DANCE IN THE MOONLIGHT

The Truth Has Fur and Fangs

Valeria was stunned; she already knew who he was. What was he talking about?

"I'm not talking nonsense. What you are about to learn is also about what you are."

Valeria was tongue-tied; she couldn't speak, she couldn't understand anything.

"I know you don't understand anything. That's why I'm asking if you are truly ready."

Lucian grabbed the woman by her wrist, led her out of the cabin, and started walking toward the deeper part of the forest. He was taking fast steps; Valeria was having trouble keeping up with him. Lucian stopped, picked the woman up in his arms, and started running.

Valeria was speechless with shock. 'How can a human... run this... fast?'

When they came to a clearing, Lucian stopped and set her down gently. Valeria was a bit dizzy but quickly found her balance. Despite running so fast, Lucian didn't seem tired at all. Whereas Valeria would be out of breath even after climbing two flights of stairs.

The moonlight was hitting them. Lucian was right in front of her.

"Whenever you are ready."

Valeria's heart was beating like crazy. She couldn't turn back now. "I'm ready."

Lucian took a deep breath. First, he threw his bag aside. Then he tossed his jacket next to the bag. He slowly began to unbutton his black shirt. Valeria wanted to turn her head away, but she stood there staring in admiration at his muscular and well-built body. He looked like a lean boy on the outside, but his physique said the exact opposite. Her eyes caught the tattoo on his shoulder. Her eyes widened. "It's the same symbol we saw in that house!"

Lucian nodded. He had his back to the woman and his face toward the moon. While Valeria was thinking about how magnificent his back looked, she felt her breath catch. Suddenly, Lucian transformed into a wolf! The wolf, which she knew was Lucian, was coming toward her. She wanted to run away but couldn't take a step. It was as if her feet were bolted to the ground. One of his eyes was white, and the other was blue. They were so radiant, bright, and large that Valeria could see herself in the wolf's—Lucian's—eyes.

The wolf bowed its head. Valeria stroked his head with trembling hands. She still didn't know what to say. She didn't even know if what she was seeing was real. The wolf stepped back and returned to human form again. But he was naked. Valeria immediately turned her back and waited for him to dress. So that was why he had a bag with him.

Was everything that happened a dream or reality? Valeria couldn't distinguish. She had fallen asleep while reading a book and was about to wake up. She would wake up... right?

"Unfortunately, you are in real life, Valeria. And you can turn around."

When Valeria slowly turned back, the man was dressed.

Lucian took a step toward her. "You and I are the same, Valeria. Whatever I am, you are that, too."

Valeria started to laugh. Her laughter turned into a roar. "Me? A werewolf? You're very funny, Lucian!" Valeria was laughing, but Lucian wasn't. When Valeria realized this, she stopped. "You're serious."

Lucian nodded. "Remember last night. You got angry and pushed me more than necessary."

"That was a sudden burst of anger," Valeria answered immediately.

"Are you sure? What about the fact that you feel me constantly? What kind of excuse will you make for that?" This time Valeria remained silent. There was no explanation for why she felt him all the time. Lucian approached her. "No matter how much you don't want it or object to it, you cannot change the truth."

Valeria began to shake her head no. When Lucian raised his hands to touch her, she backed away. Lucian's hands were left hanging in the air.

"I want to go back." She started walking in the direction they had come from in the forest. But she couldn't even see the path.

Lucian quickly picked her up and brought her to the back door of the school. Even though Valeria was happy about this, she didn't show it. Without saying anything to Lucian, she headed toward the dormitory in the stone corridor. She could feel him watching her from behind.

***

The next day, she went to the library very early in the morning. The fact that she hadn't slept at all helped her get up. She didn't want her friends to wake up and see her in this state. She wanted to find information about werewolves or wolves.

She picked up the first book she found.

They are the ancestors of dogs... Their hearing is very strong... ‘So it wasn't a lie that he heard me talking to my friends... ‘she whispered to herself.

Their sense of smell is highly developed, and they can also run very fast...Valeria could associate everything she read with Lucian.

She began to flip through the pages of another book she found quickly. It was as if she felt nauseous as she read. she didn't want to read anymore because she had understood the main point. There was only one problem; he had said she was also a werewolf. She put the book back and ran toward the restroom. She was looking at herself in the mirror. It was impossible. The things she saw were just a dream... But what if it was real? If Lucian was telling the truth, she should have abilities too. She closed her eyes and tried to hear something. For a while, there was nothing; she wanted to try once more.

But she was unsuccessful. She hadn't heard anything; it was all just a dream!

'It's not a fantasy, Valeria.' With the voice she heard, she immediately left the restroom and checked the corridor. No one was there. She walked up and down the entire corridor but couldn't see anyone. To whom did this voice belong that was talking to her?

***

Valeria had been ignoring Lucian for days. What she saw that day was likely not real. No, it couldn't be real. It was just nonsense!

"What's wrong with you?" Elara was looking at her strangely.

"Nothing's wrong." How could she explain everything? She was sure they would believe her, but how could she expect that from them when she didn't even believe it herself?

"Are you sure? I've been watching you for half an hour, and I'm tired of counting the expressions your face has gone through."

"I'm enjoying it, though," Irene commented with a wide grin.

As usual, they were in the dining hall, and Valeria couldn't eat because of her thoughts. She felt Lucian looking at her. She had been feeling this every day and every hour since she started ignoring him.

"Hu-huuu, your crazy boy is looking over here," Elara whispered.

Valeria didn't care. She just shrugged at Elara. Suddenly, she found herself slowly looking at him. Lucian's eye color had changed. It was clear he was angry. She quickly turned her head away. Yet, she had no intention of looking at him or seeing those eyes. The things she did when she had no intention of doing them always led her to Lucian.

For example, suddenly deciding to change her path while going to class or the dormitory, or going to the restroom even though she didn't need to. Valeria looked at her food one last time and took a deep breath. "I'm leaving."

She set off toward the classroom. Those gazes again... Even though she kept looking around as she went, she couldn't see him. Until she suddenly found herself in one of the empty classrooms while passing in front of them.

A large hand had covered her mouth. Although the classroom was slightly dark, she realized it was Lucian in front of her. How is it possible to see these eyes and still not recognize him?

"What are you trying to do, Valeria?"

Lucian slowly withdrew his hand and reached toward the door. She was trapped between the door and Lucian, and she couldn't escape because he had his arms extended on both sides. His voice sounded as cold and harsh as his eyes.

"What are you doing, actually?" she struggled to make her own voice sound at least as harsh as his.

The color of Lucian's eyes began to change even more. It was slowly turning red. When he suddenly punched the door, Valeria let out a small scream and was trembling with fear.

She couldn't look at Lucian.

"You cannot ignore me, Valeria. Do you understand?" Valeria nodded in fear. She couldn't understand how he could change so much all of a sudden. "Look at me." His voice sounded softer than before. But the woman still couldn't raise her head. "I said look at me, Valeria." Lucian spoke as if his patience was running out.

Valeria slowly raised her head and looked. His eyes were slowly returning to their old state, and his gaze was softening.

"What happened to you all of a sudden, Lucian?" Her voice came out close to a whisper, but she knew he could hear it.

"You kept me away from yourself. You cannot ignore me."

"Why?" Valeria didn't understand, not at all.

"Because my bond doesn't allow it. Because if I stay away from you, my bond turns me into a monster."