Beauty in the grave

The full moon hung low and bright in the sky, lighting up the quiet town of Wolfrest with its pale glow. The streets were still, with houses dark and windows closed. But something felt off like the whole world was waiting for something to happen.

Lyra walked alone, the rhythm of her boots tapping against the pavement, steady and sharp. She just clocked out of another long shift at the hospital, her name tag still clipped to her scrubs beneath her jacket. At 19 years she has already mastered the art of quiet exhaustion head down,

Her heart was tough, always pushing ahead. But tonight, something made her uneasy. Her chest felt tight. Like someone was watching her.

She stopped under a blinking street lamp and looked up. The moon seemed so close, like she could touch it. She held her breath.

There had always been a strange pull between her and the moon. Since childhood, She could feel it sleeping, but not peacefully. Its dreams were strange quick pictures of trees, sharp teeth, and fur. Lately, the dreams were stronger. They were always about wolves. Running through forests that never ended, their eyes shining like stars, their howls sounding deep inside her.

She never told anyone. How could she explain it? That she woke up with dirt on her hands? That just before sunrise, her heart raced like it belonged to someone else

She tried to push the thoughts away and turned onto her street, but something felt different. Every sound was louder. Every smell was stronger. The night air felt heavy on her skin, and her whole body felt alert, like something was coming.

When she reached her apartment, her hands were shaking. She closed the door hard and locked it without thinking. breathing was quick and shallow. She could feel the moon's pull inside her, like it was squeezing her chest and waking something hidden deep down

Lyra stumbled into the bathroom. She went to turn on the light but stopped.

The face in the mirror didn't look like hers. Her eyes were glowing gold, not brown. They looked wild. Her face was still hers, but it looked sharper and more full of life. Her fingers were changing, and her nails were growing long and dark.

Her legs gave out.

The change came fast. It hurt. Her back arched. Bones popped and shifted. Muscles pulled and healed. She tried to scream, but only gasped. Her body folded, then stretched again. She was becoming something new. Something old. It hurt, but it was also powerful.

Then everything went quiet.

Lyra stood in the middle of the bathroom. Her breathing slowed. She could see clearly. She wasn't a girl now. She was something else. A wolf. Tall and strong. Her fur was black and silver. Her ears twitched. Her heart was calm.

She stepped closer to the mirror. The face looking back was wild, glowing. And it felt right.

A howl came from her throat. It was full of pain and freedom.

She turned away, padded to the window, and jumped into the night.

No fear. No turning back.

Her old life was gone. The wolf inside her was awake.