Chapter 5 The Full Moon

Audrey's POV

"Hey… are you Audrey?" I looked up. A student stood near my locker.

She wore an oversized sweater, had eyeglasses, and exuded a positive aura that made me feel uneasy. 

"Yeah," I said, forcing a smile. "That's me." Quickly, she took her seat. "We are history assignment partners. Mr. James paired us up."

"Oh. I didn’t know that."

The words fell out before I could figure out if they even made sense. I was already lost.

"And it’s due on Monday next week."

"What?"

"Yeah, so we have now to work on it. The assignment is simple, we just have to pick something historical about Ravenfalls to write about."

"I just moved into town. I don’t really know anything about the town's history."

“Oh, really?”

"You have nothing to be worried about," she replied, beaming with smile and enthusiastic posture as if we were already best friends.

 "My family has always lived here.  Like, ever. I basically know everything about this town. My name’s Lucy, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Lucy,” I said, trying not to sound like I was internally short-circuiting.

New town with mystery bloodline, now surprise group project? Cool…. Just what my brain needed.

Lucy pulled out a spiral notebook as if she was about to crack open the Da Vinci Code.

 “Don’t stress yourself. I already have a few ideas. We could write about the founding families, or maybe the fire that destroyed the old chapel fifty years ago? But…”

she lowered her voice and leaned closer, “if you’re up for something more interesting, I know something better.”

I blinked. “Better?”

“Yeah,” she smiled mischievously. “ have you ever heard of the Silver Hollow murders?”

I was surprised.  “No…”

“Of course not. Most people pretend it never happened. But it’s part of Ravenhall’s history just not the kind they print in textbooks.”

She flipped through the pages. Random clippings with Sharp scribbles.

“Back in the 90s, a bunch of people turned up dead in the Ravenfalls forest.”

Their bodies were torn apart…. Weird. Some people blamed wild animals, but my grandma always said it was something else. Something supernatural.”

“Supernatural?” I asked, my voice quieter now.

She nodded; her expression suddenly serious.

“Ravenfall’s got secrets, Audrey. Lots of them. My grandma used to tell me stories about the creatures that have the ability to change from man to beast at will. Werewolves, most strongest during full moons.”

My stomach twisted. “Do you believe it?”

“Oh hell no... I know those are just old stories used to scare little children. Men turning into werewolves? That’s insane.”

Hmmmm, I laughed, but my mind went back to the image of my mother’s dead body with claw marks on them. I knew what killed her wasn’t human. “Maybe we should just stick to the fire at the chapel,” I suggested.

Lucy giggled. “Don’t worry. I’ll do the creepy stuff; you can help organize and edit. Teamwork!”

I gave her a tight smile. “Sure, it sounds good.”

But this wasn’t just spooky folklore vibes.

Something about it—it felt like it was all coming back around. As if the past wasn’t done with us yet.

Ravenfalls. This creepy-ass town.

The end of classes for the day didn't register in my mind.  After the last class, I was still haunted by Lucy's comments and floated along the hall like a glitching entity.  That feeling and sensation you receive when someone is watching you

I turned.

He was there.

Derek.

He was there. Leaning on the lockers with his eyes locked onto mine. Not just a look. It was like he knew or saw the mess unraveling in my head and was already bracing for the crash.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t move. But I couldn’t look away.

I couldn’t breathe right either. I clutched my bag tighter and turned the damn corner as if it would save me.

“Stay away,” I muttered to myself.

But deep down…

I wasn’t sure I wanted him to.

"Audrey... “Audrey!” someone called my name from behind. I was startled.

Someone else now? What—

“You coming to the camping trip tonight?”

"What’s that?"

"It’s a tradition," she said. "All seniors have to attend. We camp in the woods all weekend, and it so happens that tonight is going to be a full moon. Hope to see you there," she said before walking away.

"Don’t go,"

And then—bam. Derek. Right there. No warning, no space, just—him. I flinched so hard I nearly faceplanted, but his arms caught me.

Strong arm, way too steady. My chest hit his for a second that lasted forever. And when I looked up—

Too close…. Way too close. His eyes weren’t just blue. They were a storm. Dark, crackling and not safe.

“Let me go,” I whispered. But my voice betrayed me, it trembled.

He pulled back, reluctantly. “Sorry.”

“What’s your problem?” I snapped, heat rushing up my neck. "You can't just show up like that and start controlling me."

“I’m not trying to control you,” he said, jaw clenched. “I’m warning you.”

“Oh? About a school camping trip? What next, ‘Beware the vending machines? Don’t eat the pizza?”

Gosh!

His lips twitched. Almost a smile. But his eyes—nope. Still dead serious. Audrey, this isn't a joke. You have no idea what might occur on a full moon in those woods.

And the tone with which he said it—low, respectful, as though it were both holy and cursed—

It hit something deep and cold straight down my spine.

“You sound like Lucy,” I muttered. He leaned in. Just enough to make my breath catch.

“You should listen to her.”

Then—he was gone. Just… gone. Like a damn ghost with abs.

I stood there. Glued to the floor. Heart pounding.

Camping. Full moon.

Warnings. Glowing eyes.

Claw marks on Mom’s body.

That stupid journal.

My head was spiraling.

I went home and packed my bag.

I had no friends after one week in school, and nothing to show for it except paranoia and a stalker Adrian.

This trip is my only shot to feel normal. And maybe make few friends.

He doesn't even seem like the Adrian I used to remember as a kid. He was different now. Very different. I took my duffel bag slung on my shoulder, I stepped into the hallway.

"And where are you going?" Adrian’s voice. Of course.

"Can everyone stop sneaking up on me? Jesus Christ!"

I held my chest. He didn’t move. Didn’t blink. He just stood there with hands in his pockets looking at me.

“It’s the seniors’ camping trip.”

“It’s not safe out there, Audrey.” His voice—low and careful.

“Yeah? Not the first time I’m hearing that today,” I said. “Still going.”

“Audrey, mom’s out of town. She put me in charge of you. I don’t think this is a good idea.”

"And what’s that supposed to mean?"

"You can’t go."

I was boiling with anger, straight-up shaking with it.

"Fuck you, Adrian! You are not the boss of me, and I’m so over seeing you everywhere around me!" So I left. I didn’t wait for any permission or more guilt trips. Just walked out.

Later that night, we were all around the bonfire. Laughing, kind of. I wasn’t really in it. Felt bad for blowing up on Adrian.

Then—movement.

The moon was so bright it shone on my path.

It's like I saw something…

What?

Something shifted at the edge of the trees. I got up. Quiet and careful. No one noticed as I followed. When I got near, I couldn’t see clearly, but I knew….

As I walked deeper and deeper into the woods, the more my gut kept telling me to turn back…, to run.

But I kept moving.

There was a figure—kneeling. Too far to be sure, but I knew.

Derek.

He turned and his eyes glowing. Not metaphorically. It was literally.

 Oh, my fucking god.  I couldn’t move as fear held me in one place.

“Run!” he yelled, not wanting to look at me, but I couldn’t move.  His voice came out strained half growl, half plea.

“Run!”

But it was already too late.

His body jerked and twisted. Bones cracked like dry branches underfoot. He screamed—or maybe growled—I couldn’t tell. His hands curled, fingers warping and muscles tore his shirt apart.

I stumbled back. I couldn’t scream, I was too shocked to even breathe.

My mind just—blanked.

His skin stretched and tore, giving way to thick black fur.  His face elongated, jaw distorting into something... monstrous and wild. It was not human.

He wasn’t just changing.

He was becoming something else entirely.

A werewolf.

The very thing Lucy had joked about earlier.

My knees buckled.

Derek no…, not Derek anymore.

He lifted his head, golden eyes locking onto mine. Not hostile. Not yet. But tortured and conflicted as if something inside him was fighting to stay in control.

I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t run.

The last thing I heard before the blackness swallowed me was a howl that sounds so loud and raw…

Echoing through the trees like the forest itself was screaming.

Then darkness took over.