The next few days felt like a blur to Haruki. Every time he looked up at the moon, his heart would race. The pull, that deep, almost irresistible urge, was stronger than ever. It felt like a part of him—an ancient part—was awakening, clawing its way to the surface. He couldn't ignore it anymore. But the more he tried to push it down, the more it rose.
The village seemed the same, but to Haruki, it no longer felt like home. The familiar paths and the scent of the pine trees no longer offered comfort. Each time he walked through the village, his senses were heightened, sharper. He could smell the crisp scent of the earth beneath his feet, the faint aroma of the flowers blooming in the gardens, and, more acutely, the rustle of small animals in the underbrush. Even the sound of the wind blowing through the branches above his head seemed louder than ever, and it was as though the world was speaking to him in a language he couldn't quite understand.
The nights were the worst.
They were restless. The air felt too still, too heavy, like the world was waiting for something to happen. Haruki could hardly sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, the shadows of his room stretching and twisting like living things. The pull of the full moon was irresistible, making him want to run, to howl into the night, to give in to whatever ancient power resided inside of him. He could feel the change creeping up his spine, his heartbeat speeding up in rhythm with the moon's rise.
What is happening to me?
It was a question that echoed in his mind, unanswered and full of dread. He knew what the girl had told him, but the idea of it—the idea that he was a part of something that had been hidden from him all his life—seemed too much to bear.
His thoughts were interrupted one evening when he stood on the edge of his porch, staring out at the darkened forest that loomed just beyond the village. The moon hung high in the sky, glowing with an intensity that made Haruki's pulse race. He could feel its power, could feel the ancient energy coursing through the air. His heart beat in time with the moon's pull, and his breath quickened as a strange fire ignited within him.
He wanted to run. He wanted to leave everything behind—his family, his friends, the life he had always known—and give in to the beast that was waiting for him. But there was something that held him back. The weight of his humanity, the small thread of normalcy he had left, still clung to him. He wasn't ready to lose it. He wasn't ready to lose himself.
But the transformation was inevitable. He could feel it. The beast was too close, too strong. It would take over him soon.
No...
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves of the trees. Haruki's senses flared. The faintest movement in the distance caught his eye, and he froze. A figure stood at the edge of the woods, barely visible in the dim light of the moon.
Haruki's breath caught in his throat. It was her.
The girl.
Without thinking, he moved toward her. His steps were unsteady, a mix of fear and curiosity pulling him closer. His heart raced even faster. The closer he got, the more intense the sensation became—an overwhelming sense of longing, of connection, and of something he couldn't name. His body seemed to react to her presence before his mind did.
"You again?" Haruki's voice cracked as he called out to her, his tone filled with a mixture of annoyance and something else—something he didn't fully understand. "What do you want from me?"
The girl was standing with her back to the moonlight, casting a shadow that stretched long across the ground. Her eyes glimmered with an unspoken knowledge. Her calm demeanor only seemed to heighten the tension in Haruki's chest.
"I came because you need help," she said softly, stepping forward slowly. She didn't seem phased by the growing storm within him. "The wolf inside you is starting to wake up. And you can't fight it. Not anymore."
Haruki shook his head, hands gripping the edge of the railing tightly. He could feel the pulse of the transformation building inside him, but it didn't stop him from wanting to scream. "I don't want to be like this," he said, voice shaking, a lump forming in his throat. "I didn't ask for this. I don't know what's happening. I don't want it."
The girl moved closer, her presence calming yet commanding. "It's not about what you want, Haruki. It's what you are. You're the last of your bloodline. A bloodline that carries the power of the wolf. The beast is inside you, and the moon will make it awaken fully. You have no choice."
Haruki's mind raced. The thought of losing control, of giving in to this part of him that he didn't understand, terrified him. He had always been normal, always in control. This sudden shift was too much.
"I don't want to lose myself," Haruki whispered, the desperation in his voice undeniable. "I want to stay who I am. I don't want to be... a monster."
The girl's eyes softened, her expression filled with understanding and something else—sadness, perhaps, but also a quiet hope. She placed a hand on his arm, gentle but firm. "You're not a monster. But you need to learn to control it, Haruki. That's why I'm here. I won't leave you to face this alone. You have to understand what you are before it consumes you."
Haruki felt a shiver run down his spine, not from the cold, but from the sheer weight of her words. The girl was offering him something—answers, guidance. But even as he nodded, uncertainty gnawed at him. He still didn't know if he could trust her, if he could trust anyone.
"I don't know if I can do this," he muttered, looking away from her.
Her voice was steady, unwavering. "You don't have a choice. But I will be there to help you. Every step of the way."
The wind rustled the trees once more, and Haruki felt the tension in his chest grow unbearable. His senses flared—he could hear the distant cry of an animal in the woods, the rustling of the leaves, and—most unnerving of all—the sound of his own heartbeat, too loud, too fast, too heavy.
"Tonight, you'll start to understand," she said, her voice soft but firm. "You'll see what you're truly capable of. Come with me. It's time to embrace your fate."
Haruki stood frozen for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes met hers, and for a split second, he saw something in her expression—something that made him take a step toward her.
He was terrified. Terrified of the changes inside him, terrified of the unknown, but something deep inside him knew this was the only way forward. He had no choice but to embrace what he had become.