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Chapter 8 - Chapter 008 ( Transformed )

Vincent Huang was the only child who had ever heard the full story directly from their father.

Nakulla Huang had told him in private — not out of trust alone, but out of necessity. As the eldest, Vincent had to understand the family's shame, to be prepared to protect his younger sister when the day finally came.

He had carried that secret in silence for years, heavy and poisonous. Now, as he stood in the center of the chaos, watching Nattalie trembling in her small, furry form, Vincent finally understood why his father's eyes had looked so haunted that night.

David Huang, on the other hand, was the most shocked of all.

The prankster of the family, he had always teased his little sister, loved seeing her flustered and fiery. But now… looking at the tiny creature before him, with its wide, terrified eyes and trembling body, he couldn't even recognize her.

"That's… Nattalie?" David's voice broke slightly. He looked from the dog to his parents, hoping — begging — for someone to tell him he was wrong.

No one spoke.

Nakulla simply lowered his head. Lilian pressed her lips together, her eyes glistening.

That silence was enough.

David's chest tightened. He turned to look again at the half-meter-tall dog — her fur soft gray, her tail wagging nervously as if asking for help she couldn't voice.

The sight made him sick.

Norte Huang, the second brother, finally stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes.

"How could this happen?" he demanded. "Didn't you say it only triggers when the heart beats too fast? When someone gets too excited or—"

He stopped mid-sentence, his mind racing. Then, realization struck him.

"Fireworks!" he shouted, turning sharply toward his father. "It's because of the fireworks, isn't it? She was outside when they went off! It startled her— that must've triggered it!"

His voice shook with frustration. The celebration, the noise, the flashes — all of it suddenly made terrible sense.

He cursed under his breath. "This is ridiculous… we knew loud noises could cause it! And still, those idiots outside had to throw a party tonight of all nights!"

But Nakulla only shook his head. His expression was grave.

"No," he said quietly. "That's not what caused it."

Everyone turned to him.

"The fireworks startled her, yes. But that wasn't the trigger. This—" his gaze fell to the trembling creature at his feet "—was destined to happen tonight."

His voice lowered to almost a whisper.

"It's the full moon. The first full moon since Nattalie turned sixteen. The same night… the same age… when Lie Niu Er herself first transformed."

A stunned silence filled the room.

Vincent, Norte, and David exchanged uneasy glances. The thought crept through their minds like a dark whisper — what if this wasn't just coincidence? What if their sister wasn't merely cursed… but chosen?

Was Nattalie truly the reincarnation of the woman who had started it all?

They didn't dare voice it. But the fear lingered — sharp and bitter.

Finally, Norte broke the silence again.

"Then what do we do now?" he asked, his voice tight. "How do we bring her back? How do we stop this from happening again?"

The question hung unanswered in the air.

Before Nakulla could speak, a soft, composed voice came from the doorway.

"There's nothing you can do."

All heads turned.

Sherly Gong, Nakulla's younger sister — and the siblings' aunt — stood at the entrance, her eyes calm yet filled with sorrow.

"You can't force her back," she continued. "The transformation will fade on its own — once an hour has passed and her emotions settle."

"Aunt Li…" the three brothers breathed in unison.

Sherly's gaze softened as she approached the frightened dog on the floor. She knelt gracefully, her hand trembling slightly before she reached out to Nattalie.

"Come here, sweetheart," she said gently.

Nattalie hesitated. Her small paws scraped lightly against the floor as she took a tentative step forward — guided by Vincent, who crouched beside her, whispering encouragement.

Despite never having walked on four legs before, Nattalie moved carefully, her head low, her movements clumsy but instinctive.

Sherly smiled faintly through her tears and gathered her into her arms. The warmth of that embrace broke through Nattalie's fear.

"Shh… calm down, honey," Aunt Li whispered softly. "You'll be all right. This won't last forever. You'll find a way to live again — I promise."

Something inside Nattalie cracked.

Her tiny body trembled in her aunt's hold as the tears she couldn't control began to fall — silent, aching sobs that no human ear could understand. Her cries came out as soft whimpers and broken yelps, but every heart in the room understood their meaning.

The sound tore through them like glass.

Vincent turned away, his jaw clenched, while Lilian pressed a hand to her mouth to keep from crying aloud. Even Nakulla, the calmest of them all, closed his eyes in silent grief.

Because in that moment — surrounded by her family's pain — Nattalie Huang understood something none of them could change.

The curse was real.

And it had finally chosen her.

***

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