Luna’s Awakening

3 TEST RESULTS

"You're going to call him, right?" Rachel asked, holding up a kiddies novel.

Nina shrugged, organizing the books on the shelf in the kids' section of the bookstore. "I don't know, maybe."

Rachel raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean maybe? Didn't you say this guy was hot?"

Nina nodded, smiling slightly. "He is."

“Okay, so?" Rachel pressed curiously.

Nina sighed, "I just...he seems so...out of my league. I don't want to get my hopes up going after something way above me.

Rachel shook her head in disbelief, "You're really selling yourself short, Nina. You’re amazing, you know that? And I’m pretty sure he’s waiting for your call."

“I don’t think so”. Nina responded skeptically.

“You won’t know until you call”.

“Hey Nina?” Renny, her employer, a little-figured woman in her late forties, called her from behind. “ A little help over here please."

Placing the last book onto the shelf, Nina walked over to Renny, who was gesturing towards a shelf that needed to be moved. The shelf was packed tightly with books, and Nina could tell it would be a challenge to budge.

“I need a little help moving this," Renny said, her eyes shining with determination.

Nina smiled, nodding softly. "Sure thing. What's wrong with where it is?"

"I just thought I'd create more room for the kids during story time," Renny explained. “The kids are increasing in number, and I want to make sure everyone has enough space.”

She gestured with her hands, indicating the direction she wanted the shelf to go.

Nina nodded understandingly. "Okay, got it.”

“You pull, and I'll push. Push with your legs, there's strength in your legs," Renny said with a chuckle. “On 3”.

Renny counted to three, and they started moving the shelf. Then, something unexpected happened. Nina felt a surge of strength and power flow through her body, and the shelf seemed to move more easily.

Renny noticed her eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, did you suddenly get stronger or have you been going to the gym!” She exclaimed.

Nina smiled, feeling a little disoriented by her newfound strength. She wasn't sure what had just happened or how she was able to move the shelf with so much ease.

“Uhh no not a gym. Strong legs I guess”, Nina smiled nervously at her and quickly hurried off back to Rachel.

“Hi Rach, come with me please”. Taking Rachel’s hand, Nina softly led her out of the bookstore, the warm breeze engulfing them, carrying the scents of nearby cafés and street food. Nina's senses became intense, her brain a little fuzzy. Her heart rate increased rapidly, and she felt a strange, primal energy course through her veins.

Rachel noticed Nina's sudden change in behavior and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, concern etched on her face. “Are you okay? What did Renny tell you back there?”

Nina took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She felt...different. Her senses were heightened, and she could smell the individual ingredients of the food vendors nearby, and the sounds of the city seemed louder, and her vision sharper.

“No nothing. It’s not what she said, it’s what I felt… what I’m feeling right now”.

“What do you mean?”

“I know this might sound crazy, but do you have strawberry bubble gum in your pocket right now?”

“No, there’s nothing in me…” Rachel’s statement faltered as she pulled out a wrap of strawberry bubble gum from her back pocket. “What the hell? How did you know that? I didn’t even know that was there”.

Nina's eyes widened as she stared at the strawberry bubble gum in Rachel's hand. "How did I know?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rachel stared at her, equally stunned. "I have no idea! I haven't worn these jeans in months. I forgot I even had that gum. Did You smell it?" Rachel suggested, looking puzzled.

Nina nodded. "Yes, but how could I have?”

What was happening? Nina thought. How was she sensing things like this?

“Okay, so you can really smell, uh, I don’t know impossible things, do you happen to know why?”

“I have no idea, I just can”. Nina said. “Back there, Renny asked me to help her move a shelf, I don’t know how, but I was able to move it like it was a little piece of wood. Now it’s like I can smell every scent in this city, I can hear everything going on all at once, even sounds as low as your heartbeat and right now I can tell you’re about to freak out, please don’t freak out”.

“How can I not?”

“If you freak out, I’ll freak out, and if we’re both freaking out, that’s bad”

Rachel's eyes were wide with a mix of fear and fascination. "Okay, okay, I'll try not to freak out," she said, taking deep breaths. Let's just...process this for a second," Rachel said, her voice measured. "You're saying you can smell things you shouldn’t have any business smelling, move heavy objects with ease, and hear...everything?"

Nina nodded, her eyes locked on Rachel's. "Yes. And I don't know why or how. It's like my senses have been amplified or something."

Rachel's gaze drifted off, her mind racing with questions and concerns. "We need to figure out what's going on with you," she said finally, her voice firm.

Nina nodded, feeling a sense of relief that Rachel was taking charge. "I know. But where do we even start?"

“Our bags, I’ll grab our bags. We’re leaving right now”. Rachel hurried back into the bookstore.

The city around Nina pulsed with life, but she felt like she was standing on the edge of a precipice, staring into an unknown future.

***

AD could feel the unease his brother was feeling. He watched Damien pour himself the third glass of vodka, downing it in a single gulp.

“Are you going to chill?” AD muttered.

“Chill?” Damien snarled. “It’s been weeks, the full moon comes out in less than one, and I still haven’t found her and you want me to chill?”

AD could almost see the flames flare out of his brother's nose. He was angry. If he found out that he knew about Nina’s whereabouts and was keeping it a secret, there was going to be a serious problem.

“Every member of the pack has devoted their efforts to finding her, we are going to find her” AD inputted, trying to mask his fear. He needed to make sure he kept his heartbeat at a normal rate so that Damien didn't figure out he was lying. He needed to act fast. Why hadn’t she called yet? He should have taken her number instead. He had no other option. He was going to meet up with her again and this time he wasn’t slipping up.

“What about Ray and your men? Any news from their end? I heard they were searching UC.”

“Yes. As soon as Ray gets any information, he’ll let me know.”

“Me!" Damien thundered.

“What?”

“Me. I want everyone to report directly to me”.

“But Ray is my right-hand man, he’s always reported directly to me”.

“Until my Luna is found, they all report to me”.

Nodding in understanding, AD headed out.

With each passing day that she wasn’t there with him, wasn’t claimed by him, Damien’s frustration grew. He had waited centuries for a mate. And just when he was finally getting her, the universe decided to play a silly game on him. Awaken her from the heritage of the most powerful werewolves, one that was able to make an alpha of whoever she chose to be with. Be it a beta or even a human. Now he has to fight with not just werewolves but not-so-ignorant humans who are also hungry for power.

***

Nina and Rachel sat quietly outside the doctor's office. Both hadn’t said a word about Nina’s situation to each other in two days. From the bookstore, Rachel had booked an emergency appointment with the doctor, and now they were waiting for test results to come out.

Nina had spent the last two days explaining everything to Rachel, from the night of the lunar eclipse and how it made her feel, to this point. Rachel was confused but was determined to follow this up to the end.

Doctor Smith had asked them to come back two days later by 12pm, for the result, but as early as 8am they had arrived, insisting that they’d wait.

Nina could smell the distinct scents of chemicals and medications wafting through the hospital air. The disinfectant smell was strong, but beneath it, she detected the sweet aroma of antiseptic wipes and the faint tang of human sweat.

The cry of babies in the nursery pierced through the air, a chorus of wails and whimpers that tugged at her heartstrings. She could hear the soft beeping of machines, the rustle of nurses' uniforms, and the muffled conversations of families in the waiting rooms.

In the office next to them, Nina's acute hearing picked up on a hushed conversation between two people. "I'm telling you, Dr. Smith, these test results do not look right," one of them said.

"Let me see”, the other voice who she guessed was Dr. Smith requested.

Nina's ears perked up, intrigued by the conversation.

“How is this possible?”

I'm telling you sir, it’s not”, the first voice responded. Nina's test results are impossible. Not a single illness, not even a minor infection. It's as if she's..."

“I've never seen anything like it. Her blood works, her vitals, everything comes back perfect."

"I've been practicing medicine for 20 years, and I've never encountered a patient with a completely clean bill of health. It's...unnatural."

Rachel noticed Nina’s rapt attention and nudged her. “Do you hear something?”

“Nothing's wrong with me.” Nina responded softly, a bit disappointed. She had hoped she’d get an answer from the hospital, but clearly they were as confused as she was, if not even more. “My results are as clear as ice. We gotta go”

She got up, quickly grabbing her bag.

“Nina, wait, what are you talking about?” Rachel asked, confusion etched all over her face. “We need to see the test result and understand what exactly is wrong with you”.

“They are going to come out here with questions we don’t have answers to. I’ve got questions I need answers too. I’m not letting anyone else add to that. Let’s go”.

Nina started leaving. Sighing, Rachel grabbed her bag and hurried after her. “Wait hold up”.

She met up with her, and they started towards the exit together when the sound of a familiar voice stopped them.

“Nina” AD called, walking up to them, a huge smile on his face. “I thought that was you. Are you okay? What are you doing in the hospital?”