The Calling

Chapter 13 ~ Shannon Taylor

Ethan's an amazing kisser, and apparently a great distraction for my anxiety. But that still doesn't make me feel better with what he just told me. Somehow, I'm a Witch and a Wolf? I don't feel like either of those things; other than seeing a few things, I feel like myself.

Ethan then asks me,

"How have you not been told any of this from your parents?"

"Oh, well that's simple, I am adopted. According to the adoption agency my biological parents died in a house fire, and I was the only one to survive. I was put into foster care to wait and see if someone was going to claim me, but no one came for me. So, as far as I know, my poor adoptive parents would have no idea that this world even exists. I thought my back was burnt during the fire... But now I don't see the scar from my burn anymore, instead I have some kind of weird looking tattoo symbols there."

"Those are called Anchors. All witches have one, they use them to draw power from it. I have so much more to tell you, but you really should call your parents so they don't think I'm trying to kidnap you or worse. But if they really are just humans, you obviously can't tell them what happened today. They will think your either lying or that your crazy. You should just keep to the story that I told Bree and Koen earlier today at the beach."

Ethan then tells me the story which he told to Bree and Koen. I then call my parents and tell them the same story which Ethan gave me. I assured them that I'm safe and that Ethan will bring me home soon.

I thanked Ethan for offering to let me shower and borrow his clothes, but I don't want my parents to get the wrong idea. I think if I go home looking unscathed and wearing some random guy's clothes it won't look good. If I go looking like hell, then the story that I told them will be more believable. I have a transparent relationship with my parents, and I've never had to lie to them before, so I need to make it believable, if not for them, then for myself.

After I got off the phone with my parents, I felt terrible for having to lie to them. But I certainly can't tell them the truth. I decided to freshen up just a little before I go home, but not so much for myself or my parents, it's more for Ethan's benefit. I walked into Ethan's bathroom and I just about died when I saw myself in the mirror. My head looks like it has a bird's nest on it from all of the knots and tangles in my hair, not to mention all of the sand particles and pieces of grass? I won't even be able to use a hair brush right now, but that's probably for the best since I want my story to look as believable as possible. Feeling pretty hopeless, I opted to wash my face and rinse out my mouth. Good lord I look awful, and yet he still kissed me.

I come out of the washroom and see Ethan stripping the bedsheets off the bed.

"I am so sorry that you have to see me like this, and that I made such a mess. And I am sorry that I passed out, and that you had to bring me here. I don't know how to thank you for saving me.... again. I am going to skip school tomorrow to rest. Are you going to be around? I have a lot of questions."

Ethan stops stripping the bed, stands up tall and faces me. "First of all, my connection to you is deeper than you know, so you don't ever need to apologize to me for having to lookout for you or having to care for you. I will always be there for you, and yes, we have so much more to discuss, but I think you've had just about as much as you can handle of this for now, let me take you home."

As we head down the private elevator to the underground parking garage Ethan takes my hand and says,

"Do you trust me?"

It's true, I do feel a deep connection with Ethan; I don't understand it yet, or pretty much anything else that he's told me tonight, but trusting someone is hard for me when I've been let down by so many others before him. I think I've done enough lying tonight, so I decide to tell him the truth.

"Ethan, I have been hurt before. So, I can't trust anyone on blind faith, but for now, let's say that saving my life, twice, is a big head start for me trusting you."

"That's fair. I will tell you everything that you want and need to know, but for now, I need you to do one thing. This is very important, and please don't take this the wrong way, but you need to be careful and keep your back covered."

"Sure, I can do that, but I don't understand. I thought only you and I can see the markings on my back. Bree certainly didn't see the markings. Are you the same as me? I didn't see any markings on you earlier today... unless they were under your pants." And that made me blush.

Ethan smirked at me. "Humans can't see the markings or a lot of the supernatural world. But Other supernatural will be able to see your markings. No, I don't have markings, at least not any of that kind. So, no, I am not a Witch, but what I am, is a Wolf. In those books and movies that you mentioned, they refer to us as Werewolves, but we just simply say that we have a Wolf. Only Witches bare the Anchor markings. You need to be careful... I was going to wait until tomorrow, but since you're breeching the subject now, you need to be careful because you are both Witch and Wolf, and the truth is, you might just be the first hybrid species of the Underworld. I have my top research analyst from the pack digging through the archives, and looking for information, but he doesn't have all of the details just yet. I am doing this discreetly to keep you safe. Keeping your markings hidden will hopefully eliminate curiosity. And because you have a Wolf, you have a scent and other Wolves will be able to smell that."

"So, if they only think I have a Wolf, then there is no reason for them to go looking for more."

"Exactly."