Miss Kate moved like a shadow through the Manhattan woods, her casual outfit rustling softly against the night breeze. No flashlight. No tech-lights. Just the silver gleam of the full moon overhead and her own razor-sharp eyes, piercing the dark with ease.
She didn't hurry. She didn't stumble. She didn't fear the beasts lurking in the shadows. Why would she?
Out here, she was the predator.
Every so often a distant animal cry echoed... an owl, a night beast on the prowl. But nothing, and i repeat nothing, dared step into her path. Even the trees seemed to shrink back as she moved deeper and deeper into the forest, the moonlight haloing her steps.
Bzzzt.
Her wristband crackled suddenly, a faint blue light blinking as a voice came through.. deep, gravelly, old... yet firm. The kind of voice that could command armies but also tuck a kid into bed.
"Kate."
She sighed, rolling her eyes like a teenager caught sneaking out. "What now?"
There was a pause, then the voice rumbled again, stern but laced with warmth. "You revealed yourself to the boy."
Kate huffed, brushing a low branch out of her way. "Of course that's why you're calling."
"I told you to wait," the man snapped, his voice sharp. "He wasn't ready. This was..."
"Too soon?" Kate cut in, stopping mid-step, her jaw tightening. "You've been spying on him since he was in diapers, and you're telling me he's not ready? He was about to rip apart a classmate. About to lose everything.. he was drowning."
Silence crackled through the line. The man exhaled slowly, but his tone stayed cold. "I had my reasons. He was supposed to awaken naturally. Not be coddled."
Kate snorted, starting to walk again. "Coddled? That kid's been through more shit in seven years than most people handle in a lifetime. Yet you sit back on your high throne and call that life training?"
His voice dropped dangerously low. "Watch your tone, Katherine."
"Or what?" she snapped, eyes flashing as she stepped over a log, her boots crunching against the fallen leaves. "You'll ground me? Send me to my room? I don't work for you, remember?"
The man let out a long, hard sigh. "You are a member of this faction... of this family. And that means your loyalty belongs to me, child,"
"Loyalty? Fuck, loyalty," she shot back without missing a beat. "I have my own life now. My own choices. And last i checked, we're not the type of lycans that connects like a pack. So, I'd say it again... To hell with loyalty,"
Another long pause. Kate's jaw clenched, her eyes narrowing on the path ahead. The moonlight shivered through the branches.
"I warned you," the man finally said, voice low but heavy. "You're meddling. You're crossing lines that were never yours to cross."
She chuckled dryly, shaking her head. "Yeah? Well, too late for that."
Ahead of her, the outline of the container finally appeared.. half-hidden by moss and stones, looking more like an ancient cave than anything technological.
Kate's steps slowed as she approached, eyes sharp. "I'm here," she muttered into the wristband.
"Kate...."
"Hold that thought," she said, slipping the walkie-talkie from her jacket pocket. She thumbed the button and pressed it to her lips. "Jayden? You there?"
Static.
She tried again. "Jayden. It's Miss Kate. You at the container?"
Nothing.
Her eyes narrowed, the sharp edge of concern cutting through her usual cool. She tapped the button one more time, her voice harder. "Jayden, answer me. Now."
Silence.
Kate's hand dropped slowly. She inhaled, long and heavy. "Shit," she muttered under her breath.
"What is it?" the voice on her wristband asked.
She pocketed the walkie-talkie and strode toward the container door, eyes narrowing. "He's not answering."
The man on the other end sighed. "Then he's already transforming."
Kate's eyes flicked to the full moon, glowing intently.
"Yes, maybe," she said slowly. But something itched at her gut... a sense she'd honed over years. "Or... maybe not,"
Something wasn't right.
The container was silent.
Too silent.
Kate's eyes narrowed. Her instincts bristled. This wasn't how it was supposed to be—there should be screaming. Thrashing. The raw sounds of a teenage boy fighting through one of the most agonizing transformations of his life.
Unless...
She stormed up to the entrance, shoving aside the thick curtain of bushes that hid the metal door. Her fingers flew across the keypad.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The panel blinked green. The locks hissed and clicked, gears whirring as the door slowly disengaged.
Kate grabbed the handle, heart pounding, and yanked the door open.
Blue lights flickered on inside with a hum, casting a sterile glow.
She froze in place.
Her sharp eyes swept the interior in an instant—every corner, every chain, every cuff and restraint.
Empty.
Not a damn soul in sight.
Her jaw clenched hard, and her fists curled so tight her nails bit into her palms. "Goddammit..."
"What's going on?" the voice crackled through her wrist communicator, tension rising, sharp now.
Kate's eyes snapped up to the sky, her gaze locking onto the moon, full and blazing. Her teeth gritted so hard her jaw ached.
"It's Jayden," she spat. "He's—"
"Let me guess," the man cut in, dry as ever. "He's not in the container."
Kate exhaled sharply through her nose, rolling her eyes skyward. "Go on, laugh. Get it out of your system."
The man's chuckle rumbled through the speaker. "I don't need to. I told you this would happen. You can't change fate, Katherine."
She squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing at her temple, her frustration boiling. Two men had managed to piss her off in one evening. One was a stupid, reckless kid. And the other was an annoying old man.
"Fate?!" she snapped, eyes blazing. "Are you serious right now? With the full moon out, Jayden's probably mid-transformation already. Do you realize what that means?"
She gestured at the empty container like it was the world's dumbest punchline. "He's either at home... or already rampaging through the streets."
"So?" the man replied smoothly, not a trace of concern in his tone. "Let him rampage. It's in his blood... it's his nature. Our nature."
Kate scoffed, eyes flashing.. "Okay, now you're just tripping. Did you forget to take your meds today?"
His sigh crackled across the line, heavy and unamused. "You know I speak the truth, Katherine."
She gritted her teeth, shaking her head. "The truth? Jayden is out there, alone, turning into a lycan, and you want to sit on your ass and preach about nature?! He's going to kill someone—or get himself killed. Or worse... end up in the EVA's hands!"
Her voice wavered for half a second—just long enough to let the raw fury show. "But of course, you don't care. You'll just sit back, grab your popcorn and watch... just like you did when his mother was killed. And his sister was taken."
The line went quiet. Heavy. Dense with unspoken guilt.
Finally, the man exhaled. "Kate... you know I couldn't interfere. There were... rules. Things you don't fully understand yet."
"Bullshit!" she snapped, pacing now, her boots crunching over dead leaves. "I don't want your excuses. I want you to fix this. Right now. You can, even from where you are—I know you can."
Another pause. Then, quiet but firm: "I'm afraid I can't do that."
Kate froze mid-step, her fists trembling. "Of course you can't," she muttered bitterly. "I should have expected nothing less,"
"It's the way it has to be," the man said, tone softer now. "And, Katherine... you know there will be consequences for disobeying my orders. Even for you. Even if... you're family."
Her eyes narrowed to deadly slits, her jaw ticking. "Consequences? I don't give a damn about consequences. Do whatever the hell you want. But I'm not standing by and watching Jayden get torn apart... I owe Cyllene that much."
The man sighed again, weariness bleeding through. "Katherine... you don't have to—"
"Goodnight..." she cut him off sharply, her eyes burning with fierce resolve. She pressed the button on her wrist communicator. "...Dad."
Kate stood there, breathing hard, her fists still clenched, eyes blazing with purpose. Her gaze flicked up again, locking onto the moon, bright and merciless.
She pivoted on her heel, ready to move, when suddenly—
AWOOOOOOOO!
A deep, piercing howl shattered the silence of the woods. It echoed, raw and wild, bouncing off every tree, shaking the earth beneath her boots.
Kate's blood ran cold.
Her eyes widened, her fists tightening by her sides. She turned slowly, facing the direction of the sound.
"Shit," she whispered, her eyes blazing with worry and rage. "Damn it, Jayden..."
And without another word, she bolted—disappearing into the trees like a phantom, racing toward the sound of the beast.
.....
A few minutes earlier.
Jayden stood there, frozen, his heart hammering as he stared at the glowing system screen floating menacingly in front of his face. His breath came out in ragged bursts, cold sweat dripping down his brow, stinging his eyes. His throat went dry, lips parting just enough to whisper, "Shit..."
Then it began.
At first, it was subtle—a tiny twitch in his fingertips. Then, his vision darkened for a split second.
A pulse surged through his body, spreading from his core to his fingertips, his skin tingling as though invisible energy had awakened beneath it. His heartbeat increased, and his senses sharpened, even better than before. The world around him felt different.. clearer, sharper, as though he could perceive every little movement, every breath, every heartbeat within his vicinity.
It was an exhilarating feeling, but that was simply a calm before the storm.
The energy that spread through his body began to heat up... getting hotter and hotter by the second. But that was just the start.
Jayden took a sharp breath, he knew something big was about to happen. He clenched his fist and welcomed the hot, sizzling energy. He didn't fight it.
And that helped reduce the pain for a while, it just felt like bathing with hot water.
But within seconds—
BOOM.
The pain exploded through him like a grenade going off inside his chest. His knees buckled as he slammed to the floor, his hands gripping the cold tiles so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"Arghhh!" he hissed, veins bulging, eyes wild.
A migraine hit next, like knives stabbing into his brain.. no, daggers. Sharp, unrelenting, merciless. Every pulse of blood felt like his skull was going to crack open. His vision blurred with every heartbeat.
"F—FUCK!" Jayden roared, his body convulsing as muscles seized, bones snapping, popping, twisting beneath his skin like writhing serpents. His spine arched violently... crack, crack, crack—each vertebra stretching and snapping in jagged succession.
His fingers split apart, claws tearing through his skin with wet, sickening pops, black and razor-sharp. His arms bulged, fur sprouting in patches, his forearms lengthening, distorting grotesquely.
He slammed his fist into the floor to ground himself, his claws gouging deep into the tiles as another wave of agony crashed through him.
"Arghh! "It hurts... God, it fucking hurts!" he grunted
His head pounded like a war drum, the migraine now so savage it blurred the edges of his consciousness. He could feel himself slipping, the world starting to fade.
"No... no, no," Jayden gritted out, shaking his head violently, refusing to let the darkness take him. "Not now... I can't pass out yet..."
He clenched his jaws tight, muscles locking, enduring the agony as best he could.
Suddenly... he heard a sound. A voice.
"Jayden?!"
His eyes shot wide open, glowing faintly in the dim light as his heart seized in his chest. That voice. That soft, familiar, sweet voice.
It was Jessica.
"Fuck..." Jayden whispered hoarsely, his breath ragged. "What is she doing here?!"
"Jayden, are you in there? Are you okay?!" Jessica called, her voice laced with deep worry from the other side of his bedroom door.
Jayden's heart plunged. Panic set in.
"She's not supposed to be here!" His mind was racing, frantic. "She was supposed to be at a sleepover with Tasha!"
Then just as he was pondering...
POP!
Jayden gritted his teeth, his eyes darting to the door as his spine gave a sickening pop, elongating in brutal slow motion. The pain was unbearable, but he bit down hard, choking back a cry. He couldn't let her hear.
Clenching his jaw tight, he forced himself to speak—his voice surprisingly calm despite the chaos inside him. "Jessica... what are you doing here?" he managed, breath shaky but steady enough. "I thought you were out... with Tasha..."
Jessica sighed. "I was going to, but I had this weird headache, so I decided to stay back," she explained through the door.
Jayden gasped softly, his muscles spasming uncontrollably as his shoulder dislocated, cracking loudly. His claws scratched the tiles again as he fought to keep quiet, biting back the scream threatening to rip free.
"O-Okay... that's good," he breathed out raggedly, his voice strained but playing it cool. "You should... get some rest then..."
He prayed... begged, for her to walk away. To leave. To not see this nightmare.
But Jessica wasn't stupid.
There was a pause.
"Jayden... are you okay? I heard... I heard something. Like... screaming."
Jayden let out a broken chuckle, forced and laced with agony. "Pfft... yeah, no, I'm fine... it's just... the romcom I'm watching. It's really... intense. Nerve-wrecking, you know?"
Jessica scoffed, skeptical. "Jayden, don't bullshit me. What's really going on? Are you in pain?"
Jayden squeezed his eyes shut as his ribcage expanded, cracking outward violently, his chest heaving as fur began sprouting across his torso. His breathing hitched, but he forced his voice steady, swallowing the pain like poison.
"I'm fine, Jessie. Seriously. You don't have to worry about me. Just... go back to your room, okay? Get some sleep."
Jessica's tone sharpened, she wasn't buying any of it. "Nope. Something's definitely wrong with you. I'm coming in—"
"NO!" Jayden growth, his voice deep, primal and vicious.
Jessica froze, her hand trembling on the doorknob. The sheer force of his voice was enough to make her blood run cold.
Jayden inhaled sharply, realizing what he'd done. He quickly softened his tone, desperation cracking through. "No... please, Jessica," he said, panting, forcing out his next words like bitter pills. "I'm... I'm just doing something... private. You know... when I get... excited watching... certain scenes."
Silence.
Jessica blinked, completely thrown off, her cheeks flushing with both embarrassment and disbelief. "O-Oh..." she stammered, stepping back awkwardly. "Um... okay... then I guess... keep doing your thing..."
She shook her head, biting her lip as she walked away, muttering under her breath, "God, boys... they're all the same..."
Jayden slumped, his body shaking violently, sighing in relief as he heard her footsteps fade away.
"Shit... thank God..." he whispered hoarsely.
He reached out, trembling, for the handkerchief on the floor.
When...
CRACK!
His hip snapped, twisting unnaturally.
"ARGHHHHHHH!" Jayden screamed, the pain so white-hot it ripped the air apart.
Jessica, who was only a few steps away, froze.
Her eyes widened, horror flashing across her face. And without thinking, she bolted back, flinging the door open.
"JAYDEN!!" she cried, eyes darting across the room.
And then her eyes landed on Jayden... or at least what he was becoming.
Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart plummeted.
Jayden was on his knees, his body grotesquely twisted, halfway between human and something else. His limbs were stretching, bones popping, muscles bulging. Claws gleamed under the moonlight, and his fangs... long, sharp, deadly, protruded from his snarling mouth. Brown fur covered his arms and patches of his face. His glowing yellow eyes locked onto hers, wild, terrifying... hungry.
Jessica stumbled back a step, hand flying to her mouth as her eyes welled up with tears. Her chest heaved in panic, her mind racing, heart slamming against her ribs.
It was like that day at the martial arts class... except worse.
"J... Jayden..." she whispered, voice trembling, her mind spiraling.
"It's real. It's all real. I wasn't imagining things. He... he's a... beast. But how?"
"Why?"
Jayden raised his head, locking eyes with her... and what he saw destroyed him.
The fear. The raw, naked terror in her eyes.
He wanted to look away. He wanted to cry. This.. this was exactly what he'd tried so hard to prevent.
"Jessica... I..." he choked out, but—
POP!
His arm twisted unnaturally, mangling itself mid-transformation. He howled in agony, collapsing, gripping his broken arm as tears welled in his glowing eyes.
Jessica flinched, gasping, but her heart... her heart refused to abandon him.
"Jayden..." she breathed, taking a shaky step forward.
"No... Jessica, don't!" Jayden begged, his voice strangled with both pain and fear. "Stay back... I don't want to hurt you!"
But Jessica's tears spilled down her cheeks, and she stepped closer. "You won't hurt me," she whispered, voice shaking but full of stubborn determination. "You promised me... remember? You promised."
Jayden grit his fangs, eyes wild, his body spasming again as his legs stretched, toes cracking, claws slicing out. He screamed, sobbing, the pain unbearable.
And then—He suddenly felt a touch of warmth and affection
Jessica's arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him tight, her face pressed into his furred shoulder.
Jayden's eyes shot open wide.
The moment she embraced him... something changed.
The inferno raging inside him.. the pain, the fire, the uncontrollable spiral, it dulled. His heartbeat slowed, his breathing evened out. The agony was still there, but it was no longer all-consuming. For the first time, it felt... bearable.
His glowing eyes widened, realization hitting him like a meteor.
This feeling... this warmth...
It was the same sensation from before. The same calm he felt that morning when Jessica's voice pulled him back from the edge. The same peace when she held his hand at school.
It was her.
It's always been her.
Jessica... was his anchor.
.....
Six Years Ago,
It was a quiet afternoon, the kind where the world seemed to hold its breath, warm sunlight filtering lazily through the trees. In the corner of the schoolyard, tucked away from the noise and chaos of the other kids, two eleven-year-olds sat side by side on the grass.
It was Jayden and Jessica.
Jayden's knees were drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped tight around them, eyes staring at the ground. His face was serious, unusually quiet for a boy his age.
Jessica watched him for a moment, her little heart tugging. She scooted closer, their shoulders brushing. "Are you still sad?" she asked softly.
Jayden didn't answer at first. He just stared at the blades of grass, plucking one out and twisting it between his fingers.
"It's okay if you are," Jessica added, voice as gentle as a breeze. "It's only been a year since your mom... you know." She bit her lip, hesitating. "And it's been seven years since I lost my mum... But, I still miss her too."
Jayden's fingers stilled. He looked up at her, his eyes glossy but proud, trying hard not to cry. "Mum always told me to be strong... so I have to be." He sniffed. "But sometimes I just... I miss her a lot."
Jessica's eyes watered, and without a word, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tight. "You are strong," she whispered into his shoulder. "But you don't have to be all the time. Not with me."
Jayden blinked, stunned for a moment, then shyly hugged her back. "Thanks, Jessie."
They stayed like that for a bit, just hugging quietly, the world fading around them. Finally, Jessica pulled back, wiping her eyes quickly and trying to smile. "We'll always be together, right?"
Jayden tilted his head, looking at her like she'd just asked something obvious. "Yeah... of course."
Jessica's smile grew, and she linked her pinky with his. "Pinkie promise."
Jayden grinned, the first real smile he'd managed all day. "Pinkie promise."
They giggled, sealing the deal.
"And..." Jessica added, holding his pinky a little tighter, her big brown eyes earnest, "I care about you, Jayden. I always will."
Jayden's smile softened, his chest feeling a little lighter. "Me too. I care about you, Jessica."
They sat there, pinkies still linked, staring up at the blue sky, dreaming kid-sized dreams of forever. In that small, fleeting moment, nothing else mattered. No sadness, no fear. Just the quiet, childish belief that as long as they had each other, everything would be okay.
*******
A/Q: And i did it again *Sigh* I really don't know what's going on with my emotions this days. But... i hope you're enjoying my story.
Anyways I'm pleased to inform you that we've come to the end of the first arc(Finally)
I really wanted to go premium from chapter 50, but I thought it'd be better to display at least one erotic moment before locking up.
So... get ready for the ride of your lifes. The second arc would be more crazy, more immersive and more action-packed than the first. With introduction to more harem members, full showcase of how Jayden's abilities work, more intense fight scenes and finally... an exploration into the mythological part of the novel.
So stay tuned... and happy reading.
Gracias!