Chapter 2

With a throb in her body, Nana gently stands up. Even though the pain is nearly unbearable, she is sure that she heard a boy's faint, agonized voice.

Despite her anxiety, curiosity pushes her ahead as she limps farther into the cave. The tunnel grows darker as she continues, and her heart begins to thump hard in her chest.

Every breath feels heavy, and the moans continue, soft and broken like the boy is in pain.

She comes to a sloped area, and just as she tries to step back, she loses her balance.

She slips, sliding down through darkness; even with such an impact, she can’t stop herself until she hits something solid. The impact knocks her breath out of the lungs and pain staggers through her body.

Suddenly, Nana hears the groans again but they are much louder this time. Struggling to concentrate, Nana blinks her eyes as she tries to see in the dark.

Her powers may be weak but she manages to discern a shadowy figure that has red glowing eyes.

It’s in the shape of a human but with the face of a wolf—fangs, claws, and a terrifying presence.

Nana’s heart races. She’s never seen anything like this before. Her body shakes as she tries to scoot backward, away from the strange creature. But when she tries to move her right leg, she realizes it’s stuck—it’s trapped in some sort of cage.

Before she can react, the creature growls louder and grabs her leg. Its claws dig into her skin, and then it bites, sinking its fangs deep into her flesh. Pain explodes through her as she feels her blood being drained from her body.

With the last bit of strength she has, Nana kicks it with her left leg, freeing herself. She scrambles toward the exit, her heart pounding in her ears.

She can hear the sound of chains breaking and metal shattering behind her.

The creature is freeing itself, and it’s coming for her.

Nana screams as she limps toward the entrance of the cave. She knows she can’t run fast, not with Lana being so weak. Her wolf, already struggling, can’t help her like she used to.

“Lana, please… you have to try for us,” Nana whispers, her voice shaking. She bends down, trying to let Lana take control.

It’s been a long time since she last shifted, and she’s unsure if she even can in her current state. But her survival instinct kicks in, and she feels a small burst of strength flow through her.

Her leg, where the creature bit her, is bleeding heavily. The wound isn’t healing properly, and the pain only adds to her struggle.

Nana pushes through, sprinting out of the cave as fast as she can.

She gets up and turns her head around only to find herself in the middle of the deep woods; an area any pack member is forbidden to set foot on.

The trees above her seem to be coming closer and the shrubs around her make it much difficult to walk.

The groans behind her are rising louder with time. The creature is closer, but she doesn’t have the stamina to continue running. She becomes so weak that her legs can no longer support her and she falls onto the ground.

The pain that is unbearable, the fear that is crippling, and the tiredness that sets in, is unbearable.

Lying there, her chest heaving, Nana suddenly realizes one thing. The moon has changed. Now it is full, shining in the sky perfectly. The howling, a sound that sends shivers down her spine, reaches her ears from the distance.

Finally, she turns to find something that she cannot explain, the creature is howling at the moon at her back. It is growling and grunting, a worrying sound that seems to penetrate the forest. Lana tries to respond, but she’s too weak.

Instead of a howl, only a soft whimper escapes from Nana’s throat.

It’s the full moon. The werewolves are howling at the moon, but Nana is caught in the woods, too weak to defend herself, and too slow to escape.

She lies there, too exhausted to move, knowing she can’t outrun whatever is coming for her. The creature, whatever it is, must be huge. Even though she didn’t see it clearly before, the sound of its growls and footsteps makes it clear it’s much bigger than she thought.

But then, a memory flickers in her mind. Just before it bit her, it wasn’t some massive beast. It was a little boy, chained up and groaning in pain. But after biting her, it had changed.

It had grown into a strange, human-wolf creature, and as it drank her blood, it became stronger.

What in the world was that?

Nana’s mind races with fear and confusion, and there’s no way she can fight it. She’s too weak, too drained. This is probably the end for her.

The footsteps grow louder and closer, and she knows the creature is almost here. She can hear the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath its feet, and the growls echoing through the trees.

There’s no escape.

This is her last day. Nana can feel it in her bones. She closes her eyes, accepting her fate. At least she’ll be free from Marco. At least she’ll finally meet her family again, wherever they are.

The thought of being free from Marco gives her a strange sense of peace, even as the creature approaches. Maybe this is better than living the way she has been. Maybe this is her way out.

However, fear still takes hold of her heart as she hears the creature's footsteps getting closer. She doesn't want to pass away in the woods by herself, forgotten by everyone. However, there's no other option. She is too exhausted to flee and too frail to fight.

Nana inhales deeply, her lungs filling with the chilly air. The beast is almost upon her now. Its loud breathing and the sound of its claws scraping the ground are audible to her.

That ends it. This marks the endpoint.

Her eyes open for the final time, and she looks up at the full moon that is beaming down on her. With the exception of the faint rustle of leaves and the distant howls of other wolves, the forest is now silent.

She then senses it—a presence behind her. It’s here.