The Fall

The Truth

CLAIRE POV

"Let's see if I have this straight." I said, taking a moment to rearrange the newest pieces of information.

It had become a lot easier for me when I realised that I was having a 'culture shock' sort of reaction to this whole new world. My reality had gained a dimension, and one cannot process three dimensions when only acknowledging two.

Instead of trying to wrestle his world and my world into the same place, I let go of any preconceived notions of what I knew the world to be. Allowing the new information to fall into its own space and dimension.

"Shifting is a genetic trait," I repeated, to solidify the newest knowledge. "...one that usually activates during formative years with proximity to other shifters." I was making points with my fork, waving it around to corral the information like a conductor of supernatural science.

"Yes, and the more of your own kind of shifter you are around, the stronger and easier it is." Xavier warily watched the mushroom on the end of my fork, lest it go flying into his face like some spinach did a few mouthfuls ago.

"So, let's say someone with the genetic markers is not exposed to other shifters, what happens then?" I was sussing out whether I could become a were creature. Purely theoretically. I was adopted, anything could be possible.

Xavier stirred another spoonful of sugar into his coffee, stirring his own thoughts, before answering carefully. Every answer was cautiously measured and delivered slowly, keeping words that would create dangerous ideas at bay.

I alternated between cold disdain at feeling managed, and the sharp freeze of fright wandering why it was necessary. It shifted as often as the gusts of wind blowing in from the open ocean.

"Sometimes a 'stress event' can cause a random activation of the gene, but usually nothing." Xavier said eventually. "They pass the markers down to their children. After a certain age you would have to have a powerful mate, monarch or stress event exerting a heavy influence on you to activate the genes. That's where the werewolf 'bite' stories come from. The 'bite' doesn't turn a normie into a werewolf, it just activates the genetic material needed to shift." Xavier shifted uncomfortably talking about this, maybe it was a sensitive topic.

Like asking explicit details about copulation leading to procration. Everyone knew that 'trying for a baby' means fucking like rabbits, but mentioning the sexathon part was uncouth.

His answer put paid to the tendril of wonder that I could be a creature. I had been living in cities all over the world for all of my life, you couldn't get more exposure to more creatures than that.

"Ok. I think I'm ready to learn more about the 'mating' that you keep mentioning. Is that within my level of clearance?" If 'shifting' was a sensitive topic then this would probably be too, but it was pertinent for my current circumstances. The mad creature in front of me was some kind of Monarch telling me some sort of deity paired us up.

"Mostly. I'll just change the topic if we get close to anything dangerous. His brow furrowed gently and the fingers of his right hand tapped staccato rhythms while he collected his thoughts. The habit was entirely unconscious, it looked like he was playing the piano on the table, or leg, or face, or wherever the fingers happened to be resting.

"So the shifter community observes different deities for different aspects of the natural world. The Moon Goddess has the largest influence over shifters. She apportions strength, extra abilities and creates the pair bond between mates." He looked up to see if I was following. Skeptical voices shouted out from the back of my mind, but I let their protestations fall away unvoiced.