Hidden In Plain Sight: Book 2 (Wolves)

Chapter 12- Alistar

I couldn’t believe this was really happening. Were they all in on this elaborate hoax? It wasn’t April 1st, but I sure felt like a fool. Maybe I’m being punked? Like on the television show where they play jokes on people and then show them the cameras. I smile, laugh quietly, and shake my head. I was not going to fall for this bull s**t. I wasn’t getting punked!

Paulina stepped into the doorway without her clothes and began to change shape. The grunts, groans, and snapping of bone sounded painful and looked even worse. What the f**k was I witnessing?

Within a couple minutes, Paulina was a beautiful Timberwolf with a darker back and top and lighter colors that ran along the underside of her tail, stomach, muzzle, and the insides of her legs. She stood up and shook, similar to a wet dog. I couldn’t hold back anymore, I said, “holy f**k! You were serious. There is a wolf in my bedroom.” I met Susan’s eyes and then my dad’s and they both nodded at me, before I looked back at Paulina in her wolf form. The wolf used its nose to move my hand onto its muzzle, as if asking to be pet. Stroking her head with my hand, I couldn’t help but compare and contrast Paulina’s coat to Halyn’s. They were similar but different.

“Son, I know this is a lot to take in, but it’s real. I learned about were-animals the weekend I went on that wolf hunt. Sadly, that’s why our house was burned down. It wasn’t an electrical fire like they tried to make us believe. I tried to stop men with guns, power, and money when they burned down Paulina’s home and tried to kill Travis. When the criminals were released on bonds, they wanted revenge. Travis, Paulina, Susan, and Gannon, were nice enough to give us safe housing and found me a new job so I could be home more. I will forever be grateful for their friendship and generosity.”

Paulina stepped over to Fred and licked his hand. Fred smiled and scratched Luna Paulina’s ear, making her rear foot move reflexively in response to the ear scratching. Fred couldn’t help but smile. Susan’s eyes flashed gold briefly again before returning to brown, and she said, “Fred, I’m supposed to tell you from Luna Paulina that it’s not funny.” Of course the huge smile on Susan’s face said otherwise.

Paulina trotted back into the bathroom, and within minutes, she was standing in front of Alistar fully dressed except her shoes. “Well, I have a boy to spoil, so I’ll be on my way.”

Susan stands and gives Paulina a hug and whispers, “thank you,” into her ear before she leaves. Paulina nods with a warm smile and shuts the door behind her.

“Why now? Are you telling me now because of what I saw or because I was attacked?” I asked, staring coldly first at Susan and then my father.

Susan sighed again before saying, “a bit of both Al. Most of the time, we don’t tell humans because it puts us in danger. The fact you saw not one but two werewolves shift, made it necessary to give you an explanation so you could understand.” I look from Susan to my dad and he simply nods in agreement. I meet Susan’s eyes again and she continues, “the severity of your injury and the fact you were bitten to the bone by a werewolf, in wolf form, makes it possible you may become a werewolf on the next full moon.”

“Get the f**k outta here. Am I being punked? I must be because that’s impossible. What you're saying is like something out of a story book,” I say with a lot of emotion and in a rush.

Dad sits forward in his chair and says in a calm voice, “Al, think about everything you’ve seen in the last three days. How could any of that be faked? I’m sorry son, but it’s all very real. This isn’t new, we have simply taken the blinders off.”

Susan watches Dad until he is done talking and then finishes her speech, “I need you to remember that you may soon be one of us, and if you tell humans about us, it could have deadly consequences. So I’m begging you that if you need to discuss this or have concerns, talk to your dad, me, Gannon, or Dr. Hansen. Keep in mind that your mom, Addison, and Allie know nothing about this, and we need to keep it that way.”

I simply nod as my head is beginning to ache. It then dawned on me, I don’t know why they suspect I’m becoming a werewolf. “Susan, why do you think I’m going to become a werewolf?”

Instead of answering, Susan looked at my father, and I was at the end of my patience. “Stop. Doing. That!” I yelled, sat up straight in bed with my hands in fists, my teeth clenched, and my pulse and breath rate way above normal. Both my dad and Susan were looking at me in disbelief. I make such an effort to stay in control, to always be the good child, the responsible child, that neither of them have seen this much emotion from me. It suddenly occurred to me that I was angry and felt very out of control. I knew I needed to calm down, but I just couldn’t slow down my breathing. I knew I was hyperventilating but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t see or hear anything and my hands were starting to tingle. I felt a strong hand grab and squeeze mine and knew I wasn’t alone, but other than a loud buzzing, I was unsure what was being said. Someone tried to push me backwards onto my pillows but I wouldn’t let them. I began to shake my head back and forth. The last thing I remember was pressure around my mouth and a crinkling noise as I breathed in and out. I imagined Halyn’s face as I was sure I was dying.