- Corrine -It was Kasey.She was with her new friends, giggling as Kasey pushed my face deeper into the floor. I tried to break free from her, but she grabbed my hair instead, lifted me, and threw me against the door of the toilet cubicle.I braced for the impact with my hands, but it was too late. My face hit the door, and I felt an excruciating pain in my nose and lips.I wiped my nose and found my hands adorned with blood.“Does Trevor know you come to places like this?” Kasey’s voice, one I knew all too well, mixed with a buzzing sound in my ears.I turned around and found her standing not far from me. Her friends leaned against the wall, two sitting on the sink counter. They observed us as if we were putting on an interesting show.“What do you want, Kasey?” My voice was nasal due to my cracked nose. It took a few minutes for my healing abilities to kick in, and I had to get Kasey out of my face before she noticed something odd about me.“Nothing.” Her long earrings swayed as sh
-Corrine-With my chin lifted and back straight, I stepped out of the bathroom. My eyes couldn’t stop searching for Andrew’s presence, but my determination forced me to think about something else—anything to divert my attention from him.I followed Eva to the bar and ordered a bottle of beer. “It’s on the house!” the bartender exclaimed, winking at me. I responded with a half-smile, and as I shifted my gaze to Eva, she grinned.“See? You can catch any guy’s attention,” she teased.We took sips from our respective bottles, and I felt relieved that there was no dreadful headache attacking me like when I drank at Mythic Manor. That place was not for me. Neither was Andrew.Damn. I thought about him again.The hum of the microphone drew my attention to the stage, and I saw someone standing there. Everyone cheered, waving at him.“Who’s he?” I asked Eva.Eva was sipping her beer and took a moment to swallow before answering my question. “Oh, him? He’s the owner of this place. He often orga
-Corrine-He lifted me, his lips still attached to mine.I heard the club owner shout dirty remarks about our kiss that made the audience laugh, but both Andrew and I no longer cared about anything.He carried me backstage, or it seemed like it, and withdrew only to catch his breath.We were immersed in something more than just a kiss. I didn’t know what this was, but it was completely different from any intimacy I had ever experienced before.The thumping music echoed again, its sound muffled by the walls of the corridor trapping us. Andrew leaned my back against the wall. My legs circled his waist as if my life depended on him.His figure looked dark and dangerous under the dim purple neon lights. He smirked as he broke the kiss and stared at me, leaving me breathless.“Is that long enough?” he asked in a voice that sent shivers through my stomach.Without needing to look in the mirror, I knew my lips were swollen, and my face was flushed. My eyes couldn’t look away from him, and I
-Corrine-After uttering those dreadful words, they discussed some other things that I didn’t understand. However, I could deduce that these people were not part of Andrew’s pack, if he had one. They were on equal footing. Several times, mentions of Lycans came up, and it reminded me of my encounter with a Lycan. How its hand pierced Rodd’s chest and pulled his heart.My knees instantly weakened, and my hands trembled as I re-buttoned my blouse.“Corrine?”I jolted and held my breath. My fear-filled mind made me unaware of Andrew’s presence.“You okay? What happened?”He walked closer and extended his hand, but I pushed it away.A glimpse of his eyes showed he knew what was going on. He knew I eavesdropped on their conversation, hearing things I shouldn’t have heard.My heart pounded. Was he going to kill me?“We should go back,” I said, trying to sound composed. “Eva must be looking for me.”“She will understand.”“But today is her birthday. I can’t just leave her.” Then I patted the
-Corrine-My heart raced faster. Initially, I thought it was because I was afraid of Andrew or the answer he might give, but then something within me surged, and I realized something was wrong. Then I heard a voice in my head. Soft growls and purrs. My wolf.My eyes widened, remembering that my birthday was approaching. My wolf could emerge at any time now. There were cases where human-wolf shifters appeared a few days before their birthday.I had to call Trevor. And when he came, he must not see me with Andrew.“I have to go,” I said, no longer caring about Andrew’s response.Andrew frowned and grabbed my hand as I tried to walk away. “I’ll take you back.”I jerked my hand, asking him to let go. “No. I can go back on my own.”Before he could hold me again, I ran as fast as I could. I felt relieved and a bit sad when he didn’t chase after me.*The next day, I woke up with a slight headache and an aching body. Last night, I called Trevor, and he asked me to update him every five minut
-Corrine-I waited for the right opportunity to go to the library because I didn’t want Eva to follow me and find out that I was investigating her family. Maybe I could ask her directly, but I felt she knew no more about her father and stepbrother than I did, except for the fact that they were super wealthy.I zipped up my jacket to the neck and slid my hands into the jacket pockets to ward off the cold air. My breath steamed in front of my face. How quickly time passed, and so far, my college life had been fine, except for my encounters with the Lycan.Thinking about Lycan made me glance around. Many students were still passing by on this cold evening. But the sun was about to set, and this hustle and bustle would gradually disappear. I needed to go back soon before I got trapped in darkness and silence like that time. I wasn’t sure what would happen if I ran into the Lycan again. I doubted he would let me escape once more.But... what if... what if the Lycan turned out to be—“Ouch.
-Corrine-I stared and tried to scream, but no sound came out of my throat. Amid the growing pain, I forced both of my legs to move, and I ran away from the Lycan. But this time, he didn’t let me escape. He chased me. I could hear the sound of his footsteps on the leaves and fallen branches.I kept running until I didn’t know where I was anymore. All I knew was that I was getting farther from the university and deeper into the forest. Then I heard my wolf howling in my head, urging me to stop. Her will was so strong that I couldn’t resist, and I stopped abruptly, turning around.The Lycan was still with me, stopping far enough to attack me, but I could still see him. My feet felt like they were stuck to the ground, and my eyes couldn’t blink. Lightning flashed above my head again, and the Lycan walked closer. His figure became clearer, and memories of that night, when I first saw him, flashed through my mind.In my heart, I was sure I knew him. Not because I had met him before, but be
-Corrine-I was grateful to the Moon Goddess because the rain had continued to pour heavily as I assisted Trevor into the car. How he found me, I still did not know. Perhaps my wolf had called out to him. Now that I had officially become a full-fledged werewolf, I could contact any of the pack members through the mind link, including Trevor.I settled Trevor in the passenger seat, then I went to the car’s trunk to get the spare t-shirt that Trevor usually put there. I took the T-shirt into the car. After sitting in the driver’s seat, I put it on.Fortunately, Trevor had taught me how to drive, so then I could take him home to Wesgrove.Midway through the journey, Trevor regained consciousness. But his voice still sounded weak as he inquired about my condition.“Are you okay?” he asked, reaching out to touch my arm.“It wasn’t me you should worry about, Trevor. But yourself,” I replied. My eyes remained fixed on the road.There was a sense of concern that the Lycan might be chasing us.
-Corrine-Believe it or not, the first fight was won by me.I had just defeated one of the strongest warriors in Moon Dust. And it wasn’t just me who was surprised; all the pack’s members who were present there were stunned, watching as Sam was thrown to the ground after I landed a fatal blow to his chest.Harry counted to ten, but he didn’t get up.“The first fight is won by Corrine!” he announced, and only Andrew clapped and cheered.“Five minutes break for you, Corrine. After that, you’ll face another candidate,” Harry said then.Sam had returned to his human form—he was still breathing, thank the Moon Goddess—and some people pulled him out of the arena.I walked over to Andrew at the edge of the arena. He unfolded a robe for me, and quickly wrapped it around me the moment I turned back into my human form.“That was awesome, babe,” he praised, grinning.I returned his grin weakly. He told me to sit down, then handed me a bottle of water, which I chugged in one go.“He was a tough o
-Corrine-Even though I didn’t want it to, the day I dreaded the most finally came.My heart raced faster as the car carrying me entered Moon Dust territory. Harry and the pack members were waiting for me in the front yard of the Alpha’s house. Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it a welcoming party, since no one smiled when they saw me step out of the car. Even Harry looked more tense than I was.“Dad,” I greeted softly, nodding my head. My eyes instinctively darted to his side, and my heart sank with disappointment when I didn’t see my mother there.“Your mom is not feeling well,” my father said. He knew who I was looking for.I pursed my lips and exhaled. I didn’t ask further about her condition because I didn’t want to hear the reason why she was unwell. I’d bet my life it was because of me.“So… who are the challengers?” I asked, scanning the warriors and pack members surrounding me.My father shifted awkwardly. “Most of them wanted to challenge you, but—”I swallowed hard. *Most of t
-Trevor-“Shit,” was the first word that escaped my lips. The next thing I did after cursing was to push Leana off my body. I got up as quickly as I could and ran out of the arena to chase after Eva.My eyes stayed focused ahead, searching for Eva. I could see her back in the distance. She was half-running down the corridor, heading toward the main mansion building. I quickened my pace and caught up to her.“Ev—” I said after grabbing her wrist and pulling her, forcing her to turn toward me. “Ev, wait. Listen—”Eva yanked her hand away and grasped her wrist with her other hand. Her gaze was vacant as she looked at me, and her lips curved into a bitter smile. “Congratulations, Trevor,” she said, her voice trembling.I spread my arms in confusion, frowning. “Congratulations for what?”“For dating the hottest girl in the alliance.”“We’re not dating,” I denied, my tone too insistent, making it sound like I was hiding something.Eva crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed. “Oh, so you
-Andrew-Seeing and hearing Eva say those words to me made me briefly think of Gary. But this wasn’t about some horrible obsession; it was pure desperation.“No,” was the first word I said, a firm rejection that made Eva flinch.“B—but, Andrew… I’d be able to protect myself if I became a lycan like you all.”I shook my head. “That’s not how it works, Ev.”“Andrew—”I pointed sharply at the door, my eyes wide. A flash of guilt hit me as my action startled Eva, but I continued anyway.“You’ve seen how Corrine struggles to live her life as a werewolf, haven’t you, Ev? She was born a shapeshifter, yet that doesn’t automatically mean she’s great at fighting or can protect herself all the time. Becoming like me—like Corrine—won’t magically solve all your problems. You’ll only fall deeper into the dark side of this world.”Eva’s mouth opened and closed, her eyes trembling. She was probably trying to craft a solid argument to counter what I said, but I knew she couldn’t find one.I stood up f
-Corrine-I had never imagined there would come a day when Leana said something like this that she was proud of me.“It’s… kind of weird,” I said, half laughing. “You, out of all people, said you are proud of me.”“I know, right,” Leana laughed along with me. “But that’s the truth. I wouldn’t say such a thing just to please you. So, go out there, meet your pack, and kick their asses.” And then she added, “If you want, we can do two more training sessions, tonight and tomorrow morning.”My brows shot up. “Really? But… how about your condition?”Leana rolled her shoulders one by one and snapped her head to the left and right. “It’s not like I am paralyzed, Corrine. I just cannot shift for a moment. I still can fight.”I grinned. I didn’t know when, but I gradually loved her spirit and her personality. She was a true badass. “Alright, then. Thanks.”Leana returned my grin. “No problem.”*After we finished talking, we walked back into the mansion and straight to the treatment room. Leana
-Corrine-Tomorrow night? Had my father lost his mind? Or was he trying to get me killed?“That’s impossible,” I said, feeling anxiety surge within me. “I—I can’t even beat Leana! How could I possibly defeat those fucking warriors from my pack?”“Corrine—”“I—I think it’s better if I just surrender, Andrew.”“Corrine, listen to me—”Andrew tried to reach for me, but I swatted his hand away before he could touch me. Then I walked out of the treatment room.I didn’t know where I was going, and eventually, I ended up sitting in the backyard of the mansion, on the bench I always sat on whenever I felt restless.I buried my face in my hands.What was I even thinking all this time? Trying to show them I was strong? Who was I kidding?I was born a werewolf, sure, but I wasn’t that strong. Defeating Leana and killing Jerome was nothing but pure luck.“Hey.”I jumped and looked up. “You. What are you doing here? Are you feeling better?Leana gave me a brief, lazy smile. “This is nothing,” she
-Corrine-The deeper we went into this, the more complicated it became.I followed Andrew and Bria down the hallway, to a part of the mansion I had never been to before. There, in a large white room that almost resembled a laboratory, I met several other lycans whose faces I’d only glimpsed in passing before.“Andrew,” greeted a man—he looked to be about Bria’s age—while motioning for Andrew to come closer.Even though Andrew had told me he didn’t want anyone else to know about his family or what we were investigating, that no longer seemed to apply. Not after we had to ask the lycans for help to save Trevor and Leana.I followed Andrew as he approached the man. On the table in front of him were several blue flower petals glowing faintly.“Wolfsbane,” Andrew murmured, studying the petals.“Yeah.” The man nodded.“Larry found something interesting,” Bria said. She joined us, standing near the table and examining the flowers.“What do you get?” Andrew asked.“So, apparently, this flower
-Andrew-A small door beneath the desk swung open when I pulled the knob. Dust flew out, some clinging to my nose, and I wiped it off.There were books inside. I reached in and took them out, frowning as I examined their brown leather covers. These books looked ancient, with pages yellowed and browned, exuding a strong musty smell.“What do you find?” asked Corrine. She bent slightly from where she stood but didn’t force herself to squeeze under the desk with me.“Books,” I muttered, still inspecting them.I crawled out and placed the books on the desk. Standing up, I put my hands on my hips. Beside me, Corrine leaned in to examine the books as well.She reached out as if to touch one, but then hesitated. Instead, she looked at me and asked, “May I—?”I paused before answering, “Yes.”Only then did Corrine pick up one of the books—the largest of the three—and carefully open it. On the very first page, we saw elegant, looping handwriting, as though written with great care.Personal Not
-Andrew-In my entire life, I had never passed out. Even when I experienced my first shift, I could endure that excruciating pain—burning through my entire body and blurring my vision.But this time, after Gary did something to my body, I lost consciousness. My vision went dark, and I lost all sense of time, place, and everything happening around me—until I faintly heard Corrine’s voice. She was arguing with someone.“How can you not know what happened to them??” Corrine’s voice rose, but she kept her volume controlled, her words coming out as sharp, hissing whispers.Gradually, I could make out my surroundings. A familiar place. I was in my room.At the foot of my bed, I saw Corrine and Bria facing each other—the source of the small commotion that woke me.“I’m not a fucking sorcerer, little girl. If you think I know everything about—”Corrine jabbed her finger at Bria. “Stop calling me little girl, or you’ll face the wrath of this little girl, and you’ll regret it.”Instead of backi