Chapter 3

Three

TIANA

I was actually feeling aroused.

Never in my life did I think I'd ever feel like this. No man ever awakened these feelings inside of me. The feeling of warmth and the tingling between my legs was a lot, and I needed relief so badly. Feelings that I thought were dormant forever.

Ever since meeting the cop, it was like my body was in overdrive. My body craved him. I had no idea what to think. Was it because he was good-looking? But I've come across handsome guys before. So that didn't make sense.

It was like some weird ethereal force between us that I couldn't explain.

In my room, I closed my eyes and envisioned him as I rubbed myself. I was scared to touch myself in this way, but I needed relief. I slowly rubbed myself while still wearing my pajama bottoms. My pussy was throbbing and pulsing.

I needed Grant. I wanted him.

I wanted him to fill me up. I envisioned his tall, lean body on top of mine, humping and thrusting into me.

Just then, a long howl ripped through the air. What the hell? I quickly sat up, bewildered. I walked to the window, about to peer through the curtains, when harsh knocking sounded on my bedroom door at that exact moment.

"Come in," I called out. My parents burst into the room.

"What was that?" asked my mom.

"It sounded like a mating howl," my dad whispered to her, even though I could clearly hear him.

"What the heck are you guys talking about?" I asked blithely, picking up my romance book from my nightstand. Sometimes, my father made weird remarks, which I often ignored. My mom began looking around my room as if in search of something.

"Where is it?!" she shouted.

"Where is what? You're freaking me out."

"The pills. The pills that I told you to take," she said.

"In the bathroom," I said.

"Show me," she said.

I slowly walked across the room and went to the bathroom in my room -grabbing the bottle. I felt like an entire kid all over again. Why the fuck was I so scared? I realized I had never stood up to my parents before, especially my mom.

I was always their little girl, and that made me angrier.

"Here it is," I said.

"Have you been taking it?" inquired my dad, looking at me like he knew what was up. I didn't want to lie. It was time I told them the truth.

"No," I said. "What the heck are they anyway?"

The smell from my body was overwhelming. Maybe someone had spilled a strawberry drink all over me. I needed to take a shower big time.

"Oh my god, no, no, no," my mom wailed, holding her face in her hands.

"What is it?" I asked. She was losing her damn mind over nothing.

I had to know what was going on once and for all. I sat on the edge of my bed, watching my dad comfort her, his arm around her.

"Tiana, it's time we explained something to you that we should've told you years ago," said my father.

My mom sat on the floor in front of me, tears running down her face.

"It might be hard to believe," my dad started. "But we are a family that has werewolf blood in our veins."

I shut my eyes tight for a second.

What in the actual hell? Was he serious right now? I took in a deep breath.

"Dad, you're pranking me right now," I said. "That's not even funny."

"We don't shift into werewolves anymore. Only the alphas still have the power to do that. Over the generations, our werewolf abilities have been diluted. I'm an alpha, and your mother is a beta," he explained.

I sat there stunned on the edge of my bed, not knowing what to think.

It was quiet for two minutes as my mind raced with all possibilities. Dad didn't look like he was joking. There was no sign of a smile like he usually did when he liked to prank me. His large black beard did not shake with unspoken laughter.

He was as serious as could be.

"So you can shift? I'm not buying this, Dad," I said. At first, I thought they were overprotective, and now they were delusional. How could I take them seriously now?

He rubbed his beard and sighed. "I haven't shifted since we came here to escape Howl's Edge with you as a baby."

"Is that the island you and Mom keep talking about?"

"Yes," he said. "When we left, we bought a whole bunch of heat suppressant pills for you."

"And what are those pills?" I asked, confused. Even though none of this made sense, this was the most I was finally getting from them. An explanation, finally.

"To umm…suppress your emotions."

Scrunching my eyebrows, I looked at him like he had lost it.

"What are you talking about? Just say it clearly. I'm grown," I demanded.

"Those pills squashed your urges to date anyone, and it kept your scent hidden from any werewolves looking for you," said my mom.

Suddenly, everything fell into place. Ever since I stopped taking those pills, my feelings have grown stronger. My emotions were heightened, and I felt the urge to be with a man.

Anger began growing inside me at the horrible secret my parents kept from me.

Like I was a damn kid.

"Why did you give me the pill? Don't I deserve happiness too?" I asked, my voice breaking.

"Yes, baby," my mom said in a calmer voice. "I wanted to keep you safe because you were special."

"Special, how?"

"You're an omega. The rarest kind. The kind all male alphas fight over and would kill for," she explained. "I needed to take you away from all that. For your safety. We snuck on a supply boat here, unsure of what the future would hold."

"Why didn't you explain this to me years ago?"

"I'm sorry," said Mom. "But now you're in danger, and we need to move away from here. Start packing tonight. We need to leave immediately. The howl outside sounds like an alpha wolf."

"How about your jobs?" I asked.

"We only care about your safety."

"If you had told me this years ago, this wouldn't have happened," I stood up and walked to the window, my arms crossed. I wasn't going to get up and leave the state because my parents said so.

My mom was losing her patience, "start packing, Tiana. We have to go before anyone tracks you down."

My parents left the room, closing the door behind them. As always, I was forced to do whatever they told me. I never had a voice.

How could they let me go around not knowing what I truly was? I couldn't believe them. Anger filled me as I stuffed my clothes in a small suitcase.

I wasn't going to go with my parents. I wasn't going to let them be burdened with me anymore.

Pulling out my phone, I texted Lori that I was coming over.

I was so done being under the control of my overprotective parents. It was time I lived my own life. If I couldn't feel passion or love for the rest of my life, what kind of life would that be? That wasn't fair to me.

After I frantically packed my essential stuff and everything I would need for the trip, I decided to write a letter:

Dear Mom & Dad,

I know you're probably freaking out about where I went. Don't worry, I'm going on a cruise trip for a week to think about things and will be back soon. So don't worry about moving because of me or quitting your job. I can take care of myself. Thank you for telling me about my true self, and it's time I explore what that means. I want to figure out myself and decide what I want. I'll be home soon!

Love you both,

Tiana

I laid the letter out in the middle of my bed, staring at it for a good moment. It sounded a little too cheerful. But in reality, I was conflicted and torn inside. I had never felt so alone in my life.

Was I doing the right thing? Inside, my feelings were in a frenzy. I knelt and cried on the edge of the bed. My tears soaked through the blanket.

I shuddered as I wept, scared of what the future held for me.