NO REACTION FROM HER

The maid watched as Carly ate her food, hoping she would drink the water as soon as possible.

“Please bitch, don't stress me, I beg of you… drink the damned water,” the maid muttered.

Carly, oblivious to the internal war the maid was passing through, continued to talk and laugh with Mandy and the other maid who sat with them.

“It's fun, I promise… I've had exciting lovers who made me swoon and hope for the next full moon, and I've had a fair share of embarrassing moments, too. I once shared the night with a male that stopped halfway to take a dump… Girl, I wish the earth could open and accept me,” Mandy facepalmed, earning a giggle from the girls.

“You don't mean it,” Carly exclaimed, still giggling and taking another piece of her bread to her mouth.

“I'm serious, girls. I didn't even wait for him to be back before I took off. I just couldn't. It felt disgusting.” Mandy added.

It seemed that the universe decided to put the maid's mind at rest because Carly choked on her bread while laughing.

“Sorry dear,” Mandy said, feeling bad that she was responsible.

“It's fine,” Carly replied and chugged her cup of water down her throat.

“Yes!” the maid said with relief, but after a minute she went pale. 

Nothing was happening to her. No coughing, no blood, not even a struggle for breath. Carly was still talking with her friends.

“Maybe it's a slow one,” the maid said with apprehension.

Carly, still completely oblivious to the maid’s torment, left the dinning with eager plans for the night.

Soon, the Moon appeared and howls were heard.

Carly slipped out of her room and walked towards the courtyard, she had planned to meet Rick.

She met him standing with his arms stretched out, enjoying the wind and the beauty of the full moon.

Carly gazed at the moon, wondering how it came in existence in the first place.

Well…. You cannot question the ways of nature and fate.

She shrugged and then alerted Rick of her presence.

“I felt you miles away,” he said and turned to face her. “You're new to your abilities. At the full moon, all our senses are heightened, and you can train yourself to even hear a pin drop.”

“My father told me as well, but I don't know how to do it… I did not get to turn before he died,” she said, feeling downcast.

“Perhaps we were meant to meet. Maybe your dad sent me here to teach you… Who knows?” He said with a grin, then added, “Cheer up, princess.”

That earned a smile from her

“So, how do you do it?” She inquired.

“Close your eyes and listen to the wind,” He instructed.

“Okay.” She did as he had said.

“Now, try to pick out what you hear”

“I hear sounds, they are far but seem close,” she giggled. “I can hear them, Rick,” she said with a bright smile etched on her face.

“See? It's not hard. You just have to focus on what you want to hear, train your ears to obey you, they are part of our strength,” Rick said, looking serious. 

Carly turned to look at him like he had hung the moon and stars all by himself. “You have a beautiful smile,” she caught herself saying.

“Is that a compliment, princess?” he grinned. “Males rarely like to be addressed as beautiful, but I'll take it,” he added. His smile got brighter. 

She giggled and faced the moon again.

“Now, shall we?” He asked with his hand stretched out.

“Yes” She took his hands and felt heat curling up to her face.

“Let's explore the village first.” She was still skeptical about being in her wolf form with someone else.

“Your wish is my command” he bowed and then led her out of the den.

They took the busy lane and explored the town. Many were writing their wishes and getting them burnt. The smoke of wishes filled the air and vendors had their goods on display.

He stopped in front of a jewelry store and turned to observe the things on display. Most of the female products had flowery designs on them.

“Try this on” He gave her an ancient hair clip that was put on sale. She stared at it, immediately falling in love with it.

“I did not come with any money,” she declined.

“My gift to you, for being my first female friend,” he persuaded.

“Then I'll give you one too,” she acknowledged.

“Don't worry, you've given me what I want already. "

“What's that?” She asked, with her brows raised.

“Friendship,” He responded and then took the clip from her palm and placed it on her hair. “Perfect” he said, with his signature smile on his face.

After roaming around until her heart’s content, she excused herself and went to the forests. The moon was beginning to have an effect, and many were already changing. She had to change, but not in front of Rick. 

“Alexis, we're finally alone. Are you ready?” She inquired.

“I've been prepared for this like forever,” Alexis replied with a glee.

Carly searched for a spot and took off her clothes, not wanting to ruin it. She cried out when she felt the pain of turning again.

“I almost forgot how it feels like…. It's been a long day.” Alexis muttered.

The pain subsided and Alexis emerged. She shook her body, then took off.

“Wow….. Nature is beautiful, Carly,” Alexis said while taking a look at the river nearby. She drank a little and then stormed off.

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, the wind hitting her face along with the scent of the forest.

Climbing a little hill, she howled with her face to the sky as many times as her throat would let her.

She then sat there to observe the other wolves that lurked around at the foot of the hill, most of them were in pairs, and they snuggled with their mate. She quickly averted her eyes, not wishing to mourn over what she could not have.

After having her fill of the place, she took off again. This time she was running faster than before.

She only stopped when she saw a border with a sign ‘Do not trespass’

Not wishing to encounter rogues, she turned back and went on the same trail she came with.

I'm hungry… I knew being a wolf comes with a voracious appetite but didn't know it's this intense….

She then stalked in search of a rabbit to kill. After several failed attempts, she succeeded in catching a little rabbit. 

“Well… Practice makes perfect…” she said to encourage herself and then devoured it.

When she saw the cloud covering the moon and realized it's almost dawn, she then ran back to the spot where she kept her clothes.

“Showtime is over, Alexis,” Carly muttered, and she nodded. 

She then turned back into her human form, wore her clothes and left the forest, not noticing the shadow that lurked and watched her.

“Pray to the goddess that you're joking with me!” Alpha Hulbert thundered.

The maid was in a pool of tears. “I did everything you told me to, I swear it. She took it in front of me and nothing happened,” The maid tried to plead her case.

“Are you saying the fault is from me?” He asked with a stormy face.

He had purposely stayed behind after the banquet to take the good news to Alpha Stephen, but his plans had been ruined completely.

“I prepared that potion myself. I carried out a test, and it was effective,” He said, walking towards the maid with anger boiling in his blood. 

He got to her front and stopped, cupping her jaw and staring at her. “Start talking, I need the truth from you if your son is to stay alive. "

“Please, I beg you,” the maid pleaded, "I'm saying the truth, I. I watched her drink it myself”

“Seems you take me for a fool. Fetch the kid for me!” He commanded one of his servants that had accompanied him to their hideout. 

“Please… hurt me and leave him out of this” she begged, but the pleas fell on deaf ears.

“What's the fun in that?” He smirked.

The son appeared with fear in his eyes, looking from his mother to the alpha that held their lives in his palm.

Hulbert grabbed the boy and placed him in front of the maid and with one swift movement, he slit his throat.

“No!” the maid cried out, clutching her son in her arms as he fell to the ground.

“Now, we can't have any loose ends, can we?” Hulbert squatted at her eye level, smirked at the maid

as he placed his hands on both side of her face and with one movement, he snapped her neck.

“Take care of this mess,” he ordered his men and walked away.