LEILA MOON: THE HYBRID LUNA

Locker 317

For a while I had sat down there, trying to wrap my head around the dilemma that had befallen me. I broke down in tears as realization finally set in, I hadn't had enough time to process what was going on. I fear that I might never set my eyes on Laurel ever again.

Whoever these people were, they sure have their way around the city. The police claimed they arrived almost as soon as I raised the alarm but there still weren't any signs of them anywhere.

I looked around the destroyed living room, its screams of danger. Laurel's words kept echoing right inside my head. This is bigger than the police, promise me you will be safe. A chill spread through me. She hadn't been trying to protect herself, she had been trying to protect me. But why? I had a lot of questions that didn't even seem to have any answers at all. Nothing made sense.

Staying here would be stupid. For the first time in my life, home didn't feel like home anymore. It felt like a crime scene. I grabbed a duffel bag and packed only the essentials. Everything else could stay, whatever happens, Laurel will come back to me. At least, that was what I kept telling myself.

An hour later, I checked into the hospital staff lodge. Crowded, just exactly what I need. The crowd meant I would feel some sense of safety or at least the illusion of it.

Right now, I was willing to take either,I couldn’t wait for morning to come and head straight to the central station to unravel the mystery behind locker 317.

I barely slept. Every sound woke me. Footsteps in the hallway, elevator doors opening, vibrating phones, outside voices, noise sent adrenaline rushing through my system.

When morning finally arrived, I gave up trying, My head pounded from exhaustion. I reached for my phone on the bedside table, the screen lit up. Several missed calls and messages from colleagues. I guess they were worried about the manner in which I stormed out earlier.

I ignored them all. I picked up my jacket and set out for the station.

I approached the train station that sat near the older district of the city. Large and crowded, which kind of felt offensive, the city looked normal, people walked their dogs, buses moving through the traffic, coffee shops bustling with customers.

Everyone continued living their lives as if the world hadn't tilted off its axis. Meanwhile my mother had vanished and I was on my way to retrieve some kind of supposed secrets she had been hiding.

I entered through the main terminal and immediately felt exposed, Paranoia had become my constant companion. Every glance felt suspicious, strangers looked dangerous. Every person I came across seemed to be watching me.

I knew it was irrational but I couldn’t stop it. My pulse remained elevated as I made my way toward the storage section. Rows upon rows of metal lockers stretched across the room.

My eyes moved quickly following the lockers no. Then finally— 317. I stopped, for several seconds I simply stared at it. A dull gray locker. The fear of what awaited me there terrified me.

I approached the locker slowly making sure no one was watching, then I realized the locker had a 4 digit password requirement before I could access it.

Oh! My goodness, must be the password she wanted to give me before the noise. I entered her bank code but it rejected it, I needed to think. If she sent me here, then this password most definitely could be attached to me. I thought for a while then inputted 0-6-1-2.

The machine beeped, then locks clicked open. Wow! That was my date of birth. My heart nearly stopped as I proceeded to pull the door open. Inside sat a single black duffel bag. I picked it up quickly and headed back to the lodge.

I could not wait to get to the bottom of this. I got right into it as soon as I stepped into the room. The first thing I noticed was a sealed letter in an envelope.

Leila… If you found this, then events unfolded exactly as I feared they would. There are truths I kept from you. Not because I didn't trust you. Because I loved you and I wanted you to have a normal life. The people searching for us are dangerous. If they discover you, they will not stop.

More reason I have always moved us from cities to cities anytime I perceived something was wrong.

You deserve answers. Even if you hate me after this.

Your name is Leila Moon. But that was never the name they gave you.To them… you were Subject LX-13. A long time ago,I was part of a classified biomedical program operating under the codename: Project Triple X as a genetic specialist.

The project was funded by powerful people who believed humanity was losing a war long before it officially began. They feared the existence hidden beyond human society. The wolves.

They wanted to create a weapon powerful enough to destroy them. They believed combining human intelligence with wolf genetics could create something superior, stronger, faster and deadlier. Most of the experiments failed. The subjects either died… or became unstable.

Then came you.

You survived because I changed the experiment. I altered your genetic structure using my own DNA before implantation.

You were never fully human, Leila.

I wanted to tell you years ago. But I was afraid, afraid of what they would do if they discovered you were alive.

A cold realization settled into place.

My blood ran cold. The words echoed through my head strangely. You were never fully human. A product of some project? A shaky laugh almost escaped me.This has to be insanity like some kind of delusion. Shivers ran down my spine.

They weren’t looking for her. They were looking for me. Every muscle in my body locked instantly.

I stared at the page blankly, a tear slipped down my cheek before I even realized I was crying. The room spinned violently. Implantation, genetic structure, experiment, what is all this supposed to mean? The words hit like physical blows.

I managed to pull the rest of the files from the folder. And the first thing I saw was a photograph. A baby picture, Newborn.

GENETIC STABILIZATION SUCCESSFUL.

SUBJECT SURVIVED INTEGRATION.

HYBRID COMPATIBILITY: STABLE.

SUBJECT NAME: LX-13

DESIGNATION: HUMAN-WOLF HYBRID

BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: Laurel Moon.

BIOLOGICAL FATHER: Unknown Alpha specimen.

the photograph slipped slightly in my grasp. The baby was me.