Chapter 1

Who Am I?

Evelyn's POV

The bell above the door rang loudly just as I was about to reach for the last box on the shelf. A young woman walked in, clutching her purse tightly against her chest.

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. “We're closed, ma'am.”

“I know, but please, just a diaper. I realized too late that I didn't have any,” she pleaded. “It's for my baby.”

I sucked my teeth and looked at her. I couldn't exactly turn her away when it was for her baby.

“Let's get your order, and please hurry up, ma'am. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be on the news tomorrow morning.”

And neither would I.

I glanced toward the windows. The streets were already dark and nearly empty. Everyone knew it was better to be home before nightfall.

Besides, I had my birthday to celebrate.

Yeah, my eighteenth birthday was tomorrow.

I couldn't help but smile at the thought. I would finally be eighteen, an adult. Maybe I could finally have a boyfriend without my dad losing his mind every time I mentioned a guy.

Not that I had exactly waited for his permission before.

I reached for the diapers and handed them to the woman. Once she paid, she hurried out.

A few minutes later, I walked out of the mall and locked the door. I hid the key where my manager had told me to leave it every night. He would definitely have a problem if he couldn't find it the next morning.

I walked down the street with my cap pulled tightly over my head and my headphones around my neck. I would have put them on, but lately, I'd felt like I was being followed, and I wanted to hear anything happening around me.

The last time I'd mentioned to Theo that I might have a stalker, he'd almost lost his mind. I'd thought about telling my dad, but I knew he'd go crazy too. He'd probably stop me from going to work, and I didn't want that.

Only when I saw the gate of our house in the distance did I let myself breathe.

“Mom!” I shouted as I kicked my shoes off. “I brought spinach. I heard it's good for bones or something.”

I stopped when I saw what was waiting for me inside.

Both my parents were seated on the sofa, looking dead serious. That look usually meant I'd done something wrong, which I almost never did.

“Mom, Dad, what's going on?” I asked as I shut the door behind me.

“Sit down, Evelyn,” my mom said quietly.

“I have to freshen up and have dinner,” I said, making to leave.

“Sit down there, Evelyn. We won't take long. We just have something very important to tell you,” my dad added.

He was quiet, and I always loved it when people told me I took after him.

I dropped into the dining chair. Our apartment wasn't big, with the sitting room and dining area sharing the same space, but it was comfortable, and at least I had a room to myself.

“What's going on, guys? You're scaring the shit out of me.”

“You know we love you, right?” my mom asked, holding my dad's hand.

“Yeah, and I have never doubted that.” I shifted in the chair.

“Tomorrow is your eighteenth birthday, so it's important we tell you what we are about to say,” my mom added.

I nodded for her to continue.

“You're not one of us, Evelyn.”

I cracked up immediately and started laughing, which must have caught my parents by surprise.

“Yeah, I know I'm not one of you. I'm only eighteen, and you guys are ancient. You scared me for nothing, Mom.”

“That's not what she's talking about, Evelyn,” my dad said.

They were both looking more serious now.

“You guys are really serious. Go on, Mom.”

My heart was pounding hard against my chest.

“You are not human like us. You're a werewolf.”

For a few seconds, I stared at my mom.

Then I burst out laughing.

“Okay, you got me. That's a good one.”

Neither of them laughed.

My smile disappeared.

I looked from my mom to my dad, waiting for one of them to tell me they were joking.

“Wait…” I swallowed hard. “You're actually serious?”

“Evelyn, listen to me. Werewolves are real. And they are not the only ones, but I don't have time to explain all of that tonight.”

My heart began pounding even harder.

“No. That's impossible.” I shook my head. “You guys are human, so how could I possibly be a wolf?”

I stood up, my hands trembling.

“I don't understand.”

“We are not your real parents, Evelyn.”

The words hit me.

I stared at my mom.

“What?”

“Your real mother died while giving birth to you.”

“No…” I whispered, shaking my head. “That's a lie. You didn't tell me all this before.”

My dad cleared his throat, his voice quieter than before.

“Let her continue.”

I looked back at my mom, tears already filling my eyes.

“Your mom was my sister. She died giving birth to you, and she entrusted you into my arms.”

“No, Mom. I don't want to believe all this. I'm your daughter. I'm not any silly wolf you're talking about.”

“Evelyn, calm down.” My dad stood up.

“No! You can't ask me to calm down!” Tears streaked down my face. “What am I supposed to do with this information? Please tell me it's a lie. I'm your daughter, right, Dad?”

“Evelyn, just listen to us.”

“No,” I said as more tears streaked down my face.

I ran out the door before my parents could stop me.

I ran into the night.

I didn't know where I was going, and I didn't care. All I knew was that I couldn't stay in that house after everything I'd just heard. My parents had lied to me my entire life, and now they expected me to believe that I was a werewolf.

Tomorrow was my eighteenth birthday, and suddenly, I wasn't sure who I was anymore.