Daughter of Luka (LGBT+)

Twenty-Five 🌑

My throat felt uncomfortable as I swallowed. How did he know? I had been so careful. 

"Ophelia- are you coming to have lunch with us?" Accalia's voice spoke from the doorway, and I was ever-so relieved that it seemed that she had come to rescue me from an interrogation by Mr. Z. 

I turned to her with a friendly grin. "Sure!" I yelled to her. 

She gave a nod and then waited outside the door. 

I turned back to Mr. Z and spoke quietly. 

"You don't know anything about me, sir," I said. 

He simply rose an eyebrow at me and I wandered out of the class without another word, a smirk plastered on my face. 

"Hungry?" Accalia asked me. 

My stomach grumbled, answering her question sooner than I could say anything. 

Her eyes lit up with amusement. 

"Thought so," she said and reached out to take my hand in hers- the gesture was only small but I felt as though an electric current had been sent through me. "Let's go get some food," she said, as she began to lead me towards the cafeteria. 

Once we had sat down with our chicken burgers and chips, Accalia's expression became one of interest. 

"What was Mr. Z talking to you about earlier?" she asked me, observing me speedily chow down on my food. 

I shrugged. 

"Just homework," I lied. 

"Be honest with me," she said. 

I knew that I had to be. 

"He asked me how long I've been a wolf for," I admitted. 

"I should have known he would have figured it out," Accalia said, appearing to be in deep-thought. "Don't worry about him. Are you okay?" she asked me, with a kind warmth in her eyes. "I understand if you're struggling, but know that if there's anyone you can talk to about this, it's me. After all, I am the alpha wolf for good reason. And you can always tell me the truth, Ophelia. Zero judgement. You're my friend." 

I knew, now that I knew what the both of us were, that this ran much deeper than a simple friendship. 

"I'm scared," I admitted, "But I'm also...excited, I suppose." 

Accalia's eyes brightened up at the statement. 

"I don't blame you. When I first found out, I was so excited..." she trailed off then, her expression becoming a little more serious. "But everyone reacts differently. Some people struggle with their transformation. Some run away completely and don't come back once they realise what they are. A lot of people hate being a wolf. Some love it. It varies," she told me, "But it isn't ever something to be ashamed of. We are different, yes, but we are strong." 

I smiled at that. 

"Just don't forget about your human life, alright? That would be my main piece of advice. Sure, we are wolves, but we also have our human selves to consider, too." 

I nodded my head with understanding. 

Accalia pulled out her study guide and began to flick through it. It was far more organised than I could ever imagine mine would be. 

"I need to study tonight, but my father also wants me to introduce you to more members of our tribe. I'll try to get as much done now, so that I can do that." 

"Thank you. Are there many of us?" I asked her, in a quieter voice, just in case anyone was listening in on our conversation. 

"Nine, including us two," Accalia said thoughtfully. "We didn't get to do a Full Moon ritual for you, but that might be possible tonight." 

I smiled at the thought but I wasn't sure that I wanted everyone's attention on me all of a sudden. 

"I don't know, Alia. I didn't even mean to become a wolf," I said. 

Accalia's smile fell. 

"But you didn't become one, Ophelia. You've always been one. Your wolf blood was simply awakened," she reminded me. 

I supposed I couldn't argue with that. I knew it was the truth. 

"It's just a thought," she added quietly, as she stole a chip from my plate and popped it into her mouth. 

My gaze fell to her lips for a moment, but I soon reminded myself where I was and what was happening to me. 

I finished off my burger hastily and Accalia watched me with amusement. 

"Hey, you can count on me. I'm not going to leave you," she said. 

"Thank you. I just...this is all new to me," I said again. It really was. It was going to take me at least a good few months to get used to the fact that I wasn't even, well, human. 

"You are human," Accalia corrected, "You're just part human. Are you going to finish those chips?" she asked me. 

I gestured to them. 

"Go ahead," I said. 

"It's going to be fine. For now, though, we both need to study. Come to the library with me," she said. 

"I don't see how I'm going to be able to absorb anything with all of these thoughts running through my mind," I rambled. 

Accalia's eyes flickered with sympathy, but she grabbed a hold of my hand in hers again and pulled me away to the library. 

 "I need to get an A if I want to go to Oxford," she said. 

I felt my eyes widen slightly at that. 

"You want to go to Oxford?" I asked her. 

"Yes," she admitted, "I've made my choice, Ophelia. I am always going to be part wolf but I would like to, for the most part, live a normal life."

I nodded my head in understanding. 

"I wish I could make sense of all of this- why we are the way we are. And what's expected of me..." she trailed off. 

"Nothing's expected of you, Accalia. You're amazing. You don't have to do anything to be that way," I told her. 

She smiled at that. 

"Thank you," she said, "Sometimes I'm not so sure. I mean...I don't even know who my own soulmate is."