Uncertainty and doubts

" C-come in!" Not wanting to cause suspicion, I quickly called out and turned to face the door.

Click!

" Excuse me" I heard his deep voice resound as he turned the door knob and walked into the room with a tray of food in his hand.

He was in casual clothing- a sportswear and a pair of joggers.

" Sorry I'm late, I had a lot to do preparing this" He said with a small apologetic smile just as he walked into the room.

Not knowing how to react to such politeness from him, I could only nod my head in appreciation " Thank you!"

Darren stopped on his walk towards me for a second hearing me. He seemed surprised that I thanked him just now... which was odd.

" No, I'm just doing what I should..." he mumbled and shook his head as he continued on his stride towards the bed.

" I see you're getting better?" He asked before I could question his last words.

" I- yeah, the wounds are closing" I answered looking down at my bandaged sides.

" Good. But you need to recover strength and I hope this will help" He nodded with a smile as he put the tray by the bedside table.

" ..." I nodded my head in response.

" Right, I'll leave you alone now and go to bed-"

" Wait!" I quickly called out to him before he would leave the room.

Darren had already already taken few strides away, however, he stopped abruptly hearing me call out to him and slowly turned around with a concerned expression on his face.

" Hm?" He raised a brow.

" I-I have something to ask you" I quickly said, not daring to look him in the eye. His gaze was kind of intimidating every time I looked into them. It wasn't scary, but I just couldn't keep looking into them as it felt weird and embarrassing to do so.

" Er- go on, Shoot" He urged.

" Um-... Ar- are we in the vicinity of the moonblood pack?" I summoned the courage to ask, despite knowing I shouldn't have.

I didn't know who Darren was and I certainly am not sure of what his intentions towards me were. There was no telling what he could do with me, and sharing the name of a pack could be dangerous. Considering he knew just what I was, this means that he is certainly familiar with the paranormal.

And since he wasn't a hunter, it could only mean that he was a rogue. Asking a rogue about a pack was definitely not a good idea. Rogues were rogues for a reason after all.

They were either never in good terms with packs, or hated being a member of one.

And that's only a partial danger to reckon with. The major problem here was...

" Is that the pack you belong to?"

He certainly would come to that conclusion. Afterall, as a lost person, I would either want to seek refuge in such a pack or would be trying to stay far away from them. Either way, it had to be that I had some sort of connection with the said pack.

" N-no! not anymore..."

I never wanted to be considered related to that pack. Never again!

I hated that I was ever a member. Every moment of it.

" I- I understand. In any case, you're safe here. I do not think any pack would venture this deep." Darren stated, his tone quite firm and confident. I couldn't help but look up to see if it was a bluff.

I didn't know if perhaps he was saying that to make me less worried, but I didn't trust his words.

Jason's dogs only hadn't attacked yet because they probably were still in search for me. Once they find out that I'm here, they'd do everything they could to bring me back to Jason.

" You don't understand, I..." Just as I thought to warn him, something suddenly occured to me.

If I continued staying here, Darren could end up in trouble!

A rogue harboring an Alpha's slave like myself would surely procure trouble for him.

It hadn't occured to me before but now I couldn't shake this off my mind. I still didn't trust Darren but that didn't mean that I want him in danger.

However, I couldn't just tell him he would be in danger if he doesn't let me leave. I'd be shooting myself in the foot.

Yes, It's better that I escape while his guard is put down.

" I don't know what it is, but you're probably giving it too much thought and worry. Your food is getting cold too, eat up and sleep tight" Darren said, jolting me out of my thought.

I jerked my head to look at him and was left without a response. My mind was a blank state despite the fact that I'd heard him clearly. I knew if I opened my mouth I'd definitely blurt out my thought.

" Haha! that's a priceless look in your face. Goodnight" He chuckled and turned to leave as he said.

I felt a slight burn on my cheeks following his words. I wanted so badly to refute but I had nothing in mind to counter him. It left me embarrassed and annoyed in a certain way as I watched him close the door behind him. It was always like this with him.

" Hah!" I could only let out a deep breath and slump on the pillow after Darren had left. Just then, a sweet aroma sifted in the air, causing my stomach to growl in demand.

...

Stepping outside the room to walk down the fleet of wooden stairs that led to the living room, Darren had a focused expression on his face. He was lost in thought.

Having heard Kyley ask such a question as to whether they were within the vicinity of the moonblood pack made him realize just how worried she had been the whole time.

' But of course, she'd feel unsafe. After all, those scars must have left a deep mental scar on her' Darren thought, still unwilling to forgive the fact that Kyley had suffered such abuse in her past.

Darren could tell from the reclusive behavior and withdrawals that Kyley pulled that she was a victim of some sort, and she knew it had something to do with the moonblood pack that she'd mentioned.

He could vaguely recollect just how he'd savagely massacred Werewolves who surrounded her back then. It only made sense and was obvious that she had somewhat made her pack turn against her, and Darren was intrigued to know just what her story was.

However, he knew not to ask directly as that could come off as being intrusive and reduce the likely chance of her not trusting him.

It was already obvious from the slight scorn and hesitant gaze that Kyley gave Darren, that she lacked trust for him. He could tell, and he knew he could only slowly walk towards gaining such.

' That girl, why didn't I kill her?' Darren thought as he walked outside.

Not that Darren had malicious intent towards Kyley, however, the fact that he'd not attacked her when he was in his savage mode still baffled him.

He believed there was something about this. How could he, a cursed beast who had lost all rationality back then, hesitate to kill a helpless lady who was already on the verge of death?

Darren was confused, and he was curious to seek answers.

However, he needed to gain Kyley's trust to have a conversation about such matters with her

"Hah!" Standing before the door to the house, Darren heaved a deep sigh. He looked behind his shoulder towards the stairs and shook his head afterward.

' There's no need to think too hard about it. More importantly, I should leave now' Despite wanting to test it once again, Darren didn't want to take the chance. He felt guilty enough for the killing sprees he had been on almost every night to take. a chance with the only person he'd been able to save.

Darren knew he could come to regret it if he stayed in the house.

' Perhaps, she is my redemption...' Darren smiled wryly as he reached to grab the door knob. Although hopeless, he still felt obliged and optimistic.

He stepped out of the house and gently shut the door before locking the door to the house. He did so as gently as he could, to not raise suspicion.

Kyley was a werewolf, and her keen senses could discern if he made things too obvious. He'd only told her he was going to sleep, and Darren planned to make things seem that way.

Having confirmed everything was done, he turned around and stared up at the moonless night sky for a while. He looked towards the nearby woods and his gaze became melancholic, emotions whirling within him. He knew just what he was about to do, and he felt immense sadness about it.

' Please, let there be no one...' Darren prayed silently before dashing into the nearby woods, his hair flailing in the air.

Slowly, his face contorted while his body twisted.

Snap! Snap!

The painful sound of flesh churning and bone twisting could be heard as his body and face grew bigger and monstrous. His ears turned longer and sharper just as his nails grew coarser.

" Agh!" " Agh!" Darren growled like a beast as his curse took a toll on him.

At every moonless night, a beast of chaos and destruction is born. A savage lycan with no irrationality, but a will to massacre and destroy as he ventured into the woods in search of prey.

This was Darren's curse. It had no cure. Not any that he knew of.