Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Telling Melissa the Truth
Scott sat beside Melissa on the living room couch, the soft glow of a nearby lamp casting a warm light over their tense faces. His mind raced as he thought about how to ease her into a world she never imagined existed. He took a deep breath and finally spoke, his voice calm but serious.
"Mom," Scott began, "did you see the bodies the Sheriff's Department brought to the hospital?"
Melissa looked at him, puzzled. "Yeah, I saw some of them. But what does that have to do with the bite on my neck?"
Scott leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "Did you see the woman who had all of her blood drained?"
Melissa nodded slowly, a chill creeping into her expression. "Yes... What about her?"
Scott locked eyes with her. "Do you think an animal could do that, Mom? Do you think a mountain lion would hunt a woman just to suck her blood dry? And could it even suck blood like that?"
Melissa frowned, shaking her head. "No, of course not. A mountain lion—or any other animal—couldn't do that."
"So what do you think could, Mom?" Scott asked.
She faltered, searching for an answer. "I don't know, Scott. A human, maybe? Someone who killed her and tried to make it look like an animal attack. Scott, stop playing games. Just tell me what's going on."
Scott straightened, meeting her eyes with unwavering seriousness. "Alright, then. What would you say if I told you it wasn't a human or an animal... but a vampire? The same thing that bit you and drank your blood."
Melissa glared at him, her frustration bubbling over. "This isn't funny, Scott. A vampire? Really?"
Scott's expression didn't waver. "Mom, I'm not joking. Vampires are real. The supernatural is real. And I'm part of it too."
Her tone turned sharp, almost angry. "Vampires are real, and you're one of them? Stop this nonsense right now, or you'll be grounded."
Scott couldn't help but chuckle under his breath, amused by her response. "No, Mom. I'm not a vampire. I'm a werewolf."
Melissa opened her mouth to reprimand him, but her words caught in her throat as Scott's eyes glowed a bright, fiery red. Her breath hitched, and she instinctively scooted away, fear flashing across her face.
"Don't be afraid, Mom," Scott said gently. "I won't hurt you."
For a moment, Melissa just stared at him, her chest rising and falling quickly. Then, summoning her courage, she moved closer again. "I'm not dreaming, am I, Scott?"
Scott let his eyes return to normal, flashing her a reassuring smile. "No, Mom. You're not dreaming."
Over the next hour, Scott laid everything bare—his transformation, the existence of hunters, the Hale family tragedy, Peter Hale's killing spree, and even the looming threat of other supernatural creatures like vampires. Melissa listened in stunned silence, her emotions shifting between disbelief, fear and concern.
After he finished, she finally asked, her voice trembling, "You don't lose control during the full moon and... hurt people, do you?"
Scott shook his head. "No, Mom. I don't lose control. Do you want to see what I look like when I shift?"
Melissa hesitated but nodded. "Okay... show me."
Scott stood up, giving her a small, reassuring smile. "Don't be afraid, okay? It's still me, no matter how I look."
He stepped behind the couch, quickly removing his shirt and pants, leaving them neatly folded. Melissa watched with bated breath as Scott let the transformation take over. His muscles tensed, his form grew larger, and his features shifted until he stood before her in his full werewolf form.
Melissa gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Scott... are you still in there?"
The towering beast nodded and spoke in a deep, gravelly voice, "Yes, Mom. It's still me. Come closer. Don't be scared."
She hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. Tentatively, she reached out, her fingers brushing against his fur. "I thought you'd look terrifying, but... you're not. You look like a wolf standing on two legs. A very muscular wolf."
Scott chuckled softly, his voice still deep. "Let me show you something even more amazing."
Before her eyes, Scott shifted again, his form morphing into a majestic, black wolf with glowing red eyes, bigger than any horse she had ever seen.
Melissa's breath hitched as she stared at him in awe. "This is... magical."
The giant wolf lowered his head, gently rubbing it against her shoulder. She laughed softly before grimacing as he gave her a quick lick on the cheek.
"Ugh, gross!" she exclaimed, playfully swatting his snout. Grabbing his ear, she added in her best mom voice, "Do that again, and you're grounded, mister."
Scott whimpered like a scolded puppy, lowering his head in mock obedience.
Melissa smiled and scratched behind his ear. "That's a good boy."
Scott returned to his human form, putting his clothes back on. "Alright, let's eat. I'm starving."
As they ate the dinner Scott had prepared, he broached a new subject. "Mom, I'm going to turn you into a werewolf like me. What do you think?"
Melissa blinked in surprise. "I... I don't know, Scott. I—"
Scott cut her off. "Mom, I told you about the Nemeton tree and how it attracts supernatural creatures. They'll keep coming to Beacon Hills. You were lucky to survive that vampire today. I'm not taking no for an answer. Besides, being a werewolf has its perks—you'll never get sick, you'll heal faster, you'll have a long lifespan and you'll stay young for a long time."
Melissa's eyes widened in shock and excitement. "Stay young for a long time? Why didn't you start with that?" She jumped out of her seat, practically shoving her arm at him. "What are you waiting for, dummy? Bite me now!"
Scott laughed, shaking his head. "I should've led with that, huh?"
"Stop mumbling and do it, now!" she demanded.
"Yes ma'am" Scott's fangs elongated, and with a gentle but firm motion, he bit her arm.
Melissa flinched and shouted, "Ouch! That hurt!"
"Sorry, Mom," Scott said, chuckling. "Now you need to rest. Tomorrow morning, you'll become like me. Then we'll find out the identity of the vampire that attacked you."
Melissa tilted her head. "How?"
Scott leaned back in his chair. "I can see the memory that the vampire made you forget by inserting my claws at the back of your neck. I can do it now, but your neck wouldn't heal, so we'll wait until you've become a werewolf."
Melissa sighed, her nerves settling. "And after that?"
"We hunt the bastard!" Scott said confidently.
Melissa paled. "Hunt him? Isn't that dangerous? And what do we do with him after?"
Scott met her gaze. "It is a bit dangerous, but we have to stop him from killing more people. I suspect he's the one who murdered that woman in the woods. As for what to do with him after hunting him, I'm planning to let you steal his powers if you have the ability to take other creatures' powers like I do. A vampire that can compel others is probably strong enough to make you an Alpha. That way, I can be more certain about your safety. Then we'll kill him."
"Scott!" Melissa exclaimed. "We can't just kill people!"
Scott looked at her seriously and said, "We can't give him to the sheriff, and we can't let something that dangerous roam free. What I can promise you is that I will never take an innocent life. Now that you're part of the supernatural world, you need to understand— not all supernatural creatures are good. Some are pure evil, and we have to protect ourselves, and the ordinary people if we can."
Melissa sighed, reluctantly nodding. "Fine. I'll help you."
Scott smiled. "Go take a shower and get some rest. I'll stay with you tonight to make sure you're okay."
Later, as Melissa lay in bed, she glanced at Scott, who sat in a chair by her bedside. "Scott... will it hurt? Turning into a werewolf?"
Scott shook his head, his tone reassuring. "No, Mom. It won't hurt. You'll get a fever and maybe sweat a bit, but that's it. Now, stop worrying and get some sleep."
Melissa smiled faintly. "Goodnight, Scott."
"Goodnight, Mom," he replied softly, watching as she drifted off.
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