𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Colorado, Denver

October 16, 2020 – 10:30 P.M.

I looked again at the pizza that was on the small table in the living room, and for more than half an hour no one said anything, not even a word. It had been the quietest dinner I'd ever had, and even though Mary had put on a movie on TV, no one was paying actually paying attention to it.

We were all tense, and I still felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins since I felt Dylan's lips against mine. I could feel his gaze on me, and if it wasn't for the other three people sitting on the couch, I would have already gone to him so I could feel his lips on mine again. His strong arms wrapped around my waist as he pressed my body against his, his warm breath on my neck and the wet kisses he placed along my skin...

- Jade? – Kathy called my name, interrupting my obscene thoughts.

- H-Huh? Yes?

- Are you okay?

- Yes, I was just... – I looked at Dylan – Distracted.

I saw Mary get up to turn off the television and I looked at him again. His gaze never strayed from mine and I could see again how they changed color, I felt completely at the mercy of him and his gaze, and as he looked at me with his red eyes as his lips sketched a smile that made me shiver.

- Let's just cut to the chase – again, Kathy's voice made me look at her – We didn't want to keep secrets from you, but it was to protect ourselves and our clans.

- Clans?

- The Black Wolf clan and the White Wolf clan – she continued as we listened to her in silence – They are the original wolves, and we are their descendants. Dylan and I belong to the Black Wolf clan – I looked at him and noticed that his eyes went back to their normal color – Gabe belongs to the other clan.

- Are you enemies? I mean like, are the clans enemies?

- No! – Gabe almost screamed and looked at me worriedly, I raised my eyebrow as I looked at him – No, we're not enemies.

- I'm sorry, Jade, he's just nervous – Mary said in a whisper and put her hand on his shoulder making him blush – It's the first time we've exposed ourselves like this.

I just nodded. I didn't know what to say or what to do, I just kept sitting in the armchair while looking at each of them. I could see the relief in Gabe's eyes, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and I smiled at him.

- We should also mention that Mary is a witch.

- A witch? – I asked, I looked away from Kathy to Mary who shrugged her shoulders and blushed at the sudden attention – Okay, okay, werewolves, witches...Is there any other creature of the supernatural that I should know of?

- No.

I sighed and looked down at my hands. It's okay, I thought to myself, it's okay, none of them is the monster of my nightmares. Suddenly I started to feel nervous, werewolves exist, I looked at Dylan, that means the monster is real.

- But there's something you have to know.

I looked back at Kathy who looked at Dylan as if she was waiting for permission to continue, he made a sign with his hand and she looked at me. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, and intertwined his hands together, resting them against his chin while his gaze did not look away from mine.

- What is it?

- I need you to listen carefully – he said in that thick and hoarse voice of his – And to stay as calm as you can – I looked at Gabe as his leg started to shake and I noticed Mary biting her nails – Look at me, Jade.

I obeyed. It was weird to see Mary bite her nails, especially when she loved her big nails and painting them, on this particular night they were painted purple which was her favorite color. And that's why I was tense too.

- You're not human – I laughed, but it was a nervous laugh because even though this was all new to me, there was a part of me that felt like this was the world I belonged to – I'm not kidding.

Gabe curled up even more on the couch, Mary lowered her hand and rested it on his arm. Kathy seemed indifferent, but I knew she was just as confused as I was. But Dylan was so serious, and despite my fear of the answer, I asked.

- If I'm not human, what am I? – I whispered nervously, Dylan looked at Gabe – What am I?

- You're one of us, a werewolf.

- Holy shit...

- There's more.

- More?! – I got up and started pacing back and forth – What can there be more than me being a werewolf? By the way, how can you be so sure of that?

- Tell her, Gabe.

- What? – I looked at Gabe – Tell me what?

- You belong to my clan.

- That's not so bad, is it? – he seemed to want to cry, I just didn't know if it was from joy or fear – Gabe?

- You are the alpha.

- Sorry, what? – again I laughed nervously – What did you say?

- The alpha.

Dylan muttered and I looked at him watching him get up from his chair and cross his arms.

- The alpha...– I repeated – I know what it means to be the alpha, but I don't understand why...I don't understand.

- Gabe smelled your blood in the canteen, remember? – I nodded – The only reason he reacted the way he did was because he could sense that you're the alpha of his clan, so we're sure you're one of us.

- You know when you asked about red moons? – Gabe finally spoke – I knew what it meant.

- But it's forbidden to talk about it – Dylan approached me.

- Why?

- Because that's when the alphas connection was broken – he tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear – But we're not supposed to talk about that.

- Alphas – I whispered – Right, it's two clans, so it's two alphas. Who is the other alpha?

- Let's not talk about it now.

- Let's talk about it, yes, now – I crossed my arms and he took a step back – Who's the other alpha?

- I am.

- You?

- Yes, me.

- You're irresponsible and you're always in trouble – I laughed – You can't take care of yourself, let alone a werewolf clan.

- How funny.

- Seriously, who is the alpha?

- Don't you believe me, little wolf?

- No – he chuckled and I looked at Kathy – I would bet it's her.

- You would lose the bet.

- It's no use Jade, he's the alpha – she said and I sighed.

- Wait a second, you believe her but not me? – I shrugged my shoulders, I love him but he's an idiot – My little wolf, you're so mean.

- Explain to me what was "the connection of the alphas was broken" thing.

- 11 years ago there was a supernatural phenomenon that allowed another werewolf to steal the power of one of the alphas – he said serious – The Red Moon.

The Red Moon, suddenly I felt something squeeze inside me, my chest ached and I felt like the air was leaving me, I looked up at the dark sky with only the red moon lighting my way. I took a step back trying to balance myself but I couldn't and I felt my knees hit the ground, the monster growled and jumped towards me but the only thing I felt were drips on my face. It was him, my father was the alpha.