The full moon bathed the town in an eerie glow, casting long shadows that danced ominously on the walls of Ethan's cell. Claire, drained from the ritual, watched him with a mixture of relief and a hollow ache in her chest. His emerald eyes, the color she'd missed so dearly, flickered with confusion."Claire… what happened?" he rasped, his voice rough with disorientation."The pact," she whispered, her throat tight. "It's broken."His brow furrowed. Memories flickered in his eyes – the library attack, the alpha, the transformation under the moon. Then, a flicker of recognition – their stolen moments, the bond forged in moonlight."But… the wolf," he stammered, a hint of fear creeping into his voice. "What about the control?"Claire forced a smile, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. "You'll be fine. No more alpha, no more moon wolf."Ethan, sensing the strain in her voice, reached out, his touch tentative. But the moment his hand brushed hers, a jolt of pain ripped through him. He recoiled, staring at his hand in disbelief."Claire…" he whispered, a tremor in his voice. "There's… something different."Claire's heart hammered against her ribs. The price of breaking the pact was becoming horrifyingly clear. The ritual hadn't just severed the connection with the moon wolf – it had severed their bond altogether.With a trembling voice, she explained the details of the ritual, the terrible cost of her choice. Ethan listened, his face etched with a mix of anger and despair."You… you sacrificed yourself?" he roared, his voice laced with raw emotion. "For this?"Tears welled up in Claire's eyes. "I had to, Ethan. It was the only way to keep you safe, to keep the town safe."Silence descended, thick and heavy. The full moon, seemingly a silent observer to their heartbreak, cast an accusatory glow on their anguished faces. The battle was won, but at a cost that felt like a devastating defeat.Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the night. The sound originated from the heart of the town, sending a jolt of terror through them. Claire and Ethan exchanged a worried glance."It's not the moon wolf," Ethan muttered, his voice grim. "Something else is out there."The scream was followed by another, then another, painting a picture of chaos unfolding just beyond the police station walls. Without hesitation, Ethan pushed himself off the cot, his emerald eyes flashing with newfound resolve."Stay here," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.Before Claire could protest, he was already transforming. Fur sprouted from his skin, bones creaked and shifted, and a guttural growl escaped his throat. But this wasn't the monstrous transformation fuelled by the moon wolf's influence.This was different. This was raw power, primal instinct honed by experience. As the full force of the transformation washed over him, a new creature emerged – a werewolf, yes, but one with a flicker of emerald green in its eyes, a creature driven not by the moon but by a fierce determination to protect.With a howl that echoed through the night, Ethan, the werewolf bound by no moonlit pact, launched himself out of the shattered window, leaving Claire alone in the sterile cell. Tears streamed down her face, a mixture of relief and terror churning within her.She had broken the curse, saved the town, but at what cost? Ethan was gone, replaced by a creature fuelled by a primal instinct she barely understood. And as she watched the chaos unfold from the confines of the cell, a chilling question echoed in her mind – had she truly saved him, or had she just unleashed a new kind of monster under the watchful glow of the full moon?