SWNOVELS Chapter 4
“Dad,” I started, “What the actual fuck.”
“Lang-” I glared as he started to scold me for the curse. He stopped and put up his hands. “Well, as you have probably realized, we are werewolves.”
I scoffed, “For the love of god, please tell me that is not all you have to say.”
"Goddess, actually. Werewolves worship the moon goddess."
He slumped into a chair and folded his hands on the table. I took a seat a couple chairs down and crossed my arms.
“Where do you want me to start Sam Bam?” he asked.
There was a pregnant pause while I considered his question.
“To be honest, I’m not sure. I guess how? Were we bitten? Have you always been this way? What is the right question to ask, Dad? I want - I need - to know everything,” I replied, getting more and more shrill towards the end.
“Okay, okay,” he put his hands up and then ran one through his hair. “Let me start with your first question of how. We were born this way. All werewolves are born, not bitten. No one turns into a werewolf. The Werewolf Pack Council was doing research on genetics a few years ago, but to be honest, I haven’t followed it. I don’t know how enlightening that has been. There are some theories that a witch joined the souls of a man and a wolf long ago, but-”
“Excuse me. Are witches also real?” I asked, interrupting him.
“Oh. Yeah. There’s some other… things we can go over later, but really there’s kind of a lot to cover here.”
“You’re right. Sorry, I will hold my non-werewolf related questions about this secret world you have chosen to keep from me until after we get through the biggest lie of the day. Continue,” I let sarcasm drip on my words.
“Sammy…” he searched for a reply.
“No Dad! Don’t 'Sammy' me! How could you keep this from me?!” I shouted.
“It’s complicated,” he responded softly.
“Then uncomplicate it! I am 33 years old. You have had 33 fucking years to at least mention something. How could you?” I lowered my voice to a whisper as a sob broke. “How could you keep me from her? How could you keep me from Ayisha?”
“BECAUSE I DIDN’T WANT TO MAKE YOU CHOOSE!” he bellowed.
I was stunned into silence. I just stared, mouth agape, at one of the few people in my life I thought I could trust beyond a doubt before today.
Finally I asked, “What do you mean choose?”
Dad took a breath and closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose before continuing.
“First it was choosing between your mom and Kaitlyn, or being a wolf. They aren't like us and had you known, the pack would’ve brought you here, away from them.
"When you were 15, I knew your first shift would come soon. I had hidden you for so long - kept our family together - but I knew everything would change. Your mom and I agreed you weren’t ready. We felt helpless. Then, you met Travis and I justified… suppressing your wolf by saving you the heartbreak of losing him.”
“How exactly did you suppress her?” I questioned.
He looked away before answering, “I found a witch willing to do the spell.”
‘It was a curse,’ Ayisha spoke up, ‘It was first cast as a curse.’
“You cursed me?” I asked, shocked.
He still didn’t meet my eyes.
“It sounds worse than what I intended, but yes. I had a witch cast an old curse that did nothing to change you except make you appear and feel human. It blocked your wolf,” he looked ashamed.
When I stayed silent, he continued.
“I figured I would let you have happiness with Travis - a normal human experience. Then when you turned 18, I would tell you everything. And then…”
“And then I was pregnant,” I finished.
“And then you were pregnant,” he echoed with a sigh. “When that little boy was born, I fell absolutely in love with him - with being his grandfather. I loved Travis like a son, and I was so proud of the life you two were building for yourselves. When Travis died, I knew I had to come clean, but, Sam, you were so broken. I was afraid I was going to lose you for good.”
I felt a tear fall. “My husband had just died. Of course I was broken. And I was completely alone because you had kept the most important secret of my life. On top of losing the love of my life, I was missing my wolf and I didn’t even know it.”
“Fair enough,” he conceded, “I didn’t know what would help and what would hurt, Sam. Your mom and I were just trying our best to help you and Luke in any way we could.”
That was true. They had picked up their lives and moved to be as close to us as they could. My mom retired to help me with childcare while I was figuring out my real estate business. At times, she basically ran my household and her own.
Dad had taken up the mantle as the main male influence in Luke’s life. I don’t think he had ever missed a practice, game, or school play that Luke had been in. This current situation aside, I knew I was blessed to have the family I did.
“Okay. So you didn’t tell me right away,” I said, “Why didn’t you tell me in the five years since he’s been gone? I’ve been doing okay since then - well even.”
“To be honest Sam, I don’t know. Probably because every time I didn’t tell you before was just an excuse. Selfishly, I didn’t want anything to change. I didn’t want you to choose this,” he swept a hand around the room.
“But this - “ I also gestured, “ - is your world, too.”
“Well, yes and no.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
He sighed and rubbed his face.
“I am Stephen’s bastard son,” he said with a sad smile.