Moonlit Secrets

A Lesson inViolence

Realizing who he was up against- a former love, a former friend.

Damien was a stark contrast to Kai, smaller in build and stature but with a predatory spirit. His jet-black hair, spiked and unruly, framed a pair of intense, dark brown eyes often hidden beneath perpetually furrowed brows. His face sparce with scars from fights over the years. There is a look of sadness in his eyes that he hides with anger.

Kai knew he had to break from Damien's grip, and fast. With a swift punch to Damien's gut, he managed to loosen his hold and send him stumbling back.

"Oh, a love tap?" Damien laughed menacingly, clutching his injured abdomen. "So, the girl you were supposed to hunt down has you wrapped around her little finger, huh? How pathetic."

"I was sent to spy on her and get close, not hunt her," Kai snapped. "That's why they sent me instead of you. They knew you were too impulsive, too reckless. They knew you'd kill her on sight, because you can't control yourself."

Damien's anger grew. "They sent you because they thought you were the best. They thought you could get close enough to her to bring her back for her punishment! But they were wrong! You're weak, Kai. I can smell her all over you. You think I don't know what you smell like when you're infatuated with someone?"

With a blinding speed, Damien lunged at Kai, unleashing a flurry of blows. Kai was caught off guard, unable to react in time.

"I f*****g loved you, Kai!" Damien roared, his voice filled with rage and despair. "And then you left me to rot!"

Dazed and disoriented, Kai could barely see Damien's attacks. His vision blurry, his senses overwhelming.

"Damien, stop!" Kai’s voice weak and trembling. "Please, calm down."

Ignoring Kai's pleas, Damien grabs him by the shirt and hurled him against the cold, concrete wall of the storage unit. The impact knocking the wind out of Kai, leaving him gasping for breath. As he lay on the floor, his wounds slowly began to heal, a testament to his werewolf nature.

Damien leaned down, his breath hot and heavy. "Looks like your little girlfriend has made you soft, hasn't she? Too weak to fight the runt of the litter? I'll be seeing you again soon, babe. And your little girlfriend too." With a final, menacing grin, Damien turned and disappeared in a flash of fiery black smoke.

Panic surged through Kai as the gravity of the situation dawned on him. Damien was on the hunt, his target locked on Annika. The Moonlit Order, once his ally, now see him as a rogue element, a threat to their secret operations. He struggled to his feet, the lingering pain from his wounds finally easing up.

His first instinct was to warn Annika. He fumbled for his phone, only to find it shattered, a reminder of the chaos he just endured. He couldn't risk going to the office, not with Damien's eyes on him. He needed a way to reach her, a way to protect her, without showing himself.

Meanwhile, at the office of Moonstone & Claw, Annika nervously made her way to Evelyn's office. Her tardiness had irritated her, and she knew she had to apologize quickly. "I'm so sorry I'm late," she pleads, her voice filled with anxiety. "It won't happen again, I promise."

Evelyn, though initially annoyed, dismisses her apology. "As irritating as all this was, I know it won't happen again. We have work to do. Have you gathered any more evidence in the Titan case?" she inquired. Evelyn seems impatient.

Annika hesitated, her mind racing. "I haven't found anything concrete yet," she stammered, "but I did find something suspicious in the digital archives. There are a lot of private access files that I can't get into. Seems like Titian Industries is hiding something, and they don't want anyone to see it. Something that could be damaging."

A look of confusion crossed Evelyn's face. "What do you mean you have someone looking into it? Who are you getting to look into it?" she asked, her voice sharp.

Annika had dug herself into a hole. She had to reveal Kai's involvement, but she knew the risks. "I met someone who has been very helpful," she replied cautiously, "and may be able to help us crack into the files."

Evelyn's skepticism was obvious. "And who is this person that has been helping you? What is their name?" she demanded. Annika hesitated, caught between loyalty and fear. The fate of her investigation, and perhaps her own safety, hung in the balance.

Evelyn abruptly cut her off, throwing her hands up in frustration. "You know what, I don't want to know," she declared. "The less I know, the better. Now please, get back to work. I want something on my desk by the end of the day. And it better be good."

Annika, caught off guard by Evelyn's sudden change of tone, breathed a sigh of relief. She had narrowly escaped further questioning. "Yes, ma'am," she replied, and hurried to her office.

Annika pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed Kai's number. It went straight to voicemail, a cold dread settling in her stomach. Something was wrong. She couldn't shake the feeling, the fear gnawing at her. But she couldn't leave work; she had to deliver something tangible to Evelyn by the end of the day. With a sigh, she turned to her computer, determined to focus on her work.

She was deep in concentration when a soft knock interrupted her. Looking up, she saw a young man standing in her doorway, his spiky hair and intense brown eyes drawing her attention. "Excuse me," he began, his voice low and raspy. "I hear this is the best law firm in the city. I'm looking for a consult."

Annika hesitated, unsure of how to respond to the stranger. "Uh, yes, what did you need a consult on? I can find you an attorney who's a good fit for you," she offered, her voice polite and soft.

"I was told that you were the one I needed to talk to," he replied. "That you are the best. That you possess... a special ability." He says with a mysterious smile on his face.

Curious and a bit unsettled, Annika pulled a legal pad and pen from her desk drawer. "Have a seat," she gestured. "What's your name?"

"Damien," he replied, taking a seat and crossing his legs. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes held a certain intensity that made Annika uneasy.

Meanwhile, Kai rushed to the nearest store, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination. He had to find a way to warn Annika, to protect her from Damien's relentless pursuit.

Kai finally purchases a phone and sets it up, he can't remember Annika’s number but searches for her law firm.

He finds the number to her office and calls, "Thank you for calling Moonstone & Claw, how may I direct you?" a receptionist answers. "I need to speak with attorney Annika, it's very important." he says. "One moment please." the receptionist puts him on hold. Kai's anxiety grows more with each second he waits for a response. "I'm sorry, she's currently assisting a client at this time, may I take a message?"

Kai clenched his fist as he heard the receptionist's voice. "No, I need to speak with her now," he insisted, his voice rising. "It's urgent."

The receptionist hesitated. "I understand, sir, but she's with a client. Perhaps you could try calling her personal number?"

Kai paused, frustration building within him. "I don't have her personal number," he admitted, his voice growing desperate. "Please, just tell her it's important. Tell her to call Kai as soon as possible."

He provided his number, his heart pounding as he waited for the receptionist to respond. “Alright, sir, I will get this information to her right away. Have a great day.” She hangs up.

The receptionist, a young woman with a kind smile, approached Annika's desk with a note in hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Ms. Annika, but you just had a call," she began, her voice soft. "They said it was urgent, but I told them you were with a client so I took down their information for you to call them back when you finish up here."

She gently placed the note on Annika's desk and turned to leave before Annika asks her about her schedule.

Damien saw that Annika was distracted by conversation and couldn't help but glance at the note. His eyes narrowed as he recognized Kai's name. A smirk crept across his face. Kai was trying to warn her, but Damien was determined.

Damien stood up, a calculated smile playing on his lips. "I can come back another time," he said, his voice feigning nonchalance. "You seem rather busy."

As he turned to leave, he pretended stumble, bracing himself on Annika's desk. In a swift move, he snatched the note, his fingers grasping around it. "Damien, are you okay?" Annika asked, concern on her face.

He straightened up, brushing himself off. "I'm fine, I just get a bit clumsy when I'm anxious," he replied, his eyes locking onto hers.

Annika, feeling guilty for making him uncomfortable, offered, "Let me make it up to you. I'm well overdue for lunch. Why don't we grab something to eat and talk in a more comfortable environment? My treat."

Damien's eyes lit up “Sounds like a plan.” he says.

"Just wait in the lobby," Annika instructed Damien, "I just need to let my boss know, and I'll be right out." She gathered her belongings, shut down her computer, and headed towards Evelyn's office.

Damien, following the receptionist's directions, made his way to the lobby. As Annika approached Evelyn's office, she knocked lightly. "Evelyn, I'm about to go to lunch. I'm taking a potential client with me. He seems a bit anxious, so I thought taking him to lunch might help him relax."

Evelyn, distracted by her computer screen, glanced up briefly before returning her attention to her work. "That's fine," she sighed, "just make sure you get that work done. You don't have much time. Use the company card for lunch and make it worth it."

"Yes, ma'am," Annika replied, turning to leave.

"Annika," Evelyn called out, halting her departure. "Do you have your phone? I may need to call you later."

"I have it right here," Annika assured her, waving her phone in the air.

Annika rejoined Damien in the lobby, and they headed towards the elevator. "So, what sounds good?" she asked.

"There's a pretty good sushi place just outside the city," Damien suggested. "They have the best miso."

Meanwhile, Kai is frantic not being able to get in touch with Annika, thinking the worst now that Damien is out to get her, and Kai knew he had to act fast. He starts making his way to her office just a few blocks away from the phone store.

As he’s walking toward the building, just half a block away, he sees Annika coming out with someone. He sees that it’s Damien. Panic begins to set in as he figures out what to do next. Damien surely has a plan to get her alone so that he can take her. But there are witnesses everywhere that aren’t aware of the existence of werewolves. A fight would surely cause a mass freakout. He must lay low and approach this tactfully.

Luckily, he could track them by Annika’s scent. He waits in a close by alley way until they were out of sight, giving them a head start. Now, the hunter had become the hunted. Kai was on a mission, determined to protect Annika and derail Damien's plans.

The moment the taxi pulls away, Kai steps onto the curb. Before he could take another step, a surge of electricity jolts his body, immobilizing him. A heavy bag was pulled over his head, blocking out all light. A vicious blow to his stomach doubled him over, a wave of nausea washing over him. He was roughly dragged, his body colliding with the men dragging him, before being tossed into the back of a vehicle. The sliding door slammed shut, sinking him into darkness. His body is jolted back as the vehicle takes off.

"Reconnaissance! That was all you were supposed to do, Kai! Not fall for the mut!" a familiar, deep voice boomed, followed by a sharp blow to Kai's face.

"I just needed to get closer," Kai groaned, his voice raspy and weak. "I couldn't get much information about her just from watching her from the shadows.”

"Do you understand the danger she poses to our existence? As long as she lives, we're all at risk! We've survived for centuries because we are the way we are! I won't let a single, defected pup jeopardize our survival just because you've become personally involved!" the voice thundered, echoing through the confined space. “We knew you weren’t going to be able to follow through when you hid her from us. So, we had to take secondary measures.”

"So your secondary plan is to unleash a bloodthirsty maniac with no self-control? Someone who could expose our existence to the human world at the slightest irritation. He is a loose cannon, and you know it! " Kai retorted, his voice filled with disbelief.

Kai is punched again. “Do not question my decisions, boy! He has become quite obedient and patient since you parted ways with him. We know all about you two and your relationship. While we could care less about your s****l orientation, your relationship made you both weak and useless. Like domesticated dogs!” the familiar voice shouts.

The bag is snatched off Kia’s head, his vision adjusts to the light in the vehicle. He sees the face of the familiar voice. “Alpha Moonfang! Sir…. ” Kai exclaims and lowers his head in submission.

“You can call me Mr. Carter in the human world.” He says as he lights a cigarette. “Now, I am going to give you one more chance to prove to me where your allegiance lies. With us…..or with her.”

“I apologize greatly for giving you any doubt. I just wanted to go above and beyond to show you what I'm capable of. Please let me show you exactly what I'm capable of. Call off, Damien. I don't need him getting in the way.” Kai pleads.

Mr. Carter takes a drag of his cigarette. “I tell you what, I'm going to keep Damien in play. I want to see which one of you are really the best. You both seem extremely sure of yourselves. Whoever brings her to me, will get a front row seat with the Alphas when we take over.”

The vehicle comes an abrupt stop. The sliding door opens quickly, and Kai is thrown out. Mr. Carter peeks out of the vehicle one last time and says, “Do not disappoint me or I will rip both of your heads clean off.” The door slams shut, and the vehicle takes off.

Kai sprang to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes. He surveyed his surroundings, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled deeply. He follows the scent until he comes to a place called the Dragon House. He looks into the window and sees Annika and Damien Sitting at a table.

What is Damien up to? He doesn't seem to be acting like the guy that just beat his ass moments ago. He seems calm and patient, nothing like the impulsive hot head he used to know.

Kai found a discreet hiding spot on the side of the building. He waits, his eyes fixed on the restaurant's entrance until they come out.