Chapter 13 Everything is Changing

Soon, I arrived home and could finally relax from the chill feeling of being followed. I locked the door a little harder than usual and stood there for a second, listening, just to be sure no footsteps or shadows lingered outside. When everything stayed quiet, I walked straight to my room and fell on the bed.

I stared blankly at the window, my mind completely drained. For the past three to four days, everything has been changing too fast for me to even breathe. It all felt overwhelming, like life was pushing me into something I wasn’t prepared for. Can everything really change for someone in just three days? My existence, my life, every little thing. And I think it all started the moment I clicked on that email from Lycaon Enterprise. Since then, everything has been shifting as if my life is walking toward a new chapter I didn’t choose.

I hope I won’t break down soon. It’s starting to get too exhausting, new strange things every now and then, as if the world itself is trying to warn me of something coming.

And now there’s my body changing in ways I can’t explain. The sudden heat spreading through me, the way my hearing sharpens out of nowhere, the strange pulse in my chest and most especially the intoxicating scent, all of it doesn’t feel normal. 

Am I not human? No, that’s impossible. I have to be human. If I weren’t, why would I have been abandoned? I was abandoned because I’m human… right? Yes, that has to be it. So why is my body changing like this? Maybe it’s just a small leftover trait from having supernatural parents. That has to be it. It has to.

And somewhere under that thought, my phone buzzed on the bed beside me, almost making my heart jump. A fast reminder that even after everything that happened today, something else still waited for me.

I picked up my phone and noticed it was my mother calling. “Hi, Mom,” I said, but instead of her usual strong, unshakable tone, I heard a broken sob. My heart raced immediately.

“Mom? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” I asked quickly. She has never shed tears or shown her weakness before. She built her whole identity around being unbothered, unbreakable so hearing her cry didn’t just scare me, it felt unreal.

She still didn’t answer, just kept crying softly. “Mom, please talk. You’re scaring me. Should I come to you now?” I asked in panic already sitting up, my hand shaking around the phone..

“It… it’s your father,” she finally managed to say between sobs. “He wants a divorce.”

My mind went blank. Complete silence.

A divorce? From those two?

“Mom, stop joking,” I said, not believing it. “You and Dad always argue, but you can never actually leave each other. You both enjoy tormenting each other too much for that.”

Their relationship stopped being about love a long time ago. Now it’s a routine of fights, insults, cold stares, silent treatments… and somehow neither of them ever walks away. That’s just how they function.

“How can I joke about something like this?” she cried harder. “He said it and dropped the divorce papers before he left the house.”

I rubbed my forehead, exhaustion washing over me. First my strange body changes, the stalker feeling, the office drama… Now this?

“What reason did he give? Why is he asking for a divorce now?” I asked, though my voice sounded weak.

“According to him,” she said bitterly, “he’s found a new ‘true love.’ And he doesn’t want to keep living this toxic life with me.”

I didn’t even know what to say.

True love? That man?

He hasn’t loved my mom in years. She hasn’t loved him either. Their relationship died long ago, they just never admitted it.

“Mom, please calm down,” I said quietly. “I don’t even know what to say right now. But I’ll come first thing tomorrow morning. I promise. Try not to think too much. Maybe it’s one of his dramatic moments again.”

“Okay, dear” she whispered, and the call ended.

I stared at my phone for a long time. I wanted to go to her immediately, but I knew she wouldn’t want me to see her so vulnerable. By tomorrow, she would have the mask back on.

Why is life like this?

I was drowning in my own problems already, my body changing, the strange scent, the heightened senses, the feeling of someone watching me.

And now my parents have thrown theirs on top of mine.

Everything feels like it’s collapsing around me all at once, and I’m terrified I won’t be able to keep standing.

First, I knew I had to ask for a leave. I needed time to sort out my parents’ issues and also to breathe. My head felt too full of my own problems, now theirs, and this strange shift happening inside me. Everything felt like it was piling up at once.

With that thought, I sent an email to the PR department asking for a short leave. 

As soon as I sent the email, a small thought crept into my head before I could stop it.

Would Marcus even notice that I left before closing time today?

Normally, I wouldn’t care. He’s my boss, not someone I should be thinking about after work. But after everything that happened between us, the argument, the tension, the way he looked at me earlier, I couldn’t help wondering.

Part of me hoped he didn’t notice at all. It would be easier that way. Less complicated.

But another small, stubborn part whispered that maybe he did. Maybe he asked Sofia where I went. Maybe he wondered if I was okay.

Then again, why would he? He probably had a million more important things to think about. People like him don’t think about people like me after office hours. I should be angry at him for saying I was seducing man.

Still the thought wouldn’t go away.

Did he notice I was gone?

Did he care?

I shook my head immediately, annoyed at myself.

Why am I even thinking about this when my life is literally falling apart?

I needed to focus on myself right now, not on Marcus or anyone else.

I got up from the bed to tidy my room a little. But honestly, I don’t know if having sharp hearing is a blessing or a curse. As I arranged the room, I could hear everything: the neighbor’s TV, someone boiling water downstairs, footsteps from outside, even the hum of the fridge sounded too loud. Every tiny noise hit me all at once, like my senses were turning against me.

My strength felt weird too, like it was getting stronger without my permission.

Why is all this happening now? I don’t want any of these traits from my shifter parent. I’ve lived fine without them until now. Why suddenly?

Trying to distract myself, I went to the kitchen. It was already late in the evening, but I forced myself to make something small. Just when I reached for the spices, my phone buzzed, a notification from my email. My leave had already been approved. That was surprisingly fast. Maybe too fast. Or maybe I was just overthinking everything at this point.

As I cooked, that familiar sensation hit me again, the feeling of being watched.

But this time, it was different. Softer somehow. Like whoever was watching wasn’t trying to harm me. There was no threat or darkness behind it.

 Just a presence. Still, that confused me more. Why would someone be watching me without bad intentions? And how did I even sense their emotions? Maybe it’s part of the damn shifter traits awakening. Great. Just great.

But a small part of me didn’t trust it. What if it’s just a trick? What if the person is pretending to be harmless so I would lower my guard? "What does the person want”

I hurried through my meal, washed the plate quickly, and went inside my room. I didn’t want to think anymore. Tomorrow, I will face whatever fate has planned for me, because today was already too much.