From the lakeside, the cabin looked small, but once inside, I realized it was surprisingly spacious, capable of accommodating over 30 people. We stood on the lower floor of the cabin, which felt like a cozy nest despite its size. The cabin had about five to eight rooms. The pack members, all teenagers or adults with no children among them, were mostly in pairs. The most unusual feature of the cabin was its roof, which was open and seemed designed for them to leap around. At the same time, it offered a beautiful view of the moon and stars.
We all gathered in the living room. There was a fireplace and several sofas, some of which were occupied while others remained empty. I stood at the corner with Walter, and his mother, Anna, was next to him. The other pack members started discussing how to handle the situation. I stepped forward bravely and said, "I heard your conversation earlier. I understand that my presence has caused you distress and that my involvement poses a threat to you. I am truly sorry. Walter mentioned erasing my memory, and I agree with this approach. Walter, if you still have the power, you can erase my memory now. If not, I will stay here quietly until morning."
Walter shook his head and said, "It's not possible to just erase your memory now. Ezekiel has seen you."
Anna nodded in agreement. I wasn't panicked, just trying to understand what they were saying.
Anna's expression was stern and resolute as she said, "Since that's the case, we should ask Ayla to become Walter's destined mate. Ayla, please stay with the werewolves and become Walter's wife, as well as our new leader."
I was taken aback by this unexpected proposition. Becoming a leader was the furthest thing from my mind. I was completely unfamiliar with them and was just an ordinary human. How could I become part of their world, especially with the threat from vampires? And becoming a wife to someone I barely knew?
Walter nodded and said, "I have no objections. It mainly depends on her willingness."
A surge of disbelief and protest rose within me. "But we've only just met," I exclaimed, my voice tinged with shock and incredulity. "You can't expect me to agree to this so easily."
Anna's face remained serious as she explained, "We, the werewolves, do not wish to kill humans. Historically, our survival has depended on staying hidden from humans. If humans discover us, the prophecy could lead to disaster for us, so we usually eliminate them. However, times have changed. Killing a human could attract attention, with family members and media possibly reporting disappearances. With the advent of the internet, we cannot afford to act recklessly. We have realized that killing humans is not a viable solution. That's why we have stayed hidden in the forest all these years. We haven't been discovered by any human or vampire in five hundred years. Your appearance has disrupted our plans. First, why are you here in this forest? And how did the vampires find us so quickly? There must be a reason for this series of events. Since you were brought here by Walter, let him decide what to do."
Everyone seemed to calm down after hearing Anna's words. She appeared to hold a senior position among them, likely their leader.
Walter leaned back on a sofa and said, "If she agrees to be my wife, I have no objections. It's up to her."
After hearing their concerns, despite my initial reluctance, I gathered my courage and said, "I believe erasing my memory is a better option than becoming a werewolf's wife. If you erase my memory, I'll deal with any issues with the vampires myself. You won't have to worry about me exposing your existence. Erasing my memory seems like the best solution."
The pack members nodded in agreement. It meant no one would have to kill a human, they wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of making a human their leader, and erasing my memory would prevent any further complications.
Anna's expression turned serious as she said, "But the vampires will definitely come looking for you. They will kill you, as you're a defenseless human."
With a determined look, I responded, "It won't be easy for them to recognize me. The sky was dark, I was behind Walter, and everyone was focused on the fight. No one paid attention to me."
Walter, wanting to stop Anna from continuing, interjected, "Alright! If you want to erase your memory, I'll help you. The enemies have been repelled for now. I still have some power left, and I should be able to erase your memory tonight."
I nodded and said, "Okay."
Walter slowly approached and placed a hand on my head. A gentle breeze rose from the floor, and as I closed my eyes, I felt a shift. When I opened them again, I was back in the classroom.
It turned out it was just a dream! All that about werewolves and vampires, and becoming a wife—it was just a product of my overactive imagination from watching too much TV.
Kelly walked over and said, "Class is over, you just woke up. Let's go have lunch." I stretched lazily, realizing that while the dream had felt very real, it was still just a dream. I decided not to mention it to Kelly and followed her to the cafeteria for lunch.
During lunch, Daryl excitedly talked about his soccer game from the previous day while Kelly listened attentively. I was preoccupied with the vivid details of my recent dream, which felt unusually real. Suddenly, I sensed someone's gaze on me. Looking over, I saw a young man standing at the corner of the wall. This time, unlike in the morning, I decided to chase after him.
I followed his back down the hallway, running clumsily and accidentally bumping into the crowd. Despite my awkwardness, the guy moved swiftly, skillfully avoiding collisions with others. He wore a cap and a regular hoodie, deftly navigating through the crowd, going unnoticed by those around him who were preoccupied with their own tasks.
Is it because of the dream that everything seemed so real? I chased him, catching glimpses of silver-white hair under his cap. I wondered, Could it be him? The young man disappeared around a corner, vanishing into the crowd.
It felt like he resembled Walter!