Omega and the beast

Chapter 28

"So, tell me the whole story."

"It's... well,"

"Speak out, Reed!" He kissed behind my ear, rubbing his nose at the spot afterwards. I sighed and relaxed.

We were sitting in my sofa after our bath. Me still fucking confused over everything that had happened. Being newly awake after transforming to a beast... I was so tired in my body, so stiff and anxious. It was a hell, and there was so much I had to learn about myself which I should have grown up with.

Reed had fetched me my clothes and hurried off to get some for himself. I had refused to leave my suite, yet I almost cried when he left me to go to his room. It took him barely two minutes, but when he returned I almost climbed him.

"You, or we, belong to an unusual species who possess both the ability to take human form, but also the form and mind of a wolf. We call ourselves wolf shifters, or shifters for short. No one knows from where we came. Some believe it's a gift from the gods, while some believe in evolution like with all species on earth. This depends on how religious you are, I suppose."

"What do you think?"

Not because I took him for a believer, but I will never again accuse anyone of believing in the unnatural, inexplicable or in a god. After this, anything is possible. My grandma was fucking right, about everything! I would sleep with a bucket on my head from now on.

"I believe in science, but also in some force."

"A god?" He shrugged.

"I'm not sure, I don't really know. In any case, we are part of this world, as real and involved in the circle of life as human beings and... well, wolves."

"I'm human," I snapped. He ignored my comment.

"We are scattered all over the world. Like other species we are adapted to the climates where we live. The more northern shifters can withstand colder temperatures, for example, while those in the Amazon and in desert landscapes can withstand heat better."

"How come no one knows about you? Why do you live in secret if you now are an equal part of our society? You seem stronger."

"Because we, like many other minorities, have been subjected to witch hunts through the ages. In the 17th century, witch hunts took place against us because we frightened people. They knew too little about us and didn't want to listen. Legends about werewolves, dark wolves and beasts who could transform and hunt harmless children. Who could break into cottages and slaughtered god's unworthy followers at night made people we once saw as our kin, to hate us. People fear what they don't understand."

"I can't imagine why."

"Ryan."

"Buck-fucker!" I just burst with a shiver. "Reed, Buck!"

"I know, my love."

"So... You were hunted?"

"We were. A shifter's head was like a coveted trophy and our teeth were said to give people luck. It was also said that our furs protected people from the plague and how our claws saved them from their sins."

"So horrible!"

"Yes, even though we shifters are stronger than humans, we are fewer in number." Reed took my hand in his and hugged it gently.

"Even though you have subhuman strength and other wicked qualities?"

"We may have what you call subhuman strength. But we aren't magical in any way. Everything can be explained naturally."

"You must be magical!"

"No more magical than wolves or humans. We're just... a combo of both."

I closed my eyes and leaned back my head against the headrest. I couldn't grip much of this, it still felt weird. And somehow I felt how I should be with my family, to help them with Becca and don't live out cosplay! Okay, I knew it wasn't cosplay but it felt weird!