WALL OF THE WOLFES

CHAPTER 6 — WHAT HE REALLY IS

“What…?” she whispered, her voice barely there.

Her eyes shifted quickly to her grandmother.

Searching.

Demanding answers.

“What do you mean… he’s not human?”

The room fell into silence once more.

But this time—

it wasn’t just fear filling the space.

It was the beginning of something far

worse.

Truth.

Needing something—anything—that made sense.

But Obaachan didn’t answer immediately.

Her silence said more than words ever could.

Aiko chest tightness.

Ren stepped forward.

“Stop,” he said quietly.

Aiko’s gaze snapped back to him.

His expression had changed.

No calm.

No distance.

Just something heavy… and tired.

“She doesn’t need to explain it,” he continued. “I will.”

Aiko swallowed hard.

Her fingers curled tightly into her sleeves.

“…Then explain,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

Ren held her gaze.

For a long moment—

he said nothing.

As if choosing his words carefully.

Or deciding how much truth she could handle.

Then—

slowly—

he spoke.

“I’m what your people call a monster.”

The word echoed in the room.

Aiko flinched.

“No…” she shook her head immediately. “That’s not—”

“It is,” Ren cut in, calm but firm.

Aiko’s breath hitched.

Her mind flashed—

The wolf.

The battlefield.

The way it looked at her.

The way it protected her.

Her heart started racing again.

“You…” she whispered, stepping back slightly, “you’re saying that you’re one of them?”

Ren didn’t move.

Didn’t deny it.

Didn’t soften it.

“Yes.”

The answer was simple.

Final.

And it shattered something inside her.

Aiko’s vision blurred.

Her thoughts spiraled.

“No… that’s not possible,” she muttered. “You’re human. You’re standing here, talking—”

“Because I was human,” Ren said.

Silence.

Aiko’s breath stopped.

The words hit harder than anything else.

Was.

Her chest tightened painfully.

“What does that mean…?” she asked, her voice barely holding together.

Ren looked away for a second.

Just a second.

But it was enough to show something she hadn’t seen before.

Pain.

“They took people,” he said quietly. “Changed them. Broke them.”

Aiko’s heart pounded.

Images from her memory crashed back—

Men in uniforms.

“Subject confirmed.”

Her mother’s voice.

Fear.

“…Experiments,” she whispered.

Ren looked back at her.

And this time—

he didn’t hide it.

“Yes.”

The room felt colder.

Smaller.

Like the truth itself was suffocating her.

“So the wolves…” Aiko’s voice shook, “they’re not monsters…”

“They’re what’s left of people who were turned into them.”

Aiko staggered back slightly.

Her mind refused to accept it.

Everything she had been taught—

everything she believed—

was breaking apart.

“That’s not true…” she whispered weakly.

But even she didn’t believe it anymore.

Not after tonight.

Not after what she saw.

Not after what she felt.

Her gaze dropped to the floor.

Her hands trembling.

“…Then why did you save me?” she asked quietly.

A simple question.

But it carried everything.

Ren didn’t answer immediately.

The silence stretched.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Aiko slowly looked up.

Their eyes met again.

And this time—

there was something different.

Something deeper.

Something that scared her more than anything else.

“…Because I know you,” he said.

Her breath caught.

“What…?”

“You just don’t remember.”

The words sent a chill through her entire body.

Fragments of her past flickered again—

Fire.

Blood.

A voice calling her name.

Her heartbeat quickened.

“That’s not possible,” she said, but her voice lacked certainty.

Ren stepped closer.

Not threatening.

Not aggressive.

But enough to make her feel it—

that strange pull again.

That familiarity.

“That night,” he continued softly, “when your house was attacked…”

Aiko froze.

Her eyes widened.

“How do you know about that?” she whispered.

Ren’s gaze darkened.

“I was there.”

The world stopped.

Everything inside her went silent.

Her pulse thundered in her ears.

“You’re lying,” she said immediately, shaking her head.

But the words came out weak.

Unconvincing.

Ren didn’t react.

Didn’t argue.

Just watched her.

“I saw you,” he said. “Before everything changed.”

Aiko’s breathing became uneven.

Her chest rising and falling too fast.

“No… no, that’s not—”

“You were hiding,” he continued, his voice steady, almost distant. “Behind the chest.”

Aiko’s body went completely still.

Her eyes widened in shock.

That—

That was something no one else knew.

No one.

Her lips parted slightly.

But no words came out.

Her mind raced.

Trying to reject it.

Trying to deny it.

But she couldn’t.

Because it was true.

Every word.

“…You were there,” she whispered.

Not a question.

A realization.

Ren didn’t look away.

“Yes.”

Aiko’s heart pounded painfully.

Her world tilted again.

The past—

The present—

They were colliding.

And nothing made sense anymore.

“…Then tell me,” she said, her voice trembling, but stronger now. “What happened that night?”

Ren’s expression hardened.

Something dark passed through his eyes.

Something dangerous.

Something he didn’t want to remember.

“…If I tell you,” he said quietly, “you won’t be able to go back.”

Aiko swallowed.

Her hands clenched into fists.

“There’s nothing to go back to,” she whispered.

A long silence followed.

Then—

Ren nodded once.

Slowly.

“Then listen carefully.”

Aiko’s heart pounded.

Because deep down—

she already knew—

whatever he was about to say…

would change everything.

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