Moon Apex

After hearing Zel talk about those weird thing, Elias decided to get away from her. He feels like she's hiding something from him. With some clothes on his backpack and the money he saved while working in the factory, Elias left town to think about things. He took the bus going to Duncan. His old friend, Miguel agreed to take him in for a short while.

"Hey, Elias! Long time no see." Miguel greeted Elias as soon as he gets off the bus.

"Miggy!" They hugged each other. Elias only made one friend since he was a kid. It was Miguel Alonzo. His family moved to Thon when they were both ten years old. They became friends instantly.

"Not that I'm not happy to you, El, but what brought you here?" Miguel asked his old friend as soon as they get into his car.

"It's a long and confusing story. But I just have to get away from Thorn for a short while." Elias answered before looking out the window.

He lied. As soon as he got off the bus he already made up his mind. No one cared for him in Thorn. His father wanted to kill him since his mother died. His only godfather never cared if his father is beating him daily. And the woman who she thought was like a mother to him is hiding something from him. He thought of looking for a job in Duncan and renting his place. He doesn't want to go back to back to Thorn anymore.

Duncan is a small town, smaller than Thorn. They don't even have their mall. Duncan is mostly, small local shops and mini grocery stores. Farming and local produce are still big.

New place, new people, new surrounding. He could build a life here.

Elias and Miguel stopped at the local pub to grab a few bottles of beer. It was considerable spacious but old looking. Everyone looked nice too. They were smiling at Elias as if welcoming him to their small town. One woman sitting quietly at a corner of the pub caught his attention. She was staring at him, smiling, like she was satisfied with what she sees.

"Who is she?" Elias whispered to Miguel pointing to the woman.

"Who?" Miguel asked before looking at the direction he was pointing at. "Oh, her. Bella!" Miguel is playing with his friend. He winked at Elias before towards the woman. "Damn, Bella, you're really hot." Miguel joked. "Come on, I want you to meet my friend." When Miguel came to their table, he already has the woman behind him.

"Hi, Bella." She introduced herself to Elias.

"Elias." Elias gave his hand for a handshake.

Bella was so beautiful, Elias thought. But as soon she took his hand he felt something weird. Despite her sweet smile, he felt like he wants to hurt her. Even her smell is different. It was hard for Elias to explain but she smelled like death. Bella felt his uneasiness because she meaningfully smiled at him. It's like she knows something he doesn't.

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After Miguel took Elias to his home he went out for a walk. He wanted to think and enjoy the fresh air. He was too oblivious to his surrounding that he didn't even notice the man following him. He was on the other side of the street, keeping a safe distance from Elias.

"Hey, why are you walking in the middle of the night alone?"

"Bella?" Elias was shocked to see Bella.

He looked at his surrounding. He didn't notice he was walking in an alley. His thoughts must have been too deep. Elias looked at Bella from head to toe. He still couldn't understand why he feels so much negativity around Bella. She's beautiful and she obviously has a thing for him.

"Where are you going, Elias?" Bella asked sexily

"Nowhere. I was just out to clear my head. Listen, it's nice to see you again here, Bella. But I really have to go. " Elias smiled awkwardly before leaving.

"I thought you're not going anywhere?" Bella stopped Elias from walking away.

The man was just watching from afar, listening. It's not his job to meddle with Elias' affair but he needs to protect him if needed. He saw two more of Bella's kind walking toward their direction. He no longer has a choice but to come out of hiding. He was about to run towards them when one of the two men shouted in pain. He was smoking but there was no fire. Vervain. Elias was so shocked by what he saw, he couldn't even move. He stood there, wide-eyed and mouth open.

Bella tried to grab Elias but he was quick to dodge her and snap her neck. He thought Bella was dead and immediately regret what he'd done. He's beginning to feel scared and it was like he's already losing his mind. The person saving him continues to spray certain to Elias' attacker when a young man appeared out of nowhere. He ran in the direction of the person helping Elias so he grabbed the first thing he got his hands on and threw it to the young man.

Bella and those friends of hers ran away. Not because they're scared but because vervain is very painful for them. The man looked at who saved Elias came out from hiding. He had a built-in vervain sprayer on his back while holding the nozzle. He looked around to ensure that no other creature was around. Elias was shocked to see saved him.

"Miguel?" It is his friend.

"Yep, we have a lot to talk about. Come on, let's go." Miguel said then turned around.

"Wait! What about him?" Elias approached the young man. The upper part of the body was hidden in the darkness of the alley so he has to get a little closer. That's when he realized that the man is dead. "Shit!" Elias is a lot of things but he was not a killer. "Uh—we—we have to help him! Let—let's take him to the hospital!" Confusion was written all over Elias' body.

"He's dead, Elias. You can't help him. Come on, we have to go. There's from where those three came from." Miguel grabbed his arm and they ran. Elias had no choice but to follow. He also wanted answers to who those people really are. The man following Elias earlier stepped back. He doesn't have to reveal himself. Not yet. Elias is safe for now and that's what's important.

"Oh! God! F*ck!" Elias dropped on the street. He seems to be in so much pain.

"El? What's happening?" Miguel asked worriedly.

"I don't know—I don't—ah!" Miguel jumped back when he heard Elias' bones. They sounded like they were breaking like they were shifting.

"F*ck!" Elias continued to shout in pain. Miguel saw his bones snapping from angle to angle in front of his very eyes.

"Oh my God!" Miguel muttered.

"Mig—Miguel! That's—what's happening to me!" Elias cried out in between the pain.

"You're turning." Those words came out of Miguel's mouth like a whisper.

"What? Ah! Make it stop! Please!" Elias is already begging.

"I can't El, you can't. No one can stop your body from shifting. Only the witches can do that." There's no for Elias to vague anymore.

"What! What are you saying?" Elias asked, shocked? Elias' shouts turned into growls.

"Migz, you have to run." Elias tried to want his friends. "I can't control this! You have to run!" Elias begged his friend ran away. "Run, Miguel, run!" Elias' body gave in

He started growing fangs, then his eyes turned to a burning bright golden amber. His feet and hands were turning into paws. He's turning into a wolf. He's already shifting!

"Oh my God!" Miguel was pacing back and forth, so confused about what to do. "No, man. I'm not gonna live you!"

"You have to or I'll kill you!" It was no longer Elias' voice. It was more of a growl.

"Shit!" The man following Elias earlier couldn't hide anymore. He can't let Elias turn in the middle of the alley and run around the town. He'll kill or he'll be killed. "Leave! I'll help him!" So he had no other choice but to reveal himself. "What are you waiting for? Go!" Miguel immediately runs after the man shouted waking him up from his catatonic state.

"Jordan?" Elias growled at him.

"Told you, I'll see you again. Come on, get up." He helped Elias stand up. "We can't let you turn in the middle town, can we? You'll have an all you can eat buffet here." He said while helping Elias walk.

"Wait, how did you—" Elias noticed that his transformation somehow slowed down. It is painful but bearable.

"How did know you're here?" Jordan looked at him before answering. "I've been following you since the day I met you. Now walk, I can't slow down you're transformation forever." Jordan nudged him a little.

"But how did—hmmm!" Elias was not able to complete his questions because of the stabbing pain he felt.

"How am I slowing down your transformation?" Jordan looked at him again before answering. "I'm holding a talisman made for me by a witch friend. It's spelt to temporarily stop my body from turning completely if needed." Elias noticed that Jordan's taking him somehow in the town.

"What? Which?" Elias was able to mutter.

"Oh, right! You're new. I'll tell you everything but right now we have to keep walking. Okay?" Jordan's almost lifting Elias just to get wherever they're going quickly.

They took a left turn, then a right turn, then entered a very narrow passageway. Elias couldn't focus any way he tried. He wanted to memorize where they were going but the pain in his body was too powerful for him. Jordan told him a few times to focus on the air in his lungs. To hold on just a little longer. But his body was on fire. It was too painful.

"We're here," Jordan announced as they reached a door to what looks like a basement. Elias was right. They took the stairs down and when Jordan turn on the light Elias saw a set of chains meant to hold a human down. But those chains are not just for an ordinary human. They were thick and they look heavy.

"What is this?" Elias asked in between the pain.

"Here, hold this." Jordan gave him the talisman. It was a small pendant with an engraving of a wolf. "I'll chain you up so you couldn't hurt and escape because you will hurt innocent people in the process.

Elias agreed. He doesn't want to hurt anyone because of what's happening to him. As soon as he's all chained up, Jordan took the talisman and his body immediately started turning again. Jordan could hear his bones shifting and his cries for pain was almost unbearable. But Jordan's used to this kind of situation. In the middle of Elias' transformation, he was able to pull the chain on his left hand off the wall.

"Jeez! You're strong!" Elias is already losing his human self. He started pulling the chains on his right hand off the wall too. "Damn, I was never able to do that." But instead of being afraid, Jordan seems too cool to be true. Before Elias completely rip the chains he's body went into the final stage of his transformation. He turned into a beautiful and huge while wolf with his eyes a bright golden amber.