Chapter 7: The Truth Was Always Coming
609 Words
Alice's heart slammed against her ribs.
She stood frozen near the staircase.
Jake knew she was there.
Of course he knew she was there.
The house suddenly felt too small.
Too quiet.
Too full of secrets.
"Alice?" Jake called again, softer this time.
Slowly, she stepped into view.
Jake stood near the front door.
Evelyn stood beside him.
Both of them looked guilty.
Very guilty.
Alice crossed her arms.
"No," she said immediately.
Evelyn blinked.
"No?"
"Nope."
Jake looked confused.
"No what?"
"No to whatever this is."
Alice waved her hand between them.
"You two know each other?"
Silence.
Bad sign.
"You've met before?" Alice asked.
More silence.
Very bad sign.
Alice stared at her grandmother.
"Grandma."
Evelyn sighed.
"Sweetheart—"
"No."
Alice looked at Jake.
"You."
Jake looked almost nervous.
Which was strange.
Jake Hunter didn't seem like the nervous type.
"You've been acting weird since the library."
His jaw tightened.
"You keep showing up everywhere."
His mouth opened.
Closed.
Opened again.
"You look at me like—"
Alice stopped.
Because she didn't even know how to explain it.
Like I matter.
Like I'm yours.
Like you already know me.
The thoughts alone made her cheeks warm.
Jake's expression softened.
"Alice—"
"And then yesterday happened!"
Fear suddenly replaced her embarrassment.
"The wolves."
Her voice shook.
"The note."
She reached into her pocket and held up the folded paper.
You're asking dangerous questions.
Evelyn's face lost color.
Jake's eyes darkened.
"You got this today?"
Alice looked at him.
"You knew?"
Jake swore quietly.
Not at her.
At the situation.
Which somehow scared her more.
Alice stared between them.
No one was denying anything.
No one.
Cold dread spread through her chest.
"What is going on?"
Evelyn closed her eyes briefly.
When she opened them again, tears filled them.
"Alice, honey... I've been trying to protect you."
Protect me?
Alice felt her stomach drop.
"From what?"
Evelyn looked at Jake.
Jake looked at Evelyn.
Alice was seconds away from screaming.
"Stop doing that!"
They both looked at her.
"Stop looking at each other like you're deciding whether I'm allowed to know something about my own life!"
Silence.
Then Jake stepped forward.
Very slowly.
Like he thought she might run.
"Alice," he said carefully, "what I'm about to tell you is going to sound impossible."
Alice laughed nervously.
"Fantastic."
His eyes never left hers.
"But I need you to trust me."
Trust him.
She did.
That was the terrifying part.
Jake swallowed.
Then said five words that completely shattered her world.
"Werewolves are real, Alice."
...
Alice blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then she laughed.
Actually laughed.
"Oh my God."
Jake frowned.
Alice kept laughing.
"Oh wow."
Evelyn looked worried.
"Alice—"
"No, no, this is good."
She pointed at Jake.
"This is a joke, right?"
No one laughed.
No one smiled.
No one said gotcha.
Alice slowly stopped laughing.
Her smile faded.
"You can't be serious."
Jake took another step forward.
His eyes changed.
Gold.
Bright.
Glowing gold.
Alice stopped breathing.
No.
No no no.
That wasn't possible.
Eyes didn't do that.
People didn't do that.
Jake's voice came quietly.
"Alice..."
Her mind flashed back instantly.
The black wolf.
Golden eyes.
Jake's eyes.
The same eyes.
The exact same eyes.
Her face drained of color.
"Oh my God."
Jake reached for her.
Alice stepped back.
Then another step.
And another.
Her entire world tilted beneath her feet.
Because suddenly—
Every weird thing.
Every strange feeling.
Every secret.
Every wolf.
Every dream.
Every moment with Jake...
Started making sense.
And that terrified her.
Because if werewolves were real...
What else had been a lie?
- Writer
