Under A Paper Moon

XVI

"Are you going to tell me what happened, love?" Victoria sighed, running her fingers through her son, Elias' hair that was resting on her lap.

"It's kind of a rollercoaster." Elias muttered. As much as he wanted to tell his mom what was going on, he couldn't. How could he tell his mom about his near death experience? How could he tell her about werewolves, and mates?

How could he tell her that he was now a werewolf?

"I'm listening," Victoria hummed, "Is it about Micah?"

"Kind of." Elias said.

"I'm here whenever you want to talk about it, okay? I get that you're not ready for it, but whenever you are, don't forget about your mum."

"I can never forget about you, mum." Elias got up and hugged Victoria.

"If that boy ever hurts you then you tell me-" Victoria was cut off by Elias.

"No! Oh God, no mum. Micah can never hurt me. This.. this isn't about Micah as much as it's about me." Elias bit his lip.

"Well, what I said still stands. I'm here," Victoria said, looking at the wall clock, "And now I'm also late for work. Will you be okay alone, love? I can take the night off."

"I'll be fine, mum. Go to work." Elias smiled, Victoria nodded and got up, straightening her shirt.

"Oh and love? Next time you stay the night at your friend's place. I need you to call or text me beforehand. Or you're grounded."

~~~

Elias' hand automatically moved to his abdomen, to the spot where he was stabbed not long ago. The wound had healed completely, there was no pain, not even a scar. But Elias felt an itch there. An itch that never seemed to go away. The stab wound didn't kill Elias, but he couldn't help but feel that it killed a part of him.

When Micah told him what had happened, that he was no longer a normal human but a werewolf, Elias didn't know how to react. He was numb. Suddenly the smallest of noises were beating like drums in his ears, the ticking of the clock felt like it was a bomb, the light was piercing through his eyes, he could feel the smallest of sensation. He could sense everything, yet he felt numb.

Granted, he was okay with Micah being a werewolf, and even though he had doubts in the beginning, he had gotten used to them being mates too. But that night changed his entire life, it changed his identity, and Elias didn't know how to cope with that as easily as he adapted to the other changes.

Micah told him that Elias was in transition, and that he would turn into a wolf five days from now, on the full moon. Till then his new found strengths were limited. They were restricted to fast healing, and only slightly heightened strength, senses and speed. He was told that he'd become much, much stronger after his first turn.

Elias raised his hand in front of himself, staring at it and imagining how it would feel when his fingers turn into paws with claws sharp enough to kill. Would it hurt? Would it pass in a second? Would he feel suffocated inside the wolf or would it be liberating? He had a million questions and he knew he could ask Micah, but he didn't know how to face his mate, yet.

~~~

Micah felt like he was going to go completely insane with worry. After he told Elias what had happened, the poor boy looked so lost. He looked like his world had been turned upside down, which to be fair, was exactly the case. Micah didn't know how to comfort Elias, he tried to wrap his arms around him but Elias flinched and moved away.

Elias left after that despite Micah begging him not to. Micah would've fallen to his knees and pleaded if that's what it had taken but Elias had made up his mind. He needed some time alone to think, and no matter how much Micah didn't want to, he owed the boy atleast that much.