Ava stared at her palm in disbelief, watching as the gash began to close.
"I know werewolves heal quickly, but isn't this different?" Ava wondered in shock.
Even for supernatural standards, the speed at which she was healing was unusual.
But that wasn't what made her hands tremble.
Her blood... it wasn't the normal red that flowed through every werewolf's veins. Instead, it had an out-of-the world silver mix to it, almost glowing under the kitchen's bright lighting.
"What kind of freak are you?" One of the girls questioned harshly, her eyebrows furrowing.
Ava quickly got to her feet, her heart pounding heavily.
With shaky hands, she grabbed a cloth and quickly wiped away the evidence of her... uniqueness.
"Did you all see that?" Elora asked another girl, her voice quivering slightly.
"Her blood... it is not normal!" She added.
"Maybe she is cursed!" Elora suggested, taking several steps back.
At that suggestion, the whispers grew louder and others brought in their own theories, each one more ridiculous than the first.
Ava could feel their stares burning into her skin.
"Perhaps she really did bewitch the Alpha's son!" Someone concluded.
"That explains everything then!" Another agreed.
"How I wish I can just disappear from this room... It is suffocating!" Ava thought, gritting her teeth as the large kitchen suddenly became small.
Suddenly, Lady Hazel's commanding voice cut through the chaos.
"What in the Moon Goddess's name is going on here?" She demanded as she walked into the kitchen.
"Nothing, Lady Hazel!" The girls except Ava, chorused.
"Then why are you all standing around gossiping like a bunch of idle hens? Back to work, all of you!" Lady Hazel barked.
Immediately, everyone scattered around the kitchen, trying to look busy.
"And you!" Lady Hazel pointed at Ava.
"Clean up this mess!" She commanded.
"Yes, ma'am." Ava responded quietly.
As she cleaned, her mind drifted back to what had just happened.
"What is wrong with me?" She thought, examining her now-healed palm.
"Am I perhaps... Sick? Could it be that I am Infected with something?" She wondered and that thought sent a chill down her spine.
"I should definitely visit the pack clinic... This isn't normal. Even for a werewolf." She decided.
The rest of her time in the kitchen passed slowly as she kept to herself, avoiding the whispers and suspicious glances that were being thrown her way.
~~~~~~~~~
Later in the day, when Ava got a little break from work, she decided to go to the pack clinic.
"But what if I am really infected? What will happen then?" As she walked towards the place, she couldn't help but wonder fearfully.
But before she could reach there, a familiar voice stopped her.
"Ava!" Ethan called out.
She turned to see him hurrying towards her, his face bright with that smile that always made her heart skip a beat.
"Are you okay? You look pale." He said, sounding so concerned.
"I'm fine..." Ava lied, unconsciously hiding her healed palm behind her back as if he was at the scene to witness it all.
Ethan frowned, clearly not believing her.
"What happened in the kitchen? I heard some commotion..." He pressed.
Ava heaved a heavy sigh.
"News travels fast, doesn't it?" She tried to laugh it off.
"Ava..." Ethan stepped closer, his voice softening.
"You can tell me anything. You know that, right?"
For a moment, Ava was tempted to confide in him.
"But how can I explain something I don't understand myself?" She thought and decided against it immediately.
"It is nothing, really. Just dropped some dishes." She maintained.
"Victoria didn't bother you again, did she?" He asked, tightening his jaw.
"No, no... nothing like that." Ava assured him quickly.
Ethan studied her face for a moment, then sighed.
"I spoke with my father last night..." He began hesitantly.
Ava's ears perked up eagerly.
"About us?" She asked, though she already knew the answer.
"He doesn't understand. But I don't care what he thinks. Or what anyone thinks." Ethan declared, running a hand through his hair frustratedly.
"Ethan..." Ava started, but he cut her off.
"No, listen." He grabbed her hands, and Ava had to resist the urge to pull away, afraid he might somehow see what had happened.
Then, a voice interrupted them.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the kitchen?" Lady Hazel bellowed then her voice softened when she sighted Ethan.
"Good day, young master." She said to Ethan politely.
"Lady Hazel, may I talk to Ava for a moment longer?" Ethan requested but before the woman could reply, Ava spoke up.
"I should go, Ethan. I don't want to give people what to gossip about again." She maintained and before Ethan could protest, she ran off to the kitchen.
"I will see you later in the evening." Ethan yelled after her, not caring if the whole world heard him.
~~~~~~~~~
Later that evening, Ava walked home, exhausted from both work and worry. As she approached their small house, something felt... off.
"My mother isn't alone? Who comes visiting?" Ava wondered as she heard voices coming from inside. She knew they had no friend who would come around so she was surprised.
Ava's wolf stirred inside her, suddenly alert. Something in her gut told her to be careful.
"I need to hear what they are discussing..." She decided and crept closer to the house, focusing her supernatural hearing.
Her mother's voice came through first, tense and emotional.
"She is yours... my girl is the product of what happened between us that night." Sophia said, her voice trembling.
Ava froze, it was as if her heart stopped beating for a moment.
"That silly one night stand? No, you are lying, this can't be true." A male voice responded incredulously.
"I wouldn't dare lie about something like this. You know, I wouldn't!" Sophia replied firmly, though respectfully.
Ava's knees suddenly became weakened and she nearly fell down as she listened more carefully to the male voice. The commanding and deep tone felt familiar.
"Isn't that the voice of Alpha Jenkins or am I wrong?"