Fated to The Moon

/-Mia-/

“Okay, everyone! Well spell ‘Mia,’ and then cut the cake!” Liv announced excitedly.

I tried to smile and play along but this party hadn’t been my idea. If it had been up to me, I would have spent a quiet night at home watching a movie.

But my best friend Liv was the exact opposite. She loved parties, dressing up, and surprises of all kinds. Being a good friend, I didn’t want to disappoint her.

“M… I…A… MIA! “ Pressing the knife into the cake, I waited for the expected clapping and cheering.

“What the hell, Mia! You cut me with the knife while I held it with you, cutting the cake.” Liv frowned.

“No, I didn't,” I protested, looking down at the blood welling from Liv’s hand. And then I saw my hand. It hadn’t been the knife that cut my friend.

“Arggggggghhhhhh OMG! MIAAAAA Your fingers!” Liv screamed. This was followed by screams from my other friends and guests. I too screamed out of bewilderment. I dropped my glass and ran out of the house — Out of the entire scene.

“What the hell is happening to me?”

Suddenly, I was burning up despite the chill in the air. My skin was stretched too tight across my bones. My lungs strained to find oxygen in my panic.

“Oh no! What's happening? Argh!” I screamed at the top of my voice. Whether it was due to my bewilderment about what was happening to me, or it was the pain that went along, I couldn't tell.

My bones cracked, my skin shook, fur popped out everywhere and my fingers grew wide and wild. I looked up and it was a full moon.

What could be happening?

I screamed into the night but my voice simply echoed across the dark empty woods — My eyes searched my surroundings suddenly afraid my cries would bring people to me…People who would see this monstrous thing that was happening to me. How would I explain? What if they were afraid and hurt me? I clenched my teeth willing myself to be quiet. To try to figure out what the hell was happening to me.

This had to be some kind of nightmare. It was something out of a movie — Teen Wolf or Vampire Diaries. Wait. This couldn’t be real!

“ARGGGGHHH!” I screamed again as my backbones bent and cracked sharply. The sounds I was producing were no longer even human. My eyes danced around my body and widened in horror. I was half human and animal.

This was it! I couldn’t take anymore. Just when I thought I would pass out from the pain, my sharpened eyesight caught the outline of someone in the shadows. I blinked and the outline turned into a young man looking unconcerned, watching me from a distance.

I wondered how long he had been watching me. Has he seen my shift? Horror at the thought filled me.

I felt the need to protect myself. He seems like a threat — His confidence, his stern looks, and his weird smirk. Okay, this was not enough to make him a threat but anyone who must have watched me shift should be. Something feral clicked into place in my half-transformed mind and I attacked.

With every move I made, he slipped out of reach, never touching me, never striking back. The frustration boiled over, turning my vision red.

I snarled, baring my fangs. This time, I wouldn’t miss it. My muscles bunched, coiling for one last leap. I was ready to rip him apart, my teeth aimed for his throat. But just as I launched myself at him, his scent hit me—wild, earthy, raw. It slammed into me so hard, that I lost focus. My body froze mid-air.

His eyes—those strange, glowing eyes—locked onto mine. I felt connected with him. I felt like I knew him all my life. He must know something about what was going on with me. He is too strong and unusual to be human. And he's been watching me transform? I guess he must have been prepared to witness this day.

But who was he?

“Who the hell are you?” I spat, my voice a low growl.

He didn’t even flinch. “Kael. The one keeping you alive.”

“You should be rather concerned about who you are.” He responded gently, but still with a smirk.

“Well, I can no longer recognize myself as the 25-year-old law graduate.”

“I’ll help you out.” He smirked again. “I’m like you—You are a werewolf.” He paused as if he knew I would be shocked, then continued.

“Not just any type of werewolf, but your bloodline… it’s special. I know it’s a lot to process right now. But we don’t have time for a lot of details right now. You have to know that you are a target!”

A target?