Furry Humans

❝Sometimes your heart needs more time to accept what your mind already knows.❞

It took a moment or two for me to process the sentence. I stared blankly at Dad, before tilting my head, not quite processing it all just yet.

“Eh?” was my response.

Dad sighed, using his forefinger and thumb to rub the space between his brows. “Pumpkin, you have werewolf genetics in your blood,” he told me.

I shook my head. “No, I can’t, that’s not— I’m not—” I stop, shutting my eyes while taking a deep breath.

“You are!” he insisted, looking at me with desperate eyes when I opened mine. “You have my werewolf blood flowing with your human one, making you half and half.”

I bit my bottom lip, looking down at my lap where the cup of now cold tea rested, I saw the reflection of myself on the glistening surface. My hair hung on either side of my face, lips parted and eyes sparkling with hopelessness and other emotions flickering through.

“Say something,” Dad whispered. “Please.”

I glanced up, to see him looking at me. And with a deep inhale, I stood to my feet, the cup still in my hand before I set it down on the coffee table before me.

“I think I need to sleep on all. .” I exhale, waving a hand around. ”this."

Dad went to stand, but Logan shook his head. The whole time he and the other three kept quiet through the whole discussion— if I can call it that— but I didn’t dwell on it.

Wrapping the blanket around my body, I moved around the two seated, Xavier’s eyes following my form as I made my way to the stairs.

“Abigail. .” Mom whispered.

“I just need time.” was all I said as I continued up the steps, slowly, towards my room.

Each step bringing new thoughts to my mind, questions, and just so much more. How long were they waiting to tell me? Why did it take them so long? Why not earlier so it would have hurt this much? Is. . Mason the same as me, or Dad?

Immediately I shake my head, ridding that thought from my mind, I haven’t thought of him in years and I wasn’t going to start now. I could hear their soft mummers echoing in the hall just before I entered my room and shut the door. A sigh left my lips, something I’ve been doing a lot as my hands tightening around the blanket and with slow strides, I make my way over to the bed.

Falling face first, and sideways off the bed, I groan into the covers then kick my legs once or twice. A small headache was forming and throbbing against my temples, constant images flashing in my head of Dad transforming. I let out a small scream of frustration, kicking my legs once more before I lay in silence, wanting nothing to bother me.

A knock at the door caused my head to snap up.

′Really?′ I think, sarcastically.

“Go away!” I call out, sitting up and bringing a pillow to my chest.

“Abigail.” his voice drifted in through the cracks of the door, a shiver running down my spine.

I exhale softly, waiting a few moments. “Come in,” I then said reluctantly.

Xavier opened the door, slowly, his brown eyes visible through the small opening, watching me stare at him before he opened the door fully and stepped inside; the voices downstairs could be heard just as he closed the door behind him.

Silence engulfed and swallowed us whole as he stood near the door, eyes piercing my skin.

“You okay?” he questions, gliding over towards me.

I scoff, the question obviously, “Yeah, I guess after finding out your Dad can shift into a huge wolf and that you are half human with other species, you didn’t know existed then. .” I trailed off, chuckling sarcastically.

The bed dipped beside me, while I kept my gaze on the carpeted flooring as I swung my feet around on the bed. I could feel his gaze on the side of my face, but I didn’t expect to feel his fingers grasp my chin and turn my head in his direction. Those weird sparks ignited in the place he touched me, making me feel some type of way.

I could see his hair long dried, along with his clothes, a few parts still damp but didn’t seem to bother him. Strands of hair were sticking out everywhere, looking as if he just rolled out of bed, a few pieces brushed along his lashes every time he blinked. I blink a couple of times finding myself staring at him more than I should, something attracted me to.

He didn’t say anything to me except trace my jawline with his thumb then tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, all I could do was stare as he looked at me as if I was a delicate flower. Unintentionally, I leaned my head into his palm that was cupping my cheek and his eyes soften staring at me with an emotion I couldn’t identify.

“Are you like my Dad?” I asked in a whisper, shutting my eyes.

He didn’t answer right away, his thumb continuing to brush along the fullness of my cheek. “Yes.” he finally answered.

I parted my eyes open, “Are there others?”

Those brown orbs of his flickered in the moon’s light that shone from the wavering curtains. “Yes. The whole town.”

I don’t know why, but my eyes began to water, from frustration or sadness? I wasn’t sure. I tried to blink it all away but one lone tear slipped out my eye and rolled down my cheek before it was swiped away by a concerned Xavier.

“I’m sorry.” I croak, “I don’t know why I’m crying! It’s so. . I don’t know.” I throw my hands up, slapping them against my thighs.

Xavier drops his hand down to mine, grabbing it and squeezing it, his fingers overlapping mine. My heart skips a beat or two as the same sparks flaring up more.

My hand clenches around Xavier’s rough one, his comfort calming me a bit. “Here I am thinking that my family is— was normal by moving away because of a better area for my Dad’s job and then just this.”

We both sat in silence after my words, a yawn breaks the silence, and I realized it came from me. Xavier’s eyes looked me over.

“You should sleep, today’s been an eventful day,” he spoke, voice traveling to my body.

I nodded, gentling laying back and on my side, slightly curling around his body. He was still holding my hand, thumb rubbing the top of it as he looked down at me, I somehow knew he wouldn’t leave until I was asleep.

And I was okay with that.

Not even a minute passed that my eyes began to droop, I didn’t know running from a wolf, almost drowning and having a serious conversation would tire me out. The strokes on my hand moved to my head that immediately lulled me deeper into the peaceful sleep I searched for.

The last thing I felt before my sense switched off was the feel of soft lips on my forehead.