Chapter Five
1312 Words
The Adult Transition
Adrian's breath turned to mist in the chilly night air as he made his way through the thick woodland.
With her cloak billowing behind her like a black bird's wings, Selena took the lead.
Chloe trailed closely behind, her keen gaze sweeping their surroundings.
The rustle of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl had taken the place of the far-off hum of Manhattan.
The city now appeared to be a faint recollection of a life Adrian was no longer certain was his own.
He was exhausted from the constant pace, and his legs hurt.
Hours had passed as they stepped out of the known and into the unknown.
He had no clue where they were heading or why Selena felt so confident of their course.
All he knew was that they were running from something—something dangerous, something hungry.
"How far is it?" When Adrian did inquire, his voice sounded hoarse.
He hadn't talked much since they'd gone, too distracted by the deluge of knowledge that had wiped out his identity.
Selena said without looking back, "Not much longer." "The sanctuary is near."
"Sanctuary," Adrian said to himself. The word sounded a little comical.
When would he be able to find a location free of the animals that had taken over his life?
With a harsher tone than normal, Chloe remarked, "Stop complaining."
"At this moment, the only thing that matters is that we are alive."
Adrian swallowed his answer.
The weight of it all was beginning to wear on him, even though he knew she was correct.
He kept reflecting on Selena's statement: You are its legitimate successor.
It was a ridiculous idea. He was neither a leader nor a warrior or a king.
He wasn't there to battle old demons; he was there to attend board meetings and make deals.
They entered a clearing illuminated by glistening moonlight after breaking past the tree line.
A huge stone building, majestic in spite of its antiquity, stood in the middle.
Adrian's chest vibrated and throbbed intensely, as if the surrounding air were electrically charged.
Selena turned to them and said, "This is it." "The Altar in the Moonlight"
Adrian felt a knot in his gut as he gazed at the building.
Strange marks that had lost their significance over time were engraved into the stones.
He was drawn in and terrified by the old power of the shrine.
He scarcely raised his voice above a whisper when he said, "What is this place?"
Serenely, Selena remarked, "That's where your awakening must begin."
The ancestors constructed the Moonlit Altar.
It is regarded as a holy location associated with the center of Wolf's Crest.
You'll learn about your strengths from it.
Adrian immediately took a step back and shook his head.
"I didn't consent to any of this. I am not looking for power. I just want my life to return.
Selena appeared almost... human for the first time as her eyes softened.
"Adrian, your life as you know it is no more.
You have been selected, whether you like it or not.
Your veins are filled with the blood of monarchs. You cannot escape your fate.
"Destiny," growled Adrian. "That's just another word for being coerced into doing something."
Chloe took a step forward him and touched his shoulder.
She had a hard yet comforting touch.
"I realize this is difficult to understand, but you must have faith in us.
This is the only way to live.
Adrian gazed at her, looking for reassurance or answers in her eyes.
Instead, he discovered a silent resolve that kept him firm.
He was thankful that Chloe had supported him during this entire situation, but he wasn't sure why.
"Now what?" he said, his voice more even.
Selena gestured toward the altar.
"You have to enter the circle and let the moon's light into your life.
It'll awaken the latent energy within you.
"What happens if I don't?" Adrian crossed his arms and inquired.
You will then continue to be exposed," Selena stated plainly.
“You won’t have a chance when the Dark Alpha finds you.”
Adrian gulped hard as her remarks weighed heavy on him.
He did not desire this fate or this power.
He wanted to live, nevertheless.
And he had no other option if this was the only way to guarantee that.
He inhaled deeply before advancing, his foot crunching on the chilly grass.
As he got closer to the altar, the buzzing feeling intensified and the air became denser.
Now he sensed it, a throbbing power drawing him in.
Selena gave them instructions to "stand in the center."
"And don't fight it no matter what."
Adrian hesitated, then stepped into the stone circle.
The instant he did, a wave of energy rushed through him, causing him to gasp.
The stones sparkled, their emblems pulsing in time with his heartbeat.
He gazed up at the moon, which surrounding him with silvery light.
Initially, nothing occurred. Then there was anguish.
It began as a slight pain in his chest and quickly spread like wildfire throughout his body.
He dropped to his knees and held his chest as the anguish worsened.
It seemed as though his own bones were being changed, his muscles ripping and recreating themselves.
Primal and visceral, the sound of his scream reverberated over the area.
"Adrian!" Selena cut Chloe off as she was going to call.
"Let it happen," Selena responded fiercely. "He needs to experience this."
The world around Adrian dissolved into a whirl of light and blackness, blurring his eyesight.
A primordial force surged to the surface, and something inside him burst for fun.
It was wild and wild, a beast trying to get away from him.
He was suddenly struck by memories that were not his own, memories of wars fought in the blood-red moonlight, of wolves howling into the night as they ran through woods.
He saw voices urging him to stand up and faces he had not yet recognized.
Then, as abruptly as it had started, the pain stopped.
Adrian's body shook as he fell to the ground.
Every blade of grass and grain of soil underneath him was palpable to him.
He reasoned more clearly and had keener senses.
Behind him, he could hear Chloe and Selena's gentle breathing and the gentle rustle of leaves.
Raising himself slowly to his feet.
He felt more energized, stronger, and quicker.
He glanced down at his hands and the faint glow that appeared on his skin before disappearing.
Selena replied, "You've woken up," with a hint of joy in her voice.
"Greetings from your actual self."
Trying to regain his breath, Adrian's chest rose and fell as he turned to face her.
"What the devil just did?"
Selena said, "You've drawn on your roots," "You now possess the might of your forefathers.
You're not simply a man anymore. You're a wolf.
Adrian gazed at her, taking in everything she had said.
He didn't feel like a king or a wolf.
He was unable to ignore the fact that something had changed, though.
Every fiber in his body knew it.
A rumbling growl reverberated across the neighborhood before he could reply.
Adrian's head jerked in the direction of the sound, and his acute senses immediately focused on its origin.
Austere figures radiating fury followed by glowing crimson eyes emerged from the darkness.
"The scouts of Dark Alpha," Selena growled. "They've located us."
With her blades shining in the moonlight, Chloe took a step forward.
"I hope you're prepared to fight, Adrian."
Adrian's heart pounded as the primordial energy inside him reappeared.
He had no idea how or whether he could fight.
But when the animals rushed for them, a deep, guttural roar that was not quite human broke out of his mouth.
He was prepared to face his inner beast.
⸺THE END⸺
- Writer
