The Night My World Shattered

Winnie’s POV

I woke up with a sharp gasp.

It was a nightmare—I was being chased by a group of rogues.

“Shit,” I cussed, turning to the other side of the bed, and just then my eyes flew open.

This is not my bed sheet.

My eyes moved upwards—even the ceiling above me wasn’t mine.

The walls weren’t mine.

The bed definitely wasn’t mine.

For a second, I didn’t move.

Is this some kind of another dream?

I just stared, breathing too fast, with my heart pounding so loud it echoed in my ears.

This is not a dream.

Where the hell was I?

Then last night came rushing back so fast my stomach twisted.

Jason.

The proposal.

The laughter.

Tears running out of my eyes.

The bar.

The drinks.

And that… man.

My chest burned like someone poured fire inside me.

“Oh Moon Goddess,” I yelled, clutching the blanket. “Tell me I didn’t do something stupid with him.”

I shot up so fast that the room spun.

I checked myself first—my clothes were still like they were.

Nothing felt out of place, nothing hurt, nothing was wrong.

So that meant he didn’t touch me.

“Ah, thank goodness!” I let out a shaky breath and pressed a hand to my face.

Then where am I? Why was I brought here? Or did I walk here myself?

That's impossible, I passed out.

What if I had been kidnapped? I winced at the thought.

I climbed off the bed quickly, my legs wobbling under my weight. I walked to the door and realized it was open.

Kidnappers don't leave the doors open, right?

I peeked out before stepping into the white long hallway with doors here and there.

I am in a hotel.

Why would he bring me here?

Why didn’t he just leave me at the bar?

Or dump me at the pack clinic?

Or… leave me on the road like everyone else probably would?

And most importantly, who is this man?

I hurried to the reception desk while trying to look… stable.

“Um… excuse me,” I said softly, “please, may I know who brought me here?”

The woman behind the counter blinked once, then smiled politely.

“I’m sorry, but I am not allowed to reveal client information, miss.”

“Why?” I whispered.

She shook her head.

“Sorry. He insists we protect his privacy.”

Privacy?

Why?

“Why? What if this man did something bad to me? I was drunk when he brought me in,” I said, hoping that would stir something in her, but she stood her ground.

My hands trembled a little as I stepped back.

Everything was confusing.

Everything was too much.

I covered my face and let out a long breath.

Why should my life keep being messy?

I rushed outside and started walking home. The cold air hit my skin like a reminder of everything I wanted to forget.

My aching heart.

Jason’s words.

His face.

His voice.

The cheers.

The way he didn’t even look at me.

When I got home, the silence there felt like a punch.

I went straight to the bathroom, turned on the sink, and stared at my reflection, and the first thing my eyes fell on were…

My lips.

They were on someone's last night.

A stranger’s lips.

“Stupid,” I grunted, “so stupid, Winnie.”

I blinked back the stinging tears while scrubbing the hell out of my lips with my toothbrush.

I just needed to get the feeling of the kiss off my lips.

But I still felt it.

My lips bled uncontrollably, but in a few seconds, they healed.

That's the only thing I love about myself.

If a werewolf lacks a wolf, they are just a human with regular human abilities, no supernatural powers.

But I am special. Even as a pup, I can identify scents, heal easily, run pretty fast, and I also have some strange abilities that I hardly try.

“Ughhh,” I grunted again, throwing the brush away.

I felt the cinnamon scent lingering on my poor clothes that ended up in ashes.

---

The next two weeks were slow and painfully quiet.

I didn’t get to see Jason anymore.

His phone was no longer reachable. It was as if he had disappeared from earth.

He's now a royal family member.

He's no longer mine.

All those words and promises just disappeared.

The more I think about the whole incident, the more I realize how weird everything felt.

It looked like he was controlled, but by whom? And why?

I took my work seriously. The moment I noticed, I was slowly going mad.

My shifts in the hospital were exhausting, but they were distracting as well.

One afternoon, Clara showed up at my door with her fat ginger cat, Meow, stuffed in her arms.

“You’re coming with me,” she commanded before I could argue.

“To where?” I asked.

“To work. The past week had been tears, work, work, and work. You need some fresh air and sunlight before you start decaying.”

I rolled my eyes at her words, though I knew she was right.

So we walked around the park grounds with her cat wobbling on a leash.

It kept tripping over its own fur, and Clara kept laughing like she wanted me to laugh too.

I did.

It wasn’t loud or bright, but it was far better than the fake ones I've been throwing around.

We talked about the hospital, the herbs for treatment, and my dream of opening a herb store someday, even though it feels like a mere fantasy.

Then we talked about Jason.

“I want to get him off my mind, but it's very hard.”

Clara listened quietly, nodding to my words.

“You’re strong, Winnie,” she said softly. “You’ll heal.”

Heal? Would I ever heal?

Maybe she's right.

At least the achy pull in my chest is beginning to soften.

“Hey, come back and bring that here,” I said to Meow, my index finger pointing to the toy she dropped.

The cat strutted to the toy, and a few seconds later the toy was in my hands while she was rubbing against me.

“What the—? She never listens to me that way. You should open a pet daycare, Winnie!” Clara squeaked, her eyes shiny with amazement.

I smiled along, if only she knew that wasn't just a coincidence.

I can actually communicate with animals, one of the weird abilities I possess.

---

One night, two weeks after everything, I sat outside on the porch steps before my house.

Enjoying the feel of the cool breeze against my skin under the moonlight.

And for the first time in a long time, my chest didn’t hurt at all, and I was grateful for it.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Then—

A strange scent brushed past me.

Cinnamon?

Oh Selene, the Moon Goddess, it was the same as the one in the bar!

My eyes snapped open and my heart stopped as I sprang to my feet.

I was walking around with my ears open, but I couldn't get any sounds or movement, or even a heartbeat.

But the scent lingered… someone was really here.

Not just anyone, but it's the man from the bar.

Who is he?

What does he want from me?