OCCASUS

Chapter2

Asher rushed to his porch and found figures running through the bushes. Lost in the ruckus, he hopped off his porch and began walking into the darkness. The cries became louder and louder. Asher was aware of what was going on. The pack was shape-shifting, but it was at an odd hour. He looked up at the night sky and was gazed on by the crescent moon. How was it possible for the transformation to happen under a crescent moon?

Hurried footsteps were coming from behind him. A figure seemed to be rushing towards him. Asher turned around quickly and was met by a girl. She had dark brown hair which seemed to be black because of the darkness that engulfed both of them. Her brown eyes seemed black and cold under the dim moonlight. He sighed in relief as he recognized it. She seemed confused just as he was.

“Rachel,” he said in relief.

“Asher,” Rachel said. “What the hell is going on?”

Asher shook his head. He was lost just like she was. He had been hoping that she would come to him with an explanation. Rachel has been his best friend and only friend since they were kids. They have always stuck to each other’s side for as long as he can remember. It was no surprise that she came to him during this crisis.

“I don’t know,” he said.

Asher could see Rachel’s flustered look through the darkness. If it wasn’t a serious situation, he would have laughed. She always had a reason to make him.

“But you are the….”

“Alpha. I know,” he said with a sigh in between.

“What are we going to do?” Rachel asked.

Asher ran his hand through his hair and finally realized that his frontal hair was wet. He racked his mind for a solution, but he couldn’t stir up a solution if he didn’t picture what was happening in the first place. The cries of pain grew louder and he could hear the sounds of the bone snapping. It was the transformation. The question that consumed his mind was how they were able to shape-shift under a crescent moon. It just wasn’t possible.

“I got nothing,” Asher confessed.

Rachel sighed and slammed her forehead in frustration.

“Well, that helps,” she said sarcastically.

“What did you see before you came here?” He asked.

“Well… I was with my brother, Sebastian. Then all of a sudden, he went on a rampage in the house and began shape-shifting,” Rachel began. “Then, I heard the cries outside and rushed down here.”

Asher scratched his chin.

“Well, at least it’s happening in the bayou,” he said hopefully.

“Asher. You know that most of the pack had migrated a few years ago to live in town,” Rachel reminded. “If what is happening in the bayou is also happening in town…”

Asher’s eyes widened in realization. If the members of the pack that are living in town are experiencing the same effects over here, there is a possibility that they will rampage in town. The last thing he wanted was members of his pack running through town and putting the citizens in a state of fear and panic. Asher gritted his teeth and he thought of what to do. The peace between the humans in Silver Heaven and them in the bayou was effective because the townsfolk didn’t know that they existed. If they were to find out tonight, it would be the start of something catastrophic. They had to stop them.

“We are in so much trouble,” Asher said.

“What do we do?” Rachel asked impatiently.

The panic in her voice was becoming vivid. The night clouds above them covered the crescent moon bestowing them with temporary darkness. Rachel blinked hard as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She was staring at Asher with the hope that he would come up with a solution immediately. He was always known for that. Asher was the smartest person she knew, and she often heard that he got it from his father. Though they had been friends for their entire lifetime, she could never picture his father in her head, and she doubted that Asher still remembered him. She heard him sigh.

“There's only one thing we can do now,” Asher said slowly. “We have to see Elias. He may know what to do.”

“Elias? What if he’s affected too?” Rachel asked. “There’s no time.”

Asher chuckled. Rachel was surprised at how calm Asher was during a critical situation like this. The knowledge of their existence was in jeopardy, and he seemed so calm about it.

“If we both aren’t affected yet, I doubt he will be,” he said.

Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes.

“You think too highly of Elias,” Rachel said.

“He deserves it.”

Suddenly, the strange sensation he felt at home came back again. Asher could feel his blood boiling in anger. He could feel the heat build up in his chest. The weird sensation ran through his spine and he groaned in pain. Rachel quickly held onto him.

“I think it’s finally happening,” Asher said.

Rachel nodded in fear.

“I can feel it too,” she said.

The heat grew intense and Asher could feel something crawling under his skin. He knew what this feeling was. He was going to transform at any moment now. He couldn’t be lost now. Not when his pack needed him. He had to withhold it even though he knew he couldn’t for a long time.

“We have to…” he was cut short by a groan in pain.

It was Rachel. She was on her knees now and gripped her abdomen. She was transforming too. Asher gritted his teeth and tried to fight off the transformation.

“Not you too, Rachel,” he said.

“I’m sorry, Asher, I can’t fight back,” she said.

Asher smiled at her in pain. Rachel screamed out in pain as she gave in to the sensation. He could hear her bones snap rearranging themselves as she shape-shifted into her wolf form.