ALANA'S POV

"What happened?" Mason rushed towards me, his face filled with disbelief, shock and fear.

He probably did not notice it, but his sharp nails were already digging into my skin, and I could feel his hands shaking.

Hah!

Is he worried about her? Worried about Keera? What about me? What if I fell instead, would he show this same level of concern?

Probably not?

My mind drifted away more than I expected. The dark thoughts were still trying to enslave me. I had to slap myself away.

The sound of my slap forced Mason to stop asking me questions.

"What's wrong with you?" Mason looked at me weirdly.

No one will understand, I could feel it, something was going on with me, even at that very moment.

I did not want to let go of Keera's hands, but I just had to, and I did it.

(THREE MINUTES EARLIER)

"You want Mason? So that's where all this is coming from? How typical of you, Alana?" Keera hissed amidst her breath.

"You are always so good at trying to get what you will never have, always coming for what is mine? The identity of bringing the best, the great lovebird bloodline, even Mason, you want them all, don't you?"

"Everyone thinks you are such a hard-working werewolf, but your true self, you are a selfish and jealous wolf that is ready to kill, even her own conscience, to get what she wants."

"The truth is, no matter how hard you try, you will never make it, you are just that cursed to...stop it!" I tried to stop her from talking, but she continued on and I just let go.

I did not expect the force to actually make her fall off the cliff. I could have grabbed her back, I could have saved her, but that voice came again.

Why should I save her? Isn't it better she dies?

The moment I got myself, Keera was already deep in the fog below.

(BACK TO PRESENT)

"Everyone, report to the first elder what has happened here. I am going down in search of Keera." Mason's voice pulled me back to reality.

"What did you say? No, you are going nowhere?" I grabbed hold of his clothes, I am really never letting go.

"What are you all waiting for? Go and report to the first elder?" Mason again repeated his commands to the rest of the wolves, who scurried away.

Earlier, the first elder left believing that we were going to bring Keera back, imagining how he was going to react to the news of her falling off a cliff was not even what I could think of right now.

"Mason, do not be impulsive. Keera has already fallen down the cliff. Your father will be grieving soon. Do you not think that at such a time, the entire tribe will need you? Where do you think you want to go?"

"Alana, Keera's not dead yet? My father is not so weak as to collapse from the news of her falling off a cliff. She is a Lovebird; an entity like that could possibly not have died from a fall?"

"Oh, is she now? A super strong entity as you say? Then why are you going down? She will find her way back to us, eventually."

"No matter what you say, we are not going to abandon one of our own? This....what gad come over you, Alana?" Mason suddenly shifted back from me.

"You...have changed. You are not the Alana I know, what happened?"

"No, I didn't change, maybe....maybe this has always been....me and you just didn't notice."

"Alana, you are werewolf of strength!" Mason suddenly pierced my hands with his claws.

It was so painful but it helped to clear my head a bit.

"Alana, what have you done?" Mason did not even need to ask. His expression alone tells me he already knew what had occurred.

"It was you, all this while, Alana, you were playing Keera, and even now, you do not want her to come back, why?"

I was shocked!

I was actually expecting Mason to be angry and to actually rip my throat off for endangering the life of his fiancée, but he was very patient and clearheaded.

I opened up to him and just started talking, I just felt so good talking to him. It seems that, finally, this unrequited love of mine can find closure.

"Pack your bags." Mason's cold voice sounded.

"Are you kicking me out?" I stuttered, I did not want to believe it, but I guess, if I were in his shoes, I would probably do the same thing to a person who caused my fiancée to fall off a cliff.

"Don't be absurd, we are going down the mountain to find Keera!" Mason hit my head with his hands.

"No matter what punishment, I have no right to pass judgment, that's for Keera and you to debate on, all I know is that something made you push Keera off that cliff..."

Mason looked down at the endless fog below us, "In that case, someone or something wants Keera more than we do; we need to find her and bring her back to the clan's protection before it does!"

Fine!

I hurried back to pack, not because I actually cared to bring Keera back, but because I was going to have a journey with Mason.

Even if it was a journey to save my rival!

"Ahhh" the dark thoughts started to creep into my mind again. Honestly, it was getting annoying.

"If I catch you, whoever is doing this, I will make sure to rip your heart out with my own fangs."I cursed placing my hand on my chest.

(HUMAN SETTLEMENT)

A deep, dark castle situated in a dense stretch of forest stood tall like a demon crawling out from the layers of the abyss.

A cold wind blew past, exposing the eye of a statue, only the eye and the entire earth shook in response. A heavy downpour began as if mourning the fate of the coming events.

"SHE HAS FINALLY APPEARED. TOOK HER A THOUSAND YEARS?"

(KEERA'S POV)

"Ahhh, I am so going to die," I could feel the weight of the air, slashing against my face as I propelled downwards with no brakes.

I was seriously about to lose my life, in just an unsightly way no less.

"It's all because of this stupid bracelet." My eyes inadvertently drifted over to the bracelet on my wrist.

All my problems started because I tried to take this bracelet. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like ripping the bracelet off and throwing it away.

As I was contemplating, the bracelet suddenly increased in temperature, as if trying to brand my skin.

The sudden surge of temperature was so much that it knocked me out cold.

(THIRD PERSON POV)

The high temperature knocked Keera out and made her fall faster than before. Unknown to her, a blue light exploded from the bracelet covering her entire body.

When she made contact with the earth, there was not a single noise, only a crater silently opened.

The blue light receded into the bracelet, leaving an unconscious Keera sprawled on the ground.

"Ahhh, where am I? Am I dead?" Keera twisted herself up, looking at her entire surroundings with caution.

"Weird? Am I supposed to feel itchy even when dead?" Keera mumbles, scratching her shoulders, her nails nicked out a little bit of blood that made her freeze.

"Blood!"

"Am I not dead?" Keera sprang up looking around. "This is definitely not the afterworld."

Keera concluded that, after calmly observing the premises, she could even hear occasional whispers of humans who were probably out hiking or on an adventure.

(KEERA'S POV)

"How is this possible?" I touched my face and my limbs. Everything was in perfect condition, and I was not even feeling lethargic and weak despite running for almost the entire day.

"How is it possible that I could survive such a fall?"

This was a question I did not even want to dwell on now. I honestly had so many questions that needed answers.

This bracelet? My true identity? What exactly did my mother do? Who is my father?

I even gave in to get revenge for Alana's betrayal and make her feel the same way I felt when everyone turned their backs on me.

Brrrgh

"But first, I have to eat." My stomach grumbled away, distracting me from my thoughts.

"The nearest human settlement...Here I come."

I could not believe it, the thing I most wanted, coming down the mountain, would be achieved in such a dramatic way.

Now, I did not even come down; I got pushed down the mountain and survived a near-death experience mysteriously. Now, I am heading officially into a settlement occupied by humans, the weakest yet smartest creatures in the entire world.

My heart is palpitating, I am scared but curious about what to expect, how exactly are these humans? How would they react to the fact that I am a werewolf, are they hostile?

The excitement in my heart for a moment made me ignore my hungry belly as I followed the faint noises I had heard previously.

(An hour later)

(Inhorent and displeasing noises that give room for naughty imagination ebbs from the tent)

"What is that sound?" Some sounds were coming from the tent; humans were probably inside. I excitedly approached and peered in to see what was going on.

After one look, my view of humans plummeted to the lowest point. I know I am not supposed to judge, but two men and a woman were just wild.

I thought partnership was a sacred affair, a werewolf has no business with any other wolf apart from his destined mate, with whom he has passed the flames of fate. The sudden, careless disregard for mateship put me off quite a bit.

"Maybe they are not even married, just out having fun? Fun is permitted, right?" I try to convince myself not to be too quick to judge.

"Manager Steve, how am I? Probably better than that worn-out wife of yours, right?" A slightly high-pitched but annoyed voice sounded.

"You are the best baby, I can't wait for that old hag to pass away so that I can bring you to my house and shower you with love." An older voice, possibly belonging to the older man sounded.

"Yes, father, this b*tch deserves to be taken to a place as good as our house? Can't you quickly divorce that hag over there?" A younger voice came out of the tent.

"Oh my gosh, such a bunch of trash on the first day?" If I wanted to make excuses before, I seriously abhorred the humans in that tent now.

Not only are they doing something so disgusting but they are also father and son, and even badmouthing their wife and mother.

"Such trash does not deserve to live?" I desperately wanted to crush their tent or call on a wild animal to feast on them, but what if the wild animal turns to me after them? I could not take that risk.

After moments of contemplation, I sneaked to the back of their tent and ripped open a small space. Thank goodness they were so involved in their business that they even cared about their surroundings.

I took their entire provision bag and their clothes and left behind some scented leaves to attract dirty and smelly bugs.

Satisfied with my handwork and with the fact that I even have some dry rations to munch on, I dusted my feet and departed, going further along the fork road.

After so many hours of working, I came out to meet a tarred road with a lot of items on four wheels zooming past.

"Cars?" I wanted to recall all the pictures MASON usually brought back for me.

I could not come down the mountain so Mason was always telling me stories and bringing me pictures about a lot of things in the human settlement.

The picture of a car was one of them, and now, I am finally going to explore these wonders with my own eyes and body, without waiting for a picture.

"Stop," I came to the middle of the road, having the intention of stopping a car to get me to a more crowded place but....

"Bitch, get the fuck out of the road!"

"You brainless bitch, do you want to die?"

"All these shameless bitches, looking for how to scrape some cash?"

All sorts of disgusting words and high-life ched insults, along with some blaring of horns, quickly took me off the road. Even after I left the road, the drivers were still insulting me through their mirrors, some even spat on me and called me an attention seeker.

Seriously?

THIS IS THE SMARTEST CREATURE ON EARTH? ARE YOU SURE?

(THIRD PERSON POV)

Keera was tired, frustrated, weak, and to make it unbearable, the moon was soon going to be at its peak.

As Keera looked at the moon, she could feel her anger rising. Even though she could not summon her wolf, in the time of the full moon, she still felt a trace of the moon power playing with her emotions, trying to lead her captive to it.

The moon also brought about a lot of good things, made keera more sensitive to sound and other natural forces.

This feeling led Keera to a nightclub nearby called the "Theatre Arts".

"Theatre arts?" Keera was beyond amused, her frustration even faded by a mile. She had never gone down the mountain but she definitely knew what a club is, especially what a night club is.

One of the best places she wanted to go, teenagers are audacious.

"I guess I am finally going to step into a night club at 18, even though it starts with theatre arts."

The club had hefty bouncers all over the place, and as Keera approached, they stopped her. "ID card" One of them had a pretty emotionless voice.

"Seriously? We all know that teenagers are still in abundance inside the.... Seriously! Normalise, not sucker punching at every slightest argument." Keera climbed off the floor, her anger rising rapidly as she spoke slowly.

"ID card", the bouncer said emotionlessly, withdrawing his fists.

"Come in," a handsome man with a camera came out of the club, waving at Keera to come in.

"Handsome men are the best, not ugly emotionless blocks of ice." Keera rolled her eyes at the bouncer and walked right in with Denim.

Immediately Keera entered, the noise nearly took out her eardrums. The sudden surge of sound made her head ache as she held her head and bumped against a wall.

"Are you okay?" Denim, the guy with the camera worriedly asked her. He has introduced himself to Keera on their way into the club.

"I'm fine, just getting used to the party." Keera smiled, gently massaging her head.

"So, Denim, why did you help me?" Keera looked at Denim, who smirked slightly as they walked towards the bartender.

"Why not? You are pretty and you can take a punch?" Denim said clicking a picture of Keera.

"Hey, that's sudden. I may not know much but I am sure that's a law against taking people's pictures without permission."

"You are not going report me, I'm taking pictures of history," Denim smirked offering Keera a glass of orange juice.

"Does it contain alcohol?" Keera excitedly gulped the juice but almost spat it all after.

"Nope, regular juice. It's just a little bit sour."

"Don't be so sad you can't drink right now. You are still a minor." Denim comforted Keera while chugging a glass of beer.

"I am 18 and you, you don't look a day older than 18. Why do you get to drink?"

"Hmmm, we will continue this discussion when you are 19, until then, why don't we go watch the show?" Denim pulled Keera off the seat, dragging her through the crowd of moving bodies.

"The show? Wait, like an actual theatre show?" Keera was delighted.

"Yes, the name of the club is Theatre Arts for a reason? I am the videographer for the show, so you want to see my work?" Denim said, looking at Keera hopefully.

"Gladly," Keera replied, her voice silky smooth and enticing.

(Ten minutes later)

Keera looked at Denim, her lower jaw clenching with frustration. "You know what I said ten minutes ago about you drinking..."

"Forget about it, those are the ravings of a lunatic." Denim cuts in. "Well, we are a work in progress." Denim's face got lower and lower as he spoke.

"Work in progress? No, you are a whole decimated building, you have not even started working, in fact, a bunch of defective materials, like materials that should just be....just be.."

"Thrown away? Abandoned? Left to die because we cannot make it?" A voice interrupted Keera.

The girl had twin ponytails and a leather jacket on. Keera stared at her before speaking. "You are the girl acting the victim traumatised by the wolf?"

"My name is Cora, now back to you? You speak so confidently like you know what you are saying? Like you have never been rejected, I....I...I know rejection."Keera cut her off.

The sudden cold air made Denim give Keera another glance, a more guided glance. He sneakily took a picture again.

"I know rejection more than anyone, you have just no idea how much I have been rejected."

"That's why you should know, you should have sympathized with us instead of bashing us," Cora shouted, her eyes turning red.

The girl crying caught Keera off guard, or rather, it brought Keera back to her senses.

"I am sorry, I must have lost my mind for a second. You guys are doing well."

"No, we are not?" Cora shouted, her tears automatically fading. "We suck, especially our werewolf who is scared of me instead of me being scared of him?" Cora rolled her eyes.

"What...Wait, you are interested?" Keera nodded at Cora before grabbing Denim's camera. "Take one more picture and you will never see this camera again?"

Denim froze for a second before smiling awkwardly. "Okay."

"Hey, Jeera, what do you say you try being a wolf for a second?" Cora suddenly said, making Keera freeze.

"Okay, let me show you, girls, how it's done." Keera gave a cunning smile that seemed devious.

"Alright! Let do this, Keera, do not disappoint me?" Cora stared at Keera provokingly.

A few minutes later, a shrill scream that almost exploded the entire set rang out.

"What was that? Keera, we are just acting, don't take this personally?" Cora shifted away from Keera, still screaming.

"What? You said I should give it my best? Isn't that right, Denim?" Keera gave Denim a look that said, I will seriously break that camera.

"Come on, Keera, I told you I am documenting history and maybe a bit of a play, but that was awesome. I almost thought you were a real wolf for a second there."

"Don't be ridiculous Denim? Werewolves are mythical creatures, they don't exist." Cora pulled herself from the floor and gave Denim a smack to the head.

"I know, but on a second note, stories don't just pop up, right? If it's a myth, there must be evidence of it existing, even if it's half the truth."

"Nope, myths are stupid, fragments of people's imagination. What makes you think something that looks human will have fangs, claws and glowing eyes like a predator? We already have enough problems with wild animals, we don't need monsters amongst us."

"The myth never said supernatural creatures roam amongst us, they live with us, sharing this earth with us. Just like we are creatures, they are creatures too, some damned to eternal condemnation, others stuck in their past and the others, allowing nature lead them to find their own halo." Denim eagerly said.

"Also, what about the school? What about Karsen?" Denim threw Cora a question.

All this while, Keera was just staring out in space, but the moment she heard Karsen's voice, something within her stirred.

"Excuse me? Did you just say Karsen High? A school for supernatural creatures?"

"No"

"Yes"

Cora and Denim said simultaneously.

"Tell me more. Tell me about this...KARSEN ACADEMY"