Somewhere in the district…
In a poorly lit room, a series of whiplashes and screams raked violently across the silent building. A muscular man held two thick metal whips filled with spiky electrified thorns in his hands, all stained with blood.
In front of him was a woman with both hands and legs chained firmly. She was naked, her whole body, filled with scars of different sizes. Her back was so brutally battered that her bones were becoming visible. Blood flowed freely from her body, dripping slowly to the floor.
The man raised his hands, about to whip her when a deep, masculine voice interrupted.
"That's enough for now."
The man walked out of the dark part of the room into the little light that shone above the woman.
He was as terrifying as ever. He had a metallic mask on and an eye-patch on his left eye. His right eye was pitch black, and he wore the uniform of an officer in command. The mask released white smoke and made sounds whenever he breathed.
He slowly raised a photo of a young boy wearing a multi-coloured shirt and white shorts, smiling cheerfully to the camera while holding a red car. His gaze was focused on the woman who didn't even make signs of movement.
"I'm asking you for the 87th time, where is he?" he asked, still holding the photo.
"K… Kill… kill me," she managed to mutter under the slow sounds of her open lungs.
The room fell into a heavy silence.
For a moment, the only sound was the slow, mechanical hiss from the man's mask.
He tilted his head slightly, studying her thoroughly.
"Death?" he repeated calmly. "You think that's mercy?"
He lowered the photograph, his gloved fingers tightening around its edges.
"No," he continued, his voice colder now. "Death is released. And you haven't earned that."
The man with the whips shifted uneasily, stepping back into the shadows.
The masked officer took a slow step forward.
Then another.
Each step echoed against the concrete floor.
He crouched in front of her, bringing the photograph closer to her face.
"Look at him," he said quietly. "Look at him and tell me where he is."
The woman's trembling eyes barely moved, but they caught a glimpse of the photo.
For the first time, something changed.A faint, broken breath escaped her lips.
"You'll…never…fi…find…him. This i…promise you"
Then, slowly, a faint, distorted chuckle escaped through the man's mask.
"You sound so confident as if you've hidden him somewhere that would be difficult to locate. But then again, I wouldn't be surprised as your partner did state that his family kept him in your care not his. He was just there to complete the equation."
The woman's eyes widened in horror, whatever strength she had left draining instantly.
"Are you shocked? Well don't be. I only wanted to see if what he told me was true and you've given me all the confirmation I needed" He stood upright again, turning slightly away from her.
"What else…did the…bastard…tell you?" she whispered, her voice barely existing.
"That's none of your business" he glanced back at the woman, his pitch-black eye gleaming faintly in the dim light.
"This war, you…won't win it…no matter how many of our kind…you capture and study, victory…won't…be yours"
"Then you would have to stick around to find out won't you?" He turned and began walking toward the exit.
"Send word to Unit Seven," he said without looking back. "Expand the search perimeter. Focus on the outer districts and forest edges. With this kid, we could finally end this nightmare"
"Understood Dread Marshal Varkos" an officer stepped out of the darkness and bowed leaving the room immediately.
The mechanical hiss of his mask echoed once more as the door creaked open.
"As for you, it seems there's more you know than I anticipated. Till when we would need you again, you'll stay occupied"
At once, the muscular man came out of the shadows with the whips all clean. Varkos glanced at the woman once more before the door slammed shut behind him.
The woman closed her eyes as tears rolled slowly from her eyes. The man raised his whips prepared to continue what he started.
"I'm sorry Cisera, I couldn't protect him. I'm so sorry"
*********************************
I walked through the stone paths of Lumina Crest Academy. Students moved in clusters, laughing, talking—some pretending everything was normal. But it wasn't. Not anymore.
"Hey, Hassy!"
I turned to see Lyra jogging toward me, slightly out of breath, her silver hair bouncing with each step.
"You look terrible," she said bluntly, narrowing her eyes. "Let me guess… the dream again?"
I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "Is it that obvious?"
"You've had the same look on your face every year," she replied. "Like you're already in a fight you can't see."
We began walking side by side toward the classroom.
"I don't think it's just a dream anymore," I said quietly.
Lyra didn't respond immediately this time.
That alone told me she was starting to worry.
"You shouldn't say things like that out loud," she muttered. "If anyone hears you—"
"I know," I cut in as we stepped into the classroom.
The usual noise filled the air—chairs scraping, students arguing over nothing, papers flying across desks.
Normal.
Too normal.
I took my seat near the window, my eyes drifting toward the distant forest. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes and then it began-A low hum.
Faint, but there.
Like energy shifting beneath the surface of everything.
Lyra dropped into the seat beside me. "You're doing it again."
"Doing what?"
"Listening to things no one else can hear."
"You know why"
"Yeah but I'll have to remind you that they can pick little wave signals and if they do it's not gonna…"
"You don't have to spell it out for me everytime okay? I know all about the ups and downs" I interrupted sternly, losing my cool almost immediately.
Instead of reacting, Lyra gave out a smile and patted my head calmly.
"Noted my little pookie. I was just looking out for your well being and don't want you to get into a very serious situation knowing who you are. I'll always respect your decision and be with you no matter what happens. You know what? We will go together to find Tim okay?" Her smile brushed even wider.
"Saying 'no it's too dangerous' means I've gotten myself a stalker for the day, something I don't want to happen. What am I going to do with you?" I sighed, melting into my seat.
"Never let me go no matter what" she chuckled as she waved her head like a little kid. I smiled while looking at her.
She was the only person who understood me and truly cared for me. Despite her pack's warnings of staying clear of Cianáns, she still kept me close for some reasons I don't know. Whenever I'm in a rage, she's always calm and reassuring and that sometimes creeps me out. Even when I insult her she doesn't react or respond, she just smiles, pat me on the head and tells me how much I mean to her. That's one thing I can't wrap my head around seriously.
Just then Mr. Edward stepped into the class with his monocle he's so obsessed with. He slammed the huge book he held on his hand to the desk in front of him getting everyone's attention.
"Here comes the professor of the next generations," Lyra shrugged, resting her head on her hands.
"Today we are going to be studying Molecular genetics and I want all hands on deck as this is a complex subject. Now we are going to start with…" Just as Mr. Edward spoke, the classroom door slammed open.
The entire room went silent.
Three figures stood at the entrance. By their appearance and movements, one could easily identify that they were hunters. But why? What are they doing here? Lyra and I were the only werewolves in this class. Could it be that they found us? Was it because I tried to use my hearing abilities? Chills ran down my spine instantly.
As I trembled in my seat, Lyra's hand held mine gently. Her soothing voice echoed in my ear.
"Don't react," she whispered under her breath. "Just breathe."
I tried my best to breathe and act normal. This was so unexpected.
Mr. Edward froze at the spot, clearly caught off guard.
"We apologise for the abrupt entrance,but we got info that there are two werewolves in this class and we are here to capture them" another hunter walked in calmly as the rest three readied their weapons.
For a split second—
No one moved.
Then everything broke.
A deafening scream ripped through the classroom.
"What the hell is happening?!"
Chairs screeched violently against the floor as students scrambled back, knocking into each other in blind panic. Books and papers scattered everywhere like debris after a storm.They said werewolves—" another voice cut in, shaking. "There are werewolves here?!"
The words spread like fire.
"Who is it?!"
"Where are they?!"
"Is it true?!"
Fear turned quickly.
Into suspicion.
Students began backing away from each other, eyes darting wildly, searching, accusing.
"No… no this has to be a mistake…"
A boy near the front stumbled backward, pointing with a trembling hand.
"It's her… isn't it?" he said, his voice cracking. "She's always been weird—"
"Shut up!" someone else snapped, though their own voice trembled just as much.
A girl burst into tears, dropping to the floor and covering her head.
"I don't want to die… I don't want to die…" Students rushed in different directions, some diving under desks, others pushing toward the walls as if distance alone could save them.
"Get away from me!" one shouted, shoving his friend aside. "What if it's you?!"
"You think I'm one of them?!" the other snapped back, fear turning into anger.
"I don't know what you are anymore!"
The classroom, once filled with laughter minutes ago, had turned into something else entirely.
Another student bolted for the door—
Only to freeze as a Hunter blocked the entrance.
"Please everyone should be calm, I assure you safety is guaranteed. As soon as we identify the werewolves, we would make sure no harm comes to anyone. But for that to happen I'll need you all to be in your seats and be calm. Do that for me and I'll get rid of that filth in no time" the commanding Hunter's voice ran cold at the last sentence.
The chaos dropped a little. Students trembled in their seats, whispers began to form—quieter, sharper, more dangerous.
My body began to shake to the extent that it was quite obvious already. They finally found us and it's all because of my desperation to find Tim. I'm so stupid. I was so clouded in finding my brother that I forgot the danger it could pose to us, especially Lyra. It's because of me that she's in this mess. I'm such a fool.
Clouded in my emotions, Lyra held my hands tighter looking more serious than she has been with me.
"Get it together Hassy! I know you're scared so I'm I, but still try to act normal please" she was shaking too but still looked calm. I felt so sorry for her. She's in this because of me.
I bowed my head as tears rolled from my eyes and in that moment, it happened.
"The girl at the window, raise your hands and stand up gently. Any sudden movements you make will be responded with immediate fire from us and trust me, it hurts even for a human." Footsteps began to approach where I was as I raised my head shakingly.
I looked at Lyra who gave me a pitiful look trembling as well. I gave out a frail smile as I said my last words to her
"Well this is where we say goodbye Lyra. Thank you for everything"
There is no way out of it now. I'll just have to do as I'm told and live with regret all my life.