ZAYLEN The full moon hung low in the night sky, casting its silver glow over the world below. Its ethereal light bathed the landscape in a soft, luminous glow. For my community, this night held a significance that few outsiders could understand. It was a night of transformation — a night when our true nature could no longer be hidden beneath the veil of humanity. It was a night when the primal instincts that lay dormant within us surged to the surface, demanding to be acknowledged and embraced. As I stood on my balcony, beneath the moon's watchful gaze, I felt a stirring deep within me, an urge that pulsed with the rhythm of the full-moon night. It was a feeling that was both exhilarating and terrifying, a reminder of the ancient bond that tied me to the natural world around me. In the stillness of the night, I could hear the distant howl of my brethren, their voices joining together in a haunting chorus that echoed through the darkness. It was a sound that sent shivers down m
ZAYLEN “What’s wrong, Liana? What’s going on?” I tried to remain patient. “James is here. I-I don’t know… he i-is at the do-or.” “Calm down. Take a deep breath,” I tried to calm her and she sucked in a deep breath. “Now, tell me, what’s wrong. Clearly.” “James is here at my door, knocking and ringing my doorbell. Oh no, wait, he is continuously banging on my door. I told him that I don’t wish to see him but it seems like he will break the door to meet me. And…” “And…?” “And he is drunk. His voice sounds like he is drunk. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to come here.” I sighed. Turns out Jordan’s instincts were right as usual. I glanced at my pack, a bit hesitant as Marcel shot me a glare. “Did you call the cops?” I asked. “I did but they didn’t pick up. There was an accident somewhere I saw on the TV so they are busy there, I think.” “Okay.” I paused to think about the consequences of my absence, but it didn't matter. Liana was in serious trouble. “I am going there. Send me y
LIANA My heart leapt into my throat as I found myself locked in a chilling gaze with the glowing eyes of the werewolf before me. Frozen in place, a surge of fear coursed through my veins, paralyzing me with terror. A guttural scream tore from my lips as I stumbled backwards, my legs buckling beneath me as I fell to the ground. "Don't come near me!" I cried out, my voice trembling with fear as I scrambled to put distance between myself and the terrifying creature before me. Every instinct screamed at me to flee, to escape the clutches of the wild animal that now stood before me, its dangerous presence looming over me. As I cowered on the ground, my heart pounding in my chest, I prayed desperately for someone, anyone, to come to my aid. “Somebody, please help…” Zaylen… where is Zaylen? I looked here and there, trying to find Zaylen. Where was he? Did this wild animal in front of me eat him? Or did the earth swallow him? Or maybe, he never entered the park, to begin with. I kept
LIANA I couldn’t sleep the entire night. Pulling an all-nighter wasn’t a wise decision knowing I had office the following day. But I couldn’t sleep even though I tried a lot. The thought of Zaylen being a werewolf hovered in my mind. How could I like a werewolf? Why did werewolves exist in the first place? I have always read werewolf romance novels, but I never knew I would end up being in one of those. I just hoped I was a side-character and my role ended soon. I didn’t want to be in this. I kept my purse on my desk, only to find a box on my table. I opened it and saw it had my favorite dessert — blueberry cheesecake. I just knew who kept it here. Definitely, Zaylen. “If you work nicely today, I'll bring your favorite dessert tomorrow again for you,” his words echoed in my mind. He kept his promise! I would have found his gesture really sweet and it would have melted my heart, but suddenly my mind went on the encounter with the werewolf last night. I had the urge to ta
LIANA Zaylen let out a humorless chuckle at my words, making me feel empty at this point. “What are you saying, Liana? No, I don’t like you. Not in the way you mean, at least.” “But…” “Look. You are a great person and I have no doubt in that. But no,” his voice was stern and screamed with clarity, “I don’t harbor such feelings for you. You misunderstood this.” “Then why were you so nice to me?” I inquired, clearly not satisfied with his answer. There must be more to it! I couldn’t misunderstand the whole thing. That’s plain stupidity! “Because I wanted to help you,” he said calmly. “Why did you want to help me so much then?” I demanded, clenching my fist. Zaylen sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I didn't want to tell you about this, but it seems like I have to because it’s necessary to burst your bubble of imagination.” He continued, “My mom went through something like this. She got cheated on and had a hard time coping up. She ended up committing suicide in the end
ZAYLEN It was lunchtime, so I hoped Liana was free. I wanted to tell her the new information I found out about her ex, James. When I was walking toward her desk, I saw Liana, talking with Sara and Kiara. She looked so innocent as she was listening to the other two intently. With a small smile on my face, I was walking to her, but my steps came to a halt when I saw her face going red all of a sudden. What were they talking about? Why did it make Liana go so red? It made me curious. Looks like I have to go there and find it out by myself. I went there and cleared my throat to let my presence be known. Three pairs of eyes looked at me instantly. But the moment Liana saw me, she averted her gaze and got up. “Um… excuse me,” with that, she walked past me, leaving me utterly confused and clueless. What just happened? “Is she okay?” I asked Sara and Kiara while they shrugged. “She must be. I hope,” Sara answered. “Though she was asking weird questions,” Kiara’s words caught m
ZAYLEN “Jord, Why is Liana ignoring me?” I asked Jordan, who was in my cabin right now, handing me a file. “By any chance, is she disgusted by the fact that I am a werewolf?” My mind went to the day she found out. Her reaction… Jordan chuckled. “Why are you being so dumb? She obviously feels embarrassed to face you after confessing her feelings to you and immediately discovering that her feelings are actually a rebound, which you yourself pointed out.” Jordan did make sense. Embarrassed. Yes, that must be it. However, was I too mean to her by pointing it out? Did it come out as rude? Maybe. I should have been nicer with her. I could’ve explained it to her properly, calmly. I ran a hand through my hair as I groaned in frustration. I hated this. I really hated hurting the people I cared about. ### I was driving on my way home, but I pushed the brakes instantly when I saw a familiar figure on the road. I got out of the car and stood in front of Liana. “Why are you walkin
LIANA As I stepped out into the crisp morning air, my mind buzzed with the events of that night. Zaylen's revelation about being a werewolf was still fresh, and the bizarre notion danced at the edge of my consciousness. But as I made my way to work, I couldn't shake the image of him transforming under the full moon's eerie glow. Attempting to dispel the lingering unease, I muttered to myself, "Zaylen is the only werewolf around, right?" The absurdity of the situation crept into my thoughts, and a nervous chuckle escaped my lips. I couldn't help but entertain the idea of everyone around me harboring a hidden side. The idea was so outlandish, so utterly impossible, that I found myself laughing aloud. "Imagine that," I mused, shaking my head at the sheer silliness of it all. Werewolves lurking in every corner, behind every desk... It was the stuff of fantasy novels, not reality. With a playful roll of my eyes, I pushed the fantastical thoughts aside and focused on the mundane ta