Moonlight Reckoning : claws and fangs

The transformation

Chapter 3

A sharp bolt of pain shot throughout Liam's body as he dropped down to the ground groaning in agony, the process had just begun. His body size began to grow, his clothes tearing off him, his teeth began to sharpen and his temperature and heartbeat spiked. He could feel his bones dislocate, twist, turn and rejoin. Then fur began to grow on his body at a visible speed as he continued to roll on the ground in anguish. The process was slow and painful, after a while of excruciating torment, Liam had finally transformed into a giant black werewolf with red eyes. His beast was slightly bigger than Amy's, even more fierce.

“You should have at least given me some anaesthetic first”, Liam said to Amy telepathically.

“It wouldn't have done you any good besides your next transformation would be faster and less painful and eventually it would be painless and very quick. It takes me less than a minute to shapeshift and with time you also will achieve that”, Amy encouraged him.

Then she growled and pounced on Liam, who instantly understood that this was his combat training, so he began to dodge Amy's attacks unsuccessfully while trying to land a strike with his paws. All his movements felt natural as if he had always had it in him. Amy had a clear advantage against Liam, as Liam's entire body was covered with claw wounds that were bleeding whilst she didn't have a single scratch on her. After a while they stopped and Liam's wounds started healing.

“Your wounds heal faster if you constantly consume raw meat but if you stop your werewolf identity subdues to your humanity and then you lose your strength and regeneration abilities and if this prolongs, you either go savage or die”, Amy's voice rang.

“After a long period of time without feeding, original werewolves like me, their strength decreases a little but the strength of turned werewolves decreases drastically meaning sometimes it would take them a long period of time to fully recover usually months, sometimes years”, Amy added.

Then Amy's eyes glanced on the backpack they had bought with them that had spare clothes and growled at Liam who instantly understood it was his cue to turn around. After Amy had shifted and put on some clothes she started walking away.

“I'll leave this bag here, since you won't be able to shift back until tomorrow, you will have to put on something once you do. I wish I could stay here with you but helping you shapeshift drained me, I need to rest, good luck”, she said waving her hand while still walking away. Liam just looked away as Amy vanished into the night whilst he just sat there gazing at the moon.

As dawn drew closer, Liam's heart began pounding because of the painful experience he had been through, he knew he wasn't ready to go through it again. Whilst still ruminating about the process, an intense amount of pain surged through his body as he whined then passed out. He woke a couple hours later with the sun stinging his eyes as he opened them. Liam stared at himself, he had reverted back to normal successfully and he was very grateful that he had passed out during the process, he hastily rushed towards the backpack and started clothing himself. When he was done, he grabbed the bag and started heading back to the cabin. As soon as he arrived at the cabin, Philip excitedly approached him and said, “Welcome to the pack pal”.

Danny suddenly came out of the house carrying a bag and informed Liam that he was leaving with Philip and that a few members of the pack were going to be staying with him for his training for a while. Then the two men, Danny and Philip, walked away leaving Liam standing in the middle of the yard as a wave of sadness hit him.

“Please don't tell me you are going to cry”, Amy mocked him heartedly while softly patting him on the back.

“You never have nice things to say to me”, Liam complained as he walked into the house.

“Maybe I do and you just don't deserve those complements”, Amy shouted from outside while laughing. Liam ignored her and went to sit on the balcony.

As Liam sat on the balcony, lost in thought, he noticed three figures emerging from the darkness. A woman with raven-black hair cascading down her back, framing her heart-shaped face and accentuating her striking hazel eyes, stepped forward. Her full lips curved into a warm smile as she approached Liam. She was dressed in a fitted black leather jacket, dark jeans, and knee-high boots, exuding a sense of confidence and style.To her right stood a tall, blonde-haired man with short, spiky locks and piercing blue eyes. His chiseled features and athletic build made him look like a sculpted god. He flashed Liam a charming smile and extended his hand.

"Hey, I'm Cody," he said, his voice smooth and friendly.Victoria moved forward, her eyes locked on Liam's. "I'm Victoria," she said, her voice husky and alluring. "And this is Xavier." She gestured to the man standing behind her, his black hair cut short, revealing his sharp jawline and piercing green eyes. Xavier's gaze met Liam's, but he didn't smile. Instead, he nodded curtly, his eyes flashing with a mixture of disinterest and annoyance. His hands were tucked into his pockets, giving off a vibe of aloofness.

"May we join you?" Cody asked, his eyes sparkling with friendliness. Liam nodded, intrigued by the trio. "Sure, please do."

Cody and Victoria sat down beside Liam, while Xavier reluctantly took a seat farther away, clearly not interested in socializing. Victoria scolded him with a playful glance.

"Xavier, don't be rude," she said, her voice laced with amusement. "We're guests in Liam's home."

Xavier shifted uncomfortably, his eyes flashing with irritation, but he remained silent.As Liam talked to Cody and Victoria, he found himself drawn to Victoria's warmth, intelligence, and beauty. Her presence seemed to light up the darkness, and he couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction.

A little while later, Amy emerged from the house with beer. Everyone grabbed a bottle except Xavier who coldly just leaned back on his chair and chuckled.

“Come on Xavier, stop acting like a spoiled ten year old kid, you are twenty nine for goodness sake”, Victoria scorned him.

“Twenty nine?”, Liam blurted out in total shock.

“Yeah, but he sure doesn't act like it”, Victoria sadly said, “Anyways, how old are you Liam?”.

“Twenty two”, he replied whilst keenly observing Victoria, he was getting really fascinated by her.

“I am also twenty to, Amy is twenty three and Vicky is just twenty”, Cody said with a glimmer of excitement all over his face. Liam glanced at Xavier, he could sense the tension emanating from him, like a coiled spring waiting to snap.

“Is he always this rude?” Liam asked the group as he was still staring at Xavier.

“Just don't pay attention to him,” Victoria said softly, clearly winking at him, making him somewhat nervous.

“Anyways I have a question, if the alpha is the only member of the pack who can turn people into werewolves what happens when he dies?” Liam curiously asked.

“There are rankings, the alpha is the leader and he chooses a beta, a younger and strong werewolf who takes his place in case of death. Below the beta, in third place there is the gamma, also younger and stronger and in case of the alpha dying, the beta becoming the new alpha, they become the next beta leaving room for a new gamma,” that was Cody's swift answer. To Liam he seemed like he was the brains of the squad. Liam turned to Amy, his eyes searching for answers. "Why did my uncle Danny say you needed my help before Philip turned me?" he asked, his voice low and curious.

Amy's expression turned serious, her eyes clouding over. "There's an upcoming war, Liam," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Vampires have penetrated our territory, and we're at war with them. And there's another pack of wolves from nearby that's been causing trouble. The blue-eyed grey wolf that attacked you when you were defended by your uncle,that was one of theirs."

Liam's eyes widened, his mind racing with the implications. The conversation continued with Xavier only speaking when directly spoken to, keeping his answers brief and short. One by one, they began leaving the balcony to get to bed, finally only Liam and Victoria remained, making the both of them frantically nervous.

“You have beautiful eyes by the way,” Liam complemented her while struggling to stay composed.

“You really think so?” Victoria blushed, “Thank you.”

She couldn't hide her red cheeks so she stood up, politely excused herself and went to bed, leaving Liam sitting alone, with his mind wondering about her.

The following days, Liam and Amy would go to the river to train and sometimes relax. Liam was making good progress, his combat skills had increased unbelievably making his mentor proud. Even his relationship with Victoria was making progress, they were getting closer and closer with each encounter and Liam had a hard time getting her off his mind. One sunny afternoon Liam and Amy, after training, decided to hang out by the river where they would always sit to rest. They sat on the rock by the river, the water's gentle flow providing a soothing hum.

Amy's head jerked up, her nose twitching. "Do you smell that?" she asked, her voice tight with caution. Liam sniffed the air, and a pungent scent hit his nostrils, making his stomach turn. "What is it?" he asked, his voice low.

"It's a vampire," Amy said, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "We need to be careful."

As she spoke, three figures emerged from the trees, their eyes fixed on Liam and Amy. The vampires' skin was pale, their eyes sunken, but as they approached, they began to transform. Their skin turned white, with black veins visible beneath the surface. Their pupils enlarged, showing only black, and their nails grew long and sharp, even their body size increased whilst their skin thickened. Liam and Amy exchanged a glance, and without a word, they shapeshifted. Liam's body elongated, his senses heightening as he became a wolf. Amy was by his side, and together they turned to flee. But the vampires were too fast. One of them lunged at Amy, its sharp nails digging deep into her side. Liam heard her yelp in pain as she stumbled, and before he knew it, she was swamped by the vampires. Liam's instincts took over, and he became a force of nature. He viciously attacked the vampires, his jaws snapping shut around one of them. The battle was fierce, the vampires' claws swiping at him, but Liam fought on, driven by his need to protect Amy.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Liam managed to kill two of the vampires. The third, badly wounded, turned and fled into the trees. Liam's chest heaved as he turned to Amy, who was lying on the ground, her wounds slowly healing. Without hesitation, Liam bit the back of her neck, his teeth sinking into her skin. Amy's eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him, her gaze unfocused. Liam dragged her back home, his heart pounding in his chest. As they reached the cabin, Liam's mind was reeling with the events that had just transpired. The war between supernatural creatures was real, and he was now a part of it. He looked down at Amy, who was still healing, and knew that he would do whatever it took to protect her.

As soon as Liam was at the cabin dragging Amy, Cody spotted and hurried to their aid whilst calling the others who also came rushing out.

“You guys ok? What happened?” Victoria asked with visible concern on her face as she approached them.

“Yeah, we are good. Just a little vampire ambush, nothing this guy couldn't handle,” Amy proudly replied as she pat Liam gently on the shoulder.

“We should leave now and regroup with the rest of the pack because at this point we're the weak link, besides this wasn't their first ambush this week rather the third, their aggression is escalating rapidly. We should leave now,” Cody thoughtfully suggested as the others nodded except for Liam, who was just confused and Xavier who was just being rude as usual. They all started packing essentials and they hurriedly left the cabin.

“Guys I get that we have to regroup with the pack, but where exactly are we going,” Liam curiously asked as no one had bothered to fill him in on the situation.

“Well you might call it a werewolves’ den, that's where the rest of the pack lives,” Victoria answered Liam briefly and the group burst into laughter as how she had simply referred to them as wild animals.

“So how many wolves are we talking about,” Liam continued to ask questions.

“A lot man, but trust me you'll enjoy your stay there,” Cody said whilst putting his arm around Liam's shoulders showing compassion.

“I have to say, I really like you guys a lot, except you Xavier,” Liam said whilst giving him a hard stare, “No offense man, I just don't like your attitude.”

“Like I care,” Xavier aggressively blurted out whilst giving Liam the middle finger with a smirk on his face.

“You know what, I'd really love to get my hands on you and wipe that smug look off your face,” Liam said as he stopped walking and turned to face Xavier.

“Stop it guys, shut up and keep walking both of you,” Amy yelled at them.

“Well, you just saved the pretty boy here. I was about to rip him apart,” Xavier said, then continued walking. The crew continued to walk in silence with Liam and Xavier still giving each other death stares both wishing to tear one another to shreds.

“When we get there, can we hang out whilst I show you around,” Victoria shyly asked Liam meanwhile fumbling her hair.

“Sure, I don't see why not,” Liam softly said as he stared into her eyes and she immediately looked down whilst smiling hard. “She likes him, genius and you are ruining it for her,” Amy poked Cody who shrugged, whilst Victoria just looked down in embarrassment.

As of the moment Liam felt intrigued by what Amy had said since he also liked Vicky. Back at the cabin he and Vicky had started talking much more often and she hadn't denied liking him when Amy brought it up making Liam wonder. After walking for miles, the squad came to a clearing with old school stone houses. The compound was large with people of all ages, some sitting while some busy with different things. It was a little peaceful town to Liam's eyes. The stone houses surrounded a huge mansion which Liam guessed was to fortify it. The rest of the g**g split leaving Vicky and Liam, as she had offered to give him a tour around the werewolf den as she had called it. They both walked towards the mansion, Liam noticed that the little kids only played closer to the mansion.

“It's safer if they play near the mansion where our defense is strongest,” Vicky told Liam as he was still looking at the kids with wonder. They walked into the mansion Liam was amazed, the outside was that of a castle from the fifteenth century whilst the inner was very modern and elegant. Vicky led him down a long corridor to a door when she stooped and knocked. A familiar voice invited them in, so they went through. Philip was sitting down on a brown leather chair next to a man who was just there standing with his hands folded on his chest. Philip stood up as soon as he saw them.

“Welcome,” said Philip, approaching them to shake their hands, “Felix, excuse us.” Then the man nodded his head and walked out after shaking Liam's hand firmly.

“I'm glad you arrived quickly, I was about to assign you to be summoned,” said Philip as he paced around the office.

“We came because the vampire ambush rate is increasing very rapidly, Liam and Amy were attacked earlier,” Vicky informed him.

“Is my granddaughter safe?”

“Don't worry sir, she is fine. Liam single handedly managed to fight off the three vampires that attacked them,” Vicky said. Philip proudly smiled then nodded and politely gestured to them to leave. Liam was surprised that this place had a good network reception that the cabin yet it was even more remote but after looking around it didn't seem strange anymore, the place was very modern and electrified through countless solar panels. His phone beeped, it was a text message from Andy he was checking up on Liam, so he instantly texted him back.

“Now it's late to give you a tour so how about we do it tomorrow?” Vicky suggested as she noticed the sun begin to set. Liam nodded and kept following her to where she was led. She led him to a little cottage where Cody, Amy and Xavier were sitting outside quietly.

“Since you are part of our group you are going to be living here with us. See, the pack is divided into multiple battle groups, sentinels and scouts. Each group is assigned a different task and this group is like the military, we are responsible for launching attacks on the enemy,” Vicky patiently explained to Liam.

“Each cottage is occupied by one of the groups I mentioned, since you were assigned to our group you will live with us and serve with us,” she added. Liam just nodded as she proceeded to show him his new room. Liam didn't feel like hanging out with his squad so he pulled Vicky aside to go and sit with her somewhere private.

Vicky and Liam sat together on the bench on a moonlit balcony, watching the stars twinkle to life above. They shared a gentle smile, their hands intertwined as they listened to the soothing sound of the waves. The night air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, and Vicky felt her heart flutter in her chest.

Liam turned to Vicky, his eyes locked on hers, and whispered, "I really like you." Vicky's heart skipped a beat as Liam leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a soft, tender kiss. Just as things were getting romantic, Liam's phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, and his face lit up with a goofy grin. "Oh, it's just my friend's ridiculous meme," he chuckled, showing Vicky the phone.

Vicky laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed but amused by the interruption. "You can check it out," she said, trying to play it cool.

As Liam continued to chuckle at the meme, Vicky couldn't help but giggle at his silly expression. Suddenly, Liam's laughter caused him to lose his balance, and he tumbled backward, taking Vicky with him onto the floor.

They both ended up in a fit of laughter, their romantic moment momentarily disrupted. As they caught their breath, Liam looked up at Vicky and smiled. "I guess I'm a little clumsy sometimes," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Vicky's heart melted at the sight of him. "I think it's kind of cute," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Liam's smile grew wider, and he pulled Vicky close, their lips meeting again in a sweet, tender kiss. This time, there were no interruptions, just the sound of the rustling leaves and the beating of their hearts.