1

I’ve always thought my boyfriend, Max, was truly in love with me, but when I overheard his conversation with his friends the other night on his birthday, I realized Max was just with me for my money. 

He called me so many names. A nerd, Naive, boring. And bragged about how he was just going to pass time with me, milk me dry and then dump me. 

My heart had broken into so many pieces when I heard him utter those cold words.

I was filled with bitter rage so I took the brand new Rolex watch I’d gotten for his birthday and gifted it to a random beggar on the street.

That night, my best friend Annie called me, worried after I told her the news.

“I’ve always known Max was up to no good. If I lay my eyes on him, his ass will be so sorry.” She cursed furiously. “You know what, you deserve a vacation. I’ve just booked you a one month cruise for the holiday. That should be enough time for you to forget him.”

I was going to refuse but I stopped myself. When was the last time I took a vacation by myself, alone? I couldn’t remember. Perhaps I needed this to heal. To move on. 

So one week later, I packed my bags. I stopped by the mall on my way to the port. 

I couldn’t stop thinking about what Max said about me. He said I was boring and was always wearing unattractive clothes like a lost history teacher. 

That was going to change. I bit my lips hard as my eyes scanned through the several dresses hung on display. I picked a few very revealing sexy dresses and crossed my heart, knowing I’d never feel comfortable wearing them.

But perhaps I wanted to prove a point so I bought them anyway. I ditched my round glasses too and settled for contacts. 

And only when I was satisfied with myself did I head to the terminal to catch my ship.

It turned out I was late and the ship was just about to leave. 

The port staff checked my boarding ticket and pointed me to a ship that was just getting ready to leave.

“You’re lucky ship D5 has not left yet.” He added and I took a sigh of relief as I hurried there. I had lost track of time while I was shopping and didn’t realize I was going to be late. 

“Welcome aboard, ma’am. May I have your bag?” A young woman in formal attire spoke gently with a smile as I boarded the ship. I handed her my bag along with my ticket which she took a glance at and gestured to me. 

“You’re in the luxurious suite with a full view of the sea. We only have four of those rooms here. And Alpha Kain is in one.” She whispered the last part like it was supposed to be some giddy secret except I didn’t know who the hell she was talking about. 

“Who is Alpha Kain?” I asked as I followed her down a narrow hallway that was supposed to lead to my cabin. 

“You don’t know Alpha Kain?” The staff looked a bit surprised before she went on to ask. “Which pack are you from?”

“Excuse me?” I frowned at this point. I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about.

Pack? Alpha? What do those even mean?

All of my confusion was forgotten when she opened a room with a keycard and let me step in. It felt like I’d just stepped into an unreal space. My suite looked less like a cabin and more like a private penthouse floating on water. Floor to ceiling glass doors opened to a private balcony where the ocean stretched endlessly. Goodness! Annie must’ve spent a fortune on this. 

I was so lost in the sight that I didn’t realize I was still gaping.

“I’m glad you love your room.” The attendant told me and handed me a card. “This is a list of the activities you’ll be expected to join. As it is the full moon today, we have prepared a special gathering where you’ll get to meet with the others and have fun. Especially since you won’t be able to control shifting.”

The frown returned to my face and I wondered for a moment why she wasn’t explaining what she meant.

“I don’t think I understand.” I looked at her. “What does the full moon have to do with any of this?”

The attendant looked puzzled like she just heard the must absurd question ever. “The full moon is a day where people like us… our emotions are heightened. We tend to do things in an… uncontrollable manner?”

She looked as if she wasn’t sure why she was explaining that but I was even more confused.

“What do you mean by that?”

Silence passed for a moment between us and I watched as several emotions flickered through the attendant’s eyes. From confusion, to deep thinking, then realization, finally, she snatched my ticket from me and something on it caused her to gasp dramatically.

“You.. you’re not supposed to be here!” 

Gone was the friendly, kind look in her eyes. It was replaced by something else. Disgust. Horror. Fear. 

“Oh my goddess, you should not be here. This is the wrong ship. Your tickets says B5! Ship B5 already took off half an hour ago!”

I took the ticket from her and confirmed she was right. I remembered them saying this was ship D5 not B5. I was in the wrong ship. How did this even happen?

“We have to get you out. If anyone finds you here, you’ll die.”

She looked so serious. Her tone carried fear as she started to lead me out but just then, the ship swayed as it began to take off and we both stumbled, grabbing for balance.

The attendant looked at me with a resigned look. “It’s too late to get off now. I won’t be able to help you.” She shook her head, a look of pity in her eyes. “I’ll just give you a warning. if anyone finds out you’re human, they’ll kill you. So blend in. Pretend you’re one of us until this whole thing is over.”

And with that, she hurried out like she couldn’t bear to spend one more minute with me, leaving me with invisible question marks popping all over my head. 

I only happened to board the wrong ship. Why was she insisting I was going to die if they found out I was human? Who are the “they” in question? And what the hell was this place?

I shook my head as if to forget about the strange interaction with the attendant. I was here for peace. To relax and have fun. Nothing was going to stop that. 

The ship was steady now and I could tell we’d taken off. I took off my jacket and stepped into the balcony, my lips stretching as I was met with the view of the ocean. The air here was different. Colder. 

I shivered for those few seconds I stood there, hugging my arms, staring at the sunset and just when I turned around to head back in and unpack, I caught someone watching me from the balcony of the next unit to my left. 

He stood there, bare chested and my breath hitched the moment our eyes met.

Gods, he was beautiful. I’ve never seen someone with such devastating beauty. He looked like he just walked straight out of a painting. There was a playful grin hanging on the corners of his lips. As if he knew just what kind of effect he had on me.

I blinked and looked away, jolting back to reality but I couldn’t stop the treacherous pounding of my heart. 

“Hey there,” he called with a voice that was as smooth as silk. “The view is good, isn’t it?”

I didn’t answer. Didn’t trust myself to find my voice but he seemed displeased by that.

“Hey, I’m talking to you.” His voice was deeper now, carrying a dangerous edge to it.

I felt like it’d be a grave mistake to offend him so I turned around and gave him a polite nod instead, not willing to speak.

His face twisted into an unrecognizable expression, he sneered and something in his eyes changed. A faint golden glow flickered through them and I gasped, wondering if I had seen that right but it was gone the next moment and I wasn’t so sure anymore so I left the balcony, shutting the door tight behind me.

The look in his eyes just now told me he was not an easy person despite all of his beauty and I have just offended him. 

“I better stay in here to avoid any trouble.” I murmured to myself but my ex boyfriend words sounded hauntingly in my ear.

“She’s a total nerd. She has no idea how to have fun. All she knows how to do is work and bury herself in those boring algorithms she talks about all day.”

No! I stood upright immediately. I was not that girl he described. At least I won’t be anymore. 

Didn’t that attendant say there would be a gathering tonight? My lips stretched and I got to work immediately.

My makeup and dress took me about thirty minutes and when I was done, I stared at the girl in the mirror and didn’t recognize her. 

The slit of my dress was as high as it could get. My breasts were almost completely spilling from its cage. And as for my makeup, my hair was let loose to fall around my shoulders, my lips were painted in the darkest shade of red, so that it was almost black. And I’d lined my eyes with kohl. 

I looked slutty, and dangerous. 

And very uncomfortable.

Still, I forced myself to leave the room, ignored how the cool breeze settled on my exposed skin and then followed the direction on the card the attendant had given to me, to the gathering where I’d get to meet everyone on this ship.