The Bloodstained Luna

There is a hidden place far different from the place where humans live; a much different world where fighting and killings are a natural occurrence. Vampires and werewolves from the legends exist... only that these creatures were created by the Goddess Luna; a new generation of Lunarian creatures after the first Lunarian Legacy... the hybrids.

Almost a thousand years ago, the Goddess Luna created the first Lunarian creatures through her Lunarian Oracle. These creatures are the hybrids, having the traits of both vampire and werewolf and she called this clan... the Lunarian Legacy, the first Lunar Kingdom-the Kingdom of Luna. These hybrids are divided into two systems, the Alpha and the Omega systems. Wherein those from the Alpha system have defined crescent moon marks on their bodies while those of the Omega system have a much lighter crescent moon mark. These marks glow when their fated-partners are determined and when they show their individual powers and abilities. These marks are their identities... the mark of the hybrids.

Among these hybrids, the Goddess Luna has her own favorites-Maximo Gramell and Milvera Hearth... the strongest hybrids she created. Both from the Alpha system, Goddess Luna paired these two hybrids together and let them become the first King and Queen of the Lunar Kingdom. Maximo and Milvera mated and had two alpha kids, naming them Maximus Gramell and Maximillian Gramell. And just like their parents, their crescent moon marks are much defined only that Maximus' and Maximillian's marks were a lot bigger and are both situated on their left chests. And these two alpha kids have the ability to suppress their marks and hide them... making them invisible, unlike the rest of their kind. The Goddess Luna had not predicted this kind of ability. And she felt that these marks have an immense amount of power, given that they both came from the two strongest alphas.

The Goddess Luna wasn't able to predict a lot of things. For some reason, she couldn't read what's on the minds of the members of the royal family. Even her Lunarian Oracle failed to predict the future that awaits the Lunar Kingdom. And when the time came that Maximo Gramell turned his back on the Goddess Luna because of his greed for power, that's when the Goddess Luna knew... she made a big mistake. The Lunar Kingdom's Lunarian Legacy Clan forgot about their goddess and Luna was furious, mad, betrayed. And before everything else turned sour, Goddess Luna decided to annihilate her first creation, to wipe out the entire Lunar Kingdom and the Lunarian Legacy Clan... her firstborns.

Maximus was 12 years old and Maximillian was 6 years old when their Goddess Luna killed their parents first and then destroyed the entire Lunar Kingdom... killing every single hybrid at sight and even those who are hiding. However, Luna didn't know that there were still hybrids alive. She thought she killed and destroyed everyone but she was wrong. Maximus and Maximillian lived. They were the only two hybrids that lived; defying Luna's holy power of destruction. Their marks glowed when Luna's power was killing everyone, as if they were being protected by their marks against their own creator. Maximus escaped the Lunar Kingdom with his sister to the human realm where the Lunarian Legacy Institute, a hidden headquarters for the hybrid royalties, was located. Maximus hid their marks but he couldn't suppress her sister's mark. His power was being nullified by Maximillian's mark. That's when he realized that their powers were opposite of each other and that they were destined to go against each other. But he couldn't kill his sister because he loved her too much. So, instead of killing her, he made her drink the potion that would halt her time and stop her body from growing and then put her into a deep sleep inside the coffin. He then plans to use his sister against the Goddess Luna.

1000 years have passed and Maximus continued hiding while at the same time harnessing his hybrid powers and the power of his mark. He also spent those long years planning how to destroy the Goddess Luna while Maximillian was still in deep sleep... her body was still that of a child's. Though Maximus wasn't aware how much the Goddess Luna lost after destroying an entire kingdom. Goddess Luna was a lot weaker than she used to. But she decided to create a new generation of lunarian creatures... her second borns, making her even weaker. Only that she decided to separate the two traits of a hybrid. She created the vampires and the werewolves simultaneously but separately... creating two lunarian lineages, two lunarian clans-the Scarlet Moon Clan and the Winter Moon Clan. She decided that the two clans cannot coexist. Luna then put the Alpha and Omega systems only in the Winter Moon Clan and created the alpha-omega pairing system. She knew that both alphas cannot be together as well as a vampire and a werewolf cannot be together; reason why both clans have become sworn enemies since the beginning of their time. Luna also put in the Lunarian History everything that happened a thousand years ago and declared hybrid creatures as the cursed ones. Luna bestowed rules for the vampire clan and for the werewolf clan and for both clans.

However, only the royalties have the right to keep the Lunarian History books that Luna created herself. The royalties have the responsibility to share the history to their people. The Goddess Luna then lost all her power except for the Lunarian Oracle... but she no longer has the power to change the course of the prophecy. Now... it is up to her lunarian children how they will face their predetermined destinies.

When Maximus witnessed everything that happened after a thousand years, he was even more furious that the Goddess had the audacity to create new lunarian creatures and made his kind the cursed ones. With that, he decided to wake his sister up from a thousand long years of deep sleep inside the coffin and went to the magical forest just outside the whole Lunar Kingdom and left his sister near the Winter Moon Kingdom. When two alpha-omega pair found Maximillian and took her in, it was his cue to completely carry out his years-long plan; his plan to destroy the entire Kingdom of Luna and the Goddess herself just like how she annihilated his clan. Maximus Gramell's revenge has finally begun.

***

It was past midnight and the chilling breeze brought by the winter season managed to sneak in through the slightly opened window of the 16-year-old Scarlet Moon Prince Lazarus' room in the Scarlet Moon Palace. The night was quiet and fearful, like something dangerous was about to come. The quietness of the night threatened more as Lazarus' body remained still like that of a dead' body. He's a vampire, after all. His skin was white as snow and cold as the winter. Eyes closed, his long and dark lashes flicked as he dreamed...

Hah hah hah hah ...

There was someone in his dream, panting nonstop. Lazarus opened his eyes and found himself in a dark place. He tried adjusting his senses but to no avail. It was only a matter of time when he gave up trying and just focused instead on the panting sound of another creature.

"Who are you?" Lazarus asked. "Where are you?" The hint of annoyance in his voice was evident. He couldn't even understand why.

The panting sound continues and it's getting louder and louder as Lazarus walked forward, following where it was coming from.

"Lazarus... Molgran..." the creature said in a faint husky voice, which gave him chills that also surprised him. The voice was calling him, and it felt and sounded like the man was in pain.

"Who are you?" asked Lazarus once more.

The panting stopped and it was now deadly silent. The dark surrounding remained and Lazarus could no longer move. There was no longer a sound he could follow. He was just there in the middle of emptiness, confused and not moving at all.

Suddenly, Lazarus felt his heart beating loudly. Even though vampires were supposed to not have a beating heart, his felt hot and alive. He has been different from everyone else, but this is the first time he completely felt his difference, his uniqueness. He wasn't sure if he'd be impressed or not. The beating of his heart continued and a faint light slowly crept from the birth mark on his left chest.

Awoo! Awoo!

Upon hearing a howling sound that resembled that of his enemies', Lazarus ran towards the direction where the howling was coming from. It was starting to fade but the howling continued. Lazarus stopped when the sound disappeared.

Lazarus cursed under his breath when he once again failed to identify who was making him uneasy. He was determined to kill that creature once he found out who it is. He was busy looking for the creature amidst the darkness that he didn't even notice the light that was coming from his birth mark. And all of a sudden, the dark place was illuminated by another light and the light from his birth mark followed.

Both lights were glowing intensely and Lazarus couldn't understand what was happening. Until he remembered something from the Lunarian History book about two marks glowing intensely together meant that the creatures that have these marks are fated and destined to each other.

Lazarus lifted his coldblooded red eyes and saw a winter moon creature in front of him. The winter moon child was in his werewolf form and it was the most beautiful winter moon child he had ever seen. The werewolf was like the winter with his fur as white as the winter frost and his wolf eyes as blue as the blue sky and as serene as the ocean. He was beautiful that Lazarus felt disgusted of himself for acknowledging that.

Lazarus' heart started beating fast, something so unusual for a Scarlet Moon child like him. His enemy was in front of him, yet he couldn't move to kill him. For some reason, his heart felt hot and almost breaking. For the first time since his parents died, his heart was in pain.

"Lazarus?" the werewolf asked.

"Who are you?" There was a lump in Lazarus' throat when he asked that.

Slowly, the winter moon child started walking towards him. Lazarus wanted to back away but he couldn't move. His feet were glued to the ground. And as the werewolf was nearing him, his form was slowly turning back to being human, but before he could turn completely, Lazarus woke up from the dream.

Eyes widened, Lazarus was finally awake. He held his chest and felt his birth mark burning while his heart was still beating so fast. He woke up from the dream almost remembering nothing, except the feeling of wanting to kill the winter moon child who visited his dream.

***

2 years after, Lazarus set off to a mission of finding the winter moon child from his dream. He found out that the werewolf was hiding in the human realm and he's determined to find him in order to fully understand what his dream from 2 years ago was all about.

Lazarus arrived in the human realm, in front of Riley Morgan's house. Riley Morgan was his mother's friend and one of the noble vampires who chose to live in the human realm for humanity's greater cause. Riley was a Detective of the New York Police Department.

"You arrived safely, I see." Riley smiled at the expressionless Lazarus who just walked straight inside Riley's house.

Riley clicked her tongue and chuckled, before looking around her yard for a while and then closing the door in front of her. She followed Lazarus who was now in the living room of the Morgan mansion.

"Princess Laizera gave me a heads-up as to why you'd be coming here. So, I already prepared every document that you might need while you're staying here to look for the-" Unfortunately, she was cut off by the Scarlet Moon Prince.

"What documents? I don't need documents," Lazarus said coldly.

Riley chuckled before answering, "Prince Lazarus... you'll be attending a University to help you socialize with humans. By doing so, it would be easy for you to look for the winter moon child you are set to find," she explained to him briefly.

Lazarus sighed and was about to complain when a knock on the front door interrupted their conversation.

"Just a moment," Riley said before speeding up to the front door and opening it. "Oh, Noah, what's up?" Lazarus heard Riley said, obviously talking to someone outside.

Out of curiosity, Lazarus walked to the hallway towards the foyer of the Morgan mansion and saw a glimpse of the human Riley was talking to. They sounded cheerful and friendly like they have known each other for so long.

Lazarus saw half of the human's face and realized that the human has blue eyes and they were clear as the blue sky. However, when the eyes of the human moved to where Lazarus was standing, he immediately speeds up to the second floor, hiding himself.

"Noah..." Lazarus unconsciously uttered under his breath while his heart started beating again after 2 years. A mystery he still couldn't decipher; and the only mystery he's afraid to unveil.

"Noah, are you up?" Noah's mother, Mrs. Holly Evans, shouted from the first floor of their house. She was in the kitchen, readying Noah's breakfast before he heads to the University.

"Noah!" Mrs. Evans called him for the second time, shouting again.

"I'm up!" Noah answered his mother and chuckled while trying to stretched his drowsiness away.

Noah then went to his bathroom to take a cold and quick shower before heading downstairs, all ready. It was the start of the year and the winter season was more intense and cold in the month of January. And a new semester just started so every student were expected to wear their winter clothes to protect their bodies from the cold. Noah, however, didn't feel cold at all that he didn't bring his winter jacket downstairs.

Mrs. Evans looked at her precious son and smiled at him for he looked good in every clothe he wears. However, her smile disappeared when she noticed that Noah didn't bring his winter jacket again despite having a lot of different styles in his wardrobe.

"Where's your jacket, sweetheart? It's too cold out there!" Mrs. Evans said, worried, but Noah just went to her and hug her. She immediately felt the warm from Noah's embrace, calming her down.

"I told you that I don't need a jacket, mom. My whole body is a heater. I don't feel cold," Noah reasoned out but it was true.

Noah never felt cold in his entire life. For some reason, his body has always been warm and his temperature would always adjust in every season. It's also the reason why he chose to pursue medicine, hoping to find a way to know more about his condition because he believed that he's sick but doctors couldn't diagnose his condition.

Although he never felt like this rare condition of his is a bad thing, he still needed to know what is up with him and his body. Noah believed that there's more to his condition than what's already known to him.

Noah headed to the University with his best friends since childhood, Stanley and Harley Summer. Stanley and Harley were twins but Stanley was seconds older than his twin sister. The three of them grew up together because Noah's parents were also friends with the twins' parents since their teenage years.

"You could have at least pretended that you are cold and wore a jacket, Noah. People are looking at us because you wear such thin clothings," Harley said, rolling her eyes.

Noah chuckled and just shook his head, not minding Harley's comment. "It would be weirder if I wore a jacket and started sweating underneath, Harley. Besides, I didn't do anything wrong. Let them look at us if they want to." Stanley nodded at Noah's response to his twin, agreeing to his friend.

"Just tell him that you want Noah to hug you to keep you warm. Your excuses-" Stanley was cut off by the sudden slap he got from his twin sister. Harley glared at him like she's sending him a telepathic message to stop him from saying more.

Noah, however, was preoccupied when he felt someone walk past in front of him but he saw no one. The twins continued exchanging teases while Noah looked around him, trying to figure out who that was. Maybe it's just the wind, he thought. Unfortunately, though, Noah really felt a human presence in front of him a while ago. It's just that the presence was so quick to disappear that the twins couldn't even notice it.

Noah shrugged the thought away from his head and just entered the University gate with his friends. Then he headed to his first class which was Biology. He quickly found a vacant seat at the back row, near the window. Noah relaxed in his seat while waiting for their professor and for the class to start.

Their Biology professor, Miss Smith, soon entered the classroom with... a new student. A guy student. Noah's eyes were immediately glued to the new student like he just saw a god descending from the Heavens. The new student was drop dead gorgeous. His skin was so white that he looked really pale, but it only made him look more handsome. He was tall, probably inches taller than Noah who was already in his six feet two inches.

Noah couldn't help but gasped for air when the new student's eyes bore to his direction, to him. The new student's eyes were dark like the night sky. The muscles and bones of his face were in the right places, like he's an ancient art of a god in a museum. And his lips were reddish pink. Healthy and very kissable. He's perfect, Noah thought unconsciously.

"Okay, class. Listen up. This new student right here came from LA and he's the NYPD Detective Riley Morgan's nephew, Zarius Morgan. From today onwards, he will be joining us in this University," the professor casually introduced the new student to the class and then immediately told Zarius to find his seat.

Upon hearing who the new student was, the class buzzed like bees as they started gossiping with one another. Their eyes followed Zarius Morgan's swift movement as he walked towards the only vacant seat in the back, right beside Noah Evans' seat.

Zarius looked at Noah again as he comfortably sat down on his chair and Noah shifted on his seat when he was about to fall from his chair due to Zarius' intense gaze on him. Noah gulped and looked away from the new student, afraid to make another eye contact with him and embarrass himself in front of Zarius.

The one hour and thirty minute Biology class felt like forever. Noah couldn't even focus on their lesson as he was busy contemplating within himself whether to befriend the new student or not. He's kind of afraid because Zarius was Detective Morgan's nephew. And although he and his family were close with the detective, Noah was afraid that Zarius might not like him. He's also intimidated by this new student's presence for some reason.

The class ended and just when Noah was about to talk to Zarius, the new student already left the classroom. Noah sighed but still decided to pursue the new student. He left the room and immediately looked for Zarius, but to no avail. Zarius's presence already disappeared from his sight.

He moved so fast, Noah thought while biting his lower lip.

It was already dismissal. Students were already leaving the school premises while some stayed for a while because of club activities. Noah, however, was one of the few students who stayed in the University. He told his friends that he had club activities and that they wouldn't need to wait for him, but the truth was actually the opposite of it.

He stayed in the campus because had a business in the registrar office. He entered the office and there was a staff inside who was busy typing on her computer. Noah cleared his throat which made the staff stopped whatever she's doing and paid attention to the student.

"How may I help you?" the staff asked, a little bit annoyed.

Noah leaned on the information desk and whispered, "I'd like to ask for Zarius Morgan's class schedule, please..." His voice was shy and it showed. He cleared his throat again and the staff just looked at him, bored.

"You know the rule Mr. Evans. Students are not allowed to ask for such things especially if it involves another student. To ask for Mr. Morgan's class schedule is breaking the rule, Mr. Evans," the staff said annoyingly. She then continued, "But why do you even need it?" she asked.

Noah couldn't answer immediately. And instead of saying his reasons, he just looked at the staff with determined eyes and repeated his words, "I'd like to ask for Zarius Morgan's class schedule, please..."

He immediately noticed the sudden change in the staff's expression. Her eyes softens and she immediately nodded. "Right away, Mr. Evans," she said as she began printing the Zarius' class schedule.

Noah was caught off guard because of what he witnessed. He couldn't determine what happened and how did the staff immediately changed her mind. However, before he could even get the schedule, someone entered the office and when Noah saw who it was, he almost lost his standing balance. It was Zarius!

Shit, Noah cursed in his mind.

He moved away as Zarius looked at him with expressionless face. The new student's face remained stoic and indifferent. When Noah lost his focus, the staff immediately went back to her right mind and was confused when she saw Zarius Morgan's class schedule being printed. She immediately looked at Noah was across the information desk, shrugging. The staff shook her head and took the paper, putting it in the shredding machine.

Noah saw it and he couldn't help but gasp which stole Zarius's attention. Noah looked at Zarius and was about to speak up to talk to him when the man looked away from him again.

"What can I help you with, Mr. Morgan?" the staff asked the new student sweetly and Noah couldn't help but snort because of it.

"I'm sorry, but I seem to have lost the key of my locker. Can I perhaps request for a spare key? The number is 158," Zarius said in a really cold voice that it sent shivers down Noah's spine. Suddenly, Noah felt cold but it was only for a moment.

"Here's your key," the staff immediately gave Zarius what he wanted.

Noah remained standing there, watching them exchange words until Zarius left the office and he immediately followed him outside. But Zarius disappeared from his sight again, so fast that Noah began feeling something weird.

I guess he doesn't like me, Noah thought as if he's been defeated.

Since Noah was not able to get Zarius' class schedule, he decided to just go home for today and try again tomorrow. Even he doesn't understand why he's doing this. Maybe because just really wants to be friends with the new student.

Just when Noah was about to head to the campus gate, he saw someone in his peripheral vision walking on the campus ground toward the forest. The sun was already setting like scarlet fire falling, meeting the horizon. Noah saw the silhouette of Zarius Morgan heading to the forest across the school ground.

Noah's forehead creased as he watched Zarius. Out of curiosity, he decided to follow Zarius. He ran quietly, following the new student and not taking his eyes off him. Zarius entered the woods and Noah feared that he would lose sight of him again so he ran faster and eventually entering the woods as well.

It was already dark and he lost sight of Zarius again. Noah cursed under his breath as he looked around the dark woods. Tall trees were everywhere, blocking Noah's eyes. He could hear crickets and small insects as he continued looking for Zarius. He's starting to feel uneasy and worried.

All of a sudden, Noah heard a soft growling sound at a distance but he couldn't see what or who it was. The growling continued and it's getting louder and louder, like it's nearing him. Noah was about to run back to the campus when a dog-like creature appeared in front of him.

The creature was large and black, like the color of darkness. And its eyes were gold and terrifying. Noah stepped back as the creature slowly took a few steps towards him. Noah gulped and felt scared. He couldn't move as if he was petrified.

A werewolf?

Noah asked in his thoughts but the thought was cut off when the creature charged to him and due to panic and fear, Noah fell unconscious.

On his first day in the human realm, Lazarus immediately took notice of Noah Evans. He was the blue-eyed person who talked to Riley a few minutes after he arrived at the Morgan Mansion. Lazarus couldn't help but get curious about the mysterious human who captured his eyes and interest.

Noah Evans was a human of exceptional beauty. His skin was slightly tanned and his body was leaned and defined. His eyes were blue like morning sky in middle of winter. Lazarus couldn't understand why his heart started beating again when he thought of the human named Noah. He thought that maybe, he just wanted to drink the blood of that human and enslave him.

However, Lazarus rejected the idea and decided to just focus on finding the winter moon child and then come back home to his Kingdom. He hates humans. Reason why it's easy for him to kill them by draining blood. But the hatred he felt for Noah was way more intense than his hatred for humankind in general.

"You will be studying at the University where Noah is studying. As much as I want you to socialize with the humans, I know that you don't want that. But if you really want to find that winter moon child as soon as possible, you have to atleast befriend one human, Prince Lazarus. Noah would be a great choice since he's very kind, but don't get too attached to him," Riley instructed Lazarus. "You will be living under my roof as Zarius Morgan, my nephew. Make sure to remember everything I told you," she added.

Lazarus was about to leave the Morgan Mansion to head to the University when Riley gave him her last instruction, "And please don't kill anyone!"

Lazarus didn't play much to attention to it and just speeds up to where the campus was situated. He ran past a group of friends near the campus gate and suddenly smelled Noah's scent, but he didn't stop in his tracks.

Zarius was immediately introduced to the class and his eyes bore to Noah. He couldn't take his eyes off him and he saw how shock Noah was while staring at him as well. Zarius suddenly felt hot for some reason. His movement was swift but he it suddenly felt heavy as he neared Noah's sit. He pretended that nothing was up and just comfortably sat on his seat beside Noah.

Zarius felt Noah stealing glances at him but he refused to acknowledge Noah's presence. And when the class ended, Zarius immediately went out of the room and went straight to the men's comfort room. He knew Noah's desires. For some reason, he felt like the human wanted to talk to him and be friends with him. He didn't want that. Zarius didn't want to be friends with the human.

Dismissal came abruptly and the chilling air surrounding the campus intensified and Zarius knew that a winter moon child is near the area. Zarius eyed the woods across the campus field and decided to investigate. He knew that Noah was following him.

At first he wouldn't mind if the human followed him and eventually got killed for his own carelessness but when the rogue werewolf appeared in front of Noah, he knew he'd be killed. He was standing on the tall tree as he clearly saw Noah's face amidst the darkness surrounding the woods. The moon was up and the chilling air became more intense. The human was terrified.

The rogue werewolf growled as he soon charged to Noah, attacking him. However, Zarius was faster and immediately caught the unconsciousness human and moved him away from the werewolf.

"He's my prey!" the werewolf growled angrily at Zarius.

Zarius' eyes turned red and sharp, triggering a number of bats to show and attack the rogue werewolf. The rogue creature turned weak due to the bats' venom and was about to retreat when Zarius spoke up, "If you plan to prey on this human again, rest assured that your whole existence will turn into ashes."

The rogue werewolf retreated completely and Zarius looked at the sleeping human in his arms. Noah looked so peaceful for someone who almost died and fell unsconscious due to fear and panic. Zarius shook his head and was about to leave the human when he noticed that Noah was bleeding on his neck. The werewolf's claw grazed him, Zarius thought.

The human might turn into a werewolf during the nearing full moon if Zarius wouldn't prevent it by healing his wound. Without second thought, Zarius' lips met Noah's and he watched the wound on his neck slowly healing and the venom vaporizing.

"Ah..." Noah moaned against Zarius' lips which made Zarius go back to his senses.

The wound was completely healed and there's no more werewolf venom in Noah's body. Zarius then carried him all the way to Noah's house-his room. He put him on his bed and watched him for a few minutes before resting his palm on the human's forehead and chanting a spell that would alter Noah's memories of that night.

"Now, you shall not remember what happened tonight," Zarius whispered before leaving Noah's room.

***

Noah pushed himself off his bed when he woke up from a long sleep. At least that's what he felt. His sleep felt like an eternity and despite the cold winter, he felt as though he just got out of a hotspring on a summer. Hot and humid.

He went straight to the bathroom and took a very cold shower. The coldness of the water trickled his whole body, encapsulating the heat that came from somewhere... until it was no longer there. He still felt warm, though. But not as warm as when we woke up.

Noah finished his shower and casually put on his clothes. If he slacked off, he'd be late for school. And just when he was about to leave his room, his head ached like it was being ripped apart by some unknown force. He felt hotter this time as he pushed his palm on the side of throbbing head.

"What-"

Before he could even finish his question for himself, he stumbled on the floor as memories of what happened last night sprangforth like loads of magic dust. Thin and soft at first until each piece became dangerous wildflower, devouring him-torturing him.

"Noah?" His mother's soft voice was ruffled by the sharpness of sound against his ear. He groaned as his head ached more and more.

He saw Zarius entering the woods and he followed him. He was lost amidst the towering trees. He saw a werewolf. And he blacked out soon after he thought he was going to get eaten by the rogue creature of the night.

Noah felt as though something was missing. He couldn't figure what ever that was, but he knew that it was something important. At least that's what he felt.

Did that really happened last night? He thought. Everything felt like a dream. Noah's head slowly recovered and he finally noticed that his mother had been calling for him outside his room.

"Noah? Are you okay? I heard you groaning. Are you in pain? Noah?" Holly Evans knocked on the door of Noah's room a few times more.

Noah sighed a little before pushing himself up to his feet, opening the door of his room which revealed his mother whose expression showed worry. Her eyes almost watery.

"I'm okay, mom. I just hit my knee but I'm good now," Noah lied.

Holly felt a little relieved that it was nothing so serious, just her son and his clumsiness. "You should be more careful from now on," she reminded him.

Noah smiled at her, nodding in response.

"Come down with me now, your breakfast is ready," his mother turned her back on him and started walking down the stairs. Noah followed his mother quietly, memories from last night still bothering his mind.

Noah ate his breakfast quietly, still thinking about what happened last night. He asked himself a few times if what happened was really a dream or not. But he couldn't figure out if it did happen. He somehow felt embarrassed that if it was indeed a dream, Zarius was there. Noah felt so desperate to be his friend to the point that his dream was even all about the man. Except for the werewolf.

"I heard from Detective Riley that her nephew transferred to your University. Zarius... I think that's what she told me his name was." Hearing Zarius name made Noah go back to reality, his eyes following his mom.

"Yes, uh... He's in the same class as me. Biology..." Noah sighed, remembering how Zarius treated him so indifferently.

"You should probably invite him for dinner, here..." Holly was smiling but Noah just stared at her.

After a few seconds, Noah was coughing and gasping for air at the same time. His mother immediately put a glass of water in front of him.

"Why are you so out of earth today, honey? Here, drink..." Holly gently tapped her son's back who was still coughing for some reason.

Noah recovered and immediately drank his glass of water. He took a deep breath and eventually looked at his mother. "You want me to invite Zarius for dinner... tonight?" he asked, almost praying that he just heard his mother wrong.

But Holly smiled at her son so widely, like she was feeling extra excited for what is about to happen tonight. Noah's mother was already expecting it to happen, and was probably already preparing for it.

"Why not? Aren't the two of you friends already? Stanley told me on the phone yesterday that you and Zarius entered the woods after dismissal... together. We thought that maybe it had something to do with your project."

Noah stiffened at what his mother said. He felt like there was something cold gushing out of his ears. His forehead creased as confusion continued to flow like river.

His dream was real. It did happen. There was really a werewolf!