Raymond pov
"What about this necklace? I've been wearing it for years. Does it have anything to do with my heritage?"
"I don't know what it means," my father replied.
"But you always insist that I never take it off." My voice rose despite myself. I wasn't sure if the irritation came from learning John wasn't my real father, or from the story he had just told me.
"I only told you to keep wearing it because you came with it," he said. "I believed there was a reason it was placed on you."
By then, I was tired of hearing about bloodlines and forgotten pasts. All I wanted was to be left alone.
"I'm sorry, Raymond, I… I—"
"It's fine, Father," I cut in. "Just leave me alone for now."
I went to my room and shut the door.
For the rest of that week, I refused to speak to him or step outside. He tried several times to talk to me, but I ignored him. Everything I had endured over the years crashed down on me at once.
Why did I have to suffer so much in the human world when I wasn't even from here? Why did my people bring me here?
It was overwhelming.
After a few days, I decided to go out for some fresh air. I hadn't gone far when I heard children whispering and laughing behind me.
"Monster. Leave our village. We don't want you here."
I turned and saw a group of boys, all younger than me, staring with hatred in their eyes.
"Steve, stop talking," one of them warned. "Unless you want him to break your spine like he did James. He's the reason James can't walk anymore."
"My mother says he's evil," another boy said. "She said one day he'll be chased out of this land. That he's the reason our village isn't progressing."
"It's true!" another shouted. "My mother says he eats humans!"
Fear took over them. "Run! Before he eats us!"
They scattered.
I stood there, shocked. Turning around, I headed back home. I knew things would only get worse if I stayed out longer.
When I got back, I couldn't settle down. What had
I done to deserve this treatment? Why couldn't I just have peace? I never asked for any of this.
Why did everyone hate me so much?
I paced around the house, thinking of everything I had endured over the years. Eventually, I lay down, hoping sleep would come, but it didn't. Just as I got up, my father walked in.
"I heard what happened today," he said. "Are you okay?"
"Am I okay?" I snapped. "How could I be? All my life I've been insulted and mocked everywhere I go. You always told me it would get better, that it wouldn't last forever. But it never stopped. It only got worse."
"When I was younger, all I wanted was to be your son. For people to stop seeing me as an outcast. Now even that has been taken from me."
"You told me I don't belong here. That I belong somewhere else—a place I'm not even sure exists. How am I supposed to be okay with that?"
"My hair is white. I have abilities I have to hide, because if I ever use them, I'll be hunted or killed."
"And you ask if I'm okay? This life is too much to bear."
"Raymond, I understand how you feel—"
"No, you don't!" I cut him off, tears spilling down my face. "No one ever does."
I ran out of the house, my chest tight, my vision blurred by tears. I ran like my life depended on it.
Then it happened.
My skin began to ripple. Pain tore through my whole body as white fur began to break through. My head spun, my bones burned, and started breaking and claws pushed out from my hands. I didn't know what was happening—only that my body was changing and I was in intense pain.
I dropped to all fours. My voice twisted into something deep and rough, like a growl of an animal, and when I tried to scream, a howl tore from my throat.
After the pain passed I began to run until I reached the lake. There, reflected in the water, I saw myself and what I had become.
I had turned into a massive wolf—just like the one I encountered before.
Only I was much larger. On my head was the same crescent moon mark that lay across my back, along with a mark of fire.