Why is this happening? Who… what is this?
It’s a suicide, not a ruin exploration.
‘I am going to die inside this cave,’ I thought.
‘H-he is changing. Human? B-but just now, his body looked like a gigantic wolf.’
“W-where is all the fur in his body go?” my voice stammered.
He grabbed my shoulders and looked into my eyes.
“Luna,” He mumbled. His breath, I could feel on my face.
His fiery red eyes were glaring into my eyes. My body froze.
But his grip tightened more when he felt something off. I didn’t know what that was. I sweated as hell.
“Let go of me.” I struggled to free myself. It was a feeble attempt in front of a beast.
“Are you a vampire?” He asked.
‘Vampire’ It surprised me.
He started sniffing the surrounding air, moving his head. And growled again at me.
“Your scent,” He said.
‘scent’ I couldn’t follow what was happening and what he meant.
However, something crossed my mind.
“You are a werewolf!” I exclaimed.
“Yes.” He answered.
“How?” My voice grew heavy, pulling me back.
‘werewolves are still alive?’ I pondered.
‘Then the vampire he is talking about must also be real,’ I thought.
He raised his right arm, which mutated into a wolf’s paws. It proved he was a werewolf.
My eyes grew wide, and my entire body started shaking.
“Roaming around such a remote place. Why?” He said in a deep voice.
I couldn’t speak a word out of fear. He is going to kill me, only run through my mind, lost in thoughts of death scenes.
“You can hear right?” He snapped me to my senses.
“Why are you roaming in the woods?” He asked.
“I am a ruin explorer. Since this area was less explored, my senior, Douard, suggested we explore it.” My voice trembled as I opened my mouth to speak.
“What’s your name?”
" Alene… Alene.” I stuttered.
“This area is dangerous. You might get killed.” He warned.
“killed” My mind went blank.
“By the way, I am Frank.” He transformed into a werewolf.
He grabbed my waist and hauled me outside upwards to the hill. I screamed my heart out, scared.
After a few dashes, he stopped.
I looked down the hill and gasped. It was such a fantastic view. But enjoying it or grieving about what might happen next confuses me.
I looked towards him. But he is looking towards the river.
“Won’t you ask why I brought you here?” He asked, turning towards me.
“Why?”
“to propose you,”
“what?!”
It is way too fast. My brain was screaming out of confusion.
He attacked me and brought me to the top of this hill. And now proposed marrying me out of nowhere. It is perplexing.
“You are my Luna, but I feel a weaker wolf inside you.” He said.
This got me off guard, and fear of death vanished.
His proposal. And I couldn’t even brace myself.
“I am not Luna!” I exclaimed.
I couldn’t think of a word in chaos running just now.
A hot sensation swirled in my veins when he knelt and clutched my hands.
“Come with me,” he said.
A sudden urge to accept from within came and my mouth opened.
“Yes. But!”
“But what? You can’t deny fate.”
I was a normal human all my life. But why did his words pierce my soul? What is this novel sensation bubbled within me?
“I… I am a werewolf?” I stuttered.
“Yes, you are a werewolf. Did your parents not say anything? Or did they hide it from you?” He laughed.
‘Parents!’ I pondered.
A painful memory flashed.
I grew up alone, without my parents. My landlord looked after me. But Douard, my senior, helped me and stood as what parents would do.
Tears tumbled off my cheeks as emotions and turmoil held within my heart broke out with a cry.
“Don’t cry” He said, feeling guilty.
I felt warmth in his worry. Hugged him, and wept like a baby.
Something bulged within me. Blurry visions of someone holding me flashed in my eyes and I fainted.
When I woke up, Frank was carrying me in his arms. He walked through the woods on a silent path. The cracking sound of twigs resounded through the woods. A red ruby ring, shining on my ring finger, caught my attention. I shied. A tiny, slick smile gleamed on my face.
‘He will be my partner for the rest of my life,’ I thought.
I looked ahead. There is a camp where I stayed before with my friends and seniors.
Saya and William, my companions, seemed like they were preparing for something. Douard, hustling through things, saw me. ‘They are ready to move out, searching for me,’ I thought.
Frank took me near the tent.
“Are these your companions, and seniors?” He asked.
A delicate breath blew out of my mouth.
“Yes!” I whispered.
“Alright, my Luna is fine now, right?”
His words seemed close and calming.
Douard and others at camp approached us skeptically.
Frank put me down caressingly.
“Alene!”
Saya screamed my name as she rushed at me.
“Alene, are you fine? What happened? Where were you until now? We searched around everywhere, worried. But we couldn’t go far recklessly into the forest.” She exploded on me.
“I am great, just a little headache,” I answered.
“What? Let me see!”
She checked my entire body repeatedly.
I grabbed her shoulders.
“Look! Don’t panic. I am not injured.” I assured her.
‘She is such a worry-wart,’ I thought.
Unless you rest the full day for a small tremble, she won’t let go of you.
“It’s very assuring that you’re fine, but who is he?” William pointed towards Frank.
I forgot he was with me. I turned to him to introduce them. But he was strangely looking at professor Douard.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
My voice is calm now because the thought Frank would harm me vanished. I was shy remembering his proposal and how he carried me in arms.