Tomorrow Never Dies (Moonlight 3)

Chapter 35-Fireproof

(Luke's POV)

As I glared at Mei, I could feel the angry fire burning within. My skin felt like it was searing hot, burning more fiercely with each tremble of my form. I knew it was almost time to give in, I couldn't hold back for much longer. My mind kept replaying what it had seen, only adding more fuel to the fire. I thought over Mei's mother's role in the death of my brother. The one that she'd forced me to forget. Her mother had been responsible for so much pain and so much that I had forgotten. It wasn't like Mei was innocent either, she had hurt so many people. She had destroyed so many lives. I held no sympathy for her whatsoever. I wanted her to realise what she had done. I wanted to make her suffer for her mother's sake too.

Mei went through numerous threats, but I was barely listening anymore. She went on and on about how I would destroy everything and that I somehow needed her. It was as if she thought she had some right over me. Like she thought I was still some scared little kid.

I wasn't anymore.

A large part of me knew that I needed to give in. That I needed to give in to my emotions, to shift and to show her no mercy. Yet something was stopping me, and I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was. I had a sense someone was watching me, waiting for me. My eyes moved over to Michael's. His form was trembling the same as I was. He was sharing my pain.

I nodded to him as I let out a low growl as I turn back towards Mei. The two of us begin to circle her. That's when I notice the shadows rising from the surface of my skin, but it doesn't scare me anymore. It's like a welcome part of myself. I narrow my gaze on Mei and allow my claws to extend. Leaping forwards, I raise my hand and bring it down onto the surface of her skin. She let's out a yell as I keep attacking wildly. I don't care what I hit.

Mei jerks suddenly, her hands on my shoulders as she pushes me backwards. I fall to the ground clumsily, almost catching on my own claws. As I start to stand, I feel my back arch as my body starts to anticipate the shift. I take deep breaths, as pain wracks right through my body. I can taste the acid growing in my mouth. Nearby I can see Michael doubled over in pain.

It would be so easy.

No, you can't shift. I tell myself over and over, there's a part of me that still knows I can't give in to it no matter how much of me wants to see Mei suffer. Michael looks up at me, and there's a certain pleading in his eyes not to do it.

"Come on? What are you waiting for?" Mei asks the two of us, there's the slight hint of a smile on her face. She thinks she's won.

She's right, what am I waiting for? I can't remember. So why am I hesitating? If I let myself shift it'll make everything easier. I'll finally have a chance of defeating her.

No.

I'll become exactly like her, if I do that. I let out a pained whine as it feels like my stomach is rammed by a truck. I'm running out of options as I realise that I can't fight what's happening to me for much longer. Mei know it too. She's known all along what would eventually happen to us.

I feel the acid rise in my throat, and I let out a choking cough.

'We're out of time.' I think to Michael, a certain weakness to the thought, 'I'm so sorry.'

I don't give Michael a chance to respond. It's all over now. I close my eyes as I sense the shadows begin to engulf me. I know I'm doing the best thing for everyone. I'll finally defeat Mei. I don't care if I lose myself in the process.

'Luke wait!' I hear a voice clear inside my head.

It's enough to jar me out of it. My eyes snap open at the voice and I almost choke as I notice how my vision is clouded with a distinct red. Michael moves closer towards me. His movements are jerky and are made in a half hobble as he clutches at his stomach. Mei doesn't seem to stop him, but her eyes are watchful. In fact, I'd even dare say that she's curious to see what will happen next.

'You can't do this. We don't have to do this.' He says, his red irises eyes meet with mine as he moves towards me. He falls right in front of me and onto his knees, 'We're different.'

His entire form was trembling before me, but he manages to look me straight in the eyes. 'I've been thinking over what Mei said to me about us being different. About what Cal's always said to us. What we've always believed.'

My body was trembling too, confused by my hesitation. Yet I managed to hold it off as I held his gaze. Though I couldn't help but notice the shadows that danced in the corner of my red tinged vision. I grit my teeth, I had to hold out long enough to hear what he was trying to say. Yet I knew I was barely hanging on.

'Cal shouldn't have been able to transfer that Alpha ability to me so easy. I shouldn't have been able to make another pack like I did. We shouldn't be able to ignore our Alpha's orders.' Michael continued.

'Wait. What are you trying to say?' I questioned.

Michael's eyes met with mine. 'Think about it. There's only very few kinds of wolves that should be able to do those things.'

I had no idea what he was talking about. He was stalling, wasting my time. I growled; he was trying to hold me back.

'Think Luke.' He pleaded to me. 'You have to at least try.'