I walked slowly to the lake's edge, wanting to take in the entire scene. I had always loved observing nature, finding it so full of life and beauty. With such a stunning view, I couldn't miss the opportunity. Like before, I lay down on the ground, though this time there was no warm sunshine. Instead, it felt cold and eerily silent.
Suddenly, I heard voices, as if people were arguing. No, it wasn't just two people but a whole group. I focused my hearing, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. The sounds seemed to come from the wooden cabin.
I heard a woman's voice, strained with frustration, "You can't bring her here! She can't come to our pack."
A man, his tone urgent and worried, responded, "Yes, bringing her here will cause disaster!"
Another man, his voice laced with desperation, added, "Do you want us all to be wiped out?"
The woman, her voice trembling with worry, said, "Walter, you can't do this! You're ignoring everyone's feelings."
Walter, his voice edged with nervousness, replied, "What else could I do? They're right behind us. Should I just run away alone and leave her behind?"
The woman's voice grew more intense, filled with anger and frustration, "By bringing her here, she's been marked. She can't return to her old life now. Did you think about whether she even wanted to be saved? And what about our people? Did you consider if they'd be okay with you bringing a human here?"
Walter, defensive yet resolute, countered, "Would you rather watch her die? She's just a human with a strong spiritual presence. She got caught up in our world by accident, and now it's our responsibility. If she had died back there, it would have been because of us."
The woman shook her head and fell silent for a moment.
A stern-looking man said, "But you shouldn't have saved her. You broke our rules."
The woman asked, "So what do we do now?"
Walter replied, "I'll use my powers to erase her memory."
The woman protested, "What? You've already used your powers a lot today. Even though you're the Alpha, your powers come from the moon. It's been overcast for days, and we haven't had any moonlight to recharge. If you use your powers again and our enemies attack, what will we do?"
Another man, looking worried, chimed in, "She's right."
Walter responded, "Then we'll keep her here for the night to conserve our strength. If no enemies come tonight, I'll erase her memory in the morning. Hopefully, we'll have some moonlight by then."
The woman considered this and said, "I suppose that's the best option. We don't have any other choice."
A third man, with a resigned expression, added, "If Anna agrees, I have no objections."
Walter concluded, "Alright. I'll stay outside tonight to keep an eye on her and watch for any sign of our enemies."
What was going on? Enemies? What was happening? The atmosphere felt so tense. Were they talking about me? If they were calling me a human, then what were they?
As I struggled to process my thoughts, Walter emerged from the cabin and strode over to my side. It was my first time seeing him up close. His blue eyes, bright and deep, seemed to plunge into an abyss, hinting at hidden secrets. His silver-white hair shone in the moonlight. He wore a plain hoodie, regular jeans, and ordinary sneakers. Despite his striking features, his attire resembled that of an everyday boy next door.
Walter looked at me with a stern expression. "What's up? You've heard everything already."
I hesitated, feeling confused. "Um… but…"
Walter's gaze was intense and unyielding.
I continued, "I heard, but what exactly are you talking about? I don't fully understand. First, you mentioned humans—are you talking about me? If I'm a human, what are you? Where exactly is this place? Earlier, you mentioned danger—what kind of danger? Isn't it just a little rain? Is all this really necessary?"
Walter replied, "There's a lot you don't need to know. You've already heard what we said. I believe you have an idea of what's going on. As for our kind and the danger we're facing, it's best you know as little as possible. Anyway, by tomorrow, you won't remember any of this."
I told him, "You don't have the authority to rewrite or erase my memory."
Walter said, "It's not about authority right now; it's about necessity."