Marked by the werewolf

CHAPTER 2

Crystal POV

"Excuse me," I choked out.

I didn't wait for a response. I pushed past the people in my row, my heels clicking hard against the floor as I fled. Behind me, applause still thundered through the auditorium. Brady Wolfe was probably on stage now, giving his acceptance speech, basking in the glory of the award that should have been mine.

But I couldn't think about that now, not when my neck was on fire.

Maya caught up with me in the hallway. "Crystal, what's wrong?"

"I need to use the bathroom, now" I managed.

She didn't ask questions, just guided me through the maze of corridors until we found one. I pushed inside and locked the door behind me, leaving Maya in the hallway.

My hands shook as I fumbled with the high collar of my dress, pulling it down to expose my neck. I turned to the mirror and froze, my hand flying to my mouth to prevent myself from literally screaming.

My birthmark was glowing.

Blue light pulsed beneath my skin where the star shaped mark sat just above my collarbone. Not bright enough to see through my dress, but unmistakable in the bathroom's harsh lighting. I pressed my fingers against it, and the heat nearly made me cry out.

I wondered what was happening because birthmarks aren't supposed to glow not to talk of light coming out of a human body when it's not in a fantasy movie . Was this why my mom asked me to cover it up but it has never glowed all this years until today. Why now?

My mind raced back over the past few weeks. The mark had been acting strange ever since I first heard Brady Wolfe's name. It has been tingling and itching. I'd scratched it so much that there were bruises around the edges, red and tender. I'd thought it was stress and the pressure of competing with him for roles, for endorsements and for everything.

I'd never imagined it could produce light.

We meet again.

His words echoed in my head. That rough whisper against my ear, like he knew me personall, like we had history.

His voice made my entire body respond like it recognized something my mind couldn't grasp and his presence made my birthmark come alive.

A knock on the door made me jump.

"Crystal?" Maya's voice was worried. " Are you fine?...Your husband is calling."

My husband, right. Marcus. I'd almost forgotten about him, which wasn't difficult considering he hadn't bothered to show up tonight. He was too busy with business, as always and too busy to support his wife at the biggest event of her career.

Not that our marriage was real anyway.

"Don't answer it," I called back, my voice shaking. "Just give me a few minutes."

I stared at my reflection and the glow was fading now, dimming until it was barely visible. I touched up my makeup with trembling hands, covering the mark again even though I wanted to scream, break down right here and demand answers from a universe that clearly enjoyed tormenting me.

But I couldn't, yet. I still had to face the drive home, the photographers, the questions and worst of all, my in-laws, who would no doubt have plenty to say about my very public loss.

I straightened my spine and unlocked the door.

Maya's worried face greeted me. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I lied. "Let's go."

The car was already waiting when we stepped outside but, so were the paparazzi. They swarmed like vultures, cameras flashing and voices shouting over each other.

"Crystal! Did you expect to lose tonight?"

"How does it feel to be beaten by a newcomer?"

"Will your husband be disappointed?"

Guards pushed through, trying to clear a path. I wanted to run and shove past them all then hide in the car where no one could see the cracks forming in my perfect facade.

Instead, I smiled.

"Newcomers deserve their chance to shine too," I said, my voice steady even though my hands shook. "I'm happy for Brady."

I was a perfect liar, I knew . But that was fine. The camera loved liars anyways

"What about your family? Will they be upset?"

I didn't answer that one. I just kept walking and smiling, until finally I was in the car and the door closed behind me.

The moment we pulled away, my hands started shaking so badly I had to clasp them together.

My phone rang. Maya glanced at the screen from beside me. "It's your husband again."

"Don't answer."

"Ma..."

"I said don't answer it."

She hesitated, then set the phone down. It rang three more times before finally going silent.

Then it rang again but with a different ringtone this time.

"It's Lily," Maya said softly.

My best friend and only real friend. The one person in this world who'd seen me cry and didn't judge me for it.

I grabbed the phone. "Lily?"

"Oh honey." Her voice was gentle and understanding. "I saw it. Are you okay?"

That was all it took to break the dam. Tears spilled down my cheeks as everything I'd been holding back came pouring out. The loss, humiliation, Brady's words and my birthmark burning.

I didn't tell her about the glowing because I couldn't explain what I didn't understand myself. But I told her everything else, my voice breaking as Maya and the driver pretended not to listen.

Lily let me cry. Didn't offer empty platitudes or tell me it would be fine. She just listened, which was exactly what I needed.

"Come over tomorrow," she finally said. "We'll drink wine and trash talk everyone who deserves it."

I laughed through my tears. "Sounds perfect."

"I love you, Crystal. You're stronger than all of them."

I wished I believed that.

We pulled up to Maya's apartment first. She squeezed my hand before getting out. " Mrs. Bill, even if you didn't get the award you wanted, it doesn't mean you didn't deserve it. As far as I'm concerned you are most talented , beautiful and kind actress I know and the world is blessed to have you in it. I mean it."

Her words hit a spot in my heart but I just squeezed her hand back and nodded , I didn't trust myself not to cry again if I opened my mouth to talk.

The car pulled away, leaving me alone in the back seat with my thoughts and my phone. I stared at the lock screen where I put a photo of Marcus and me from our wedding day, both of us smiling like we were the happiest people alive.

Anyone looking at it would think we were madly in love. That our marriage was perfect and I had everything a woman could want but they'd be wrong.

A notification popped up at the top of the screen, and my heart stopped.

LunarTales: New member joined your reading list

I quickly swiped it away, my pulse racing. I'd forgotten to turn off notifications for the secret app where I wrote my werewolf novels under a name no one knew. Where I poured out stories of wild things and f*******n love and freedom I'd never have.

If anyone saw that notification, I'd probably be in a big mess since no one knew about it except me.

I opened the settings with shaking hands and disabled all notifications from the app then hid it in my phone vault that looked like a calculator and only opened to vault when you pressed a password. That was too close and dangerous.

No one could know about my stories.

My throat tightened as I thought about my mother, suddenly missing her. She would probably have understood. She'd always encouraged my writing, back when I was young and still believed I could be more than an ornament in someone else's life.

But she was gone now and had been for years and left me with my Dad. And I was alone with secrets that could destroy everything.

"We're home, Mrs. Han," the driver said gently, pulling me from my thoughts.

I looked up at the mansion looming before me. The lights were still on. They were waiting for me, ready to add more salt to my injury especially my mother in law.

I took a deep breath and gathered what was left of my composure.

"Thank you," I said to the driver, meaning it. He was one of the few people in my life who treated me with basic kindness.

He nodded with understanding in his eyes.

I stepped out of the car and walked toward the main entrance. Each step felt heavier than the last as I got closer to the door.

I reached for the handle , turned it and pushed it open.

My mother in law stood in the foyer, her face twisted with fury and before I knew what was happening, a hot slap landed on my face.

"You barren idiot."