Mate Massacres

Chapter 31

"Does that make you uncomfortable?" Krey asked.

Pip nodded. "I don't know why."

"It's because we don't exist in human lives, well, you think we don't."

"Human lives," Pip repeated. "T-That sounded weird."

"And werewolf didn't?" Krey thought Pip would at least smile, but his lips didn't even move, Krey would know because he kept staring at his mouth. Pip seemed to go a shade lighter. He already looked unwell. "Are you okay?"

Pip wrapped arms around himself. "I haven't really slept."

"Because of what you saw?"

Pip nodded.

"I'm sorry. I would have told you eventually, but I didn't want you to find out that way." Krey would have preferred to tell Pip when they were comfortable with each other, and Pip was used to seeing wolves. Krey had lived in a fantasy. Nothing ever went his way.

"I-Is this your secret?" Pip asked. "The one you wanted to tell me but didn't think I was ready."

"Yes. I was right not to tell you."

Pip agreed. Seeing Krey transform had messed with his head. Pip started breathing slowly. In... out. In... out.

"Is it hard to believe, even though you saw it?" Krey asked, observing Pip carefully. He didn't want him to faint.

"I keep pinching myself." Pip looked at the red mark on his wrist. "I just- I never- I can't believe you- you're..." The more Pip thought about werewolves existing, the louder his thoughts shouted that his mind was lying.

"I don't really expect you to be okay with this." Krey wanted to move closer. If Pip edged away, his heart would cave. "But I hope it doesn't drive you away."

Pip thought back to the kisses they shared. He liked Krey. What he saw in the woods shook him to the core, but deep down, Pip's feelings for Krey wouldn't let his secret scare him off. Time would help.

"Why are you... like that?" Pip asked. "I mean, w-why do you have a wolf?"

Krey looked around again. Nobody paid them any attention because they spoke so quietly. "Why do you not have a wolf?"

Pip sighed. The edges of his lips curled towards a smile. "I was born without one."

"And I was born with one."

Pip stopped feeling so tense. Krey was the same person he was before, answering questions with questions.

"Some humans assume we're cursed. I find that insulting," Krey grumbled. "Are you cursed because you don't have a wolf?"

"I... don't think so."

"Exactly. We just are who we are." Krey crossed his arms with a single nod and a frown.

Pip admitted he thought Krey was the strange one. Pip would even admit that he thought transforming into a wolf wasn't natural. Now he knew how cruel his thoughts were.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted," Pip whispered. "And f-for avoiding you. It just really shocked me."

Krey sat up straighter, frowning harder. "You don't have to apologise."

"I do." Pip fidgeted. If Krey knew what happened to his parents, he would understand Pip's fear.

They sat in silence again. Krey stared at Pip, wondering what other questions were coming up his throat. Krey hadn't expected Pip to be relatively okay with him being a werewolf. Krey had expected some tears and a little more panic.