Page 311 of His Hungry Wolf

“Not a chance,” Nero said stepping forward.

“You want me to examine him, you’ll have to let me talk to him.”

“You can ask him whatever you want in front of me.”

Dr. Tom tightened his lips and stared at Nero agitated. Again, he was the one to relent, not Nero. He turned to me.

“Do you mind if Nero joins us?”

“I don’t mind,” I told him suddenly wondering what was going to happen.

“Then come,” he said waving us both in and gesturing me toward the examining table.

I sat on it while Nero stood next to me and the doctor took the chair in front of us.

“So, you think you’re different somehow?” He asked crossing his arms in judgement.

“I don’t know if I am, but I’ve felt different my whole life.”

“And you’re parents?”

“What about them?”

“Have they ever said anything to you about being anything other than human?”

“The people who raised me? No. But, I don’t remember much about my biological parents.”

Nero jumped in. “You didn’t tell me you were adopted.”

“Why would I? The people who raised me were my parents. I’ve never felt otherwise,” I explained.

“Abilities are often passed down through genetics,” the doctor explained. “That’s not always the case, but it is most of the time. What happened to your biological parents?”

“They died.”

“I’m sorry,” Nero said with genuine sympathy.

“Thanks. But it was a long time ago. I don’t even remember them.”

“How’d they die?” The doctor asked.

“They were avid campers. They left me with a family friend and went on a weekend trip. The ranger who found their bodies said that they went to sleep without making sure their fire was out. The fire spread while they were sleeping and burned everything around them including their tents.”

“Oh man,” Nero gasped.

I swallowed thinking about it again.

“Your biological parents left you with a family friend to go camping?” the doctor asked as if I was lying.

“That’s what my parents told me.”

“And they died in a fire?”

I nodded my head.

“What?” Nero asked Dr. Tom.

The doctor turned to me.