With the unnatural silence that dominated that suspended moment as Yuki slowly reached out her hesitant hand toward the doorknob, came an audible gulping sound from depths of her throat.
Yuki, mostly cautious of her manners in front of others, in that moment completely lost herself to her overwhelming emotions. She had little to no control over her gestures and expressions; Her face was shrouded with a frightened darkness, whereas her quivering hand betrayed her supposed composed personality.
"Wait!" Treyton's deep voice resonated with urgency.
Yuki halted in her movements, slowly glancing at Treyton over her shoulder. She dictated his anxiety through his unusually hairy face.
"Considering how late it is…" Treyton spoke as he steadily closed the gap between himself and Yuki.
"I think I should go out first, after all, we cannot ever be too careful, can we?" he said as calmly as he possibly could.
Yuki observed the peculiar change in Treyton's looks in silence. However, despite her curiosity, her attention was more inclined towards Treyton's unusual agitation than the beastlike changes in his appearance.
Once again, like in most situations throughout her life, Yuki's instincts strongly told her Treyton's idea was the best. Thus, she decided to go with her guts and moved away from the door while giving Treyton an assenting nod.
"Until I confirm that all is fine, you two should make your way far from this entrance."
"Sir Treyton, is there some impending danger that you are refusing to tell us about?" Mrs. Adlerian asked worriedly.
"Mrs. Adlerian…"
"Mother, I believe we should trust Sir Athaulfe and do as he says for now." Yuki's tone was so firm that, Mrs. Adlerian had no choice but to comply.
As soon as Treyton was by himself, a clear growl escaped from his lips as he averted eyes from the parting women and onto the door. His eyes narrowed slowly into a fierce glare when he reached out his hand and pulled open the door.
"Why, didn't you take your sweet time opening the door. How discourteous!" said a chilly and conceited voice as soon as the door fell ajar.
Upon perceiving that unpleasant tone and scent, Treyton's eyes which were then tainted with a mesmerizing golden glow, stared down overpoweringly.
Squatting behind the door, was a figure that seemed to embody the very essence of malevolence. His face was deathly pale, with sunken red eyes that had a hint and plenty, of thirst and evil. A malicious smile played on his lips which revealed not only his intent but also his crooked teeth stained with an otherworldly grime.
The intruder inhaled steadily for a long stretch of time. His eyes darted hungrily as he drooled animalistically while maintaining his creepy smile.
"What a blessed day today is! How lucky I am to have found my way to such a luxurious feast," he said as he unhurriedly got to his feet and approached Treyton.
"I will pardon your insolence for defiling this beautiful scent with your foul, beastly smell if you let me in. I just might consider letting you off and pretending I never met you today," he added arrogantly while peeking impatiently into the house.
The towering frame of Treyton stared down at the man sternly without saying a word. However, when his nose twitched from smelling a familiar scent, his gaze shifted to the man's feet.
Next to the eerie figure lay an unconscious Jacek, his limbs splayed at unnatural angles, like a discarded puppet. Jacek appeared pale and lifeless. He looked as if he had been drained of part of his life and most of his blood.
As soon as Treyton beheld that sight of his friend and Yuki's beloved brother. Several cords snapped within him. Subsequently, as if the sight of Jacek was the trigger, the pace of his mutation increased.
In his state of subtle shifting, Treyton's now gleaming golden eyes narrowed ferociously. The black hair sprouting from his skin grew longer by the second. Meanwhile, his strong and chiseled features started to take shape that was not too human. As his nose elongated, his ears rose to points. Before long, his dark hair grew longer, wilder and became more fur-like as it rustled in the breeze of that dawn.
Slowly, Treyton's large and muscular body began to shift. His limbs lengthened, his fingernails grew into sharp, curved claws. Fluid and graceful movements characterized the moment when he took on a new, predatory quality, like a large dog ready to hunt down some prey.
Yet, despite the changes, Treyton remained recognizably human. His essence still intact, his humanity was visible through the subtle, shifting veil of the werewolf nature.
As soon as his transformation halted, Treyton's murderous glare fell on the intruder once more. He completely stepped out of the house and closed the door behind himself while still keeping his eyes on the man still.
"Ha! Are you trying to intimidate me with your larger bod? You are nothing but a mutt no matter your size!" said the man provocatively.
Before he could say anything else, however, Treyton's large hand landed forcefully across his chest before he could react. The potency of the impact jolted him far onto the compound. He clenched his chest, wincing from the pain he did not know ever existed.
Treyton on the other hand was not going to let the pompous intruder recover from the shock. Thus, in the blink of an eye, he caught up to the man, grabbed him by the neck before he fled, and slammed him hard on the floor.
The intruder, coughing up blood, tried in vain to free himself from Treyton's hand that sat effortlessly on his crushing chest. He tried fruitlessly to claw Treyton's sturdy arm away. When Treyton did not even flinch at the evident pain he caused, the intruder bared his fangs and hissed defiantly.
The fight between the two was a one-sided thrashing.
When all attempts to break free from the werewolf's hold proved futile. The intruder's former conceited gaze softened into a pitiful and submissive one.
"Please…Please do not kill me. I will leave. I will pretend tonight never took place!" he pleaded urgently.
"Pretend tonight never happened?" Treyton growled angrily.
His gleaming golden eyes flickered decisively for a split second, then with swift and merciless movements, Treyton thrust his razor-shape claws into the begging intruder's chest.
Neither the sound of tearing flesh nor crunching bone caused any sentiments within Treyton; his stoic face was proof of that. He watched emotionlessly as the intruder's eyes widened in shock and agony.
After struggling painfully for some time, the intruder's movements finally seized. It was only after then, did Treyton remove his blood-soaked hand from the chest of the lifeless man.
He got on to his feet, straightened his back and let out a loud sigh. Treyton towered over his victim, his chest heaving in exertion as he remorselessly glared down. At this point, his appearance was getting more and more human. His fur was slowly disappearing from his hands and face while his pointy ears, claws and his sharp canines retracted and returned to their original forms.
As he turned his gaze back to the entrance of the house when his transformation was complete, Treyton froze. His heart skipped a beat as his mind struggled to process the sight he beheld.
Standing in front of the house in that moment was an expressionless Yuki. She neither spoke nor moved. All she did was stare at Treyton whose expressions betrayed the turbulent state of his mind and heart.
Treyton stared down at his stained hand and then corpse at his feet, then back at Yuki. For how long has she been standing there? Did she see everything? Did she now know what he was? What was she thinking? What should he tell her?