Chapter 2

~ A M E L I A ~

Just open it, Amelia.

Open the letter.

My parents’ encouragement echoed in my ears as I continued to stare at the letter on top of the package, which was now taking over my desk in my room. Apparently, I owed it to myself to at least read the letter to know my birth father’s last words. Words he intended for me.

But why now?

If he had something so important to tell me, why couldn’t he have come and told me himself while he was still alive?

The whole day had passed by, and I’d done nothing but stare at this package and letter all day. All still unopened. The only thing I managed to do was change into comfier clothes.

There were no more tears left in me. I still didn’t fully understand why my heart ached for someone I never even knew, for someone who chose to give me up instead of caring for me as their own.

He didn’t deserve the attention, and I’d given him enough already.

Rip the letter. My inner thoughts appeared so sudden and violent in the back of my mind. Burn it all.

Pretend it never existed.

My fists clenched so hard my knuckles turned white and as I relaxed, my palms had indents of my nails in them.

As I lifted the letter and gripped the edges tightly, ready to tear it into as many pieces as I physically could, I was stopped by a force greater than my resentment, one I wish wouldn’t fight me - curiosity.

Feeling defeated and mentally drained, I flipped the letter over and admired the wax seal holding the envelope closed. Navy blue wax, stamped with a full moon print, which appeared to have been highlighted by a silver pen. It was quite elegant.

I slowly peeled off the seal and opened the envelope, pulling the folded sheet of paper out. The handwriting was neat and slightly cursive…

------------------------------

My dearest daughter,

It truly saddens me to not know your name, so I could at least address these letters to you, but I know it was for the best that I didn’t pass on the name that your mother and I had chosen. It was best for your adoptive family to give you a new name.

Ultimately, it was for your safety.

At the right time, your mother and I planned to come back for you and tell you the truth about your life and who you really are. But, the threats that came after you are still out there, and I wouldn’t forgive myself if anything happened to you.

I’ve decided to write these letters, just in case things take a turn for the worse and I don’t get the opportunity myself to tell you everything in person. I hope you never have to read these, but if you are reading this now, it’s for one reason and one reason alone - I’m no longer alive to tell you everything myself.

You deserve the truth, and that is what I intend to give you, in due time. I plan to write as many letters as possible for you to learn about your abilities, the history of our home and the events that led you to be where you are now.

There are some specifics and details I will have to withhold for now, as I know if I was in your situation, I would go looking for answers. But, if you do and speak to the wrong people, you’ll be as good as dead.

In the next few months, as you approach your 18th birthday, you’ll begin to experience many things that your peers around you wouldn’t understand, as they’re not experiencing them themselves. I assure you, you’re not going crazy. However, my dear child, you’ll need to learn to control these new-found abilities as they grow stronger and stronger.

You are what is known as a pure blood. Born into a bloodline gifted by the Moon Goddess, just as a few other select families have been. Do not believe the dramatised and false stories that make us appear like we are out of control, barbaric animals or weak compared to other supernatural beings. We are much stronger. You are so strong.

You, my daughter, are a werewolf.

------------------------------

What the fuck.

Pure blood? Moon Goddess? Werewolf?

The letter fell out of my hands as I leaned back, landing on top of the package. I was lost for words. All that build-up, just to find out my birth father was crazy?

I had enough.

Grabbing my keys and my bomber jacket, I stormed out of my room, sliding my jacket on as I slipped into my shoes and made my way downstairs.

‘Amelia?’ Mum called from the living room, ‘Darling, did you open the letter?’

I stayed silent.

Seconds later, Dad poked his head through the doorway, ‘Where are you going?’ He frowned.

Shaking my head slowly, I still struggled to form any words.

Dad stepped out into the hallway, his face was full of concern.

Mum followed behind him shortly after, ‘Oh, sweetheart. You read the letter?’

Finally, I choked out quietly, ‘He’s… crazy,’ I placed my head in my palm, trying not to cry out of utter frustration.

I sensed my parents moving in closer towards me to console me.

‘No, he’s not, Amelia. We wanted to tell you, but he asked us not to,’ Dad spoke, rubbing my back.

In an instant, my sadness fizzled away. Slowly raising my head out of my hand, I looked at my parents, ‘What?’

Mum cupped my face in her hands, ‘My sweet, sweet Amelia,’ her eyes were teary, but also full of relief, ‘We’ve been honest with you your whole life about everything but this. We had to keep the secret to keep you safe.’

I forced her hands away from me and took a few steps back. My heart was pounding in my ears. All my anxiety-induced nausea was gone, and now something else loomed within me. My body was heating up. My vision hazed. I wanted to scream.

‘You’re saying… it’s all true?’

They both nodded slowly with sympathetic looks painted across their faces.

I couldn’t believe it. The two people I thought I could always trust in this world had been keeping the biggest secret from me. A supernatural secret.

My voice became louder, ‘So, either you’re both crazy too or you’ve really been lying to me my whole life.’

‘Amelia—’ Mum took a step forward.

‘Don’t,’ I interrupted sharply, making her halt, ‘I can’t even look at you both right now.’

Mum held her hands in front of her mouth, trying to hold back her tears.

Turning away from them, clenching my fists so tight that, if I had done so any tighter, I may have ripped my own skin. Taking a deep sigh, I made my way to the front door.

‘Amelia!’ My parents called in sync.

The surge of fury and sorrow within me, I couldn’t contain it, and I didn’t want to unleash it on them. No matter how mad I was at them, I couldn’t do that to them. I wouldn’t.

I glanced back at them, their faces were full of fear. The worst part of this was I couldn’t tell if they were scared for me… or of me.

Dad held onto Mum’s shoulders, ‘Don’t leave, Amelia, just take a moment and talk to us.’

As I opened the front door, turning away from them once more, I spoke sombrely, ‘I need to clear my head.’

~ ~ ~

As the night came alive, the last flecks of amber, mauve and fuchsia hues echoed across the edge of the horizon. It was still light enough to see the entirety of the woods, but dark enough for the moon’s glow to highlight itself in the sky.

The lake was the same as always. Still. I wasn’t surprised this was where I ended up. This was exactly what I wished my mind and body felt like, but I was the exact opposite.

Seated on the ground, I leaned against a tree right beside the water. One of my favourite spots in the woods, it was hard to find but had such a beautiful view of the lake. A perfect place to be with my own thoughts.

Releasing a heavy sigh, I rested my head back and closed my eyes, feeling so drained from today’s events, ‘Please,’ I whispered out to the sky, to the universe, to anything out there willing to listen, ‘give me a sign… Who am I? What am I meant to do?’

~ ~ ~

A mild growl sent a chill through me and triggered my eyes wide open. I sat up, confused. I must’ve fallen asleep. Looking around, there was nothing near me. My heart was thumping hard in my chest.

Then, I saw across the lake, a pair of grey eyes, radiant like the moon, looking right at me.

It was the peak of night, and I couldn’t see anything else but those eyes.

It was like they were looking right into my soul…

I felt a sense of unease and danger, not knowing who or what was looking at me, but, at the same time, I felt a sense of comfort. Like it was someone I knew or someone I could trust.

Could I trust them?

Blinking rapidly, I tried to allow my eyes to adjust to the dark, but I still couldn’t see what was looking at me.

A rustle behind me caught my attention for a split second, and when I turned back the grey eyes were gone. I scanned that whole side of the lake, but nothing was there.

It must have been my imagination. Maybe this was a sign telling me to go back home.

As I came to a stand, I heard another growl, this time it was much louder. Much closer.

I turned and saw a huge wolf with ash fur and eyes like a demon standing before me. I yelped and fell back on the ground, trying to scurry back and away from it, but I was trapped, locked in place by fear.

The wolf snarled so deep it rattled to my core.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

Was this what I was looking at before? What did it want? How would I escape?

Before I could think of anything else, the wolf snarled once more and lunged towards me, bearing its razor-sharp teeth.

I screamed.