章 7: Unveiled Truths
I couldn't sleep. The full moon hung heavy in the sky, its silvery light seeping through my curtains. Something felt off, like static electricity in the air before a storm. I tossed and turned, my skin prickling with an unfamiliar sensation.
At 2 AM, I gave up on sleep. Throwing on a hoodie and sneakers, I decided a walk might clear my head. The streets were deserted, bathed in an eerie glow. As I passed the park, a low growl froze me in my tracks.
My heart raced. Every instinct screamed danger, but curiosity pulled me forward. I crept towards the sound, my breath catching in my throat.
That's when I saw him.
Damien stood at the edge of the trees, his body contorted in pain. His eyes met mine, wild with panic and something else – resignation? Recognition?
"Isabella, run!" he gasped, his voice gravelly and strained.
I should have listened. I should have turned and fled. But my feet remained rooted to the spot as I watched in horrified fascination.
Damien's body began to change. Bones cracked and reformed, muscles rippled and expanded. His face elongated into a snout, ears growing pointed. Coarse fur sprouted across his skin.
I couldn't believe my eyes. This couldn't be real. Yet there was no denying the creature now standing before me – a massive wolf, easily the size of a bear, with familiar eyes that held too much humanity to be animal.
"Damien?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
The wolf – Damien – took a step towards me. I flinched, and hurt flashed in those eerily human eyes.
Suddenly, a twig snapped behind me. Damien's ears pricked up, his posture shifting from uncertain to alert. A low growl rumbled from his chest.
"Well, well," a voice drawled from the shadows. "What do we have here?"
I spun around to see a man emerge from the darkness, a rifle cradled in his arms. His eyes gleamed with malice as they darted between me and Damien.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a wolf," he said, lips curling into a cruel smile. "And a pretty little witness."
Fear clawed at my throat. I glanced back at Damien, seeing the same terror reflected in his eyes.
"Please," I said, holding up my hands. "This isn't what you think."
The man chuckled, the sound sending chills down my spine. "Oh, I think it's exactly what I think. Question is, what am I going to do about it?"
He raised the rifle, aiming it at Damien. Without thinking, I stepped between them.
"Move, girl," he snarled. "Unless you want to get hurt."
"I can't let you do this," I said, surprised by the steadiness in my voice.
The man's eyes narrowed. "You protecting this monster? You have no idea what you're dealing with."
"Neither do you," I countered, even as my mind raced. What was I doing? I barely knew Damien, and yet here I was, defending him in his... werewolf form? The absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on me.
"Last chance," the man warned. "Move, or I'll consider you just as much of a threat."
I stood my ground, heart pounding. I felt Damien shift behind me, a soft whine escaping him.
The standoff seemed to stretch for an eternity. Then, faster than I could react, the man lunged forward. His hand clamped around my arm, yanking me aside. I stumbled, crying out in pain.
A furious roar filled the air. Damien leapt past me, colliding with the hunter. They went down in a tangle of fur and limbs.
I scrambled to my feet, watching in horror as they fought. The hunter was skilled, but Damien was stronger, faster. His jaws clamped around the rifle, wrenching it away.
For a moment, I thought it was over. Then I saw the glint of silver in the hunter's hand.
"Damien, watch out!" I screamed.
Too late. The blade sliced across Damien's flank. He yelped, stumbling back. The hunter pressed his advantage, raising the knife for another strike.
Without thinking, I grabbed a fallen branch and swung it with all my might. It connected with the hunter's head with a sickening crack. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Silence fell over the park, broken only by our ragged breathing. I dropped the branch, my hands shaking.
Damien limped towards me, whining softly. I reached out, hesitating only a moment before burying my fingers in his fur.
"Are you okay?" I asked, examining the wound on his side. It was already healing, the edges knitting together before my eyes.
Damien nodded, then gestured towards the unconscious hunter with his snout.
"Right," I said. "We can't stay here."
I looked around, trying to think. We couldn't go to a hospital or the police. Who would believe us?
"My place," I decided. "Can you walk?"
Damien nodded again. We made our way through the shadows, avoiding the streetlights. By some miracle, we didn't encounter anyone else.
Once inside my apartment, I locked the door and drew the curtains. When I turned back, I gasped. Where the wolf had been, Damien now stood – human, naked, and looking utterly exhausted.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice hoarse. "I never wanted you to find out like this."
A hysterical laugh bubbled up in my throat. "Find out? That you're a... a..."
"Werewolf," he finished for me.
I sank onto the couch, my legs no longer able to support me. "How is this possible?"
Damien ran a hand through his hair, looking lost. "It's a long story."
"I think I deserve to hear it," I said.
He nodded, sitting down across from me. "You're right. But Isabella, once I tell you, there's no going back. Are you sure you want to know?"
I thought about the hunter, about the way Damien had protected me. About the impossible transformation I'd witnessed. My world had already changed. There was only one way forward.
"Tell me everything," I said.
Damien took a deep breath. "Okay. It all started—"
A sharp knock at the door cut him off. We froze, staring at each other in panic.
"Isabella?" James's voice called out. "Are you there? We need to talk. It's about Damien."
My eyes widened. How did James know? What else had he been hiding?
Damien tensed, ready to bolt. I held up a hand, silently urging him to wait.
"Just a minute!" I called out, my mind racing.
As I stood to answer the door, one thought echoed in my mind: Nothing would ever be the same again.
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