Chapter 13 - Suspicious Things

>>Maya

I couldn’t sleep the whole night so the next day I made breakfast quite early and left the house before I came face to face with Yohan.

It wasn’t as if I didn’t like him, it was just that I couldn’t face him yet. He confessed his feelings for me so suddenly and I’m still confused.

I sighed as I walked on the footpath and made my way to the university.

I do feel attracted to him, like a lot. But I swore I wouldn’t like a person till the time I’ve become independent. Yohan is messing with that vow so badly I don’t know what to do. From the very first time I saw him I found him very attractive. Very very attractive.

I placed my hand over my chest.

I’m even living with him…

I looked at the sky.

I feel like pursuing my goals first but at the same time I feel like I can’t reject him. I don’t know why but I feel like something very bad would happen if I did.

I waited for Ruda in class but since I was early I had a lot of time to spare. Unfortunately instead of doing something productive my thoughts were occupied with Yohan.

Come to think of it. He didn’t tell me anything about his disease.

‘It’s a very very rare disease.’ His words resounded in my mind and I wondered if he was telling the truth. I don’t see why he would lie about this and I can even understand that there are many diseases that are ultra rare but a person as a cure? That, still didn’t make any sense.

“Hey!” Ruda tapped my shoulder bringing me back from the world of thoughts.

“Hey…” I didn’t give him my usual enthusiastic greeting because I was still sort of mad at him for being so cold to me.

He sat next to me and looked at me while I kept staring in front. “Maya…” He started, “I’m sorry.” I didn’t give him a reply, “I didn’t mean to get mad. I-I don’t know why I suddenly lost my cool like that- well I mean my brother was coughing up blood-”

“Yohan told me the reason.” I cut his words and looked at him, “And he said he liked me a lot.” Ruda stared back at me wide-eyed.

“He did?” He was unsure, rather, he was highly suspicious.

I nodded. “He said something about me being his cure.” Actually he didn’t really ‘exactly’ say it was me but I wanted something out of Ruda.

“Ohh.” He laughed lightly, “I didn’t think he would tell you so soon! I mean not after how harshly you rejected wolves!” What? What is he talking about? “Maybe he was scared now that his only hope might leave him too. I mean that’s the thing with humans, you never know when they might just change their mind and leave for good.” He looked at me and stopped talking, then his eyes went wide, “What exactly did he tell you?” He suddenly realized something and began to panic.

“Human? You’re saying as if you’re not referring to yourself.”

He gulped, “What exactly did he tell you!”

I eyed him suspiciously, “There’s something you’re hiding from me. Something very important and I know it’s related to his disease.”

“Disease?” The panic in his eyes increased, “Shit…” He whispered the curse.

“Ruda!” I grabbed his wrist, “Tell me what’s wrong with him.”

“I-” He was at a loss of words. He knew he said something wrong and it was his fault but I had to know what it was. I had to know what these brothers were hiding from me. “Maya-” His eyes darted around as he collected his words but then his phone rang and he didn’t waste any time in answering it, “Yes! Hello!” He moved away from me and released himself from my grip.

I kept my eyes on him but he avoided my gaze and even left the lecture hall.

I sighed. Am I being too forceful? I clicked my tongue softly and pondered upon his words.

Wolves? Humans? His only hope might leave him?

Both of them, I bit my lower lip. Both of them are saying things that just don’t make sense!

Humans change their minds? He said the words like he wasn’t including himself in and what’s this deal with wolves?

Come to think of it. They both got angry when I said those harsh things about wolves.

I snorted. I didn’t say anything wrong though. Wolves are disgusting creatures.

I looked at the entrance door of the room while I tapped my finger on the desk. There was no sign of him coming back.

‘His only hope.’

‘A person as a cure?’

They both implied the same thing too.

I began to tap my foot on the floor as well. The more I thought about things, the more anxious I was getting. I wanted answers so bad but I wasn’t getting them. I stood up and walked out of the hall to get Ruda but he wasn’t there or as a matter of fact he was nowhere in sight.

What the?! Where did he go?

I looked around a bit but couldn’t find him, so in the end I decided to wait in the lecture hall hoping that he would come back when the lecture started but my hopes were shattered when he didn’t come back at all.

I waited the whole day but in the end I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of him. Later I got his text saying he won’t be coming to university for a few days due to family stuff.

He ran away.

His actions made me so much more suspicious but at the same time I came to realize that I won’t get the answer just by asking. I’ll have to find out by some other method.

***

Classes ended late and I walked home after studying a bit in the library. Countless thoughts were circulating in my mind while the sky turned darker. I looked up at the moon and smiled.

“It’s a full moon.” I whispered to myself.

Only when I reached back home I remembered Yohan’s confession and ended up stopping right outside the house.

I didn’t think about this the whole day! How do I even talk to him? I began fiddling with my thumbs.

Well, he did say he didn’t want an answer... Was he implying he didn’t need one at all or will he wait for one?

I braced myself, took a deep breath and walked in.

“I’m back.” I entered the house but then stopped. The lights weren’t on and strangely the automatic lights in the porch didn’t turn on either so I walked to the living room to turn on the switches. Something crunched under my shoes but I had no idea what it was since I couldn’t see.

I reached for the switches but paused before turning them on.

I heard someone breathing close by and it sent shivers down my whole spine.

“Yo-Yohan?” I turned my head a bit and saw a car parking in front of the house when the other person answered my call.

“No~” The voice was shrill yet it seemed like it belonged to an adult.

In a state of panic I immediately turned on the lights but immediately regretted it later. My entire being froze in place while my eyes stared at the person, or rather, the thing sitting on top of the couch’s back in a crouched position. My brain couldn’t comprehend what it was.

He had legs of a man but his feet resembled a reptile’s. The same with his arms and hands yet his face and neck completely belonged to a lizard. It terrified me so much I couldn’t even scream.

“Hi~” It spoke and I felt like puking.

At the same time the main door burst open and I heard Yohan, “Maya!!” He came running in and I was momentarily relieved.

The nano seconds of peace soon turned into greater fear when I saw Yohan’s body turning into something else.

It was as if it was happening slowly in mind.

I saw it very clearly.

His human body turned into an animal’s as he jumped on the thing sitting on the couch.

He had shifted into a white wolf.

At that moment something in my mind snapped.

The very next thing I saw was a strong white light flash around me, somehow knocking me unconscious, deep into the world of slumber.

*** Quincy

I was quietly writing the manuscript while Nena slept soundly on the floor next to me.

I looked at her, then reached out for the blanket on my other side that I usually keep for myself and put it over her.

Just as I pick my pen up again to write my eyes flash red and in the moment of realization I snap the pen into two due to the pressure. When the magic calmed down I looked at the ink splattered on my hand and paper, completely ruining my hard work.

“Oh dear…” I sighed, “That was unfortunate.”