My name is Kaelen, just another face in Graymoor's crowd. Or so I thought.
Last night's dream still haunts me –
A moonlit throne, bones tangled in moss
A crown upon my head, wolf's fur on my hands
A voice whispers: "Arise, Kaelen the Direfang"
I rubbed my eyes, sitting up in bed. Just a dream... or was it? The details lingered vividly.
My daily routine began like any other – dressing in worn jeans and a faded band tee, grabbing a quick breakfast. But my mind wandered back to the dream. Kaelen the Direfang... who was that?
I locked my apartment door behind me and headed to my job at the local bookstore. Graymoor's streets were alive with morning chatter. People hurried to work, sipping coffee and checking their phones.
The sun cast a warm glow over the town, but I felt a chill run down my spine. I quickened my pace, reaching the bookstore just as my boss, Mrs. Jenkins, was opening up.
"Kaelen, dear, how was your night?" she asked, eyeing me with concern. I hesitated, unsure how to share my bizarre dream.
Mrs. Jenkins sensed my unease. "Is everything okay? You look a bit pale."
I forced a smile. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just a weird dream, that's all."
She nodded knowingly. "Dreams can be powerful. My grandmother used to say they're the universe's way of telling us something."
I raised an eyebrow. "You think my dream means something?"
Mrs. Jenkins smiled. "Maybe. But only you can decipher its meaning, Kaelen."
I nodded, taking my place behind the counter. The morning passed slowly, with only a few customers browsing the shelves.
One caught my eye – a girl with piercing green eyes and raven hair. She browsed through fantasy novels, her gaze flicking towards me occasionally.
I felt drawn to her, but she left abruptly. The door closed, and I sensed someone watching me from the shadows outside. Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. As sunset approached, I headed home. The air grew colder, and clouds hid the moon.
I walked faster, my heart racing
The streets were empty now, except for a few stray cats prowling the alleys. I heard footsteps behind me, but whenever I looked back, there was no one.
My apartment building loomed ahead. I quickened my pace, reaching the door and unlocking it hastily. I stepped inside, slamming the door shut behind me.
I leaned against the door, catching my breath. My heart still raced, and my senses were on high alert. I looked around cautiously – the hallway was dimly lit, with only a few faint lights illuminating the doors.
Suddenly, I heard a faint growling noise. It came from outside. I approached the window slowly, pulling back the curtains to reveal a dark shape lurking in the shadows.
The growling grew louder. I could feel the vibrations through the glass. Suddenly, the shape vanished. I stood there, frozen in fear.
What was that? I thought to myself. It sounded like a wild animal, but what kind? And why was it lurking outside my apartment?
I tried to shake off the feeling of unease, telling myself it was just my imagination. But the growling still echoed in my mind.
I decided to distract myself by watching TV. I grabbed the remote and turned it on, flipping through channels until I found a nature documentary.
The show was about wolves. I watched intently, fascinated by their pack dynamics and hunting strategies. But as I watched, I felt a strange connection to them.
It was as if I understood their behavior on a deeper level. I could almost smell the forest air and feel the thrill of the hunt.
Suddenly, the camera zoomed in on a wolf's face. Its yellow eyes stared straight into mine, and I felt a jolt of recognition.
That's when I heard the voice. It was low and raspy, and it seemed to come from all around me.
"Kaelen," it growled. "Awaken."
I spun around, but there was no one there. The voice seemed to come from inside my head.
My heart racing, I turned off the TV and grabbed my phone. I needed to talk to someone, anyone, to calm down.
But as I scrolled through my contacts, I realized I had no one to call. I was alone.
Panic set in as I heard footsteps outside my door. They were heavy, deliberate steps – not like the sneaky ones from earlier. My heart pounded in my chest.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I froze, unsure what to do. The bell rang again, followed by a loud knock.
"Kaelen, open up! It's the police. We had reports of suspicious activity around your building."
I exhaled slowly, relief washing over me. I opened the door to find two officers standing in the hallway.
One of them, a tall man with a thick beard, eyed me curiously. "You okay, son? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little spooked. What kind of suspicious activity?"
The other officer, a woman with short brown hair, spoke up. "Some neighbors reported hearing growling noises and seeing a dark shape lurking around the building."
My heart skipped a beat. So I wasn't imagining things.
The male officer continued, "We checked the area, but didn't find anything. You haven't seen anything unusual, have you?"
I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But something about their kind faces put me at ease.
Actually, yes. I saw a dark shape outside my window, and I heard the growling too. And... I had a weird dream last night.
The officers exchanged a curious glance. The woman spoke up, "A dream? What kind of dream?"
I took a deep breath before recounting my dream – the throne, the crown, the voice. When I finished, the officers looked at each other again.
The male officer turned back to me. "Kaelen, we've had reports of similar dreams from other residents. We're not sure what's causing it, but we're investigating."
My mind reeled. Other people had the same dream? What did it mean?
The female officer handed me her card. "If you remember anything else, call us immediately. And stay safe, okay?"
I nodded, taking the card. As they left, I felt a mix of emotions – fear, confusion, and a hint of curiosity.
What was going on in Graymoor? And what did my dream have to do with it?
As I closed the door, my mind wandered back to the dream. Why did the officers seem interested in it? And what did they mean by "similar reports"?
I walked over to the window, pulling back the curtains to gaze out at the night sky. The moon was still hidden behind clouds, casting an eerie gloom over the town.
Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation – like my body was expanding, my senses heightening. My heart pounded faster, and my breath quickened.
I looked down at my hands, and they seemed... different. My fingers appeared longer, my nails sharper. I felt my face – my jawline was stronger, my teeth more pointed.
What's happening to me? I thought, panic rising.
I stumbled backwards, collapsing onto the couch. My body felt like it was burning, my muscles rippling beneath my skin.
I closed my eyes, trying to calm down. But when I opened them again, my vision was sharper. I could see every detail of the room, even in the dim light.
And then, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes widened in shock – my reflection showed a pair of yellow eyes staring back at me.
My heart stopped. Those eyes... they were the same as the wolf's in my dream.
My mind reeled as I stared at my reflection. Yellow eyes – the same as the wolf's. What did it mean? Was I... turning into a wolf?
Panic set in as I stumbled away from the mirror. I collapsed onto the couch, my head spinning. I tried to calm down, but my heart raced faster.
Suddenly, I heard a loud knock on the door. I froze, unsure what to do. The knock came again, louder this time.
"Kaelen, open up! It's the girl from the bookstore."
My mind foggy, I stumbled to the door and opened it. The girl with piercing green eyes stood before me, a look of concern on her face.
"Are you okay? I saw the police leaving your building earlier. What happened?"
I stared at her, unsure how to respond. My yellow eyes – did she notice them?
But she didn't seem to notice anything different. She pushed past me into the apartment, looking around curiously.
I closed the door behind her, my heart still racing. She noticed my unease and placed a gentle hand on my arm.
Kaelen, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost.
I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But something about her kind eyes put me at ease.
I... I had a dream. And then the police came. And now... I don't know what's happening to me.
She listened intently, her expression growing more concerned by the second.
Tell me everything, Kaelen. Maybe I can help.
So I told her – the dream, the police, my yellow eyes. She listened without interrupting, her eyes never leaving mine.
When I finished, she took a deep breath. Her expression was serious, but not afraid.
Kaelen, I think I know what's going on. But first, you need to calm down. Can you do that for me?
I nodded slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. She guided me to the couch, sitting beside me.
Close your eyes, Kaelen. Take slow, deep breaths.
I did as she said, focusing on my breathing. Slowly, my heart rate slowed, and my mind cleared.
When I opened my eyes, she was watching me intently.
Better?
I nodded, feeling more calm.
Good. Now, listen carefully. What you're experiencing... it's not a dream. It's real.
My eyes widened. What do you mean? Am I... turning into a wolf?
She hesitated before speaking. Not exactly. But you do have a connection to wolves. A powerful one.
I stared at her, unsure what to say. A connection to wolves? What did that even mean?
My name is Luna, by the way. And I think I know what's triggering this connection.
Triggering it? You mean it was dormant inside me or something?
Luna nodded. Exactly. And I think your dream was the catalyst.
Catalyst? Like, it awakened something inside me?
Luna nodded again. Yes, exactly. Your dream awakened your true nature, Kaelen.
My true nature? What are you talking about?
Luna took a deep breath before speaking. Kaelen, you're not entirely human.