“Lucas, I just said that I’m not sick. I never have been.”

“Are you pregnant?”

“We haven’t even had sex yet!” I say exasperated. “Will you please stop guessing? You’re not going to get it.”

“Oooh, I know. Are your parents sick?”

“No.”

“Your brothers?”

“Lucas-”

“Did you fail a class?”

“Okay first of all, I’m too smart to fail a class. And second of all, what is your obsession with sickness? No one in my family is dying, no one is sick, no one has cancer.”

“Are you secretly a dude?”

“Seriously?”

“Do you have an STI?”

“Lucas, what part of ‘virgin’ doesn’t make sense to you?”

“I’m just asking.”

“Well, don’t.” I furrow my brow in frustration. All these guesses are overwhelming me and I just want to find a nice way to tell him the truth so he’ll stop. I think back to the conversation I had with my mom and try to find the courage to be as strong as she had been.

“Are your parents losing their house?”

“What would make you think that?”

“I don’t know, I’m just running low on ideas.”

“Lucas, the truth is-”

“Oh, I know! Did someone die?”

“What? No, no one died. Will you please stop for a minute and lis-”

“Did someone get sent away? Like to prison or a mental hospital?”

“Lucas, please-”

“Did you not get into a college that you want?”

“That’s not it. Listen, the truth-”

“Cause that would be really bad since I know how important school is and how much you really want to go once this year is-”

“LUCAS!” I raise my voice to interrupt him. “I’M A WEREWOLF!”

“What?”

“I’m sick or dying or failing at school, my family is happy and healthy. The thing I had to tell you today is that I’m a werewolf.” The words tumble out of my mouth faster than I can even process what they are. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m not living a lie, and it feels like heaven.

“The truth is that I’ve been a werewolf for my entire life , but with how close we are and how much I’ve been trying to deal with lately, I thought it was time to tell you. I can’t keep living as if this part of me doesn’t exist because it very much does. I’m reminded of it every single day of my life, and if you’re serious about me, this will affect you too.”

“You’re a werewolf? Like an honest to god, hairy doglike human hybrid?”

“Yes, I’m an honest to god werewolf; claws, fangs, and all.”

Lucas sits still, staring at me. He looks up and down my body as if he expects me to change right here, right now and suddenly a tail or claws will appear.

“It really isn’t so bad. I mean, it’s not like I’m a vicious man eater. With my pack, we mostly hunt deer, although we sometimes go after bears if they’re around.”

“Pack? You mean, you’re not the only one?”

I laugh out loud. “Of course I’m not the only one. How do you think I became a werewolf if there aren’t any others around?”

“Were you bitten?”

“No. My mom is a werewolf too so I was born this way. Bites are really rare in our world, they almost never happen, and when they do, it’s usually because of someone with malicious intentions. We try not to go around changing human lives like that, we know this isn’t the best life to live.”

“Wait, so your whole family….” Lucas swallows hard. “They’re all werewolves?”

“Yes. My mom was born with it, but my dad was bitten. So my brothers and I are all werewolves by birth.” I explain.

“So, how many werewolves are out there?”

“Out where?”

“I’m not sure. Like in this town I guess?”

“In my pack there are about 14 of us. We lost one member a few months ago, but other than that, it’s usually all the same people that stay.”

“You lost someone?” Lucas c***s his head to the side and gives me a quizzical look.

“Yes. She fed on a human which is against our code so our leaders banished her from the pack. We might be giant hairy beasts, but we have some morals.” I laugh lightly. “You don’t have to worry though, we don’t associate with her anymore now that we know she’s been breaking our laws.”

“So, do you like know when you’re going to transform or does it just happen sometimes?” Lucas turns to sit cross legged on the bed and I turn my body so we’re facing each other.

“Well, most of the time I know when I’m about to change. Usually it only happens when there’s a full moon or when I’m super pissed off. Once my blood starts rushing and my stress levels soar, there’s almost no stopping it unless I can immediately calm myself down. It’s the same for humans really, your fight or flight response is really similar to it. Your adrenaline either gets pumping to get you through the situation by fighting or it feels you with fear and you run. We’re not all that much different; our adrenaline either changes us into our wolf form to get us ready for a fight or we run while we’re still human.”

“Do you have like superhuman abilities because of it?”

I laugh. “It’s not like I’m superman, Lucas. I really only have the extra strength when I’m in my wolf form. It’s not like I can bench press three times my weight or run a mile a minute when I’m human. I’m still just as average as most people are.”

“This is actually super interesting.” Lucas’s face lights up with a smile and the light reflects off his eyes.

“You’re not afraid of me?”

“Why would I be afraid of you?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I’m a werewolf and if I changed right now I’d be strong enough to rip you in half. The idea of that being a possibility scares most people.” I roll my eyes at him and smile.

“Okay, two things. First of all, I know that you love me and you’d do anything to protect, not hurt me. And second of all, of course I’m not afraid of you. You’re basically an oversized dog with an ego problem.”

My jaw drops and I sit there staring at Lucas. “I am not an oversized dog! And I most certainly do not have an ego problem.”

“You kind of are. I mean, besides the extra strength, speed, height, and weight, you’re kind of just a big dog. Slightly more vicious, but still a dog.”

“Slightly? Lucas, my pack literally goes hunting multiple times a month. We track deer and chase them down at night.” I say, trying to defend myself.

“Charlie, I hate to break this to you, but hunting dogs exist.”

“You are not funny.”

“I know, but I still try to be.”

“Lucas!” His mom yells from downstairs.

He gets off the bed and walks to the top of the stairs. “Yeah?”

“Can you run to the store for me?”

“Mom, Charlie’s still here.”

“Well, take her with you!”

“Mom!”

“Lucas, please?”

I walk over and stand next to him. “It’s alright. I don’t mind going with you.”

He sighs heavily. “What do you need, Mom?”

“Come down here and I’ll give you the list.”

Lucas turns back to me, shaking his head. “Alright, I guess we’re going for a little drive.”

We go back into his room to get our jackets and so I can grab my purse before heading downstairs. Before we head out the door, his mom hands him a shopping list.

“And before you come back home, will you stop by the senior center and drop off those Christmas cards in the box in the garage?”

“Alright. We’ll be back later.”

“Bye, sweetie. Drive safe. I love you!”

“Love you too, Mom.”

We head out to the garage and put the box of homemade Christmas cards in the back seat before pulling down the driveway.

As soon as we’re on the road, we drive in silence until Lucas turns on some music.