Chapter 133

Professor Black leaned forward in his seat again, his hands clasped together on the table. His eyes began to focus on us with an intensity that made me feel like he was about to reveal some deep, dark, ancient secret.

"I know it might be scary to hear that, but it's true," he began, his voice carrying a weight to it. "Since it was your first time shifting, we're unfortunately venturing into uncharted territory here. There's only one white wolf. We don't have enough data to predict if you could eventually take a darker path, like the other wolfless who've shifted. We also don't know anything about your kind."

I exchanged a quick glance with Lucas, a trace of anxiety hidden behind his eyes. I wondered what he was thinking. Was he as afraid as I was?

I didn't want to turn into some evil monster, but what if I couldn't even control myself?

When I shifted, I found it nearly impossible to resist any of my impulses. When I wanted to run, I just started running as if something had taken over me.

I was surprised I had even managed to shift back into my human form.

My heart sank at the uncertainty of my fate.

"So, you're saying there's a chance I could become one of those... monsters?" I asked, my voice quivering slightly. "Do we know if the white wolf was described as a monster?"

"As far as I know, the white wolf was never described as a monster." The professor paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "However, I wish there was more information I could offer you. As it stands, I've been focusing primarily on wolfless transformations. It's a realm of knowledge with more documented cases. Everything we have of the white wolf is only folklore."

"There's no reports of the white wolf?" Lucas asked. "No documents separate from the stories we've been told as children?"

Professor Black considered thought about this briefly, and the expression on his face seemed unsure. "I'm not going to lie and say those documents don't exist, because they might. But since the white wolf is only regarded by many as a silly legend, it would be significantly more difficult for me to access any sort of information on this. I'd have to scour everything just to find a mention of the white wolf."

A sigh of disappointment escaped me, but I couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Well since that might lead us to a dead end, do you think there's a connection between being wolfless and the possibility of turning into something dangerous?"

"Ahhh." Professor Black tapped his pointer finger on his chin in contemplation. "That's very possible. Again, this requires more research. However, if you recall the story of the wolfless boy... he was accused of being a monster when he really wasn't."

"Wait," Lucas interrupted. "If the story of the wolfless boy wasn't true, and he only became a monster because his bullies labeled him one, then what if all these documents you found on wolfless monsters are also lies?"

Lucas brought up an excellent point. How do we know that the same thing hadn't happened to all of these other cases? Maybe they weren't really monsters.

Professor Black smiled, nodding his head. "That is also very possible, Lucas. The problem with information is that sometimes it can be inaccurate."

"Well that's so frustrating!" I said, letting out a small outburst. "Is it true or not? How are we supposed to figure anything about if it's all a mystery?"

Professor Black regarded me carefully, unaffected by the sudden sharpness to my tone. "I said the documents might be false, however, I doubt that. The tests inside these documents were conducted by experts in the field of wolfless, just like me. They wouldn't lie on official documentation that was meant for future generations to study."

"So, let's agree that all of these wolfless cases are true. They all turned into monsters. Is it because they were wolfless, or did it have anything to do with other contributing factors?" Lucas questioned.

"The absence of a wolf to guide and regulate one's transformation could indeed be a contributing factor," Professor Black nodded. "When you're wolfless you're much weaker than someone who possesses a wolf. Your body is more susceptible to changes. You're more easily influenced. Perhaps that's why we see a higher occurrence of these peculiar shifts among wolfless individuals."

"Did you see if there were any cases of non-wolfless turning into monsters?" I asked, needing to know if that was a possibility too.

Monsters could exist in any form, right? And I knew of a lot of non-wolfless that possessed hatred or evil in their blood. It would make sense if this was true.

Professor Black shook his head. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to discover such a thing in my studies. The only time a non-wolfless has ever turned into a monster was if they were cursed or poisoned. Non-wolfess aren't capable of shifting into monsters."

The gears in my mind turned, and I couldn't help but theorize further. "So, because I was wolfless, that automatically means that I'm going to fall into a dangerous category like all the others?"

"It's possible." The professor nodded, acknowledging the validity of my point. "I can't give you a firm yes or no, but it's a reasonable assumption, given the evidence we have so far."

"But what about the white wolf legend?" I asked, needing to know more. Professor Black mentioned he hadn't done enough research, but maybe there was something else that he could tell me. Some more information he could provide me with to give me peace of mind. "Doesn't that have any significance?"

Professor Black leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. He was quiet for a moment, as if he was recalling the story of the legend in his mind.

"The white wolf legend, as I know it, tells the tale of a creature capable of bestowing immense power. Nothing in the legend mentions that the white wolf is inherently dangerous. It's power is the real danger. Maybe not to the white wolf itself, but to others. The stories speak of envy from those who sought the white wolf's abilities. Power is everything, especially in our society after all."

"But didn't people call the white wolf a monster in the stories?" I questioned.

"Of course," Professor Black said. "Those who wanted to wield it's powers did. But make no mistake, the white wolf is no monster."

I pondered the professor's words, recalling the form I had become during my shift. I didn't feel an ounce of evil inside of me, and I didn't feel like a monster.

The thought of having such power was both unfathomable and terrifying.

"Don't fret too much." The professor gave us an encouraging smile. "I'll continue my research into the experiences of the other wolfless individuals and see if I can uncover more about their transformations. I'll also start delving into the white wolf legend, looking for any clues about what the red glowing eyes might signify. Just give me a bit more time, and I'm sure we'll be able to figure this out."