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“And my name is Spencer, and I’m a witch,” she beamed.
“You’re much more than that, Spencer Marshall.”
“Does this mean we’re not leaving?”
“Yep. You’ll fini—” She hugged my neck with a squeak, and in a reflex, my hands wrapped around her.
“Sorry,” she pulled back.
I looked into her blue eyes glowing with happiness and my heart sank even more. She had no idea what a dangerous path she had ahead of her.
I removed my hands from her waist.
“Your mom has something to tell you. And,” I paused, “if you need me, I’m only one call away.” I headed to the hallway. “See you, Spencer.”
* * *
SPENCER
If I was hit by a train, I would probably be less crushed than by the news Mom dumped on me a few minutes after Finn left. At this point, I would easily agree to take the false fireman version instead of what I just learned about my father.
“All my life, every time I brought up that subject, you made me feel like an idiot.” I stared at her from where I sat at the kitchen table. “You said there’s no such thing as a werewolf.”
Leaning at the counter across from me, she stood with her hands clutching the edge of the wooden surface and her look pinned to the floor.
“Mom,” my voice shook, “why did you lie to me? How could you hide such an important . . . such a huge part of who I am and what I’m going to turn into? When Finn said that I’m a . . . I laughed at his face. Wait a minute. So if it wasn’t for Finn, you wouldn’t have told me at all.” I jumped to my feet. “How could you do this to me?”
“Honey, I know you’re shocked—”
“Well, duh!” I shouted. I pressed my trembling hands against the table and leaned forward. “Look at me! Why would you do this? Why?”
“I was afraid . . .” she finally raised her eyes to me, tears dripping from her eyelashes. “Honey, I’m so sorry. I was just afraid that if you knew, you would want to join a pack. I’m not a wolf. They would not allow me to come with you.” She ran both her palms over her wet cheeks. “You’re all I got. I was afraid that you would leave me.”
She was devastated. I could see her shrivel from the pain she was trying to withhold from me.
“Mom?” And just like that, my heart cracked. “Mom,” I rounded the table and pulled her into a hug. “I would never leave you. Didn’t I tell you I’m taking you to college with me?” I kissed her on the temple. “Who needs a pack? Though,” I chuckled to cheer her up, “I would like to keep Finn.”
She laughed through sobs, squeezing me tighter in her arms.
* * *
Only when I was alone in my room, I took off mywe’ll-be-okaymask and set my emotions free. Sobbing into the pillow, I lay in my bed, trying to wrap my head around the fact that next month I’ll turn into something I never even knew existed.
Hiding from people that I was a witch was one thing, but this . . . And breaking every bone in your body wasn’t something you can prepare yourself for. What if I don’t survive?
I always wondered what my life would be like if I had a father, but I never needed him as much as I did now. If he was around, Mom wouldn’t have kept this a secret from me. He would’ve taught me everything I had to know about becoming a wolf from when I was a kid, and it wouldn’t be so terrifying.
Fresh tears pulled into my eyes, but I couldn’t let myself fall apart like that. I grabbed my glass of water from the nightstand, drained it, then sat up, hugged the pillow, and tried to imagine myself as a wolf. I closed my eyes and pictured myself on four legs, all covered in fur.
I hugged the pillow tighter as a cold shiver ran down my spine.
What was going to happen after I changed? Will I be dangerous? Should I lock myself up? That’s what they did in some movies. But wasn’t Finn running free the other night?
Finn.
I sighed and reached for my phone.
“Finn, I’m scared,” I whispered the moment I heard his voice.
