Chapter 45: The Price of Dreams

The day of the ritual arrived, and the ambiance of this place sent shivers down my spine.

We had climbed to the highest peak of the mountain, a desolate and eerie location. A very cold place. The moon loomed above, casting an ethereal glow over the rugged terrain. And as the wind howled, carrying with it a haunting melody that echoed through the silent night, I finally felt that fear.

We gathered in a circle, the air grew thick with an undeniable sense of foreboding. “Zarion, I’m nervous,” I whispered and squeezed his hand.

“It’s okay, love. You got me. I’m here for you.”

I nodded at him. “Thank you.”

“There’s still time to back out.” His nose flared as if angry. “Are you really sure about this?”

I glared at Zarion, so he lifted a hand to bring himself to shut up. “I’m very sure, Zarion. There’s no turning back now. This is my decision.”

“Okay, love.” Zarion grinned, “I was just asking.”

“You can’t change my mind.”

“I know. I just want the best for you. And I hope that you won't regret doing this.”

“Don’t worry,” a smile vacated my face. “I won’t.” I told him with my head held up high. In my peripheral view, I saw his jaw moving hard.

Alpha Zarion, once a beacon of strength and authority, seemed different now. His features twisted, his eyes glimmering with a mix of otherworldly power and inner turmoil. It was as if a dormant force had awakened within him, a malevolent presence vying for control.

I pull his hand to look at his face clearly. “A-Are you okay?” I asked, whispering.

The tension in the air was palpable as Zarion struggled against the growing darkness within. I could sense the turmoil from here, churning beneath the surface. The battle between his primal instincts and his human conscience have become even more vicious.

I knew that he’s been suffering from the demon that possesses the inside of his burning heart. It was a demon he fought, an entity that thrived on the power of the full moon.

It needs its glorious light.

It was his problem before then, and we still haven’t found a solution for it—not even Elliot—because they were too busy to accommodate me.

Zarion ignored his needs just to give me what I want.

Fear clutched at my heart. I turned to Elliot, seeking the answers in his eyes. But he only mirrored my unfeigned emotion. “W-What's wrong?” I stammered, my voice trembling with unease.

Elliot's face reflected my concern, his brow furrowed as he gazed at me. “Cassidy, the full moon awakens a different side of Alpha Zarion,” he explained, his voice singing with caution. “There's a demonic presence within him that grows stronger with each passing moment. We must proceed with carefulness.”

The weight of his words settled upon me, and I realized that my transformation would not be without risks and challenges. But in that moment, I resolved to face them head-on, to embrace the power coursing through my veins and stand by Alpha Zarion's side, come what may.

Even if the other side of him is the very definition of evil.

‘I hope Zarion’s going to be okay…’

“Proceed to the ritual. I can… I can still control it,” Zarion whispered in a different voice. His forehead creased while his hand was massaging it.

Elliot nodded and I was left in shock, unable to move. If Elliot didn’t push me forward and awaken my system, I wouldn’t budge. Not even an inch.

As we prepared to begin the ritual, trepidation and determination filled the air. The full moon still cast its signature eerie glow over the mountaintop, heightening the sense of otherworldliness.

The incantations began. I braced myself for the unknown, ready to embrace my destiny as a werewolf, as a wolf-shifting man, standing shoulder to shoulder with Zarion in our shared journey into the supernatural realm—

Until Alpha Zarion started lashing out on me.

We were perched atop the highest peak of the cliff, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and fear. Raw, unfeigned fear. The full moon hung in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow upon the rugged landscape below. Alpha Zarion stood beside me, his presence commanding and powerful, yet there was an underlying tension that I couldn't quite grasp.

As we stood in silence, the atmosphere shifted. I could sense a great storm brewing within him. His normally piercing eyes flickered with a strange intensity, and a shiver ran down my spine. It was as if a dormant beast had awakened within him, a demon that he struggled to control.

“W-What's wrong?” I stammered as I asked again, my voice betraying my growing unease. The wind howled, carrying my words into the abyss, but Zarion remained stoic. His gaze fixed on the horizon.

“N-Nothing,” he whispered, his eyes closing. That’s his constant reply everytime I ask if something is wrong.

It wasn’t nothing. I know there’s something wrong with him, but he just set it aside because of me.

Damn this!

He always cares about my well-being, and I’m so selfish not to even feel that Zarion had been in pain for long. Too long.

Tears started forming in my eyes because of these untamed emotions—fear, hatred to myself, and anxiety of what might happen after turning into a werewolf crashed into me like a tsunami.

Then the silence stretched longer, heavy and foreboding, leaving me to contemplate the dark forces swirling within the Zarion.

“I’m here, Zarion.” I whispered, I don’t care if he can’t hear me. “I’m always here.”