chapter 10

The first light of dawn painted the forest in hues of gold and amber, casting a serene glow over the world outside. As I stirred from sleep, the events of the previous night flooded back with a jolt of adrenaline. My muscles ached with tension, a reminder of the danger we had faced just hours ago.

"Morning," Benjamin's voice broke through the haze of my thoughts, his tired smile offering a small comfort in the face of uncertainty.

"Morning," I replied, returning his smile with a grateful nod. Despite the heaviness weighing on my shoulders, there was a sense of camaraderie in facing this new reality together.

With a sigh, I pushed myself upright, the warmth of the morning sun seeping through the window and chasing away the chill of the night. As we made our way downstairs, the aroma of coffee and pastries greeted us, a comforting reminder of normalcy amidst the chaos.

"Sleep well, you two?" Uncle's voice was filled with genuine concern as he poured us each a cup of steaming coffee.

"As well as can be expected," I replied, accepting the cup with a grateful smile. The warmth spread through me, chasing away the lingering chill of fear that had settled in my bones.

As we ate, conversation flowed easily between us, a welcome distraction from the weight of the unknown. But as we finished our meal and prepared to leave for school, my thoughts returned to the questions that had been nagging at me since the previous night.

"Hey Benjamin, I've been meaning to ask you," I began, my voice tentative as I broached the subject that had been weighing on my mind. "Are you also a wolf, like your dad and my mom?"

Benjamin's reaction was a mixture of surprise and amusement, his chuckle echoing through the room. "Uhhmm! Yes, I am," he admitted, his tone casual despite the gravity of the revelation. "Didn't know you'd found out about our little secret. Your mom made it very clear no one should speak about wolves in your presence when you guys arrived in town."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise, a flood of questions bubbling to the surface. "She did?" I murmured, a sense of betrayal tugging at my heart. "Well, something strange kind of happened yesterday at my house. We were actually attacked, and that was when we found out that I might have a wolf."

Benjamin's eyes widened in genuine shock, his excitement palpable as he absorbed the news. "What? If you turn out to really have a wolf, it would be great!" he exclaimed, his enthusiasm infectious despite the gravity of our situation. "I would introduce you to the whole pack!"

Despite the uncertainty that lay ahead, I couldn't help but smile at his boundless optimism. "Yeah, yeah, but I think we should hurry up and get to school for now first," I said, rising to my feet and pushing my chair back. "We can talk more about this later."

With a shared nod of agreement, we quickly finished our meal and made our way out of the house, the morning sunlight casting long shadows across the path ahead. As we set off towards school, I couldn't shake the feeling that our lives were about to change in ways we couldn't even begin to imagine. 

As we walked along the familiar path to school, the rhythm of our footsteps fell into sync with the beat of our conversation. Benjamin and I talked about everything and nothing, our voices blending seamlessly with the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. 

Despite the weight of the morning's revelations hanging over us, there was a sense of normalcy in the simple act of walking together.

The other students we passed cast curious glances in our direction, their whispers trailing behind us like a soft breeze. But I paid them no mind, too engrossed in my conversation with Benjamin to care about their idle gossip.

Suddenly, our conversation was interrupted by the familiar voice of Alec, the guy from yesterday who always seemed to have a knack for finding trouble. He jogged up to us with a grin plastered on his face, his easy confidence radiating in every step.

"Wassup bro!" Alec exclaimed, clapping Benjamin on the shoulder with a friendly grin. "How are you doing? I called you today, but you didn't pick or return any of my calls!"

Benjamin shrugged apologetically, his expression sheepish. "Oh, my phone was on silent, and I haven't checked it yet," he explained. "But hey, guess what? This is Clara. We're friends now."

Alec's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his gaze shifting to me with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Clara, huh?" he said, his tone laced with intrigue. "How did you manage to win over this troublemaker, Benjamin?"

I couldn't help but laugh at Alec's playful jab, a warm smile spreading across my face. "It's a long story," I replied, exchanging a knowing glance with Benjamin. "But I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to tell it."

Alec's grin widened at the prospect of a juicy tale, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Long story, huh? Well, lucky for you, I've got all day," he said, falling into step beside us as we continued on our way to school.

But before Alec could delve further into his inquiry, I felt a surge of frustration bubble up within me. 

Alec's casual prying felt invasive, like he was entitled to know every detail of our lives. I couldn't stand the thought of being interrogated by someone I barely knew.

"Benjamin doesn't need to justify or explain why he talks with whoever he talks with, and nobody is entitled to explain themselves to you," I interjected, my tone firm and resolute. I couldn't allow Alec to continue poking around in our personal affairs.

"Clara, wait," Benjamin began, his voice tinged with concern. "It's not like that. You don't understand what's happening. Just calm down and let me speak."

I shot him a pointed look, silently urging him to respect my boundaries. But before I could say anything further, Benjamin turned his attention back to Alec, attempting to diffuse the tension.

"Alec, meet Clara, my cousin," Benjamin said, his tone apologetic. "I know we started on the wrong foot. Let's start things afresh, please."