Tomorrow, my son will turn seventeen.
Ever since the night Robert disappeared, Maxim's pack has surrounded my home. I knew their purpose—they wanted to offer me to the Iron Fang Wolf in the City of Darkness, the werewolf kingdom. From that day on, I fled with my son, leaving everything behind. We started a new life in a place where no one knew who we were, living without Robert.
Soon, the Blood Moon eclipse will rise. And when it does, my son, Bryan, will finally awaken to his divine heritage on his seventeenth birthday.
"I think... this is the right time to tell him everything," I murmured.
But when I went to Bryan's room, I froze.
He was gone.
On his desk lay a letter.
My hands trembled as I unfolded it.
«Mom... I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I don't want to go back to the place you've always told me about. It sounds terrifying. I have a dream—I want to attend the best high school in the city. You know Alice, my childhood friend, right? I want to study at the same school as her. I'm an adult now, and I want to live with Alice. I hope you'll understand my decision. I don't want to return to Agrari. To me, it's nothing more than a backward civilization. Robert has never come to see us, so why should we go back to him? I've already gotten used to living without a father. I'll come visit you every three months. Take care of yourself, Mom. Love you.»
My breathing became ragged.
Tonight was the Blood Moon eclipse.
And Bryan was out there... alone with a girl.
"Oh no! I have to find him immediately!" I muttered as I rushed outside.
I called Bryan over and over, but he never answered.
I searched every place I could think of, every location he might have visited, but he was nowhere to be found.
As I sat anxiously in my car, watching the clock tick away, my phone suddenly rang.
It was Justin, Bryan's best friend.
I answered at once.
"Hello, Justin? Is Bryan with you?"
"No, Auntie... but I know where he went."
"Where is he?"
"Bryan and Alice went camping in the forest. They're celebrating their seventeenth birthdays together."
"The forest?"
My breath caught again, and my chest tightened with fear.
I didn't know what to do.
There were only two hours left before the Blood Moon eclipse.
Maybe Brice could help me track Bryan's scent. I had lost that ability seventeen years ago.
I rushed back to my old apartment, where Brice used to live.
But the place was empty.
Brice had passed away years ago.
As I searched through an old dresser, my eyes landed on Robert's necklace.
I had no other choice.
I had to call him.
_________
BRYAN'S POV
__________
Under a misty sky, Alice and I lit a campfire in front of our tent. Tonight marked the turning point of our ages; in just an hour, we would both be seventeen. I had decided to live with her after the holiday, as we shared the same dream of becoming travelers and attending the same school. "Babe... your mom is calling!" she said, emerging from the tent with my phone. I offered a faint smile.
"My mom is just worried. She’s probably angry with me. It’s best if you just ignore it; I want to enjoy this holiday in peace tonight," I said. She moved closer. She sat on my lap and shared the warm coffee I was holding.
"The atmosphere is so romantic. Thanks for this idea, Bryan," she whispered. She gazed into my eyes; I set the coffee aside and caressed the back of her neck. We shared a kiss near the warmth of the fire.
"This is my first time. I hope I’m giving my purity to the right man.
" Hearing that made me smile.
"There is only one right man for you, Alice. And that’s me," I whispered in her ear before passionately kissing her lips again. We rolled around affectionately amidst the dry leaves under the misty sky until a drizzle forced me to carry her back to the tent. The tent was cozy enough for the two of us. My mother had always kept me on such a tight leash that I’d never had time to truly enjoy life. Tonight, with the woman I loved, I was far away from my mother. It was a first for me, and I felt a bit nervous.
"Bryan..." Alice lay down, inviting me to join her. I lay down beside her, holding her close and breathing in her sweet scent. It turned out she was far wilder than I was as if this weren't her first time at all. Her fingers deftly undid the button of my trousers and touched my manhood. I found myself wondering. Alice kissed my lips relentlessly, until I finally asked
"Alice? Is this your first time?" She looked into my eyes, seemingly unwilling to answer. I didn't care; I simply went back to enjoying the lovemaking.
The night passed in bliss, leaving my body warm. We lay down once again inside the transparent tent, peacefully admiring the misty sky above us.
"Have you ever been with another man before?" I asked as I turned to Alice. She looked at me with a deep, unreadable gaze.
"Bryan, I think that's a very immature question. Does it really matter?"
I fell silent and looked back at the sky.
"It doesn't matter. Forget I asked," I muttered.
"Bryan... No matter who was in my past, what matters is that I belong to you now."
She gently intertwined her fingers with mine.
"It looks like there's going to be a lunar eclipse tonight," Alice said, changing the subject.
I gazed at the nearly full moon. Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in my chest. A piercing shriek echoed inside my ears, followed by the deafening roar of a beast. The agony forced me to clutch my chest.
Alice immediately panicked.
"Bryan! Are you okay?"
The pain grew even worse, as if something were tearing through my skin from the inside. I screamed in agony.
Alice hurried to her backpack, desperately searching for medicine. I gritted my teeth as my body slipped beyond my control. To my horror, wolf claws began pushing through my toes. Thick fur spread across my body within seconds. Alice turned around just as I cried out in pain, my massive fangs forcing their way through my jaw.
"Aaargh!"
Alice screamed.
The transparent camping tent exploded apart as my newly transformed wolf body burst through it. She dropped the first-aid kit and ran as fast as she could. Instinct took over, and I chased after her in my new form. Even though I had no idea what was happening to me, I didn't want her to disappear into the forest.
She ran with all her strength. I had no choice but to tackle her to the ground, pinning her there. Honestly, I hated seeing the terror in her eyes, but I couldn't speak to reassure her.
"Aah... Please forgive me, Bryan! I lied to you. I was wrong. I should have told you the truth—I wasn't a virgin anymore."
She burst into tears before losing consciousness.
Frustration consumed me, but the only sound I could produce was the mournful howl of a wolf.
I still couldn't understand what had happened to me.
Why had I transformed into this creature?
Who had cursed me?
Unable to find any answers, I lifted my head toward the dark sky and released another long, haunting howl, sending every animal in the forest fleeing from their shelters.