Moonstone mysteries; The Werewolf Within

The dream

Adam woke with a start. It was still dark as he rummaged through his sheets, trying to find his watch before getting up from bed. He squinted his eyes, trying to read the time. It was 5:50 a.m. Adam groaned as he stretched his body. Part of him was telling him to go back to bed, but after thinking twice about it, he decided that he could take advantage of this opportunity. He thought about it as he sat next to the dorm room window, trying to collect all his thoughts.

As he glanced out towards the outside world, a sliver of golden light, thin as a whisper, nudged its way between the emerald embrace of the firs outside Adam's window. The world was a canvas of pre-dawn hush. The school, a quaint brick building nestled amongst the towering trees, slumbered beneath a blanket of twilight. Its windows, usually a flurry of activity by this time, were dark, their reflection a perfect echo of the stillness in Adam's soul.

Beyond the manicured schoolyard, the forest stretched, a tapestry of deep greens and browns punctuated by the fiery bursts of maples already touched by autumn's kiss. In the distance, the majestic peaks of the mountain range wore a crown of rose-gold, the rising sun painting their snow-capped heads with a soft, ethereal glow. The only sounds were the rustle of a squirrel gathering breakfast in the branches below and the tentative chirps of birds stirring in their nests, a slow, sleepy symphony heralding the day's arrival. A sense of profound peace settled over Adam, a quietude as vast and ancient as the mountains themselves. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated beauty, a stolen glimpse into the heart of nature before the human world intruded.

Adam took a deep breath and got up, deciding he was going to go for a morning jog in the beautiful morning. As he fetched his training shorts and vest, he couldn't help but notice Bryce asleep on his bed, taking deep breaths with a thin layer of sweat covering his forehead. He turned to his side and murmured something that was inaudible to Adam.

Adam thought of waking him up. Maybe Bryce could also do with a jog around the school. But he knew Bryce better than anyone; he would be caught dead waking up that early for no good reason. Adam settled on ignoring him as he put on his gear and his jade green sneakers before heading out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

The cool morning air embraced Adam as he stepped outside. He took a moment to stretch, feeling the satisfying pull of his muscles as they warmed up. The school grounds were empty, a rare sight that filled Adam with a sense of solitude and freedom. He started his jog, his feet hitting the ground in a steady rhythm that matched the beat of his heart.

As he ran, the worries of the past few days began to melt away. The mystery of Luna's book, the strange behavior of Bryce, and the unsettling conversation about werewolves all seemed distant and unimportant compared to the simple joy of running. The path took him around the school, through the quiet gardens, and along the edge of the forest. The world was waking up around him, and Adam felt a deep connection to the beauty and tranquility of the morning.

***

Meanwhile, Bryce was locked in a nightmare he couldn't escape from, screaming his lungs out as something carried him away. His eyes were clenched shut, his gut wrenched, and his muscles tensed as he braced for the worst. He had just witnessed his mother get devoured by giant wolves, and now he was going to be next. He was going to die just like his mother, alone in a cabin somewhere in a snowy mountain.

A million thoughts flooded his mind. He had never gotten to ride a skateboard, never experienced his first kiss, never felt the adrenaline of skydiving, and now he was probably going to get eaten alive. It must be painful, he thought to himself. He had just lost all hope when something, almost like a primal instinct, shot up in his brain. Even if he was going to die, he wouldn't go down without a fight. He wiggled around and threw a powerful kick, which connected with the beast's face, causing it to let go of him and tumble to the ground.