Chiraptophobia

Prologue

How would you describe numbness in one word? Emptiness? Emotionless? You could, but when you do replace 'numb' with either 'empty' or 'nothing', it just doesn't feel right. It feels as if any meaning of the word 'numb' just became lighter. That might because everyone feels empty at one point, but only a few feel numb.

People think that mankind's greatest unsolved question is 'what is life?' And what do they usually answer with? Either 'something beautiful' or 'a chance to feel.' Wouldn't a better question be 'what is the point of life?' After all, you can only get a definition out of a purpose.

You must be wondering, "Why the sudden curiosity?" The answer is: no reason. Well, that's a lie. Actually, it's half the truth. When you don't speak, you think a lot. It's normal. Personally, I think that thinking takes up more energy than speaking, yet it's a constant factor in our lives, and we can't stop it.

Thought-driven, Rebecca looked out of her window, observing the people walking by. Some were smiling, some were just rushing about. What caught her eye were the couples that walked hand-in-hand. Just thinking about the germs that are passed through physical contact made her shrug in disgust. But there was a time when she used to do that. Ironically, it provided her with a sense of security and warmth. Too bad she can't anymore. She wanted someone to hold her tight and protect her, provide that warmth that she once used to receive when her mother was still alive. It's sad that the world is the way it is, people could be so much happier if they didn't have their problems breathing down their neck.

There always comes a time, when you have to face your fears. You can try and avoid that situation for as long as you want, but you will have to face them at some point. It's inevitable. And when you do, you will yearn for nothing but relief. Some can be cured of their phobias, and some have to deal with it for their whole life. People don't seem to understand the difference between a fear and a phobia, and it shows. It's not their fault, there's a thin line that makes them different. But it is definitely a person's fault if they refuse to understand the difference.

Chiraptophobia. That's what Rebecca had. The fear of touch. 'People who have this fear avoid contact with people, which could relate back to sexual fears or fears they could become contaminated.' That's what google says.

Rebecca had to face her phobia almost everyday. You'd think that'd help eradicate her fear, but that's not the case. It only got worse. And it didn't help when she was introduced to the supernatural world in one of the worst ways possible.

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Oliver Vernon was a megalomaniac. To him, power was everything. How did he get so much power? Well, it's not hard for an alpha to get recognition. The world they lived in, it was different. There weren't any packs. Yes there were ranks, the Alpha-Beta-Omega system worked just fine. But it was every werewolf for themselves, living in harmony with humans. Obviously werewolves had a supernatural jurisdiction. They had laws that kept them from doing anything that could potentially reveal the supernatural world to those who weren't a part of it.

The only exception to such laws were the human mates. It wasn't rare for a werewolf to have a human mate, but it wasn't very common either. It was basic knowledge that animals love those who they imprint on unconditionally, and would do anything to keep them safe and happy. Of course the dog family was not an exception to that, which means neither were werewolves. When a werewolf finds their mate, they will do everything they can to keep their mate happy. When a werewolf is mated to a human, the instinct to keep their mate safe is really strong since the human can't protect themselves. Usually if a werewolf has a human mate, it's because that human is in dire need of love and affection. Unfortunately, not all humans have werewolf mates regardless of how badly they need the care, only the chosen ones.

According to Oliver, he deserved the best of the best. If it were up to him, he'd be the king of werewolves. You would say that he's self-centered. No, it's so much more than that. Not every power-driven person is a megalomaniac. The desire for power in a megalomaniac is strong. Very strong. In some cases, people can go to any extent just to feel above everyone else, exaggerating their achievements to feel superior. Now don't think that the Government is megalomaniac, they're greedy for power, not obsessed. There's a very clear difference.

No, Oliver was not a spoiled brat. His thirst for power started with his first victim, a rich innocent girl who had no idea that he was just using her for her money. Then he made his first kill. He remembered the way she begged him to enter her, to touch her, mark her as his. The moans turned to screams. She begged him to stop, to spare her, as he ran the knife along her torso, the sight of blood only encouraged him to continue. The power that he felt when she showed her vulnerability made him feel as if he was in control of her life. The fact that he knew that he actually had control over her life and death drove him to insanity. He's not a sadist, or a psychopath, he's a megalomaniac. He feels emotions, but prioritizes his thirst for control.

In the supernatural world, having a human mate gave the werewolf natural respect from others. Having a human mate meant not only that the human is mentally strong, but also the fact that the werewolf has what it takes to fix a broken person who has been deprived of affection. It was highly respected in the supernatural world. Yeah, Oliver always believed that he would get a strong Beta as a mate, or a beautiful Omega to carry his pups, but he preferred a human mate. He couldn't imagine the superiority he would feel with a human mate.

Now, someone destined to be with a megalomaniac for the rest of their life is not exactly an ideal situation. Rebecca, a human, is mated to Oliver, a megalomaniac werewolf. And what makes it worse is the fact that Oliver is an Alpha.

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