Lunar Eclipse

{21} Awakening

* Rylie *

I gasped, the sensation of air flooding into my lungs feeling both foreign and familiar. My heart, which had been silent for what felt like an eternity, thudded weakly in my chest, and I clutched at the sheets, overwhelmed by the sensory overload. Colors were brighter, sounds sharper, and smells more intense than they'd ever been. The scent of old wood and dried blood filled the room, and the faintest rustle of fabric as Alek shifted next to me was deafening.

"Alek..." My voice was rough, like gravel scraping against stone, and I barely recognized it.

He was by my side in an instant, his hand reaching to cup my face while the other grasped by wrist. "I'm here, Rylie," he whispered, relief washing over his features, though there was a deep sadness behind his eyes that he couldn't quite hide.

I blinked, trying to focus on his face, but my vision kept shifting, the world around me distorting as if I were seeing it through a kaleidoscope. My fangs—new and unfamiliar—itched in my mouth, and I could feel a deep, burning hunger gnawing at the pit of my stomach.

"I—" I tried to speak, but a wave of nausea and dizziness overtook me. The room spun, and I slumped back against the pillows, my body trembling with the effort to stay conscious.

"Shh, don't try to move too much. You're still adjusting," Eliza's voice was soft, almost maternal. I could feel her presence near, though I couldn't quite make out her features. Everything was too bright, too loud.

"What... happened to me?" I managed to ask, forcing the words out through the haze of confusion.

"You've been turned, Rylie," Will said from somewhere nearby. His tone was gentle but firm. "But something about your transition was... different."

"Different?" The word echoed in my mind, and the pain only worsened as I thought about my hunger. "What do you mean, different?"

Alek's hand tightened around mine, and he quickly shook his head. "We'll talk about that later. Right now, you need to eat. You're hungry, aren't you?" His voice was calm, but I could hear the urgency beneath it.

I blinked, trying to process what he was saying, but my thoughts were sluggish, clouded by said hunger that was steadily growing inside me. "Yeah... I'm hungry," I admitted, my mouth feeling dry as ever.

Alek nodded, relief flashing in his eyes. "Okay, we'll get you some food," he said, glancing at everybody else. "I'll take him."

Maggie, Will, Eliza, Sarah, and James all nodded as they quietly exited the room.

"How are you feeling?" Alek asked as he lightly brushed his fingers through Rylie's hair.

"How are you feeling?" Alek asked softly as he lightly brushed his fingers through my hair, his touch soothing the chaos inside me.

I wanted to answer, to tell him everything I was experiencing, but the hunger was all-consuming. It was like a beast within me, clawing to get out, to be fed. My thoughts were a mess, and I couldn't focus on anything else.

"Alek..." I whispered, my voice trembling. "What's happening to me? Why is this different?"

Alek hesitated for a moment, his hand stilling in my hair. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the way he wanted to protect me from whatever truth he was holding back. "Rylie," he began, his voice gentle, "we'll talk about that later. Right now, we need to make sure you're okay. You need to eat first, and then we can figure everything out together."

His words were meant to reassure me, but they only added to the unease swirling in my chest. Still, the hunger was too strong to ignore, and I knew he was right—I needed to eat before I could focus on anything else.