Beneath The Full Moon {TMT #1}

Epilogue

I opened the French doors that led to the balcony and sighed, breathing in the cool night's breeze. I wrapped my arms around myself when a cold shiver ran down my spine as I gazed into the full moon that loomed right above the dark clouds.

I could never forget what happened to me during the time I had spent in the Black Woods of Lycanthrope. What happened to all those tourists, Maddison, Miguel...and John.

I closed my eyes as I began to reminisce about how he had almost bit me and how I had narrowly escaped because of the sun rising together with the roaring of an engine that had approached just at the right time from miles away.

I had no idea why exactly John and the other wolves had retreated because of that reason. He could've just outright murdered the driver since he didn't have any issues with the sun, and had his way with me afterwards.

Not that I was complaining anyway.

I hadn't told anyone about the scary adventure and the survival acts I had gone through just to survive in those woods. It was obvious that no one would believe me and I certainly didn't want anyone to think I was crazy. However, I wouldn't be able to blame them because I knew that if I hadn't encountered that frightening experience in those woods, I would've never believed anything like that was possible.

I remembered how John had given me one last look that held a deep promise of coming back to get me before he hesitantly ran into the woods along with his pack, leaving me bleeding and unconscious.

The owner of the diner had been there just in time to drive me back to the city and to a hospital for treatment, though it had taken more than five hours. I'd been admitted for almost a week until they'd let me go. I had been relieved that I had the chance of living like a normal person again, even though it was clear that this life would happen without Miguel in it.

Miguel's family and I had been mourning Miguel's death for over six months. However, I didn't think that I was fully over it yet.

I almost jumped when I felt two arms wrap around my waist. Knowing who it was without even turning, I smiled and leaned into my fiancé's embrace when said person planted a small peck on my cheek.

Max had been admitted on the same day as I had been at the hospital. He had a brain tumor the size of a walnut and it was clear that his life would be taken away from him at any moment since his third surgery had again been unsuccessful. But after we had met and gotten a lot more closer, he had gradually shun from his mind the fact that his life would end soon. And after months of courtship, he had asked me to marry him to at least make his last days on earth be of worth. And since he was the only close friend I had since Miguel, I just couldn't say no to that.

I did love Max. He subtly replaced Miguel in a way and gave me comfort when tragic memories of being in those woods would hit me so hard that I began to breakdown without even asking why I appeared that way. He was always there, and I was honoured that I got to make the last days of his life worth something to him.

"What are you thinking about?" Max whispered in my ear as we both stared up at the large full moon that seemed to glow brighter by the second.

"Our wedding," I lied, because he didn't know the truth and I just couldn't tell him.

I hadn't breathed a word to Max about what happened in the Black Woods just because I couldn't bring myself to do it. He was struggling so hard to keep himself in good shape in order to stay healthy - before his life was taken away from him - that I didn't want to burden him with my fears and persistent troubles.

"I'm glad you are." He kissed my cheek again and before letting his arms fall from my waist. "Thank you again for doing this, Phoebe. It means so much to me."