Merely Human

Chapter 21

A terrible throbbing pain in my throat and head woke me up. I groaned and grabbed my forehead, slowly opening my eyes as I began to remember what had happened. I was in a bedroom, but judging by the high and small windows it was in the basement of a home. It didn't look particularly nice, but at least there were no rats or bugs anywhere.

I tried to stand up on the bed to get to the window, but the bed squeaking seemed to alert someone that I was awake and I heard footsteps head up some stairs. A few moments later, the door opened and two men walked in. One was the werewolf pretending to be Marco and the other was a stranger. "Marco's" eyes flickered to my throat and I thought I saw some guilt in his expression.

"I'm glad you're awake, are you in any pain?"

I blinked at him, trying to figure out if this was some sort of trap.

"Here," he put a glass of water and some pills on the bed stand. I stared at them for a moment before looking back at him in disbelief.

"It's just some aspirin." He tried to reassure me.

He paused for a moment before he seemed to realize I wouldn't be touching the pills. The stranger standing next to him looked a little annoyed.

"This is Alpha Ford, he's been so kind as to let me stay with him." He paused as if waiting for me to speak, but I just flickered my eyes between the two warily. "We need to know how you are able to control ghosts."

I sighed, I couldn't believe we were still on this. "I told you, I don't control them."

"Then how did you get that ghost to attack me?" He asked, sounding annoyed. Alpha Ford crossed his arms and stood an imposing figure next to him.

"Could you not see or hear him?" I responded after scrutinizing them.

"Of course not." He shook his head. "Not many people can see ghosts."

"Then you wouldn't understand." I shook my head. "Ghosts can be volatile, but they're mostly just trapped in their own fear and want to be acknowledged. This ghost was a young boy that I've been trying to calm for a few months. He seemed to know you were dangerous and wanted to protect me, so forced me to leave so he could keep you away. He chose to protect me, I didn't control his decisions."

The two men studied me with narrowed eyes, clearly trying to decide if I spoke the truth.

"Sounds like control to me." Alpha Ford murmured.

"Of sorts..." the other man was staring at me, his face seemed paler than it had been. "Alpha Ford, would you mind if I spoke with her in privacy for a moment?"

They seemed to have a moment of staring each other down before Alpha Ford stiffly nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Both of us waited until we heard the sound of his feet walking upstairs before we spoke.

"Who are you?" I finally said in a soft voice, keeping my voice down low in an attempt to keep anyone from listening in. He moved closely, sitting on the bed close to me so he could speak quietly as well.

"I think you've already guessed that for yourself."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Caden never told me your name. Just that you had left"

"Tobias." He said, a grim smile on his face. "And the reason behind my departure is a long story. Before I get into that, I have a question for you."

I watched in confusion as he pulled a golden necklace that had been tucked under his shirt from around his neck.

"Do you recognize these two?" He asked, popping open the locket to show me a picture of a woman and a young boy. My eyes widened as they zeroed in on the small figure.