Moonstone mysteries; The Werewolf Within

Fear of The Truth

As the haunting wail of distant howls pierced the stillness of the night, Aiva jolted awake, her heart pounding with fear. Clutching the sheets tightly, she sat up in bed, her mind racing with thoughts of impending danger. For a moment, she couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister lurked just beyond the shadows, waiting to pounce.

As the echoes of the howls faded into the darkness, Aiva's sleepiness evaporated, replaced by a gnawing sense of unease. Was it just her imagination, or were more wails echoing through the town of Moonstone? Shivering, she couldn't help but cast a wary thought towards Luna, the source of her suspicions.

Slowly connecting the dots in her head, Aiva left the comfort of her bed and padded to the bathroom to wash her face. She recalled that on Saturday night before leaving the dorm house for the patrol, she had passed through every room to make sure that everyone was in their room, and everyone was either there or at the dorm house study. Everyone except Luna, that is.

Originally, she had assumed Luna must have been in the bathroom or somewhere else and never thought much of it. But now, as she recalled the werewolf she saw on Saturday, a chilling familiarity settled over her. Could it really have been Luna? If it was, why was she trying to kill Adam and her, especially after claiming to like and care about Adam?

These thoughts bothered her as she splashed her face with the cold, refreshing water from the sink. The coolness eased the tension that had built up in her head. As she reached up to splash her face again, she caught a fleeting glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her auburn hair, long and flowing, framed her face with natural elegance. Her skin had a soft glow, untouched by blemishes, and her brown eyes held a quiet confidence. A few freckles dotted her cheeks, adding a touch of whimsy to her features. She paused for a moment, taking in her reflection with a soft smile.

Strolling back towards her room, her mind a bit clearer, Aiva began to realize something that was far too obvious. Last Saturday was a full moon. And if her knowledge of werewolves was correct, which it was, that must explain why Luna had gone savage. Werewolves are greatly affected by the full moon; it's often depicted as a time when their primal instincts are heightened, leading to changes in their psychology and consciousness, making them more aggressive and animalistic.

Although experienced werewolves adapted to this through training and retained their consciousness, it seemed Luna wasn't as experienced as Aiva had originally thought. This might also imply that Luna was significantly young as a werewolf. Putting it that way made more sense to her and explained why Luna had hidden away in the school buildings.

Thinking this way made Aiva sympathize a bit with Luna. Maybe she was being too hard on her. Maybe because she also had eyes for a certain special someone. Either way, she couldn't let her mind dwell on that as she climbed into her bed and pulled her fluffy red blanket to cover herself. One way or another, Luna was still a threat, and if Aiva wasn't careful, someone would get hurt or worse. And Luna's secret would get out. Only Aiva knew about her... well, for now.

***

Days passed, and Adam found himself consumed by a relentless curiosity—an insatiable thirst for knowledge that drove him to delve deeper into the mysteries of werewolves. From the dusty shelves of the library to the pages of the novel dropped by Luna, he scoured every available resource, desperate to uncover the truth behind the legends.

Despite his fervent research, Adam couldn't shake the feeling of disbelief that gnawed at him. Werewolves? Vampires? It all seemed too fantastical to be true, too far-fetched to believe. And yet, the nagging reality remained, lingering at the edges of his consciousness like a persistent shadow.

As he closed the final pages of the book on werewolves, the one Luna had mysteriously dropped, Adam couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration wash over him. Try as he might, he still couldn't reconcile the fantastical tales with the reality of his own experiences. Were werewolves truly real, or was it all just a figment of his imagination? Maybe he had just imagined everything?