The full moon is coming.
I can smell it in the air—thick, electric, and impossible to ignore.
After moving Elara to the main house, I confined myself to my room, buried in work, trying to distract myself from the telltale prickling beneath my skin.
"I wonder what'll happen this time," I muttered, flipping through reports I could barely focus on.
After her check-up, Elara had been placed in the room beside mine—by Leticia's orders, no less.
"You need to stay close to each other," the seer had insisted.
I'd scoffed at the time. I still did.
Another shock ripped through me—third one that morning. I gripped the armrest of my chair as my claws unsheathed and pierced through the leather. Exhaling slowly, I caught my reflection in the glass tabletop.
My eyes had turned gold.
Two days. Only two days until the full moon. But the pressure felt heavier than ever. Unlike the other times I'd shifted under the curse, this… this felt different.
I forced myself to calm down, retracting my claws as I leaned back into the chair.
A knock sounded at the door. Luke entered.
"The fences have been fixed and reinforced, sir. The bars over the cave have been locked tight," he reported.
I nodded, opening my eyes fully. He flinched.
"Your… eyes, sir," he said cautiously, stepping closer.
"I'm aware, Luke. The full moon is near." My voice was steady, if only barely. I set the papers aside. "And Elara?"
Luke hesitated, his frown betraying his disapproval. "She's been with the seer mostly. The healer is teaching her basic techniques."
I chuckled. "Is that so? They're already treating her like Luna," I said with a bitter smile.
Luke chuckled too, until I shot him a look. He looked away, nervous.
"Sorry, sir."
I sighed and stood. "Let's see how she's doing."
As we walked past her door toward the garden, my eyes lingered on it briefly. Something tugged in my chest. I ignored it.
Out back, I stepped through the sliding doors—and froze.
Elara sat on a bench, her long white hair being braided by Leticia. They were laughing about something I couldn't hear. What stopped me wasn't the moment—it was her.
She looked different. Healthier. Stronger. Not the frail, wind-blown girl from before. Her skin had a soft glow, and her silver-white hair shimmered in the sun. But it was her eyes—those piercing blue eyes—that caught me off guard.
Brighter. Clearer. Unmistakably… powerful.
I frowned, disturbed by my own thoughts. And then, her gaze found mine.
The moment our eyes locked, pain exploded in my head.
Visions—blinding, searing—flashed before me. Fire. Blood. Screams. A battlefield soaked in carnage. And at the center of it all stood a white wolf, her blue eyes unmistakable. Elara. Her pure fur was stained with blood. She was surrounded by death—and yet she looked divine.
I stumbled, gasping, hand gripping the wall for support.
"Sir?" Luke was by my side in an instant.
"Alpha?" Leticia's concerned voice followed, her footsteps nearing.
Elara didn't move. She only stared at me. The smile had vanished. Her face was calm—expression unreadable.
I stared back, heart thundering, before straightening my spine.
"I'm fine, Leticia," I said curtly and turned, heading back to my study.
I shut the door and leaned against it, breathing hard.
Those visions—I'd never experienced anything like that. Never.
I poured myself a drink and swallowed it in one go, the burn grounding me.
But the image remained: the white wolf drenched in blood, howling under a blood-red moon.
---
"Are you sure about this, sir?" Luke asked, voice tight with concern. He was locking chains around my ankles as I tugged at the ones around my wrists.
"Yes." My voice was firm. "There's no time to waste."
The full moon was less than twenty-four hours away, and I could feel control slipping from my grasp. One of my eyes had already turned gold, the other still black—tethering on the edge.
Luke sighed heavily but obeyed, securing the last of the chains. "It's done."
"Leave," I commanded.
He hesitated, then gave a stiff nod and walked out. The heavy iron bar doors groaned as they shut behind him, the echo of his footsteps growing distant.
Another wave of pain surged through me and a guttural growl tore from my throat. My wolf clawed its way to the surface, forcing itself against my human body. I'd grown used to the pain over time, but it never got easier. My claws extended.
The night passed in cruel agony. Luke returned with food and water, but I ignored it. I didn't want strength—not if it meant another rampage.
Hours later, the real torture began.
I collapsed to the floor, bones snapping and twisting. My screams echoed off the stone walls. This was the curse: the full moon dragging my wolf out, no matter how much my body resisted. No matter how much I begged for mercy.
Mind slipping.
Pain sharpening.
My thoughts faded beneath the red mist.
My wolf took over.
It snarled and lunged, tugging violently at the chains, foaming with rage and bloodlust. Then it threw back its head and howled to the moon above.
The sound was feral. Empty. Broken.
There was nothing left in my head except the hunger to destroy.
And then—
A voice.
Soft. Gentle. Familiar.
"Cassian…"
I froze. My ears twitched.
"Cassian… come to me…"
The voice drifted through the bars like smoke—reaching me where nothing else could. It was the same voice I always heard during the curse… but this time, it was clearer. Closer.
Her voice.
With a snarl and a burst of fury, I yanked against the chains one final time—and they shattered.