Chapter 25

Kate

It was getting late and there was a cold, refreshing breeze throughout Jasper. I just returned from alpha duties an hour ago. Humphrey Isn't here... again. He was gone the last time I returned too, and I knew he was with Tasha. He has been spending a lot of time with her lately. I knew something was happening between them. I break down and sob at the thought of it. I can't believe Humphrey would do something like this. He's always been caring, loving, and considerate of other wolves feelings. This is so unlike him.

"Kate. What's wrong" Humphrey asks, worried.

I look up at him and dry my eyes, a bit suprised by his sudden and quite appearance "Nothing." I try to smile but start crying again. I've never cried so hard before. I've never even cried before. I feel so pathetic. Humphrey wraps me up in a hug.

"What's wrong?" He asks again.

I push him away. "You've been spending a lot of time with Tasha" I whine.

"Well, You've been busy lately" He says defensively.

"Why Tasha? Why not Salty? or Shakey? or Mooch?..." I think of all the other friends he has that he could be hanging out with.

"Tasha's fun" He replies simply.

"Do you love her?" I hold my breath, waiting for a response. It feels like a while before he replies. I look up to see him shocked by my question.

"Of course not!" Humphrey tells me "Don't be rediculous. She's just a friend. You're the one I'm in love with."

"Then what are you two doing that requires so much time?" I ask skeptically.

Humphrey sits in silence for a while. He opens his mouth to speak, changes his mind, and shuts it again. He finally gets his words together.

"Tasha's been training me" He tells me.

I study his face to see if this is one of his jokes. He is completely serious.

"Training? To be an alpha?" I ask.

"Kind of" Humphrey drifts off to his own world, then suddenly looks at me "Have you heard of Lycans?"

"You mean werewolves? Yeah. Why?" I look at him shocked "You don't believe in that stuff do you?"

"I do" He replies "I am one."

"Humphrey..." I can't think of what to say. This is so rediculous, that I'm literally speechless. Humphrey is way too smart to believe in silly things like this. Maybe this was some failed attempt at a joke.

"I can prove it" Humphrey says.

"Ok" I smile, humored by this. This is where he's going to say 'Just joking' or 'Got you'.

Humphrey takes his right paw and drags it across his left foreleg. Thick, crimson fluid slowly starts to seep from the fresh wound. It takes me a moment before I realize what he just did.

"Humphrey!" I exclaim, moving to inspect his self-substained injury. Has he gone crazy?

I'm about to lick away the blood when his skin starts crawling back together. In a matter of seconds, the only evidence of the cut is a little blood that was left behind. Astonished, I look closely at his leg. I pulled at the skin but it was like he never cut himself.

"I told you" Humphrey tells me after a few seconds.

"Maybe it's from an adrenaline rush, or maybe some kind of unique trait" I think of any explanations for what I just saw.

"That's absurd. Those are crazier than my eplanation" He says.

"There are no such things as werewolves" I tell myself, but it felt like I was trying to convince myself. I keep telling myself the same thing over and over again in my head, but the panic attack I was having proves I don't believe the words I spoke.

"Tasha's teaching me how to deal with it" Humphrey tells me, ignoring my skepticism.

I finally look up at him, believing every word he's told me. "How long?" I ask him.

He shuffles with his paws "Almost two months."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, confused and hurt. I could hear my heart beat as I was rushed with a mix of emotions.

"I didn't know how you'd react" Humphrey replies quietly "I was scarred."

"Scarred? Of what?" I ask him.

"I don't know. I guess I thought you would leave me" He says, avoiding eye contact.

"It's going to take more than that to seperate us. Like keeping secrets" I tell him.

"Sorry" He replies, frowning.

"We can't keep secrets between eachother" I tell him.

"Alright" He agrees.

I shift uncomfortably. I knew he was upset about tonight, but I was almost relieved. Almost. I've always seen Humphrey as a cute, sweet, funny omega, but now he seemed like something darker. More sinister.

"I'm really tired Kate. can we go to sleep and talk about this tomorrow?" Humphrey pleads.

"Sure" I agree.

Since there was nothing more to be said, I lay down in my spot in the back of the den. Humphrey hesitantly lays down but with his back to me. I wrap my paws around him, showing him I still loved him, and wanted him here. I try to fall asleep. It doesn't come easy, as I feel like I'm lying next to a completely different wolf.

Sorry for the delay, I lost motivation for a while.