Angels & Wolves | Book One

Chapter Thirty-Six

Rio's POV

Rio nodded. "I know."

"What? How— How do you know that?" a sputtering Oz asked. "That's the hugest secret in the world and you know?"

Rio's eyes widened. He wasn't supposed to know that I know! Does this count as an emergency? Can I wipe his memory and start over? Or just rewind time? she thought to herself.

As Oz's calm face morphed into that of shock, Rio thought, Yes. Yes, this is definitely an emergency.

Rio decided on rewinding time instead of wiping his memory. Mind control is tricky business. With a twist of her wrist, Rio watched as the world around her blurred backwards. Snapping her fingers, Rio essentially 'pressed play' on time.

"I'm not sure I want to tell you," Oz said for the second time that night. Though he didn't remember the first time.

"Well, you made everyone leave so now you definitely have to tell me," commented Rio. With time control, keeping the dialogue as close as possible to the original was one of the most important parts.

"You're right," said Oz. Again, he ran his hands through his black hair and stood from the couch. He begun pacing and said, "I'm not sure how to tell you though."

"Spit it out, Oscar."

"Okay! Okay..." Oz trailed off and sat back on the couch, taking her hands in his. He took a deep breath and said, "I'm a Werewolf."

This is it, Rio, she thought. Change your response.

"You're a what now?" asked Rio. She pulled her hands from his and scooted away from him, feigning shock. Oz closed his eyes for a moment and once he opened them, he said, "I'm a werewolf."

Rio tried to look at him with a straight face but moments later she had to let out the laugh she was holding in. The look on his face was pure gold. He had to be kidding.

"You're pretty funny, Oz," laughed Rio.

"I'm not making a joke, Rio!" Oz said, his voice raising an octave with each syllable. "This is my life! I'm being serious!"

This isn't going as well as I'd hoped, thought Rio. Maybe I should just rewind time again and go back to my other response? Tell him what I am too?

"I'm trying to tell you the truth, but all you're doing is laughing at me," shouted Oz. Rio cringed in her seat.

Yep, the thought. Going back in time again.

With another twist of her wrist, she watched the living room blur backwards. Rio snapped her fingers and she was again having the same conversation for the third time that night.

"I'm not sure I want to tell you," said Oz.

"Well, you made everyone leave so now you definitely have to tell me," commented Rio. This is getting boring.

"You're right," said Oz. Again, he ran his hands through his black hair and stood from the couch. Once he begun pacing, Rio rolled her eyes. Oz didn't notice and said, "I'm not sure how to tell you though."

"Spit it out, Oscar."

"Okay! Okay..." Oz trailed off and sat back on the couch, taking her hands in his. He took a deep breath and said, "I'm a Werewolf."

Rio nodded her head. "I know."

"What? How— How do you know that?" a sputtering Oz asked again. "That's the hugest secret in the world and you know?"

"Oz," said Rio, tightening her hold on his hands. "I have something to tell you too."

Oz didn't reply. Instead, he just watched her with unease. His index finger twitched in her grasp.

"I know because... Because I'm an angel," she said with a huge sigh of relief.

"What did you say?"

"I'm an angel, Oz. A heavenly messenger sent from Above," explained Rio. "I'm not human. I mean, you aren't human either, Oz. Why should I be any different?"

"Because angels don't exist!" Oz shouted. He sounded like he was scared of her. In truth, he was a little. But he was more scared of the fact that he prepared for her to be afraid of him, but she wasn't. He was scared because she accepted him.

"According to regular humans, the existence of angels is highly more probable than the existence of werewolves," Rio pointed out.

Oz huffed. "I hate it when you're right."

"Get used to it. I'm going to be right all the time now."

"I still don't believe you."

"How is it hard to believe I'm an angel when you're the one telling me you're a werewolf?" asked Rio.

"Because I know what I am."

"Are we having a fight?" Rio asked. "Is this our first fight?"

"Rio."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you want to see my wings?"

Oz bit his lip. "You have wings?"

"Oscar," sighed Rio. "Yes, I have wings. I'm an angel."

"Fine," he said. "Show me your—" cough "—imaginary—" cough "—wings."

Rio squinted at Oz. She clenched her jaw, determined not to say anything about his 'imaginary' cough. Seconds later, she decided she wasn't going to push it, and rolled her shoulders. She watched Oz's mouth open in an 'o' and his eyes widen. In his eyes, she saw the reflection of her beautiful shimmering wings.

"Holy shit! You're an angel!" cried Oz, scrambling back to the opposite side of the couch. His eyes never left the spot just to the left and right of her head.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," said Rio.

"Yeah, but I didn't think you were serious!"

"I'm always serious."

Oz glanced at Rio's face before bursting into laughter. "All my life, I've known you, and you have not once not been serious!"

Rio smiled. "I'm glad you've gotten over the shock."

"Oh trust me," said Oz. "I haven't."

Glancing at her hands in her lap, then back to Oz, she said, "I trust you with my life."

So it's longer than expected. I had a hard time trying to figure out how to continue with this part of the plot line.

I hope it suffices until the next time I update.

I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I'm not sure if I'll update tomorrow.

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Bye Loves!