Chapter 2 The Curse Unleashed

The full moon hung like a silver eye above the town of Thornhill, casting its cold light over the streets and hills. Mara stood in the middle of the town square, her heart racing, as Elias' warning echoed in her mind. Stay inside during the full moon. But here she was, standing in the center of the very danger he had cautioned her about. Something in her refused to heed his advice. She couldn't help herself. The pull of the unknown in Elias was stronger than the fear gnawing at her.

She had never felt so alive and so terrified at once.

The town was eerily quiet. The wind whispered through the trees, and the faint rustling of leaves was the only sound that filled the stillness. In the distance, the low growl of something large, something dangerous, made her pulse quicken. Her breath came in shallow bursts as her eyes scanned the shadows. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she certainly wasn't prepared for the terrifying shapes that began to emerge from the woods.

They came in the darkness like predators stalking their prey large, hulking figures with eyes that glowed faintly in the moonlight. The creatures weren't wolves, at least not like Elias. They were something far worse: twisted, grotesque, with long claws and sharp teeth that gleamed in the pale light. Their growls filled the air, chilling Mara to the core.

Panic rose in her chest, but before she could turn to run, a figure appeared in front of her, blocking her path. Elias.

He stood tall, his eyes glowing with an unnatural light. His face was hard, the intensity of his gaze unwavering. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body coiled as though every muscle was preparing to spring into action.

"You shouldn't be here," Elias said, his voice low and strained. The words were almost a growl themselves. "Get inside. Now."

Mara couldn't move; she couldn't tear her eyes away from the creatures that were closing in on them. They circled like vultures, and her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She didn't understand why Elias wasn't already fighting them off, but the tension in the air was palpable. The sense of imminent danger was suffocating.

"Elias, what are they? What are you?" Mara managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took a step closer to her, standing between her and the creatures, his body a shield. "I'm the only thing keeping them from tearing this town apart," he said, his eyes scanning the creatures in front of them. "And I can't protect you if you're this close. Go now, Mara."

But Mara couldn't leave him. Not now. Not after everything she'd learned, everything she'd seen in his eyes the humanity, the vulnerability. Elias wasn't just some mythical creature to be feared. He was more than that. He was her protector. And if she ran now, she would be abandoning him.

"I'm not leaving you," Mara said firmly, her voice strong despite the fear building inside her.

Elias's gaze softened for a moment, the battle inside him evident. He wanted to argue, wanted to tell her to go, to save herself. But he knew it was pointless. Mara had always been stubborn, and he could see the resolve in her eyes. She wasn't going to back down.

"Then stay close," Elias said, his voice like steel. "And don't get in my way."

Without another word, he stepped forward, shifting into a crouch. His body rippled with power, muscles contorting and bones cracking as he began the agonizing transformation into the beast that he was. His features distorted and elongated, his body growing in size as fur sprouted along his skin. It was a painful, violent process that left him gasping for breath as his human form slipped away.

Mara watched in awe and horror as Elias became something else something primal, something that wasn't quite human anymore. His once-familiar face twisted into the snout of a wolf, his glowing eyes locked onto the approaching creatures with a feral intensity. His transformation was complete.

The creatures, sensing the change in him, hissed and snarled, their growls rising to a deafening crescendo. They were drawn to Elias, knowing he was their natural enemy. But Elias wasn't like them. He wasn't just a beast he was a protector. And as his massive form towered over Mara, he let out a bone-chilling roar, challenging the creatures to come closer.

Mara felt the air around her crackle with energy. Elias moved like lightning, his claws slashing through the air as he tore into the closest creature. His body moved with inhuman speed, faster than she could track, each strike sending the creatures reeling back. But they were relentless, and more kept emerging from the shadows, drawn to the scent of blood and the promise of violence.

For a moment, Mara was paralyzed, watching in terror as Elias fought for his life and hers. The battle between him and the monsters was fierce and brutal. His movements were a blur of speed and strength, but with each passing moment, she saw his humanity slipping further away. The monster inside him was rising, and it was starting to take control.

Desperately, Mara forced herself to move. She couldn't just stand there, unable to help. She looked around, frantic, searching for something, anything, that could help. Her eyes landed on a nearby stone, jagged and heavy. She grabbed it, her fingers trembling, and rushed toward Elias.

The creatures were closing in again, and Elias was slowing, his energy beginning to wane. She could see the struggle in his eyes as the transformation tore him apart, his body and mind at war with each other.

"Mara, no!" Elias shouted, his voice deep and distorted by the growl in his throat. "Get back!"

But Mara didn't listen. She charged forward, lifting the stone and hurling it at one of the creatures that was lunging toward Elias. The impact sent it sprawling to the ground, momentarily stunned.

Elias glanced at her, his glowing eyes wide in disbelief. "What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you!" she yelled back, her voice shaky but determined.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to give Elias the opening he needed. With a snarl, he tore into the creature closest to him, ripping it apart with a ferocity that left Mara breathless. His claws sunk deep into its flesh, and in seconds, the creature was no more.

But more were coming. Always more.

The battle seemed endless, and Mara realized that the creatures were getting stronger and more organized. They weren't just random predators they were hunting together, coordinating their attacks. They knew Elias was the key to their survival, and they wouldn't stop until they had destroyed him.

"Elias, you have to fight back! You have to hold on!" Mara screamed, her heart pounding in her chest.

He looked at her then, his glowing eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and agony. The transformation was taking its toll, but there was still a sliver of the man she loved left in him.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can hold on," Elias growled, his voice breaking through the snarls of his beastly form. "The curse... it's stronger than I thought. I can't."

But before he could finish, the next wave of creatures descended upon them. Mara's heart clenched. She knew what she had to do.

The only way to save Elias to save them both was to break the curse. But how? The question hung heavily in the air as Elias fought valiantly against the onslaught, the wolves closing in like a tidal wave of fangs and fury.

Mara clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. She wasn't going to leave him. Not now. Not ever.

The night was far from over. The true test of their strength and their love had only just begun.