Chapter 3

"I need to call my parents," I said as Riri was following behind me. I turned to face her and noticed the seriousness in her expression. "I don't understand what's going on," I told her.

"An, this is serious," she said. "I need you to be open-minded and understanding, please."

"Please, Riabhel, can you spare me from making any demands? I believe I have been quite understanding so far. I'm still trying to process everything and I'm not angry yet about what you've done." As I entered the room, I noticed my bag on the sofa and began searching for my phone inside. "Where on earth did I put my phone?" I muttered in frustration.

"It's right there," Riabhel said, directing my attention to the bedside table where my phone sat next to the alarm clock.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes inwardly as I responded, "Did you hear what he said about a pack? And he even growled like some sort of beast. You heard that, right, Riabhel? And now you're acting strange. You're being defensive and it seems like you're not being honest. You're feisty. You won't easily apologize to any man."

"He's not just any man," Riabhel retorted, her tone growing more impassioned.

"Then enlighten me," I challenged, giving her a curious look before walking over to the bedside table and picking up my phone.

She hesitated for a moment, and I could see a mix of emotions in her eyes, with worry being the most prominent. It had been years since I had seen her so worried about anything. Riabhel was always a confident woman, but now she seemed anything but. The strength of her worries was palpable, almost like a power that she couldn't contain. It pained me to see her like this and knowing that I was the one causing her to feel this way only made the guilt I felt even stronger.

"I'm not...I'm not the person you think I am, Anisha," she said, her voice filled with misery.

I let out a sigh and responded, "If you're worried that I think of you differently, then yes, I do. But that's not a bad thing. Everyone is unique and complex, and I don't believe that people are only what they profess to be. I believe that you are more than what meets the eye. And regardless of what you may have done, you're still my friend, Riabhel. I love you for who you are, and I accept you." I tried to comfort her with my words, hoping to alleviate some of her worries.

Her lips finally stretched into a smile, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're making me cry," she said, chuckling through her tears. It had been a long time since I had seen that expression on her face, and it felt good to see her smile, even if it was just a small one. She sniffled as she tried to compose herself.

I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry," I said, offering her a fond smile.

"You'll fear me. You'd be disgusted."

"I could never be afraid of you, Riabhel. And I could never be disgusted by you, no matter what you've done," I reassured her, hoping to dispel some of her fears. I sat on the bed, taking note of how vulnerable she looked at the moment. "I understand that it can be difficult to trust someone, but I thought we were friends. I trust you, and there's nothing you could have done to make me disgusted by you."

"Because I haven't given you one. I was careful. I made you want to be friends with me. I was careful so that you would like me."

"Come on! Riabhel. It's not that you kill—"

"I'm a wolf, Anisha," she said, cutting me off.

I could feel the creasing of my forehead like my skin was being pulled tightly over my skull.

"A wolf?" I raised my eyebrows, silently asking her to clarify what she had just said.

It's hard when you know someone really well and says something that knocks your socks off and doesn't react in the way you were expecting. I expected her to laugh it all off. But she didn't. But, do I really know her that well?

"I'm a werewolf."

I could hardly believe what she was saying. "A werewolf?" I incredulously repeated. "I thought we were being serious here, Riabhel, but now you're saying you're a werewolf? Do you howl at the moon? Hunt people for food? And let me guess, you can transform from that human body into a wolf, then, like those in the movies, you can transform back into that human form. Very fascinating, huh?" I said, a forced laugh escaping my lips. My head was shaking as I spoke.

"Movies are based on events that are often overdramatized by people for the purpose of storytelling," she said. Her voice was more subdued at this time. 

"And now we're romanticizing them, compelling them to entertain people. And now you want me to believe you're a werewolf." I scoffed.

"How did you think I found you when you got lost in the forest on one of our mountain treks? You have never been lost with me since then. Remember Darren? It was me who sent him to the hospital with broken bones and wounds on his back when he bullied you on your first week at school. I made it clear to him to stay out of your way." She said, reliving those horrible moments. My brain can't possibly forget them even if I want to. "And Jason in your English class—"

"I did not tell you about Jason." I cut her words. I was growing more and more anxious as the conversation went on.

"I knew what he did because I scented his scent on you when I saw you crying at the back of the campus. He forced himself on you." A small gasp left my mouth.

"He didn't—"

"I know. I would know if he did."

"What did you do to him? I heard he dropped out of school. I couldn't have been so relieved to hear it." I said, trying to block that memory from taking away my focus on the matter—the werewolf thing.

"He was punished...by them."

"Who?"

"The Alphas."

"The Alphas," I repeated, as though the words were so foreign I thought about laughing, but I held it. Riri had been serious. Her stern expression proved the point. Her mouth was set in a straight line and her brows were drawn together. The sense of determination in her grabbed that gravity around us. I couldn't quite tell, but the atmosphere in the room was so mysteriously unusual to me, especially with her. "How was he punished?"

"We have a specific set of laws or codes that govern in this pack. He is a human, so he is subjected to leniency seeing that he did not succeed in his plan, but..." her eyes almost turned black, taking me by surprise. I couldn't hold back my loud gasp. "The Alphas took justice into their own hands. He was subjected to death."

I looked at her, shocked. "They killed Jason?"

"A decision no one could object to," she said sadly.

I felt like my airway was obstructed. I had to take a deep breath to regulate my breathing back to normal.

"This is insane, Ri." I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. "I don't...I don't know what to say. Actually...I don't even know how to feel. It's overwhelming."

"It is." I heard her chuckle. "I'm glad you're not freaking out. I mean I expect you to scream at me or maybe run for the hills for your safety as quickly as possible."

"I am freaking out, Riabhel! This is absolutely terrifying!" I groaned in powerlessness. "Can you...can you grow your nails like wolverine?" I asked her.

She burst out laughing as though she found the question humorous. It seemed to serve as a release of tension or her pent-up stress at the moment.

"I'm serious, Ri!" I crossed my arms over my chest and heaved a frustrated sigh.

"Ditto." She grinned.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, but deep down my heart felt somehow happy to see her smiling again.

"Do you wanna see it?" she asked, still grinning.

"You can really do it?" I asked. My heart was in my mouth. Her head eagerly bobbed up and down in enthusiasm. "Show me."

With sobriety, she got close to me and stretched her hands. "You will see my nails growing sharply."

With bated breath, I watched her fingernails elongate and stretch, creating a sharp claw-like appearance. It was gradual and...and fascinating.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, lifting my hand to touch one of them, and then, each of them with awe.

"When we transform, our bones and muscles change. Our inner beast will break free, taking over our human body. It shows the ferocity of our wolf." She said, watching me intently. "The first transformation hurts. It's a kind of pain no one will ever comprehend unless you've gone through it."

"It's...It's amazing," I said with fascination. "I would love to see you transform, Ri."

"Aren't you scared? Humans will shun us. We are seen as dangerous and feared creatures."

"Are you saying that there are humans who know your existence? We're told that they are all fantasy and folklore in some countries' cultures."

"People can sound very convincing. With power and authority, a lie can be perceived as truthful. It's the power of perception, and it impacts people's beliefs. The truth that we exist is sometimes dismissed when presented with confidence and authority. So, it will ultimately come down to seeing one and accepting it."

"Wow, Ri. This is unbelievable...but...I'm amazed." I looked her in the eye and sighed. "You lied to me for years and that hurts me because that shows you don't find me trustworthy."

"No, Anisha—"

I stopped her. "Ri, you're my friend. Nothing can change that. Not even the fact that you're a werewolf," I said, smiling reassuringly at her. "And I'm sorry that I reacted badly earlier. It's just that this is a lot to take in. I never would have thought that something like this could be real."

"I'm sorry, An." Her voice broke and tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Hey, Riri, it's okay. Don't cry." I hugged her tight, running my hands on her back, soothing her. The corners of my eyes were also stung by the pending tears.

Riabhel took a deep breath. "I wanted to, Anisha. I really did. But you know how people react to things they don't understand. They fear what they don't know. And I didn't want to lose you as my friend. You were the only one who ever accepted me for who I am, and I didn't want to risk losing that," she explained, her eyes pleading with me to understand.

Shushing her down, I wiped the tears from her face. "We're okay now, Ri. Although this is a lot to process... I'm here. I'm not running away. We're still friends."

Our sniffles were so loud I couldn't help but chuckle. "Why are we crying, by the way?"

"Because I'm a werewolf?" she gave a snorting laugh and I joined.

"So, Ri. Why do things have to be ready? How did you know it was time? Time for what?"

Another swallow was made before she dragged a much deeper sigh out of her throat.

"Because you were chosen."