Valen ran through the shadows toward Ophelia Hall, breath fogging in the cold air. He was late.
The full moon had already risen, high and luminous, bathing the school grounds in silver fire.
Then the memory of the last full moon clawed at him, Enid on the verge of breaking, eyes wet, voice trembling with frustration at her own failure to wolf out.
But tonight, he wouldn't let her face that despair alone.
He reached the dorm, slung the ukulele over his back, and flexed his hands. Black claws pushed through his fingers with a metallic rasp. Without hesitation, he dug them into the mossy stone and scaled the building, his body moving effortlessly.
Halfway up, he saw her.
Enid stood on a balcony, her blond hair pale in the moonlight. Her red-rimmed eyes fixed on the sky, where the glowing disc hung, distant and merciless. The way she stared at it, longing, hollow, almost pleading, made Valen's chest tighten.
She looked like she was about to cry again.
So he forced a smile, masking his own heaviness, and leapt onto the balcony without a sound.
Sliding behind her, he bent low, his lips near her ear. "Hey, cutie. Whatcha doing?"
"AHH!" Enid shrieked, spinning on instinct, claws flashing.
Valen caught her wrists mid-swipe, his grip firm but not crushing. Her claws hovered inches from his throat, trembling in his hold.
"Easy there, wolfie," he murmured.
Enid's chest rose and fell quickly. Then, realizing who it was, she exhaled and pulled back, glaring at him. "You scared the hell outta me!"
A small grin tugged at his lips. "Well… at least you're not sad anymore."
Enid huffed, crossing her arms, "So what? You here to remind me of my failed life again?"
Valen raised his palms in mock surrender. Someone's moody tonight. "Wasn't planning on it."
Before she could retort, the mournful howl of wolves echoed from the forest beyond Nevermore. "Awoooooo…"
The sound pierced through the air like a cruel reminder.
Enid's gaze darted to the trees. Her jaw trembled, and her shoulders sagged, the fight in her collapsing all over again.
Valen stepped forward, voice firmer now. "C'mon. We gotta go."
Her brows knit. "I promised you I'd come, but you never said where."
"It's a surprise."
Her lips pursed, but after a pause she nodded. "Fine. Lemme grab my jacket." She spun toward her dorm room, her tone lighter now, almost bubbly.
Valen leaned casually against the balcony railing, but when Enid's door opened, his eyes widened. The room was a riot of pastel chaos, pink blankets, stuffed animals, glittery posters. And on the other side of the room-
Yoko and Divina. Tangled together. In underwear.
Yoko noticed him first and flung a pillow across the room. "SOME PRIVACY WOULD BE NICE!"
Valen chuckled and raised his hands as if to surrender. "Hey, wasn't me looking." He turned away, still grinning.
When Enid returned, jacket in hand, her face was redder than the moon. She stepped up beside him, refusing to meet his eyes. She forgot that Divina crashed here sometimes.
[Enid's POV]
Yoko's words from earlier burned in my head. "Girl, tonight you gotta score. At least a kiss. Do it before the other vultures swoop in."
So yeah. Maybe I had prepped a little. Hair brushed, lip gloss faintly shimmering, jacket chosen carefully. Not obvious… but not not obvious.
Before I could say anything, Valen suddenly swept me off my feet. Literally.
"Ready, princess?" His voice was warm, teasing, and far too sweet.
My face heated instantly. Did he really just-
Before I could answer, he leapt.
"AAAHHHH-!" My scream cut short as I slapped a hand over my own mouth. We landed smoothly on the ground, his body steady
I jabbed his chest with a finger, glaring up at him. "Warn me before you do stuff like that!"
He only chuckled, soft and careless, like it was all a game. "Yeah, yeah."
Ugh. Why is he so cute?
I wriggled in his arms, trying to get down, but he held me firm. "We'll get there faster like this," he said, and I blinked at him. Faster? I am a werewolf- even if I hadn't wolfed out yet, I could still run faster than most. What does he mean-
Then he changed.
His skin shimmered black under the moon, his frame expanding, teeth jagged, spikes protruding like armor. The air itself seemed to recoil from him, and I froze, staring.
The moonlight slid across his transformed body, turning him into something otherworldly. Beautiful. Terrifying. Both.
"Scared?" His voice rumbled deeper, but his eyes stayed gentle.
I swallowed hard and shook my head slowly. Handsome as hell, I screamed inside.
"Then hold tight."
Then the wind slammed against my face. He moved in a blur, each leap devouring distance, the ground rushing past in streaks of silver and shadow. I clutched him tighter, nails digging into his jacket. Heights terrified me, but with him, I didn't let go.
We reached the clocktower.
(image)
Valen didn't enter through the door. He climbed. One hand, one arm, his claws anchoring deep into stone. My stomach lurched, but I didn't scream. Couldn't. Not when he carried me like I weighed nothing.
At last, we stopped.
I opened my eyes. And the sight stole the breath right from me.
The Nevermore clocktower roof stretched out in shadowed stone, jagged and broken. The gears behind the stained-glass face ticked softly, each swing of the pendulum echoing like a heartbeat. Below, the school grounds sprawled in darkness, lit by lanterns glowing faintly like fallen stars. Beyond the walls, the forest rolled on forever, its treetops silvered by moonlight.
The sky was a cathedral of black velvet, and the full moon, massive, blinding, hung directly overhead. Its light bathed everything in white radiance, painting the world in silver and shadow.
For a moment, my fear of heights vanished. It was too beautiful to fear.
I still clutched Valen tighter, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath the jacket he'd thrown back on.
"Calm down," he murmured with a small smile, guiding me gently to sit on the edge beside him. "I'm here. You won't fall."
He set the ukulele down between us, then leaned back against the stone, eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"So… is this the surprise?" I asked softly.
"Yeah." He tilted his head at me. "You don't like it?"
"No." A smile slipped onto my lips despite everything. "I love it. I've never been up here and he view… it's perfect."
He reached for the ukulele, fingers brushing the strings. "Good. Then you'll like the second surprise too."
I blinked, heart skipping. "Your recent album?"
"Something like that." He gave a half-smile and he strummed the ukulele.
I smiled too, assuming it was one of his tracks, something he'd already recorded, ready to sing along with him, but the way his fingers brushed the strings felt different.
Then his voice slipped into the night, soft.
Watch the sun rise along the coast
As we're both getting old
I can't describe what I'm feeling…
[ d4vd - Here With Me ]
I froze. The lyrics weren't from one of his albums. They were new.
The words froze me in place. My breath caught, my chest tightened.
My throat burned, like I'd swallowed fire and couldn't breathe it out.
Tears stung before I even realized. They slid down, hot and unstoppable, streaking my cheeks.
Valen didn't look away. His eyes locked on mine, and he sang only for me. It wasn't just the song, it was his gaze saying as if Isee you and I'll stay by your side. Always.
The world faded. The clocktower, the moon, the night itself, all blurred away. It was just him, me, and the sound of his voice weaving around my heart.
And if it's right,
I don't care how long it takes
As long as I'm with you
I've got a smile on my face…
Something inside me broke, no... not broke but cracked open. I felt seen, raw and vulnerable, but safe at the same time. Like no matter how incomplete I was, how "broken" I felt for not wolfing out, he wasn't going anywhere.
Save your tears, it'll be okay
All I know is you're here with me
By the time he sang the next lines, I was already shaking with quiet sobs.
I wish I could live through every memory of you
Just one more time before you float off in the wind
And all the time we spent
Waiting for the light to take us in
Have been the greatest moments of my life…
I covered my mouth, but it didn't stop the tears.
Every bit of insecurity, every night I'd stared at the moon wondering what was wrong with me, every doubt, I poured it all out, and his song caught me before I could fall apart completely.
Save your tears, it'll be okay
~You're here with me
I can't describe…
When the last line faded into the night air, I couldn't hold back anymore. I threw myself at him, burying my face in his chest as sobs tore free.
Valen's arms wrapped around me instantly, strong and warm, pulling me close. He didn't say anything, didn't try to hush me.
He just held me, one hand stroking through my hair, the other steady against my back. Each pat of his hand was calming.
"W-what's the name of the song?" I hiccuped against him, my voice muffled and broken.
He leaned close, his breath warmly brushing my ear. Gently whispering under the moonlight...
"Here With Me."
And before I could think, before I could second-guess, I tilted my face up and... kissed him.
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A/N - We haven't quite reached 800 powerstones yet but it's just 40 more, and I know you guys will smash it soon.
So, consider this chapter a little appreciation gift in advance (and maybe a small bribe for more stones).
Thanks a ton for reading!!!