Hidden Among Humans

Chapter 11

“Isabella, can you hear me?” I heard a distant but clear whisper. Startled by what was going on, I remained silent. “Just reply a simple yes, if you can.” The voice continued. I hesitated for a moment but eventually gave in.

“Yes,” I replied with a whisper as I looked around the empty room. I wondered if there was a camera or microphone in the room. I continued to look around the room like a crazy person but found nothing.

“Well, now,” the door opened with a jolt. I normally didn’t startle easily but I was not expecting that. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t sensed her, but honestly, I had too many things closing my mind. “We have things to discuss, don’t you think?” she said as she made her way to the desk in front of me. I stayed silent for some time as I watched her review my file. I was nervous as she flipped one page after another.

“How did you know I could hear you?” I finally said, trying to break the tension in the room. There was something about her that scared me, but at the same time, she drew me in. She was different than other humans and I needed to know why. There had been a change moments ago that I could not describe but it reminded me of that image I had seen before, his image. I didn't know who he was, but somehow I knew he had to be real. His eyes and her eyes were the same, like if I had been staring into the eyes of a wild animal. My logic told me it had just been my imagination.

“I will be asking the questions here,” she said as she continued to stare at the file, but her tone was defensive. “You are a human,” she mumbled. There was doubt in her voice, not in herself but in me. It was as if she suspected me of something or as if I could be an enemy of some sort. Maybe I was imagining that too. How could she dislike me when we had never met before. As far as the idea of me being anything other than human, well, that was as outlandish as anything could get. Humans were the only thing that existed, right? I let out an awkward giggle at her words.

“I’m sorry, what else would I be?” I asked, confused at her statement. She remained silent, observing for far too long. Eventually, she stood up at a snail’s pace, making me feel more uncomfortable. Her nostrils flared up, taking in every scent in the room. I had done that many times before, it was as if I was watching myself for a moment. It was a scene from a slow-motion movie as she made her way towards me. Over-dramatized if you ask me. She took a deep whiff over my left shoulder, then she traveled to my right where she took in a second whiff. Her nose immediately wrinkled as she analyzed my scent.

“Yes, you reek of humans, but the faint smell of wolves is there,” she huffed before returning to her desk. My eyes widened as she used the word wolf to describe my scent. I had used those words earlier to describe her eyes. I was confused, but mostly I thought I was losing my mind. I have heard of an illness that affected your hearing and comprehension skills. I wondered if this was it. “Tell me about your parents.” She looked up expecting me to answer her immediately, but I was still trying to wrap my mind around her words.

I stared at her for what seemed to be an eternity. Somehow, I had not noticed her silver-tinged eyes. They reminded me of my own eyes, they demanded freedom. I looked away trying to shuffle her words around, attempting to understand what I had misheard, but nothing made sense.

“Umm…Sorry did you say wolf?” I wrinkled my nose as I turned my nose to my shoulder. I knew I smelled fine; I had taken a shower that morning. Why was she acting like I had a horrid stench?

“Can your parents do what you do?” She ignored my question.

“Um, I'm adopted, I'm not sure,” I mumbled.

“That’s not in the file,” she flipped through the pages, “that’s important to know. How is that not in here?” She said before she closed the file, setting it down beside her. It was as if my words had generated an idea in her head.

“How long has it been?” she asked.

“I was adopted when I was four years old,” I whispered. I had always hated the idea of being adopted. Maybe that is why my parents left me in the hospital alone. I wasn't truly their daughter.

“Do you remember anything,” she leaned in closer. I could tell she was curious.

“Before that, no,” I answered.

She began viciously scrolling through her phone without saying a word. A few moments passed, but still, she acted as if I was not there. I was still confused about what was going on. But a part of me knew she had the answers I had been looking for.

“Tell me, what do you know about werewolves,” I let out another awkward giggle.

“That they are not real,” I stiffed up. I wondered if this was a test of my sanity.

“Is this not real?” her eyes changed as they had done before. With hues of fire embers engulfing her orbs, I should have been afraid. Still, I could not help but gasp. I thought I was going crazy. I stared at her in silence, waiting for her to speak, mainly because I didn’t know what to say. At some point, I had to look away. I stared at my fingers. Before long, I was fidgeting uncomfortably in my seat.

She had his eyes, the ones from my dreams. At least I thought it was a dream, there was no doubt they were the same.

“I’m going crazy,” I chuckled at the idea.

“Tell me what I smell like,” I looked back up to find her eyes still on me.

“Umm… I can’t describe it, it's an odor I haven’t smelt before. But it reminds me of the wild.” I spoke softly, sure that I must be going crazy. None of this felt real.

“That is the smell of a wolf, but what do I smell like?” I tried to focus as I took in another whiff, then another, and another. “For example, your scent is human but you also have a vanilla essence intertwined with it.”

“I don’t know,” I looked away, unsure of what I was doing.

“You have lived too many years with humans, you have no control over your senses.” She tapped her temple as she spoke.

“Is that why I'm sick?” I mumbled.

“No, werewolves don’t get sick in the traditional sense. We are not affected by the common cold or human virus. Rabies, on the other hand, can be serious for us.” Her eyes brightened up as if she had an idea. She reached for the file once more. I could hear her mumble a couple of times before she set the file down.

“The day you got hospitalized, I knew it felt familiar. You’ve had a burning sensation, have you not?” I nodded as she continued to speak. It's your wolf trying to break free. “Here you were so close to home. No wonder we couldn’t find you, you were hidden among humans.” She sniffed the air as she allowed a smile to escape.

“You keep saying werewolves and humans, I don’t understand,” I needed to hear it from her.

“I understand this might be a lot, but you, my dear, are no human. You might smell like one, but you are one of us.” She said with confidence. Still considered that my ears were playing tricks on me. I wasn't sure what was better, going mad, or believing that what she said was true.

“What do you mean?” I already knew what she was trying to say but somehow, I needed to hear it from her. It was as if my brain was tiptoeing around the idea. But I was ready for what came next.

“Isabella, you are a werewolf.”