Page 55 of Red

“Ah, I see.”It is a trap.“So you lured me in here in exchange for him.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“The truth maybe for once?! Youknow I’d do anything for him! You could’ve warned me.”

She shakes her head.

Realizing they’re listening to us, I wonder how much time we’ve got. But I stay assertive, “I deserve an explanation.”

“Nancy’s not my biological mother.”

“Oh.”Granny is not my grandma then.

“I was fostered by her as a teen, like many others throughout the years. And later, used in one of her experiments.”

“I know. I’m so sorry for everything you’ve gone through. I can’t even begin to—”

“No, you can’t.” She cuts me short. “I got a full hysterectomy shortly after you were born so she couldn’t hurt me again.”

“Why did you keep me?” I ask with a lump in my throat. “You could have given me up.”

“I wanted to.”Don’t sugar-coat it.“She took care of you in the beginning, when I was still in recovery, followed by very intense therapy. She offered to keep you, and I knew she’d hurt you, too. But I couldn’t let it happen. You were so innocent in all of this. I never blamed you, Julia. Though, it was difficult to even look at you. You were a constant reminder of the nightmare. I’m not going to lie, I considered putting you up foradoption every single day. Yet, as a Senator, she was a very powerful woman, and I figured that she’d somehow stop it. So I decided to raise you on my own. Greg came along not long after, and he loved you so very much from the beginning. He wasn’t aware of the details, of course, but he knew enough. He put me back together piece by piece, and he was the father figure you needed. I have no regrets as I did everything I could for you. But between you and him, I’ll choose him.”

“I get it. I really do.”Sorta.“But you had my whole life to prepare me for the news.”

“I didn’t think you’d ever have to find out. She told me you’re a human, and that you won’t transform. But when she called you, I just knew something wasn’t right.” Mom then approaches me and pulls the collar of my coat to the side, revealing the mark on my neck. “I never wanted any of this for you.”

“Alex is nothing like the beast that attacked you,” I reply, and she winces even hearing his name. “He risked his and his entire family’ lives to come here with me. That’s the kind of person he is. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to put them in danger for this!” I fight to hold back my tears. “The real monster was your foster mother who let it happen to you.”

She breaks down. “Julia, just give them a baby and move on! You don’t need to suffer the way I did. They only want your child.”

I disregard her words entirely. “Thank you for giving me the best possible life you could. Greg’s an amazing parent. And I truly hope you two have a nice life together after my werewolf saves him.”

Slamming the door behind, I run outside, finally bawling my eyes. Alex’s arms are around me instantly as he brings me closer to his chest.

He is my home.

He has showed more integrity toward me than my entire family. And let’s not forget he stalked me, pretended to be a dog, and jerked off on my dirty underwear. If that doesn’t say enough, I don’t know what will.

My vision blurry when I crane my neck to look at him. “You were right, we should never have come here.”

“I wish I wasn’t.” He licks my cheek.

“We’re in trouble, we need to leavenow.”

“It’s too late,” Alex barely finishes saying it when a military car stops on our way. The door opens, and I see my Granny—alive and well.

20.

Prey

Keeping myself from running up to her and literally strangling her to death, I nestle into Alex’s arms around me. He seems tense, flexing below the fur. I can sense the tragedy’s already brewing.

“Hello, Julia,” she has the audacity to speak as if she hadn’t let me believe she was dead for the past two months. “Good to see you.”

“I really wish I could say the same.”

Staring me down, she frowns, noticing what I’m wearing. “Is that my vintage Dior?”

---