บททั้งหมดของ MOONBOUND: บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

AXEL. Beads of sweat starts to form on my brow as my eyes shift from the scalpel to Ivy, and back to the scalpel. Contact with silver is death sentence for any werewolf and I know I can’t touch the scalpel. Perhaps I could hold it for a few seconds at best, but even then, it'll burn fast and hard. Mrs. Cooper clears her throat, signaling her presence next to us. “Is everything alright over here?” “Yes, Mrs. Cooper,” Ivy answers in a soft, cheery voice—nothing like the abrasive tone she'd used moments ago. “We're making significant progress,” she adds, lightly tapping her goggles and flashing a bright smile. Mrs. Cooper nods in satisfaction and continues down the row. As soon as she’s gone, Ivy glares at me again, her eyes urging me toward the scalpel. I try to reason with her. “Listen Ivy, I can’t do it. Whatever you’ve read about werewolves and silver, they're—” “Perhaps I should tell the whole class what I saw," she cuts me off. "Starting with Mrs. Cooper.” Immediate

AXEL. When Shane told me to meet him at a birthday party tonight, this was definitely not what I had imagined. I'd looked forward to a simple indoor gathering with a few people in attendance, tops. But not this crowded, all-out birthday bash here at Rakim’s. I glance at my watch for the upteenth time and it reads 8:30 p.m. Which means I've spent the past thirty minutes since I arrived here, vaguely waiting for Shane to show up. Taking another long look at the party all around me, I resign myself to go in search of him. But as I rise from the plush cushion where I’ve sat for the last half hour, I realize that finding Shane will be a much harder task than I anticipated. The sheer number of people in and around the house is just unbelievable. It's a crowd befitting a carnival to say the least. Slowly, I start to make my way through the spacious sitting room, observing the scenes around me as I scan for any sign of Shane. There's a rowdy ping pong game being played at the

HAYLEY. Too stunned at what I've just walked into, I stand rooted at the door, my mouth gaping slightly in surprise. The sheer contrast between what I thought could be an accident behind these doors a few seconds ago, and what I'm staring at has me gobsmacked. All that commotion… just for sex? Seriously? Ivy’s moans break my reverie, and just as quickly as I opened it, I slam the door shut before hurrying toward the stairs. So much for a party experience. An awkward mix of embarrassment and annoyance course through me as I slip out of the house and head for the gates, barely noticing the throng of people scattered along the path. I’m almost at the exit when a voice behind me calls out. “Hayley?” I whirl around to find Axel a few feet away. What in the world is he doing here? But I don't ask the question out loud. We both halt, sharing a mutual look of surprise at the unexpected sight of each other here. “Hi,” I murmur, sticking to the same hollow greeting that's

HAYLEY. “Who would’ve thought Shakespeare could sound so lethargic?” Before I can respond, Mrs. Cooper steps out of the library. She casts a quick glance at myself and Corey as we linger by the door, and with a small “hmph” in our direction, she continues her walk to class. Whether or not she heard Corey mocking her reading session, I can’t tell. Stifling a laugh, I turn to Corey who's now wearing an awkward look of surprise as she watches Mrs. Cooper walk away. “One day, your mouth will be the end of you.” She turns to me with a small, mischievous grin. “More like the end of us.” Chuckling, I shake my head and sling my bag over my shoulder. Still grinning, Corey slips her arm through mine, and together we start the trek to the cafeteria for lunch. “So…” she drags the word out with an implicating tone. “What?” “Ugh, come on,” she croons. “How was, y’know, the party?” she whispers with a coy smile. Of course. The party at Rakim’s. As Corey prods me with her best

HAYLEY. I nod at Lucas one last time before watching him stride back to Roxanne. Then I turn away and head in the direction he pointed. I already know it’s a dead end as I've been to this side of the school backyard multiple times before. But when I get there, I notice a tear in the barbed fencing. A tear large enough for someone to walk through. My muscles go rigid with alarm. Shane and his group—they did this. But where in the world are they headed? The entire area beyond the fence is a thick, dense forest. I peek around to make sure there are no cameras on this side of the building. And then without a second thought, I pull back the torn fence and step into the overgrown bushes. A narrow trail winds through the trees, stretching far past the school grounds. As I follow it, I spot footprints carved into the sands ahead of me. Someone walked this path recently. Continuing along the trail, I feel an unsettling wave of déjà vu stir in my belly. Somehow, it feels like