VALERIE
The night air was crisp, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. I could feel it in my bones, that strange, electric hum that had been building inside me for days now, growing stronger with each passing hour.
And tonight, I knew. Tonight was the night.
My heart pounded as I stepped away from the shelter of the trees, into the clearing where the moonlight bathed the earth in a soft, luminous glow. My skin tingled with anticipation, every nerve alive with the promise of what was to come. I had waited so long for this moment, and now that it was here, the reality of it was almost overwhelming.
I closed my eyes, letting the power of the moon wash over me. It started as a gentle warmth in my chest, spreading outwards in waves until my entire body was buzzing with it. The shif
