C2 The Revelation

As I stood in the dimly lit alley, shock and confusion gripped me like a vice, sending my heart racing in unison with the fluttering leaves in the surrounding darkness.

I turned to see who had pulled me from the crowd, and to my surprise, it was Jason, the friend I had known for years. He was looking at the necklace with a puzzled expression.

"Jason, what is all this? Why did you bring me here?" I demanded, my voice betraying a potent mixture of fear and frustration.

“I’m so sorry Emily, I have been trying to get your attention for a while now but it seems you are lost in your thoughts are you alright? Who was that man? What did he say to you?" Jason asked with concern in his eyes.

I was still filled with bewilderment and couldn't come up with a coherent answer. "I...I don't know, Jason. He just gave me this necklace and said it would protect me. It's all so strange," I replied, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

Jason took a moment to examine the intricate carving on the pendant. "This symbol...it looks familiar. I've seen it before in old texts about werewolf folklore. But why would he give this to you?" he muttered, more to himself than to me.

Ummm, I don't know Jason. There's nothing to worry about,” I said, trying to be reassuring. “You know Emily, you shouldn't be talking to random strangers. It is no longer safe.” He said quietly.

“Yes, I am aware,” I said slowly walking to join the festival parade.

As we made our way through the festival, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled deep within me. The encounter with the mysterious stranger and the gift of the necklace had stirred something within me, stirring up memories that I couldn't quite place.

**************

Back at home, I had been preparing for this day, knowing that it was time for Emily to know the truth about herself. I couldn't hide it any longer. I needed to have the conversation with her before her dormant powers would awaken and put her in danger.

I entered Emily's room and found her lost in thought, absently fingering a pendant. I knew the time had come.

"Emily, my dear, there are things I need to tell you. Things that have been kept hidden for too long," I began, my voice laden with emotion.

"You're not entirely human, Emily. You are part of a world that you don't fully understand, I also do not fully understand," I continued, watching the emotions play across her face.

*****************

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Part of me wanted to reject it, to cling to the familiar reality I knew. But deep down, I knew there was truth in my mother's words. The dreams, the necklace, the encounter with the stranger - they all seemed to point to a reality that I had been shielded from.

As the truth began to sink in, I realized that my entire life had been a carefully constructed facade. I felt a surge of anger and confusion as I grappled with the revelation.

“Wha… what are you saying, Mother? You must be joking” I laughed confusingly.

"I understand that this is a lot to take in, my dear," she said, reaching out to hold my hand. "But it's important for you to know who you truly are. You come from a line of powerful beings, with abilities beyond what normal humans possess.”

“Your father and I had hoped to shield you from this truth for as long as possible, but recent events have shown me that it's time for you to embrace your heritage," she confessed.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to comprehend the enormity of what my mother was revealing to me. Memories of my father, the strange dreams, the transformation, and the encounter with the mysterious stranger flashed through my mind, creating a tapestry of confusion and disbelief.

“My father, I don't understand. Is this why Father went missing? Why...why are you telling me this now, Mother? Why am I only learning about this at eighteen?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of emotions.

"I wish we had more time to prepare you, Emily. But the recent events, the nightmares, and the encounter with the werewolf in your dreams have made it clear that your dormant powers are awakening. It's imperative that you understand your true nature and learn to control your abilities before it's too late," she explained. I could feel her heartache.

As the weight of the truth settled over me, I knew that I had a choice to make. I could embrace my heritage and learn to control my powers, or I could deny this part of myself and risk putting myself and others in danger. Despite the fear and uncertainty that gripped my heart, I was still in doubt of all what my mother had just said.

Seeing the resolve in Emily's eyes, I knew that she was still in doubt and wasn't ready to begin this transformative journey.

"We will navigate this together, Emily. I will be here every step of the way to support you," I promised, offering her a reassuring smile.

With a deep breath, I nodded in acknowledgment. The world I once knew had shattered, but in its place, a new path lay before me—a path filled with mystery, power, and the truth of who I truly was. And as I gazed at the pendant in my hand, I knew that my journey was only just beginning. I sat beside my mother staring at the bright moon.

*****************

After the festival, I couldn't help but think about Emily. She has been acting strange and not herself since her eighteenth birthday. What made me more confused was the symbol in the pendant she was holding, it looked exactly like the symbols in the historical books I researched on werewolves.

Who was that man? I kept thinking…. I quickly took out some of my research and to my greatest surprise, I found out that the pendant was only given to true werewolves. True werewolves are rare, they were said to have only two lifelines. That means only two werewolves can be true werewolves in one lifetime.

“How can Emily be given this treasured pendant?” I said to myself.

I need to speak to Emily and find out what she is keeping from me. I walked straight to Emily's house. It is quite far from my house because it is at the end of town where not many people or houses reside. You can only see her house in the middle of the spacious environment.

I walked straight to her door and as I was about to knock, I heard a loud scream inside the house. I quickly ran in to find out what had happened. What I saw afterward thunderstruck me so much that it made me black out….