The Forbidden Daughter

CHAPTER 4

JANE’S POV.

Such a curious girl. I think to myself. One minute she’s friendly and the next she can be so cold so fast it can give you a whiplash. I’m so grateful that she saved me from being groped by Jake this morning or worse. That jackass won’t leave me alone because I refuse to sleep with him. I shudder at the thought. I feel like there is something off about him and his group of friends, almost supernatural and I get the same feeling from Talia, but a different kind of feeling.

She stuck with me through classes the whole morning which was a first because usually a girl like her, the beautiful smart kind, always drifts off to their type of friends even if she hides behind her hoody and I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of hope that I could actually be making a friend. No way, why would she want to be friends with someone like me? I’m average looking and my family doesn’t have a lot of money because unfortunately it’s just me and my dad. My mom died in a car accident a few years ago and he turned into an uncaring drunk afterwards. If it wasn’t for my part time job and extra shifts, we would have been on the streets a long time ago because my dad lost his job and drinks out any money we might have.

Talia seems to be the complete opposite, she’s obviously well off because I couldn’t help but notice the motorcycle, she drove in to school this morning and she probably has the perfect parents to match.

I sigh as I make my way to the cafeteria with Talia right behind me and stand in line for lunch. Luckily, I keep some of my hard-earned money from my job for myself for lunch or necessities. After paying for lunch I make my way to my usual small table in the corner and once again I can feel Talia following me with a couple of curious looks between me and her from other students.

“You know you don’t have to sit with me if you don’t want to?” I say looking down at my food tray.

She hesitates a moment but continues to sit down opposite of me “Why would I want to do that?” She asks and my head shoots up to look at her, confused in her decision to stay with me. “As far as I can see the other students are d***s and I actually find myself enjoying your company.” She says shrugging her shoulders.

I stare at her with my mouth slightly open. That sliver of hope flares up again but wait, maybe she feels sorry for me, yeah that’s probably it.

“And I don’t pity you if that’s what you are thinking. Besides, I don’t like crowds.” She says as if reading my mind and looks to her food tray trying to decide what to eat first before grabbing her fruit salad and starts eating.

A feel a smile form on my face and also start eating in a comfortable silence but unfortunately it doesn’t last. A throat clears by our table and we both turn to see Jake standing there with a sly grin on his face staring at Talia. Uneasiness fills my senses as I watch him cautiously trying to think what he could be up to.

“What do you want?” Talia bits out in a cold voice, giving him a glare that sends a shiver even down my spine. Jakes grin falters slightly but he replaces it with a toothy smile and slips onto the bench next to her. Talia doesn’t move but only continues to glare at him as he settles himself next to her with that stupid smile.

“How about you ditch the loser and come join me and my friends? I can definitely show you a good time love.” He drawls out the last bit in a husky tone and he grasps her thigh. His attempt at trying to be seductive, I guess. My Heart drops as I see Talia give him a sly grin. I knew it was too good to be true and I look back down to my food tray but before I can wallow further in my self-pity, Talia bolts up with a growl and Jake is sent flying over the table, past me, and landing behind me, face down on the cafeteria floor.

What? Wait! Did she just growl? I stare open mouthed and dumbfounded at Talia’s standing figure with a mixed look of annoyance and anger on her face. Jake stumbles back to his feet and looks furious but before he can advance towards Talia his friends grab him by the arms and quickly whisper something in his ear making him look around as if he forgot he was in a room full of students, silently all staring between him and her. “This isn’t over b***h” Jake yells with an embarrassed red face and stomps off out of the cafeteria followed by his goons. All of them giving Talia curious and hateful glares.

Talia sits back down and starts fidgeting with her food tray as the others continue to stare at her. “Got a problem? She sneers to them and instantly the students turn to busy themselves, whispering under their breaths?

“s**t!” she says but it sounds more to herself than directed to anyone. She turns slightly to look at me but turns to look down at her food tray again. I realize that I’m still staring at her with my mouth open and shut it quickly. “Wow” I say when I find my voice. “That was brilliant” I exclaim in excitement and the feeling of something unknown wraps around my mind. Strangely, again, I don’t feel a pang of fear or unease like I do when Jake and his goons are around.

Talia’s head whips up to look at me and a wide smile crosses my face. “Do you know how much I dreamed of doing something like that? I say as a small grin tugs at her lips. I pause for a moment, a nagging question tugging in my head but being me, I blurt out low enough for only her to hear. “What are you?”

***

TALIA’S POV.

“What are you?” Jane asks and I feel the blood drain from my face, my body going cold. I look away, busying myself with my lunch again but not feeling at all hungry anymore. s**t! I curse myself again. I should have just brushed him off but when he put his hand on my thigh I got pissed off and flipped him over our table to the floor. So much for keeping promises, Mom is going to kill me. I groan internally before composing my emotions and looking back at Jane who is still waiting on an answer to her question.

“W-what do you mean?” I ask, slapping myself mentally for the stutter. “Oh, come on… Jake is about double your weight and I could have sworn that I heard you growl before you sent him flying.”  She says holding my gaze. I stare at her, not even blinking and I can see her mind running a thousand thoughts behind her twinkling eyes. “Look, if you don’t want to tell me that’s fine but I’m not stupid. I’ve noticed a lot of strange things lately and then there are the rumors of course.” She says.

I quickly look around, eyeing students that still look our way as the cafeteria is still buzzing with whispers. “Okay, I’ll tell you but not here.” I say standing up and slinging my bag over my shoulder and grabbing my tray. She grabs hers as well and follows me into the corridor and out of the school. I choose a nice shady spot under one of the large trees on the school grounds and where there are not a lot of students lurking around.

Shit. What am I doing? I scold myself. I just agreed to tell a human what I am. About the existence of werewolves. I could get into so much trouble for this not to mention put my mom and Jack in danger.

“Okay… So?” She prods not holding back on her excitement. I finally meet her gaze and look her over. Can I trust her? I wonder.

“Yes” A whisper echoes in my head taking me by surprise but I keep my outer self-calm not to give anything away. “Nera?” I call but she doesn’t answer. My wolf rarely talks to me because we keep restrictions on her running out of control but she’s always there to guide me sometimes. Always vigilant in the back of my mind.

“Tell me first, what do think your suspicions are and the rumors that have been going around? I ask, slightly narrowing my eyes at her.

“Well” she starts. “People have said that they heard howling and have been seeing strange shadowy creatures in the woods. Almost wolf like but bigger. I-I have also seen something a few weeks ago when I was on my way home from school. I felt like I was being watched but every time I turned around there was no-one but then I heard a something. It sounded like a branch snapping as though someone stepped on it and it came from the edge of the woods. When I turned towards the sound, I saw something big, like a shadow quickly going behind a tree. It was so quick that I thought I imagined it but I’m pretty sure something was there. Anyway, I hurried home as soon as I could but I kept having this feeling that I was being watched” She says and I didn’t miss the shadow of fear that flashed in her eyes.

I frown at this. Strange. It’s either a coincidence or it was following her. And why do you think that I may be part of whatever you think is going on? I ask.

“I never said that you were part of it but the rumors started as soon as Jake and his friends joined our school because apparently it is said that their school burned down or something and is being rebuilt and I had this strange feeling about them. They physically exceed in all their outdoor activities that almost seem unnatural to me. They run without getting tired, they lift weights as though it is nothing and I’m positive I have heard them growl on more than one occasion. Just like what you did in the cafeteria.”

“When I met you this morning, I got the same feeling about you, but it felt different. Like you were the same but not one of them.” She finishes. I blink at her, momentarily silenced. Strange for a human to be pick up on vibes like this. Could she be part witch or just more aware of her surroundings and people than others? “Trust her.” Nera’s voice floats from the back of my mind.

“You’re right.” I blurt out. Keeping her gaze. They aren’t human… neither am I.” I take a deep breath to allow oxygen into my body, suddenly feeling constricted of air. “We are werewolf’s… But you must promise not to tell anybody. Both of us can get severely punished for me telling you this because we have our own laws to protect ourselves from humans in the forms of hunters.” I say in all seriousness. My heart is beating frantically, and I look around again to see if we were still out of earshot of others.

Jane is staring at me with her mouth slightly open again, eyes wide. “S-so you’re a werewolf? Like you change into a wolf and run on all fours and stuff?” And Jake and his friends also? So, I was right?... wow. Just. Wow!” She says in complete awe.

***

The rest of the classes passed by quickly with Jane pestering me with all sort of questions and I tried to fill her in about wolves, vampires, and witches in the most discreet way possible. We also didn’t see Jake for the rest of the day as well which I was thankful for. Soon enough the last bell rang, and the students piled out of the school including us as we make our way to where I parked this morning.

“You know I never asked… are your parents werewolves too? She whispers as we reach my bike.

“Yeah they are, but I never met my dad, so it’s just been me and my mom and Jack.” I say.

“Who’s Jack? Is he like your stepdad or something?” She asks as she looks at me. I give out a short bark of a laugh and shake my head. “Oh, Moon Goddess no, he’s our protector and my mentor.”

“So, he’s also like you and your mom?”

I shake my head. “No, he’s a vampire and like an annoying big brother to me, very goofy actually if he wants to be. Which is strange because wolves and vamps don’t mix but he was my dad’s best friend and he promised to watch over us.” I said shrugging. Before she can reply I look at her in all seriousness. “Remember Jane You can’t tell anyone, if this gets out, we are all in danger, especially you.”

“Don’t worry, my lips are sealed.” She says making a zipping noise and gestures across her lips with her fingers. “I’m just glad that I’m not going crazy with all my thoughts to myself.” She says grinning widely and I feel myself grinning back. Jane is really something else. Not only did she accept me for what I was, but she actually looked excited about it. Never have I ever told anyone and yet this girl I’ve only met today and started to consider her as my friend, was more than accepting of the supernatural. Maybe it’s because she had already had her suspicions, but she also seemed wiser beyond that of her teenage years.

“Can I give you a lift home?” I ask, holding out my helmet to her. I don’t miss the shadow floating behind her eyes but is it’s gone as fast as it came. “No, it’s okay. I’ve got to get to work. My shift starts in an hour.” She says. “Oh okay, where?”

“At the diner down the road, it’s just a couple of minutes from here.” She says, hoisting her bag further up her shoulder. “Okay then” I say with a small smile and mount my bike. “I’ll see you, tomorrow right?” She asks, a little uncertainty crosses her face but smiles none the less. “Jip, definitely.” I reply and start up peppermint before backing up from the parking. With a final wave to each other I drive myself down the road and home.