The night had grown darker, the cool breeze drifting through the quiet streets outside Adrian's house. Celine sat on the sofa, her mind restless, still shaken by the strange dream and the voices from last night. She turned toward Adrian, her eyes soft but carrying a firm resolve.
"Adrian…" she began gently, her fingers nervously lacing together as if gathering courage. "Thank you for everything, for letting me stay… but I think I want to go back home tonight. I'm tired, and I'll feel better in my own place."
Adrian froze for a moment, surprise flickering in his gaze, quickly followed by something heavier—hurt. He hadn't expected her to say that. Having her close felt natural, safe, yet now he was faced with the possibility of her leaving.
A faint, bittersweet smile tugged at his lips. "If that's what you want, Celine, I won't stop you. But please, let me walk you home. The night isn't safe."
Gratitude softened her features, though a quiet unease lingered in her chest. "Thank you, Adrian. I'd appreciate that."
The streets were quiet as Adrian and Celine walked side by side, the soft glow of the streetlights casting long shadows along the pavement. The moon was full, shining brighter than usual, painting the night in silver.
Celine wrapped her sweater tighter around herself, though she wasn't sure if it was the cold or the strange tension in the air that made her shiver. Adrian kept glancing at her, protective, his jaw tight.
They were only a few blocks from Celine's house when shadows moved ahead of them. Five men stepped out from the darkness, blocking their path. Their laughter was low, mocking.
"Well, what do we have here?" one of them sneered, his eyes fixed hungrily on Celine. "A pretty girl out late at night…"
Another man smirked, taking a step closer. "Why don't you leave her with us, hero? We'll make sure she's… entertained."
Celine froze, fear gripping her chest. She instinctively moved closer to Adrian, her hand brushing against his arm.
Adrian's entire body went rigid, his fists curling, his breath coming heavier. "Stay behind me," he said to Celine, his voice low and sharp.
The men laughed, circling them slowly. "What are you gonna do, pretty boy?" one taunted. "Fight all of us?"
Something inside Adrian snapped. His vision blurred, rage flooding through him like fire. His heartbeat synced with the pull of the full moon above.
Before Celine could process what was happening, Adrian's eyes glowed a fierce golden hue, his body trembling violently. A deep, guttural growl tore from his chest as his bones cracked and reshaped, his frame stretching, twisting.
Celine stumbled back, her eyes wide with terror. "Adrian… w-what's happening to you!?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
In seconds, the man who had been walking beside her was gone. In his place stood a towering wolf-like creature, his fur black as midnight, his fangs glinting under the moonlight.
The men who had moments ago been laughing now staggered back, their faces drained of color.
"W-what the hell is that?!" one of them shouted, tripping over his own feet as he stumbled away.
The massive wolf—Adrian—let out a bone-shaking snarl that echoed through the empty street, his golden eyes burning with fury. He lunged forward just enough to send the group scattering. They didn't dare look back as they ran into the darkness, their bravado shattered.
Adrian stood tall in his wolf form, chest heaving, golden eyes still burning with rage.
Then slowly—agonizingly—his body began to shift. The crack of bones, the stretching of muscles, the reshaping of skin filled the silence. Fur receded, claws turned back into fingers, and in moments, the terrifying beast was gone.
In his place stood Adrian. Barefoot, chest rising and falling, his hair damp with sweat, eyes still glowing faintly from the transformation.
He turned to face Celine.
Celine's hands shook violently, her chest rising and falling too fast. Her lips parted as she whispered, "No… stay away from me, Adrian!. "I… I can't… I… I can't believe this…" she whispered, voice shaking. "You… you're not human…I can't believe this—this isn't real!"
Adrian took a step forward, his expression pained. "Celine… please, let me explain—"
But she shook her head violently, tears brimming in her eyes. "Don't! Don't come near me. I can't believe what I just saw. This—this can't be real!"
"Celine....", Adrian whispered, "I'm sorry… I never wanted you to see me like this."
"Celine…" Adrian whispered, his voice filled with desperation, reaching his hand toward her as though that single gesture could erase the fear in her eyes.
Her breathing grew shallow. Her legs weakened beneath her, and before Adrian could catch her, Celine's world went black. She collapsed.
"Celine!" Adrian cried, rushing forward, gathering her gently into his arms. His heart ached at the sight of her fragile body trembling even in unconsciousness. He pulled her close, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry… I should have told you sooner. Please forgive me."
Under the pale glow of the moon, Adrian carried her back toward his home, every step heavy with fear—not for himself, but for the possibility that when she woke, Celine might never look at him the same again.
He walked swiftly through the night, holding her tightly as if she were the only thing keeping him grounded, until they reached his home. There, he laid her gently on the bed in the same guest room she had used before.
Adrian sank into the chair beside her, burying his face in his hands. "Please… don't hate me when you wake up."
After some hours, Celine's eyes fluttered open slowly, her head pounding as though she had woken from a terrible nightmare. The soft touch of linen brushed her skin—she was back in the guestroom at Adrian's house.
Her heart raced instantly, memory flooding back like a storm. The men… the glowing eyes… the wolf… She sat up abruptly, her breath catching in her throat. "It was real," she whispered, her voice trembling. "It wasn't a dream."
The door creaked open.
Adrian stepped inside, carrying a glass of water. His expression softened the moment he saw her awake. "Celine… thank God."
She instinctively pulled the blanket closer around herself, her eyes full of fear. "Stay back," she said quickly, her voice sharp despite the trembling in it.
Adrian froze. The hurt in his eyes was undeniable, but he placed the glass gently on the bedside table and raised his hands in surrender. "I won't hurt you. I would never hurt you."
Celine shook her head, disbelief written all over her face. "What are you, Adrian? Last night… I saw… I saw everything. No human could do that."
Adrian swallowed hard, his voice low and heavy. "You're right. I'm not human—not completely. I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid… afraid of this." He gestured softly toward the fear in her eyes.
For a long, tense moment, silence filled the room. Celine's chest rose and fell as though she were drowning in confusion. "So… all this time…" she whispered, more to herself than to him.
"Yes," Adrian admitted, his voice breaking. "I'm a werewolf."
Her lips parted, but no words came out. She looked at him as though the man she thought she knew had become a stranger overnight.
Adrian's jaw tightened. He wanted to step closer, to hold her, but he stayed where he was—fighting the urge, respecting the distance she had placed between them.
"I know you're scared," he whispered. "But I need you to believe one thing: whatever I am… my feelings for you are real."
Celine's tears streamed down her cheeks, her voice trembling as she clutched the blanket tighter around herself. "No… no, it can't be. Adrian, tell me it was a dream. Please—tell me it wasn't real!" Her sobs broke the words apart, each syllable heavy with desperation.
Adrian's chest tightened painfully at the sight of her falling apart. He took a slow, shaky breath, his eyes glistening. "Celine…" His voice was deep but fragile. "I wish I could tell you it was just a nightmare. I wish I could erase what you saw. But I can't."
She shook her head furiously, backing into the corner of the bed. "No! This isn't real. You—you can't be that monster I saw last night. That wasn't you… it wasn't you!"
Adrian's face darkened with anguish. He stepped closer, slowly, carefully, his hands raised as though approaching a frightened bird. "That was me. Not the man you see standing here, not the wolf you saw last night—but both. I am both."
Her sobbing grew harder, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "Stop! Please, just stop. I don't want to hear it, Adrian. I don't want this to be true!"
Adrian's voice cracked as he whispered, "I would never hurt you. Not as a man. Not as a wolf. You have to believe that." His hands curled into fists at his sides as though he were holding himself back from reaching for her.
Celine buried her face in her hands, whispering through her tears, "Then why me? Why did you let me get close to you when you knew the truth?"
Adrian closed his eyes, pain twisting his expression. "Because I couldn't stay away," he admitted. "From the first moment I saw you… I was already yours."
The room fell silent, filled only with Celine's sobs and Adrian's heavy breathing.
Celine wiped her tears roughly, though they kept spilling no matter how hard she tried to stop them. Her whole body trembled as she turned her face away from Adrian, unable to look into his eyes.
"Adrian…" her voice cracked, fragile, soaked with fear and heartbreak. "Please… just take me back home. I can't stay here. Not after what I saw."
Adrian froze, his chest tightening as if her words had cut straight through him. "Celine—" he began, stepping forward, his voice desperate, "please, don't say that. Don't shut me out."
But Celine shook her head violently, sobbing harder. "I can't… I can't even breathe in here. Everything feels wrong. Just… just take me back to my house. Please, Adrian. I beg you."
The silence that followed was unbearable. Adrian's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with pain. Slowly, he nodded, though his whole body screamed against it. "If that's what you want…" he said, his voice low and hoarse, "then I'll take you home."
He grabbed his jacket and car keys, forcing himself to keep his hands steady. Every step he took toward her felt like walking on broken glass.
Celine stayed by the door, hugging herself tightly, her eyes red and swollen, refusing to meet his gaze.
When he finally opened the door for her, the night air rushed in, cool against her wet cheeks. Adrian's voice broke the silence one last time.
"Celine," he whispered, almost too softly for her to hear, "I'd rather tear myself apart than seeing you afraid of me. But I'll respect your wish."
Celine bit her lip, fresh tears rolling down as she whispered, "Just… take me home."
The drive was suffocatingly quiet.
Celine sat stiffly on the passenger side, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her gaze fixed outside the window. The streetlights blurred through her tears, but she refused to look at Adrian.
Adrian's hands gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. He wanted to speak—to explain, to beg, to tell her everything—but the weight of her silence crushed every word before it could leave his mouth.
Finally, the car slowed and came to a stop in front of Celine's apartment building. The soft hum of the engine was the only sound between them.
Adrian turned his head slightly, his eyes searching her face, desperate for something—anything—that showed she hadn't completely shut him out. "Celine…" he said quietly, almost pleading.
But Celine quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, refusing to meet his gaze. "Thank you for bringing me home," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Goodnight, Adrian."
Her words stabbed deeper than any blade. Adrian swallowed hard, his throat burning, but he forced a small nod. "Goodnight," he replied, though his voice was heavy with sorrow.
Celine opened the door and stepped out, the night air cool against her skin. She didn't look back as she hurried toward the building, each step fueled by the chaos in her heart.
Adrian stayed in the car, watching her until she disappeared inside. His chest tightened painfully, his wolf instincts screaming to chase after her, to make her understand, to never let her go.
But he stayed rooted in place, his fingers trembling on the steering wheel. A single thought echoed in his mind as the full moon glared down on him.
"I've lost her… before I even had the chance to truly keep her."