Morning came too fast.
Luna woke to pale sunlight spilling through the narrow stone opening, the silver glow of the runes faded to dull gray. Birds chirped outside, cheerful and unaware, like nothing in the world had changed.
But everything had.
She sat up slowly, her body sore but steady. No fur. No claws. Just her hands, slightly trembling as she pressed them against the stone floor.
Humans.
For now.
Kael was gone.
For a brief, wild moment, Luna wondered if the night had been a dream. Stress. Hallucination. A complete mental break.
Then she felt it.
A faint warmth over her heart.
She pulled the blanket aside and froze.
The silver mark was still there.
It was smaller now, barely visible, like a pale scar beneath her skin. But it pulsed softly, reminding her that nothing about last night had been imaginary.
Luna swallowed hard.
"You're awake."
She turned sharply.
Kael stood at the entrance again, holding a folded set of clothes. Jeans. A sweater. Sneakers.
"My things?" she asked.
He nodded. "From your apartment. I locked the door behind me."
"You broke into my apartment?" she demanded.
"I picked the lock," he corrected. "Different skill set."
She sighed. "Of course you did."
He stepped inside and handed her the clothes. "We need to get you back to campus."
Her head snapped up. "Back? Are you serious?"
"Yes," Kael said calmly. "The safest place for you right now is where you belong."
"That makes no sense," Luna said. "There are murders happening there."
"And everyone is watching the forest," Kael replied. "Not the dorms. Not the classrooms. Not the girl who looks completely normal."
Luna stared at him. "You want me to pretend nothing happened."
"For now," he said. "Until you learn control."
She laughed bitterly. "I turned into a wolf, Kael. I don't know how to pretend that didn't happen."
"You've been pretending your whole life," he said gently. "You just didn't know it."
She looked away, jaw tight.
After a moment, she took the clothes and changed behind one of the stone pillars. When she stepped back out, Kael was already looking away, giving her space.
"Thank you," she said quietly, surprising herself.
He nodded. "Ready?"
"No," Luna replied. "But let's go."
The walk back to campus felt unreal.
The forest looked harmless in the daylight. Sunlight filtered through the trees, warm and peaceful. Luna half expected the ground to swallow her whole or for something to leap out at her.
Nothing happened.
They stopped at the edge of the campus, hidden behind a cluster of trees.
"I can't be seen with you," Luna said.
Kael nodded. "I know."
He hesitated, then added, "I'll be close."
She frowned. "That's not comforting."
"It's not meant to be," he replied.
She turned to leave, then paused. "Kael."
"Yes?"
"Thank you. For not forcing me."
His expression softened. "That's the bare minimum."
She walked away before he could say anything else.
By the time Luna reached her apartment, her phone was blowing up.
Michelle: Where are you??
Michelle: You didn't come home last night
Michelle: I'm freaking out
Luna closed her eyes and typed.
Luna: I'm okay. I just stayed with a friend.
Luna: I'll see you at class.
The lie came too easily.
She showered, scrubbing her skin until it turned pink, half expecting fur to burst through again. It did not.
When she dressed and looked in the mirror, she almost laughed.
Same messy hair. Same tired eyes.
Same girl.
Except she could hear the building's pipes humming. The elevator moving floors below. Someone's heartbeat in the apartment next door.
She froze.
Slowly, she focused.
The sounds faded.
Control, she thought. Kael had said control mattered.
She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed to class.
The campus buzzed with life now. Students laughed, complained, and rushed to lectures. Posters about safety and curfews were taped to walls.
Luna slid into her seat in biology just as Michelle collapsed into the chair beside her.
"Oh my God," Michelle whispered. "Where were you?"
"Crash couch," Luna replied. "Long story."
Michelle narrowed her eyes. "You look… different."
Luna's heart skipped. "Different how?"
"I don't know," Michelle said. "Calmer. Or maybe sharper?"
Luna forced a smile. "Probably just caffeine."
The lecture began. Luna tried to focus, but the words blurred together.
Then she felt it.
A cold brush against her mind.
She stiffened.
Back in your cage already? Adrian's voice murmured faintly.
Her grip tightened on her pen. Stay out, she thought fiercely.
The pressure vanished, replaced by soft amusement.
Soon.
Luna swallowed hard and glanced around the room. No one else reacted.
Good. Or terrifying.
When class ended, she hurried outside.
Kael stood across the courtyard, leaning against a tree, dressed like a normal student. Hoodie. Jeans. Backpack.
If she did not know better, she would have walked right past him.
Their eyes met.
He nodded once.
Safe.
Relief washed through her, followed by anger that she needed him to feel that way.
As Luna walked toward her next class, the silver mark beneath her skin pulsed faintly.
Normal life had returned.
But it was a lie.
And Luna knew it would not last.