I might be just walking around in a hospital, but... It’s nice. I feel like I’m in a dream. I’ve been having this feeling since I woke up. All of this is so different compared to the last ten years of my life. Now I just have a walk, and I don’t fear that someone might hit me or get angry at me for not doing my chores. I don’t have any chores anymore! I just get meals every day without having to prepare it myself or sneak it out. I laze all day, sleeping, reading, and watching movies.
Bobo takes me to some ample outdoor space. This really looks like a garden! There are even a fountain and a few benches where patients are sitting to enjoy the sunshine. Bobo guides me to an empty one.
“Thank you,” I mimic on my lips.
He just lays down and starts dozing off. Tonia finally puts her phone away and comes to sit next to me, putting her feet on him like he’s some stool.
“So, how do you feel now?”
I smile and nod happily. This feels great. I am a bit disappointed we are not really outside, but this is still really enjoyable. Feeling the warm sunshine on my skin, smelling the fresh air.
“Good, you could use some more tan, baby girl. You’re white as a sheet.”
I agree. I’ve always hated my pale skin, but I guess that’s what you get from living in a dark basement. Tonia sighsand turns out to me. She hands me her smartphone, with the keypad activated.
“Okay, I understand there are some things you don’t want to talk about. But I have to say, Nora, we know nothing about you. We couldn’t find where you come from, what happened to you... I get that you’ve had a hard time, but...”
Bobo suddenly raises his head and starts growling. Tonia pushes him with her foot.
“You, shut up. I’ll say it if I want to. Listen, Nora, the Boss is really... mad about what happened to you. Nathaniel’s got him focused on other things for now, but he won’t let it go. Someone attacked you, and I can tell you know who it is. So, won’t you tell us?”
I shake my head slowly. No, no, I can’t. Even more, if Damian is going after my brother next. Tonia scratches her head and just nods.
“Okay, so you really don’t want to. So, how about you tell me what you can, huh? Even stupid things, okay? Tell me about... I don’t know, your family? Your friends?”
I hesitate a little. I’m not sure how much I can really say without endangering anyone. I take Tonia’s phone, and slowly start typing. She reads out loud.
“Your parents are dead, okay. I’m sorry, baby girl. Oh, you have a brother. Is he older? …Okay. And no friends... Well, you got us now!”
I smile and nod shyly. That’s right, but... Tonia looks at my question, surprised.
“Oh, you want to know about us?” She chuckles. “Okay, so what do you want to know, let me think... So, Bobo and I have an older brother, Neal, who is the Beta to the Blood Moon Clan, actually.”
Is their brother Damian’s Beta then?
“We have our mom, but basically, we don’t have many friends, either. To be honest, the Boss kind of... picked us up when we were in big trouble, let’s say. The pack is everything to us now.”
I nod. I suddenly remember something I heard.
“Why you don’t smell like a werewolf? We were kind of curious about that, too... What? You’ve never shapeshifted? Are you kidding?”
I shake my head and bite my lip. No, I haven’t. Tonia frowns.
“That’s really unusual. Most werewolves turn for the first time when they’re around ten. Of course, some earlier, some later but... You’re seventeen. You... Can you feel your wolf? When did you start feeling her?”
I nod and show her my fingers to answer.
“Seven? Nora, that doesn’t sound like a late bloomer. More like... some barrier or something.”
I nod. I know... I know I should have been able to shapeshift long ago by now. But... I just can’t.
“Do you have some sort of trauma? I know it is bizarre to ask, but... Wait, you do?”
I keep nodding slowly. Well, I don’t know if it can really be called a trauma for real, but... I put a few words down and show her, but she frowns.
“...From when you were seven? And what happened? Can you tell me?”
I hesitate a bit, not because I don’t want to tell her, but because I’m afraid. It’s not exactly a happy story, and I’ve never told anyone before. It just makes me so... sad and miserable. And how much can I really tell her without revealing too much? I hesitate a while and end up giving her back the phone. She reads it and sighs.
