Chapter 6: The weight of the truth

☆☆LILA☆☆

He kept snapping his fangs at the wolf until the animal gave a furious snarl and ran into the trees.

I stood frozen, my whole body trembling. He turned to me , his eyes had turned gold.

The air left me in a ragged rush. “W-What are you?” I forced the words out.

He stepped toward me slowly, palms open. “Lila, please—”

“Stay away!” I gasped and took a step back. “Don’t come near me.” Before he could move, I turned and ran.

His footsteps were behind me. “I’m not going to hurt you, Lila. Just please wait and listen.”

Liar.

A big liar.

The wolves wanted me dead for reasons I couldn’t begin to understand.

His hand closed on my arm, hard. He pulled me back. I screamed and thrashed. “Let me go! Let me go, you monster!”

“Lila, please listen to me ” he begged. For a second I stopped. But I couldn’t forget what I had just witnessed.

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes. “You’re like them.” My voice broke. “You’re a monster.”

Pain flickered across his face. “I would never hurt you. I never wanted to.” He swallowed. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

“You’ve been… this the whole time?” I jabbed a trembling finger at his face.

“Lila—” he reached for me and I flinched away. “Don’t touch me. You lied to me my whole life. Everything was a lie.”

“I’m sorry, but it was for the best.” He sounded exhausted.

“For the best?” I laughed, bitterly “What else have you lied about ‘for the best’?”

“Please. Let’s talk somewhere safe. It isn’t—” He cast a look toward the trees. “It’s not safe here.”

“I’m not safe with you either. ” I exclaimed sharply making him flinch.

“I know you don’t trust me right now. I’ll explain. But if we stay, those wolves will come back in full force. And they won’t stop until you’re dead.” His voice turned firm. “I am not like them. If I were, you wouldn’t still be alive.”

I wanted to run, I wanted to run as far as I can away from this and pretend none of this nightmare was real. But he was right, I couldn’t stay here . I didn’t know the way back alone.

“Please,” he whispered. Soft as a confession. “Let me get you somewhere safe. You don’t have to believe me. You don’t have to forgive me. But you don’t have a choice right now.”

When he opened the car door, I hesitated then slid into the passenger seat.

He didn’t start the engine right away. His knuckles were white on the wheel. “ I understand that you are confused and scared right now ,” he said finally. “You’ve been kept in the dark. But I’m not your enemy. I won't hurt you.”

I hugged myself, staring out at the trees. “Then what are you?”

He hesitated. “What you saw… it wasn’t human. I’m not just human. None of us are. I really wanted to tell you but I just couldn’t.”

I closed my eyes and said nothing for the rest of the drive.

Immediately when I got home I climbed out without looking back.

He came in a few minutes later and closed the door behind him. “Your father—” he began, then took a breath. “Me and almost everyone else you know… we’re werewolves.”

I laughed until it sounded like a sob.

My father?

A Werewolf?

That’s nonsense.

“You’re lying.” My voice cut through the room.

“He would never hide something like that from me,” I insisted.

“He would, to protect you,” he replied. “They want you dead, Lila. Wolves not from our clan believe you should never have existed. They see you as a stain to our kind.” His voice low at the end

“A stain?” My stomach dropped. I didn’t ask to be born into anything. I wanted to be alone.

"I don't want to hear anything about it anymore"

I stood up heading straight for the stairs.

I don't want to hear it.

"Lila-"

I stopped, my hand tightening on the railing, but I still didn’t turn back.

“Your father did everything he could to keep you safe.” He said softly

“But that was not enough now, was it?” I whispered,

I didn’t wait for his reply before heading upstairs.

I dragged myself down the stairs in the morning even though my whole body ached and my eyes were swollen from crying,even though I told myself I wouldn't think or cry about it.

When I entered the kitchen, Nanny Rosa was already there, cooking something on the stove. She turned and looked as if she’d been waiting.

“Bambi......”

I froze. That single word told me everything. She knew.

I tried to look away, but she pulled me in her arms. Her embrace was warm, it felt like home.

“You know now,” she murmured against my hair.

And the tears I had fought all night betrayed me, slipping free. I hated that I cried, I hated that I had to deal with this. Nanny Rosa continued petting me in her arms like she had when I was small.

“Bambi,” she whispered, using the pet name only she ever called me. “You don’t have to carry it alone.”

I pressed my face into her shoulder, voice breaking. “I don’t want this, Rosa. I never asked for any of it.”

She smoothed my hair but didn’t say anything.

A sharp knock at the front door brought us back to reality.

Rosa stiffened, her hand tightening on my arm before she stood up to open the door.

Theo stood at the door, his face unreadable and cold.

“The doctor will come by soon to treat you,” he said evenly. “Rest for today. Tomorrow, you will be coming with me.”

My stomach tightened. “Coming with you where?”

He didn’t get a chance to answer me before Nanny Rosa cut in

“Can’t it wait? She’s been through enough. Postpone it, she will go there later.”

He shook his head, jaw tight. “The elders already know she’s learned the truth. They demand to see her immediately.”

I asked again firmly “Where exactly are you taking me?”

He looked at me, his face unreadable before he finally answered.

“To the Pack house.”