REBORN TO BREAK THE ALPHA'S CRESCENT CURSE

Untitled Episode

CHAPTER ONE

It was the full moon today again. These periods were the longest in the lives of Karl. The 10 hours transformation lasted mentally to him, longer than the other 30 days of the months.

He could feel his emotions heighten up and his blood boiling. The anger always came first, like something hot crawling under his skin. He hated it. Every single time.

He walked past his parents in the palace, straight to his car. They already knew where he was going and shook their head. King Draven never activated his curse as he never killed a human, but Karl, Karl was as angry as a wolf and he snapped without mercy. His father had tried to talk to him many times before but it never changed anything. His mother always looked at him with those sad eyes, like she was already mourning him. The crescent curse was even worse than expected.

He drove his way angrily to the woods and prayed no one would be here today. He was in a way feeling bad for murdering people, not like he cared, but at some point he did. The guilt came in especially after the full moon passed and he saw the reports of missing people. Lately there were people who wanted him down. People who came to hunt down the animal eating people. It would be nice to have them as dinner, he thought in his dark moments. He groaned as he could feel his bones break.

Nevertheless he entered inside his cage and chained himself. It was 3 years now but he would never get used to this agonizing pain. The metal felt cold against his skin at first, then it started to burn as the change began. He pulled the chains tight around his wrists and ankles, locking them with the heavy keys he always carried. The cage was hidden deep in the woods, far from the palace so no one would hear his screams. But the pain always found a way to make him loud.

He felt his bones break painfully and started screaming in anger trying to control himself but no way. The first crack was always in his spine, then his legs, then his arms. It felt like fire spreading through every part of him. His muscles twisted and grew bigger. His teeth became sharper. The wolf was coming and it was angry tonight.

He groaned as he turned into the wolf fully. He started running around heightened and angry and before he knew it the chains were broken. The metal links snapped like they were nothing. The beast inside him was too strong tonight. The full moon pulled at him harder than usual.

He launched his way into the woods, praying he found no one. The trees blurred past him as he ran on all fours. His senses were sharp now. He could smell the night air, the animals hiding, and the faint scent of humans somewhere far off. Soon he saw a man, hunting and he jumped and preyed on him. The man screams could be heard around the woods. It was quick. Too quick. The blood was warm and it fed the hunger but it never satisfied the anger.

The hunters in a fit started running to find him. He could hear the gun shots fired and he knows that it could get him killed. They were packed with wolves bane and when his heart was out, he was dead. The poison burned even in the air. He had seen what it did to others before. Nevertheless, he couldnt control himself. The wolf part of him wanted more. It wanted to run and hunt and tear.

He moved in a fit as he heard someone sobbing down the road. It was a human, a woman. He started groaning, thirsty and angry to devour. His teeth still had pieces of the last kill. The hunger pushed him forward, closer to her hiding spot near the trees. He could smell her fear but something else too. Something different.

But she looked at him strangely, unafraid. In his 3 years, there never had been anyone that didn't shout at the sight of him. Everyone always ran. Everyone always screamed. But this woman just stood there looking at him with calm eyes.

“Come here, I'll pat you” she said calmly to him and immediately he felt still. His body no longer carried the heat it did before. He felt able to carry and control himself for the first time since he transformed and he wondered why. The rage that always filled him during the full moon started to pull back. It was like cool water on burning skin. His paws stopped moving. The wolf inside listened.

“Come now, you don't have to be afraid,” she said as she walked up to him and touched his fur and head. Her hand was soft. No one had ever touched him like this in wolf form. For the first time Karl felt calm and wanted. The anger was still there but it was quieter. He could think clearer even as the wolf.

“I can see chunks of human flesh on your teeth, are you responsible for the deaths?” She said casually patting him more. She did not run. She did not cry. She just kept touching his head like he was some lost dog.

“Come on now, be a good boy” she said again. Her voice was steady. Almost kind.

Almost immediately she could hear the hunters coming in with their guns tracking him down with dogs too. The dogs were barking loud. The men were shouting orders to each other. The danger was close now.

“I'll distract them, go this way..okayy” she said and he stood up immediately, turning back to stare at her then disappearing again. He ran deeper into the shadows of the trees but he kept looking back at her. She had made a mark. Something about her stayed with him even as he ran.

“Ahhh,....help meees” she screamed as the hunters approached. Her voice carried through the woods.

“Hellp” she screamed as they ran to her. The hunters stopped around her with their guns ready and their dogs sniffing the ground.

“The wolf, I saw him,” she cried. She pointed in the wrong direction, her hand shaking a little but her eyes were sharp. “He went that way” she said pointing to the other direction, praying they don't get to meet him.

The hunters believed her. They shouted to each other and ran off with the dogs following the wrong trail. Karl watched from the darkness. The woman had saved him. A human woman. In all his painful full moons, no one had ever done that. He stayed hidden until the sounds of the hunters faded away. His body still felt the strange calm she left behind. The full moon was still high but for the first time the wolf did not feel completely out of control.

He moved slowly back toward his cage, thinking about her face and her voice. Who was she? Why was she not afraid? The night was not over yet but something had changed. The crescent curse felt a little different tonight. Karl did not know it then, but the woman who patted his fur and lied to the hunters would change everything.