A Yowl in the Dark

Betrayal

~Jacob~

“You truly believe I ought to?” glancing into Daniel’s dead serious eyes, I asked.

“Well, we don’t want your fans to boycott the club just because you aren’t there anymore,” he responds bluntly, “this way, you can deal with them yourself.”

“All right,” I growled, “but you had better not secretly put me up for the auction while I’m there. I am aware of you-you will stop at nothing to get a little extra money.” Our money man, Daniel, is a business person with a quirky side. I have no idea why the girls find him attractive. They are obviously aware that he is more drawn to the green wads of paper in their hands than to them.

That’s a great idea, but don’t worry, I’m not that humane to do that. Think about it! We would profit 100,000 bucks from your previous auction. Daniel says dreamily, running a hand through his short, crystal-white hair, “They’d all be biding lie crazy.”

I quickly leave the kitchen without saying anything more because I didn’t want to fall for one of Daniel’s crafty plans. I mean, I couldn’t really pull off another “boyfriend of the wee” package. Ever since I met Pari, everything has changed.

The Jacob from a few days ago, who could enchant any girl at all, is almost completely forgotten from my memory. He seemed to consider it to be a game. Back then, I played with people’s emotions and gave them the impression that I was interested in them. My existence was nearly meaningless, and my behavior was much lazier. “I was also much meaner, severing all ties with my enchanted customers as soon as I acquired another one.

How could mating alter me so drastically?

I can’t even wish to turn back time and become the person I was before, the one who wouldn’t even look twice at Pari. My sin tingles and my heart burns with every touch she gives. Her feelings are practically palpable, like a throb in my chest. I can’t help but want to be by her side and breathe in that incredibly alluring scent that has persisted since the beginning.

She smells better than normal, even the others have acknowledged it, though I’m sure it’s stronger around me. Pari is so alluring with this extra enchantment that her appearance is superfluous. One word, one step closer to intensifying her scent, and I'm drawn in. Unlike the hundreds of women I have dated in my lifetime, her appearance doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not that her appearance is as bad as she believes it to be. Her lack of confidence stems from her belief that she is ugly, which is what actually makes her appear so ugly. But she’s not ugly at all if she tilts her head up, straightens her back, and puts on a little more stylish clothes and smiles. Perhaps that’s just the view of a lovesick man, but in my opinion, it is unquestionably true.

I stroll down the hallway, nearly stopping as I pass Pari’s room. Pari doesn’t even appear appreciative that I’m waiting on her. I now she is attracted to me, and she can tell that I’m her true mate for life. How was se not able to? Pari tries desperately but is unable to resist the other’s spell during the mating, which is almost like being forced to submit. Her desire for me is evident in her eyes. Why, then, does she object at every turn? Do I really deserve this much criticism?

I guess she detests me so much that she won’t even let me give her a kiss. Pari has the ability to crush a man’s pride.

I tiptoed into my room, making my way to the wardrobe and opening it. An abundance of fashionable suits hang, ready for me to dress up whenever I want to. It is preferable for the girls if I wear a suit, so when we go, it will be ideal to wear one. Unless, that is, they decide to toss me eggs or something. Something like that might never make it out. I’m not sure. I choose a dark gray one that goes well with my hair and eyes, and I pull it over my skin. My hands blur, and it takes less than a minute to put on at my speed.

I head to the door that leads to Pari’s room and my own after thinking about a foolish thought.

“Hey Pari?” “Are you okay?” I ask when I call.

There is silence, a prolonged, seemingly endless silence. With a whisper barely audible above a sharp intake of breath, “I’m… fine,” comes out.

“Will you come with us to Moonlight?” imagining the scene, I extend an invitation. They would hurl all of their aggression towards Pari, transferring their animosity from me to her, particularly because she has a slightly unattractive appearance. But I really want her by my side, near the delicious scent that assaults my senses.

Her voice falters, “I think I’ll pass,” she says, and then she goes to sit on her bed. I place my head on the pillow, slide my feet on it, and look up at the ceiling. I can’t help but be struck by the rhythm of the slowly ticking off the clock as the second hand moves. “Jacob!” “It’s time to go already!” calls Wes. I leaped from my bed and forcefully open the door. I cautiously enter again and examine my hair in the mirror. My hairbrush is rapidly attacking the stray piece that is sticking up. It is now flawless.

It is important for me to be perfect when I go somewhere like this.

Wes, Daniel, and an extremely melancholic Yi are standing by our Mercedes, impatiently awaiting my arrival. “Where’s Ray?” I pondered out loud. Ray is not required to attend because it is not an auction week, but he usually does. It appears that he enjoys his time at the club, as he transforms into an incredibly attractive devil each time he passes through the glass doors. Ray is a huge stock market guy, so we all know that the more flirtatious we seem, the more money those ladies will cough up.

“He is in his room,” Daniel said lazy. Probably obsessing over the stock market again.” He is an expert at predicting which will soar and which will crash.

“Pari is unwilling to go?” Wes asks naive questions.

"No, she wants to go get pelted by wine glasses and whatever else they get their hands on,” I respond with sarcasm. She wouldn’t want to go, of course. She isn’t particularly outgoing. I asked her because I was just that stupid.

We pile into the opulent and enormously roomy Mercedes, all four of us stumbling in: Yi and I in the back seat, Wes next to Daniel in the front. This is one of my favorite times of the year because I know that we are heading somewhere where people will consider us to be well-known. I’m so accustomed to being alone during the week, aside from our dates, that as we step out of our Mercedes and enter a sea of affluent admirers, it always feels like a splash of terrifyingly cold water.

With a deep, satisfying growl, the car begins its soothing journey to the club. I feel like a pig being led to the abattoir for some reason. I most likely won’t leave the club tonight without some cuts, bruises, and splotches of red tomato. I suppose someone might spill their pricey drink on my head if they’re feeling especially resentful.

But I’m excited to wrap up my incredibly fruitful career. Meryl, in particular, a regular customer, has been acting a little… possessively lately. I’ve attempted to clarify to them that “Boyfriend of the Wee” does not equate to “Boyfriend of the Month” for a particular group of people, but they don’t seem to understand. They practically look forward to contacting me and their $500 fine.

I looked up at the baby blue skies as I looked my head against the tinted windows. A dark, menacing gray cloud is spotted across the horizon, indicating the approaching arrival of a terrifying thunderstorm. Clouds have always seemed to me like a bruise on an otherwise flawless sky.

Orange and red lights are beginning to shoot through the sky as the sun sets. We’re going to make it to might fall before we get to the club at this rate of speed. I detest driving; it’s so much simpler to travel in wolf form. But when we get there, there’s no meat to eat, so it burns a lot of calories, which makes us want to take a tasty human snack to satisfy our hunger, which is undoubtedly bad, especially in light of the fact that wealthy, snobby, and particularly attractive women are practically flinging themselves at us.

Yes, driving is undoubtedly safer, but it’s still uncomfortable.

Pari smells incredibly faint, the weakest she has smelled in days. I can’t help but sniff for it, trying to find the fleeting aroma that captivates me so much. Leaving her might not have been the best decision. I ought to have pulled her along, making her get in the car and sit at least. I dislike leaving Pari with Ray as well, even though it’s unlikely that he will take any action. At times, Ray may act like a recluse, spending hours alone in his room pursuing unknown activities.

When we get to the edge of our territory, the lush environment that surrounds us--filled with tall trees, prickly bushes, and an abundance of colorful flowers—fades into a concrete road, trimmed grass, and stubby buildings. We get privacy and an excellent hunting area because we own almost the whole forest. Most people are scared to the point where they fear the forest more than death itself because of the rumors that float around the area, some of which we start ourselves. We’re glad Pari wasn’t aware of those rumors because we would have had a lot to clarify.

As we inch along the interstate and reach te edge of the suburbs, the massive city looms before us. Numerous battered and old cars appear, stumbling home from work. The T-word appeared out of nowhere. The word that I detest above all others.

Travel.

In an instant, bumper to bumper, never-ending torment breaks out, with the congested roads appearing to go on forever. As we sit, motionless, our destination appears to get further and further away.

It feels like years go by as Daniel carefully guides us through the crush of cars and trucks. Why is this road required for everyone to use? How come we can’t just transform into wolves?

I have to say it again: I detest cars. This is further underscored by Pari’s terrifying story from a few days ago.

As I had predicted, the sky is a magnificent sapphire blue that quickly turns into a deep black as we approach the imposing structure, which rises to a height of nearly fifteen stories. The renowned Moonlight nightclub is at the top, and every Saturday night you can enjoy a perfect view of the gorgeous moon.

With elegance, we exit the vehicle, our motions graceful and alluring, and the valvet driver parks our vehicle in the lot. It’s time for us to liven up the celebration.

The only thing is that I feel like I’m dead right now. Everything seemed gloomy without Pari’s scent and my typical assurance.

And Ray—I’m not even sure how to feel about him.

As I make my way up to the fifteenth floor via the stairs, I wave away any doubt and attempt to concentrate on the current situation. The fierce wolves are already waiting for me just beyond the glass doors. Daniel gave me a pitying glance as I extend my hand to take hold of the handle.

The last words I hear before death arrives are “you’re dead.”

I’ve learned to handle the abundance of attractive women that gravitate towards me right away. A plethora of fresh faces, blended into the background. I instantly smiled, making a valiant effort to hide the unexpected discomfort beneath. These looks of admiration used to make me feel completely at home, but now they frighten me like a deer in headlights.

A sultry minx with dark chocolate eyes and full, red lips slides towards me, a red-sequined des clinging to an incredibly amazing body. With a coaxing smile that pates the women like the Red Sea, she says, “I’ve been waiting for you,” and draws me into a warm embrace.

“You shouldn’t give me hugs when I’m not yours!” Meryl laughs as I angrily tell her, “You know the rules.”

She purrs like a kitten and tugs at my arm, saying, “But Jacob… when I see you surrounded by those truly pitiful girls, I just have to save you.” I scolded. “Is it auction night tonight? For I’m going to claim you as mine once more,” she continued.

She pulls violently on my hand and draws me into the shadows as I ramble, “About that…” we’re in a corner now, her body against mine, irritating me more than enticing me as he had hoped.

“How about I buy you for life?” she asks with a sly smile. “I have a couple million to offer.”

“Every time I visit Moonlight, you ask me that,” I gripe. She gives me a fixed stare as though she’s seeing me from a completely different angle.

With a gentle touch on my forehead, she asked me worriedly, “Are you okay, Jacob?” “You simply seem… unique, more worn out than normal.”

“To be honest, I’m tired,” I said, taking a moment to register Meryl’s keen observation. “I have an announcement to make.” I shrugged her off and return, ever more terrified, to my wealthy and devoted fans. I am about to face doom.”

“Come together, everyone!” I yelled quickly, drawing more people in. Meryl pushes herself forward and casts a suspicious glance at me. As I speak, Wes gives me the thumbs up. I say the dreaded words, “I am retiring from the bachelor auctions today,” and the group erupts in rage. Everyone in the room is staring at me with sad and sometimes angry eyes as shouts break out throughout the space. Meryl is crying now, her tears rolling down her pale cheeks like crystals.

Her question comes as she throws herself at me, “Why, Jacob?” I remove her from me, a place on her back with the others while hiding my disgust.

“Due to…” I turned to face the sky, which is tinged with deep purple. A flawless full moon that shines like the sun is there, concealed in the night’s shadows. It’s so gorgeous that I’m trying to recall when we last saw a moon this magnificent. What could possibly make Ray want to miss such a wonderful night?

All of a sudden, the fragments in my mind come together to form a whole. All other thoughts are blocked by fear.

It’s the ideal night for awakening, tonight.

I wrinkle my nose a little, wanting the tiniest hint of a scent, and forget everything, merely to inquire about her well-being.

“Jacob?” I hear a cacophony of voices that seem far away but are actually quite close. I completely ignore them, finally grabbing the whiff of perfume I’ve been longing for.

That one smell, tinged with terror and distress, dispels my doubts once and for all. Pari has defied my orders. Ray has let me down. She has been awakened, or will be.

My blood is tainted with anger, and my face is furious. I almost growl, trying to get away from them before I change into something else.

Wes and Yi are terrified of the beast I see in my eyes and are attempting to stop the girls. But as I press the lift button, one girl breaks out of the crowd and comes running towards me, dressed in red sequins. I tapped my shoe irritably. One more item I detest is lifts.

“Jacob?!” clinging to me like glue, Meryl calls. I tried to push her away impatiently.

“Not now, Meryl.” I have so much more to give. My anger is transforming me, permeating my entire system, and eradicating everything.

She is looking at me fiercely and demands, “Tell me what’s going on,”

“You’re curious, aren’t you?” I ask cynically, giving in entirely to the devil that is now brewing inside of me. “Fine then,” I transform into a werewolf in front of her, knowing full well what’s going to happen net, even though I realize how insane I am.

A spine-tingling scream pierced my ears as I bolted into the stairwell. Elevators are terrible. You never get where you want to be on schedule with them.

I dash down the stairs, out the door, and into the street, my figure a blur. My breathing is so labored that my legs are hammering together. I’ll be leaving the city and entering our territory in a matter of seconds. I’m moving more quickly than I ever imagined I could be running.

After a few more seconds, the smell becomes unbearably stronger and disgusting due to the fear, and I find myself in the bushes just in front of a small hill. At the top are two figures, one small and the other majestically tall. They are bathed in pure white light from the enormous, unobserved moon behind them.

“It was an injection of Spier blood that I just gave you,” Ray tells the short girl, who is standing awkwardly by him. She has noticeable red highlights in her hair, and her scowl is barely noticeable.

Her soothing voice, laced with agony and pain, says, “Ray, I don’t feel so good,” as she collapses to the ground. Ray stoops down to be at her side right away, his movements showing concern.

This will continue for two hours, after which everything will improve. He practically begs her, taking her hand and holding it close, saying, “Don’t worry, I’m here for you.” I’m jealous of the way he’s bringing it so close to his heart.

I leap from my hiding spot, anger forgotten, as the first scream rips through the night, Pari writhing on the green grass. I shouted, “Pari!” and dashed over to her. I almost trip over the many stones, displaying a trait that is very different from who I am. I never make mistakes. Ray looks at me in horror while I feel her pulse. She is now twisted in excruciating pain and creaming nearly nonstop. “Is this normal, Ray?!” with a haunting high voice, I demand. I started to feel completely enraged with the man who forced her to agree to do that.

She ceased to yell as soon as she began, convulsing as though she were experiencing a seizure. Tears streamed down her face in torrents, belying the pain on her face. Before long, my tears pool on the ground with hers.

Ray finally says, “We will know soon,” and I look up as though I’m just now noticing him. “My features are pure hate, paired with an equally deadly internal beast. What a living corpse he is.

He stumbles back as I take my fist back and give him a light version of my Earthquake Punch in the stomach. He will most likely start coughing up blood soon-one of the consequences of my hits being filled with hate.

“I hate you!” I cried uncontrollably as I said this angrily. I feel disorganized. Everything is breaking down. Though her movements make sense for a Seer undergoing conversion, fear still grips me. She is still susceptible to passing away.

Another scream ripped through the air, and I stumbled back to her side, wanting so badly to snatch her into my arms. There are enough hints of pain in the air for me to feel it, but not enough to alter the pain. Her cheeks are drenched, and the tears are streaming down her neck, covering her face like a mask.

Her smell becomes so strong it’s almost repulsive that I wrinkle my nose. Ray recoils a little too, smelling the stench that she now carries like a skunk.

Her eyes glaze over, and she becomes motionless. My heart feels icy.

I looked hard into his big green eyes and said, “You know you killed her. She’s going to be gone forever.” I looked away, my head pressed against her chest. There’s nothing but the tiniest hum of a heartbeat.

I get goose pumps on my skin as the warm, forest air gets chilly. How am I able to help? Never before have had I felt so hopeless.

My friend will pass away soon.

The realization of Pari’s impending death hit me much harder than it would have at first because I could tell the moment I met her that she was unique. She was once involved with Shifters. She tried to hide the fact that she was a compassionate person who wanted to assist people in any way with no possibility of an awakening leading to her death. Ray undoubtedly thought the same thing about her.

And now look at her, dying right in front of me.

Even though I know it’s really too late to save her, I can’t help but keep trying to come up with ideas. I make an effort to recall any medicinal or plant-based remedies that we had at the mansion.

Can we do anything at all? I frantically asked Ray. When I asked him, I took hold of Pari’s hand and notice that her fingers were as cold as ice. This makes me anxious. I feel like I’m interacting with a corpse.

“We can wait.” Ray averts his gaze, clearly divided between the scene in front of him and the slim chance of Pari becoming a Spier.

Ray, don’t tell me lies. Her awakening is not succeeding! Both of us can see it clearly.

“It’s not finished yet,” he clumsily protests. It’s obvious that he is beginning to feel differently.

“Ray, I’m not kidding. Tell me how I can help. We must rescue her.” Ray became paler as I spoke in a deadly tone. A few minutes went by in silence, tense with anticipation.

“Jacob, I’m so… I’m so sorry.”

There I am nothing left to control me instantly when true despair sets in.

I have to take action. It can’t end like this, so I have to take action.

I took my pocketknife and made a tiny cut on my finger. I just hold it over her slightly open mouth, unable to bring myself to cut her. She nearly gags as soon as the first drop of my blood hits her lips.

Ray looked at her and then at me, incredulous. “You i***t!” with a whisper that was like poison, he bit people.

“Ray, is she going to live? Have you heard of something like this before?” I asked bitterly.

I’m unable to think. My breathing is difficult. Without her, I could not survive. I have to keep her with me somehow.

His condemning words pierce the stillness. “Never.”

Now it’s just my tears, streaming down my face like liquid fire and searing wherever they land. Pari remains motionless, her eyes shut. Her skin fades in and out like a collection of bruises. Her hair is growing faster than ever before, thickening and straightening past her back. She’s getting taller somehow, her legs getting longer. Why is this taking place? It’s not the Spier blood that makes them look better; it’s the werewolf blood.

Does this imply that this absurd plan is succeeding?

We silently observe her as she resumes mild convulsions, changing appearance rapidly throughout. How is it possible for er to have both symptoms/ she is incapable of becoming both a Spier and werewolf. That will undoubtedly ruin her.

I recline on the grass beside her and caress her fingers. Pari’s fingernails are growing out of short stubs to the ideal length before abruptly ceasing. It’s been thirty-seven years since I cut my fingernails.

I’m at breaking point with this. It is tearing me apart and eating away at me. I don’t really care that the ground is wet behind my head. I think it’s just my tears rolling down my cheeks like superfluous perspiration. Ray is motionless as he stands there. I can tell you have no idea. I can’t express how furious I am with him in words.

She is the reason I am nothing, and Ray himself indirectly as well.

After another twenty or so excruciating minutes of these convulsions and morphing, she is finally motionless. She is breathing and moving her chest. Compared to the first time, this one is a little bit different because she is merely sleeping. It’s amazing she’s survived this long. My partner is powerful.

I can’t stop waiting for her to do something, to touch me, to even look at me.

Nothing is present as yet.

We have endured nearly 45 minutes of unbearable suffering together, and the final two minutes are drawing near. The werewolf blood’s effects could make it take longer. What’s killing me is that I don’t know anything.

Minutes pass, and I feel completely defeated as I bury my head in the grass. It was foolish of me to believe that a few drops of werewolf blood could make any difference. The outcome is still up in the air, and it seems to be teetering dangerously close to what I really do not want. By adding blood in that way, I most likely ensured her death. Why am I such an i***t?

“Jacob, why couldn’t these uncertainties have arisen PRIOR to my applying the blood? Ray’s smooth, gentle voice lingers over me. My blue hair is being smoothed by a gentle, soft hand that I hardly notice is there.

“And then all of a sudden I realize whose hand that was.”

I realize my head and grab Pari’s hand as it drops to the floor. I squeeze it firmly and use my hearing to listen to her heartbeat, which begins weakly at first and then unexpectedly becomes stronger. Though her eyes remain closed, there’s a tiny smile on the corner of her mouth. That’s when I surrender to serenity and the comfort she offers so kindly me.

Everything will work out perfectly.

Whatever occurs, Pari will always be by my side.