Under the Crimson Moon

Chapter one This is it. Tonight is the night. I’ve repeated those words in my head so many times that I almost believe them. This is the night I finally confess to Cole. No backing down. No awkward laugh. No choking on my words like I usually do whenever he glances in my direction. I’ve been preparing for this moment all week, and even though my nerves feel like a tightly coiled spring, I’m determined. I have to be. I’ve had a crush on Cole since grade school. We’ve been neighbors for years, his house just across from mine, his shadow stretching across my window in the evenings when the sun dips low. Despite that closeness, we’ve never been more than passing hellos, casual nods, maybe a handful of three word exchanges at best. But crushes don’t ask for permission. They bloom where they please, and mine grew wild and relentless every time I saw him. Those intoxicating blue eyes, his broad shoulders, his easy confidence, that blond hair that always looked like he just stepped out of the wind. Tonight’s bonfire feels like fate. It’s the perfect setting. The open field, the firelight dancing against the night, music and laughter in the air. If there’s ever a time to throw caution to the wind and let my feelings spill out, it’s now. I keep telling myself this, hoping I can drown the fear long enough to make it happen. Of course, I’ve chosen my outfit carefully, even though I’d never admit it out loud. A bright red off-shoulder top that hangs loose but still hints at my shape, paired with ripped, baggy jeans and my favorite sneakers. Effortless, casual, like I’m not trying too hard, even though I am. My body is a ten, if I do say so myself, but showing it off always feels like stepping into the lion’s den. Eyes linger too long, whispers curl behind me, and I’ve never been comfortable with that kind of spotlight. Still, tonight is about making Cole notice me. Tonight, I want him to see what he’s been missing. I tug at the hem of my top, debating if it sits just right, when my gaze drops to the small, silver glint at my stomach. The navel piercing I got with Marv on our twentieth birthday. It’s been my secret little rebellion, hidden under layers of fabric, waiting for a night like this. Maybe he’ll notice. Maybe it’ll spark something. “Zill!” Marv’s voice echoes up the stairs before she even makes it into my room. “If you’re not ready, I swear…..” She stops mid sentence as she pushes the door open and finds me half dressed, eyeliner in hand, music blasting from my phone where it sits on the sink. Ed Sheeran’s voice fills the room, and I’m mid-dance, towel discarded on the floor. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she groans. “I told Stephen to pick us up in thirty minutes, not three hours.” I roll my eyes and grin. “Relax. I’m almost done. See?” I gesture at my lip gloss, the final touch. Marv lets out her signature loud laugh, the kind that always makes heads turn, and grabs my lipliner from the dresser. “Almost done, she says. If this wasn’t your grand confession night, I’d have dragged you out in your pajamas.” “Hey,” I protest lightly, slipping into my jeans. “At least I’m dressed. That’s progress.” She arches a brow, her gaze softening as it always does when Cole’s name hovers unspoken between us. “Zill, you’re really going through with this? You know how he is.” I sigh, slipping on my sneakers. We’ve had this conversation a thousand times. “He likes me, Marv. He just doesn’t show it the way you think he should. He’s shy.” “Shy?” She scoffs, throwing her hands up. “He’s the captain of the football team, Zill. The whole cheer squad drools over him. Shy is not the word I’d use.” I purse my lips, choosing silence instead of arguing. Marv doesn’t get it. She doesn’t see the stolen moments, the tiny gestures no one else notices. Like last year when his friends pulled that cruel locker room prank. Everyone laughed, including him, or so Marv insists. But I remember differently. When the others left, Cole handed me his handkerchief. His eyes had softened in that moment, just for me. “Be careful,” he’d whispered. Would someone who laughed at me do that? I cling to that memory like it’s proof, like it’s a promise. And tonight, I’m going to turn that promise into something real. By the time Stephen’s Mercedes Benz GLA pulls up outside, my heart is a war drum in my chest. The car screams privilege and wealth, a perfect match for Stephen’s easy swagger. He’s one of those college rich kids whose family name carries more weight than his GPA ever will. Arden and Mark are in the backseat already, their laughter spilling out with the bass of the stereo. “Finally,” Stephen mutters as Marv slides into the front. He kisses her on the cheek but Marv pulls him back in for a deep kiss on the lips. I climb into the back, settling between Arden and Mark, offering polite greetings before sinking into my phone. I don’t know them well, and small talk feels impossible with my thoughts so tangled. It’s easier to let the music swallow me whole, to pretend I’m not replaying a thousand ways my confession might go wrong. The drive blurs by in neon lights and static laughter. Marv and Stephen flirt shamelessly in the front, her laughter bright against his smooth banter. Beside me, Arden and Mark scroll through their feeds, occasionally chuckling at memes. And me? I stare out the window, watching the woods thicken as we approach the field, shadows gathering like silent witnesses to the night ahead. The bonfire is already roaring when we arrive, flames licking the sky, sparks floating upward like fireflies. The air is thick with the scent of burning wood, alcohol, and sweat. Music thrums from portable speakers, a chaotic mix of beats and voices. Students are scattered everywhere laughing, dancing, shouting over the fire’s crackle. It’s the kind of scene that would normally make me shrink, but tonight I push through the crowd with one goal in mind. And then I see him. Cole stands near the fire, surrounded by his football buddies and a couple of cheerleaders. He’s laughing, head tipped back, that disheveled blond hair falling across his forehead. He’s in a gray hoodie and black pants, simple but impossibly attractive. My heart lurches. He looks untouchable, golden, the kind of boy every girl dreams of but few ever catch. I hover at the edge, drink in hand, stealing glances. Just one more gulp of liquid courage, I tell myself. One more sip, and I’ll go to him. But then I see him slip away from the group, disappearing into the line of trees beyond the fire. My pulse spikes. This is it. My chance. I follow. The woods are darker than I expected, shadows weaving between the trees, the air cooler and quieter than the chaos I left behind. Every crunch of my sneakers on the leaves sounds too loud, but I push forward, keeping him in sight until he suddenly stops. I freeze, pressing against a tree, holding my breath. And then, he’s gone. Panic grips me as I step into the clearing, eyes darting, searching. He was just there. I turn sharply, only to collide with something solid and warm. I stumble back, my gaze snapping up, and there he is. Cole. Smirking down at me, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Thought you’d eat me up with your eyes back there, Zillah,” he murmurs, voice low, almost teasing. Holy s**t. He’s actually talking to me. Not in clipped phrases, not in polite shrugs, but really talking to me. My brain short circuits, my mouth opening and closing without sound. “What’s the deal?” His smirk deepens as he steps closer, the forest suddenly too small, too dark. “You followed me out here for a reason. I’m in a good mood tonight. I’ll give you what you want. Just say it.” Say it. Say something. Anything. My chest heaves, my tongue glued to the roof of my mouth. I’ve rehearsed this moment a thousand times, and now all the words scatter like ash in the wind. He tilts his head, gaze piercing. “I know you like me. The whole school knows. And I know you came out here to tell me.” His hand lifts, brushing against my cheek, and the touch ignites a fire in me I didn’t know could burn so hot. My body betrays me, leaning into him, craving more. “You’re beautiful, Zillah,” he whispers, his thumb grazing my skin. “So beautiful. Too bad beauty doesn’t make up for stupidity.” The words hit harder than any slap. My breath stutters, chest tightening, ears ringing. “You disgust me,” he adds, cold now, sharp. “I’d never be with you. But if you’re desperate…….” His lips curve in a cruel smile. “I’ll keep you as my little secret. My personal w***e. What do you say?” Tears sting my eyes, spill hot down my cheeks. His fingers swipe one away, but his gaze is mocking, predatory. He leans closer, lips ghosting mine, and for a moment, I hate myself for still wanting him. For still trembling under his touch. Then A growl. Deep, guttural, not human. I freeze. Cole stiffens. The growl rises, echoing through the trees, followed by a roar that rattles the ground beneath us. Suddenly, Cole shoves me aside, eyes wide with fear. I stumble, hit the ground hard, and when I look up….. My breath leaves me in a single gasp. A wolf. Enormous, towering, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Its fur is brown streaked with silver along its ears, eyes, and paws, shimmering faintly under the moonlight. Its eyes lock on Cole, glowing with something primal, something furious. Cole bolts, vanishing into the trees. I’m left trembling, frozen, my entire body numb. The wolf turns its gaze to me. For a heartbeat, I think this is it,. My death, my end. My pulse thunders as it steps closer, its growl low and rumbling. And then, just as suddenly, it stops. Snorts. And with a final look, it turns and disappears into the woods. My body collapses, my vision blurs, and the last thing I feel is the cold earth against my skin as the world fades into black.