The Blood Moon Awakening

The Secret

There it was – in front of me, barring my way. I came to a halt, panting hard as I gazed ahead. From up close, it appeared even more terrifying than before.

How it behaved. How it regarded me. It was definitely no human, nor was it wholly a wolf. But something that lay somewhere in between. With a growl emanating from deep within its throat, it circled me, slowly, as if sizing me up for its next move.

Trembling, yes, but not with fright alone. That heat inside me had risen and grown, burning through me until it became all I could feel. “Back off!” I said, my voice sounding differently from how it always did. Stricter. More commanding. And it growled again, this time more ferociously, before attacking me.

But I stood still…

Something inside of me broke. Fear did not go away; it was replaced by an entirely new emotion, raw and wild. Heat flowed through me, my fingers curling into fists, and my senses becoming sharper.

Time seemed to slow down. Each individual motion became visible. The world around me was alive like nothing I had ever felt before. My body seemed to act without thought as I dodged the assault with movements faster than I knew I could possibly be capable of making. I retaliated, striking the beast with the strength of blows that staggered it. I paused for just a moment, looking down at my hands in shock. It was impossible. “Wha… what’s happening to me…?”

The monster regained consciousness, its eyes shining into mine once more, but this time, there was something different about its gaze. Not only did I see the glimmer of hunger in its eyes but rather something more dangerous.

It began circling around me again, but its speed was much slower and more cautious this time, as if its view of me had changed. As if I were no longer its prey. My heart raced as the strange force within me came alive once again, yet it seemed even more powerful this time. The moon shone down on us from above, and for some reason, it seemed to call to me. To pull me. The creature leaped at me, and in response, my body acted of its own accord, moving quickly and powerfully against it, yet oddly familiar to me.

Then suddenly, everything stopped.

The creature froze.

Its head snapped to the side, ears twitching, body going tense like it had sensed something else. Something stronger. A low growl left its throat before it stepped back, its eyes flicking between me and the darkness beyond the trees. And then, without warning, it turned and disappeared into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as it had come.

I stood there, shaking, my chest heaving as the energy inside me began to fade. The strength slipped away. The sharpness dulled. My legs gave out beneath me, and I dropped to my knees, my hands pressing against the ground as I struggled to breathe. Everything hurt. My chest. My head. My entire body felt like it had been torn apart and put back together again. “What… was that…?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

The voice came from behind me, low and urgent.

I turned sharply, my heart jumping as I saw him step out from the shadows.

Kael.

It was a look I had never seen on anyone’s face before. It was not a look of coldness or distance. His eyes scanned me rapidly, searching me for something as if he needed to make sure I was alive. Without hesitation, he walked towards me, kneeling down in front of me. "Are you injured?" his voice asked.

His tone was strained, but there was something else there as well that made me shudder despite myself. My brain seemed to have trouble processing things as they were happening right then. "What… What are you doing here?" I stammered, my voice trembling. He did not respond right away, his eyes continuing to scan me. "I felt something," he spoke, his voice much softer than before. "Something was wrong."

My breath caught in my throat. “What was that… creature?”

For a moment, he froze. Just a moment.

And then, I noticed it.

Then, his eyes met mine with an intensity that could rival the firelight reflected off them. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said, completely ignoring my question.

“Well, that’s a great answer, Kael!” I snapped in retaliation, my frustration overtaking my fears. “I’ve been attacked, Kael!”

“I know.” His voice was soft as a whisper, which only added to the sense of dread washing through me.

As if he somehow knew more than he was letting on.

I shook my head furiously, attempting to dispel my confusion, fears, and mounting questions. “Something is wrong with me,” I breathed. “I felt it… I wasn’t right… I—”

At that precise moment, his hand shot out to grasp my wrist.

The moment he touched me, everything went still.