He heard the sound of her sobbing behind the door.
The silence of the night was heavy, yet her cries pierced his heart like a dagger.
From behind the door, his voice trembled:
— "I'm sorry… for everything I've done. I can't remember the past. I've lost part of my memory…"
A moment of silence… then the door burst open.
She stood before him, her eyes blazing with fury, her face like a storm about to erupt.
— "You don't remember? You don't remember?!"
She shouted, her voice trembling:
— "You don't deserve to live! You… you—"
But she didn't finish.
Nora, her daughter, appeared from behind, clutching the edge of her mother's dress.
She asked innocently:
— "Mom… why are you yelling at the door?"
She froze.
He froze too.
Their eyes widened in silent shock.
Nora smiled sweetly:
— "Hi."
Her mother quickly pushed her inside, shouting:
— "Go in! Go in right now!"
Yousef's gaze remained fixed on Nora.
— "She's my daughter…" he murmured.
Tamara's voice shook, still laced with anger:
— "What do you want, Yousef?!"
At that moment, her other son came running after hearing the shouting.
— "Mom! What's wrong?!"
But the instant his eyes landed on Yousef's face, something in his expression changed.
He snarled like a beast and lunged at him, transforming into a vicious hyena.
He attacked his father with ferocity, but Yousef stepped back, making no attempt to defend himself—then leapt into the air, transforming into a giant falcon and soaring away at speed.
The boy tried to chase him, but Tamara screamed with all her might:
— "Little Yousef! Stop!"
He obeyed her voice and vanished into the forest.
He landed beside his friend, Noah, who was sleeping near a campfire.
The ground shook under his feet, startling Noah awake.
— "You scared the hell out of me, man! What's going on? Why do you look so upset?!"
Yousef didn't answer. His breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling like a volcano about to erupt.
Suddenly… he transformed into a massive werewolf, his eyes blazing with indescribable rage.
He lunged at Noah without thinking.
Terrified, Noah scrambled up a nearby tree, desperate to escape, but the beast shattered it with brutal strength.
Noah tumbled into a small hollow, the broken tree trapping him like a shield. He stayed hidden inside, trembling.
Through a narrow gap, he watched the werewolf howl bitterly under the moonlight—
A howl like a stifled cry, born from a shattered heart.
Noah didn't move. He kept watching, shivering, praying for the night to pass.
It was the longest night of his life.
Then, as the first light of dawn crept through the trees, the werewolf suddenly collapsed…
Transforming back into Yousef.
Noah crawled out from under the trunk and ran to him, calling out in fear:
— "Yousef? Are you okay?"
He approached slowly, nudging his body. No response.
He checked for a pulse… then smiled in relief.
— "He's alive!"
And slapped him lightly on the cheek:
— "Wake up, buddy!"
Yousef's eyes fluttered open, and he found Noah's goofy grin staring back at him.
Despite the pain, he smiled.
— "What happened?!"
Noah smirked:
— "Don't you remember? You almost ate me!"
Yousef struggled to his feet.
— "I should take you back to your family."
— "No!" Noah shouted. "I don't want to go back! I want to be like you… a wild beast!"
Yousef didn't answer.
He gave him one last look, then turned into a giant eagle and carried him into the sky.
They soared over a highway, and Yousef gently dropped him among the passing cars before vanishing into the horizon.
Noah shouted after him:
— "Yousef! Don't leave me! You promised! Yousef, please… I want to be stronger!"
A voice echoed inside his mind:
"If strength does not come from within you, no one can give it to you."