The Rise of an Omega ✓

5.

In a few seconds, the sound of Amelia's laugh was the only noise in the room. Her eyes cringing as she laughed like never before.

The other three were looking at her as if she had grown another head, but they waited in silence for her to say something. After a full minute, her laugh turned into giggles while she wiped the tears with her left hand.

"That was funny. I have to give you that," she exclaimed still giggling. Ethan frowned, clearly feeling uncomfortable.

"It isn't a joke, Amelia." He alleged, his tone serious, but still kind. Amelia stopped smiling and looked at him critically.

"So you think I am stupid, right? To believe in this?" She paused glancing at each one of them to see them all watching her with grave and anxious expressions.

"No one here thinks you are stupid, Amelia," Taylor said energetically. "Listen..." She tried to explain but Amelia was having none of it.

"No?" She interrupted the taller. "If you don't believe I am stupid, so how could I not notice that I am not a human before? Hm? I think I would have noticed if I was a wolf, wouldn't I?" She was exasperated. She was having a good time, even with her injuries. She liked them, was feeling safe there. But now they were ruining it all.

"Listen," Ethan enunciated firmly, looking directly into her eyes. But even if his tone was hard it wasn't to frighten her, only to make her pay attention to him, she knew it. "There are many stories about wolves, but a lot of them are just to scare children. Werewolves aren't much different from humans, it is not something you would notice only looking at someone if you didn't know what to look for." He paused to see if she was following him. "There were stories about wolves that didn't know about their heritage before. It is rare but it is possible."

Amelia only glared at him for a few moments as if waiting for him to laugh and say it was just a bad excuse for a joke. But when he didn't say anything and kept looking at her with such a sincerity she knew he was really trying to convince her.

Her mind was beginning to hurt again with so much information. She didn't know if she should laugh and pretend they didn't just say the craziest thing she ever heard or if she should run away as fast as she could. But where would I go? Back to Ma to hear other crazy things about werewolves? Walking alone through a forest where a hunter tried to kill me?

At this point her head was hurting so much she closed her eyes and put both hands on the sides of her head. Immediately Taylor reached for her touched her right hand. "Are you feeling pain?" Her tone worried. Amelia moved out of her touch.

"I think I should go home." She said and started moving to stand up but Taylor stopped her.

"No, wait. I know this is crazy, and you are confused. We are strangers and you don't trust us yet." Taylor was looking genuinely concerned about her. "But you aren't totally recovered. We work at the clinic in the village, that's why we brought you here. Because we can take care of you. Stay a little more, please. Just until your head is fine." Amelia opened her mouth to argue but Taylor was faster. "No, you are not fine, and you know this. Don't be stubborn now." Taylor was looking at her as a mother looks at her kid when they do something bad.

Amelia sighs, she knew she would give in. She doesn't really understand why, but she really trusted Taylor, she could only hope that she was worth the confidence. "Okay. I will stay here. But are you sure I am not bothering you guys? I don't want to be a burden. It's really fine if I have to go home. My mother can help me with this." Amelia assured looking at them but none seemed to believe her.

"Don't be silly, you won't be a burden. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you want." Ethan offered, smiling softly at her. She needed to admit that her heart skipped a beat when he said 'want' and not 'need'. It made her feel welcome again. She gave him a little smile and was sure her cheeks were bright red. But the interaction seemed enough for the one in the room who wasn't a part of the conversation.

"You guys are really changing the topic? She needs to know who she is." Matthew pronounced vigorously but he wasn't mad. Ethan rolled his eyes at the statement.

"It is not the moment for it. You saw her reaction, she needs to get accustomed to it." Ethan answered and Amelia was getting angry that they were talking about her as if she was not right there.

"Are you talking about the werewolf thing? Look, I swear I don't understand where this came from, I am not a werewolf. I am not even sure if they are real." She said frustrated. At her statement, their eyes went wide.

"You don't believe in werewolves?" Taylor asked. Amelia shook her head negatively. "But," She mumbled confusedly. "The Church your mother rules, I thought..." Amelia cut her off.

"You thought I was a part of that hateful thing," Amelia concluded for her. "Well, I am. But not because I want. I don't really have a choice. It is my mother after all, and I live there." She tried to defend herself and realized it was the first time she said out loud that she didn't want to be a member of the church.

"So you don't hate werewolves? You don't want their extinction as your mother does?" Asked Matthew. Amelia looked up at him trying to see if he was kidding with her. He wasn't.

"I just said that I don't believe they are real. Why would I hate something that doesn't even exist?" She explained as if it was the most obvious thing on Earth. "It seems more like a made-up reason for them to unleash their hate towards something. I mean, there are people who believe in Bigfoot, right? This is just their way to be mean and not face the consequences." Ethan sighed.

"I understand that it is difficult for you, but you need to know that werewolves are real. Your mother is right about their existence, she is just wrong about everything else." He appeared drained with the discussion.

"And how would you know that?" Amelia asked, challenging him, only to regret it a second after when she saw an enraged look in his eyes. Ethan stood up taking deep breaths and passed his hands through his hair, walking in the direction of the door but stopping before exiting the room. Taylor and Matthew stayed in silence watching the scene just like Amelia, but seeing that Ethan wasn't going to say it, Taylor turned again and looked at Amelia's eyes. Seeming sincere and with a gentle tone, she voiced what she needed to now.

"We know it because that's what we are, Amelia. We are werewolves." She confessed calmly as if to not scare the girl. Amelia groaned. Looking at the ceiling covering her face with both hands. She let the air out slowly trying to not lost her patience as her mother taught her when she was younger.

"I am not getting it, guys. Really." She said annoyed and so tired she just wanted them to stop talking about it and let her sleep. "In a moment you guys are gentle and kind and make me feel welcomed. In the other, you are treating me like I am a kid and telling all this bullshit. I really don't understand."

It appeared to be enough to make Ethan reach his limit. "Matt, go outside and show her. She won't believe none of it if she doesn't see with her own eyes." His voice was commanding, revealing that he wasn't one to receive a 'no' as an answer. But it wasn't a problem as Matthew did as he said, exiting the room. Amelia's eyes went wide, what they were going to show her? As if he could read her mind, Ethan answered her unspoken question. "You will see, just wait. This will make you believe."