The city was ominously quiet by the time Andy arrived.

The trio of him, Davis and Tanya emerged from the forest onto the outskirts of town.

There was hardly a sign of life in the sleepy city besides the occasional call of a loudspeaker, announcing some kind of curfew or lockdown—Andy hardly paid attention, not because he didn’t want to, but because his mind had been fixed on how uncomfortable he’d been in the current moment. The rain gently pitter-pattered on the cobblestone streets, some surfaces growing slick. Andy had a hard enough time keeping his balance—this only served to put him further on edge. Speaking of…the boy was absolutely nauseous. His head throbbed, a dull ache blossoming behind his eyes and pulsing in time with his heartbeat.

Though he tried to will the pain away, it only seemed to get worse with each passing moment. While Davis kept his eyes ahead on the streets, scanning for any signs of life, Tanya kept an eye on Andy. Clumsy as he may be, she got the feeling that there was something wrong beneath the surface.

As they turned a corner onto the main thoroughfare, Andy stumbled, his vision blurring at the edges. He caught himself against a rough brick wall, his claws digging into the mortar as a wave of pain washed over him.

Tanya was at his side in an instant, her hand on his shoulder to keep him stable. Her eyes shifted down and back up, brows knit together with concern. With her free hand, Tanya knocked on her thigh twice to grab Davis’s attention—the man turned, his expression dropped, and he quickly joined them.

Sweat pooled at Andy’s forehead, dripping down his face in droves. He tried to take a deep breath in—choking a bit on the air. The boy tried to swallow, but his mouth was deceptively dry.

“Are you alright?” Davis asked. Tanya’s expression mirrored his concern.

Andy tried to speak, but all that came out was a strained groan. He gripped the wall even harder—blood oozed from his fingernails. It felt as though something was trying to claw its way out from underneath his skin. Every muscle in his body burned.

He could barely hear what Davis was telling him through the roaring in his ears. His senses were going haywire. Every raindrop was like a symbol crashing in his ears, every scent overwhelmingly pungent. The boy's vision blurred and swam before his eyes.

Davis gripped Andy's shoulders, trying to steady him. "Andy, listen to me. You need to breathe. Focus on my voice."

He tried to listen, but Andy was very quickly slipping away, lost in the storm of sensations assaulting him. His body shuddered violently as another wave of pain crashed over him. He fell to his knees, gasping for air. The burning feeling suddenly gave way to a freezing cold. Though the pain would subside for now, the overwhelming nausea lingered.

Davis and Tanya exchanged a glance before helping Andy to his feet. The boy swayed unsteadily, leaning heavily on the both of them for support. His breaths came in gasps, then slowly, over time, they transitioned back into a steady in-and-out.

“What was that?” Andy asked, trying to regain his bearings. Davis sighed and crossed his arms.

“It’s the full moon tonight. Your body is making final preparations for your transformation.”

“But I thought…I thought I had more time,” The boy hoarsely replied. His face paled, his stomach churning—Andy gripped at Davis’s arm tightly, his claws digging in as another wave of dizziness struck his head.

“You have until moonrise to find some place safe.” Davis said. The pale man paused to look around, his thick neck struggling to make any kind of rotation without the rest of his broad body following. “Do you have any idea where your friends might be? We shouldn’t take too long on this.”

Andy took in a few deep breaths and pushed himself off of the stabilizing bodies, steadying himself, taking a moment to think. With everything rushing through his head right now, all he could really think about was the old newspaper building.

“They got an office, a few blocks away, I think. We could try there?” Andy suggested.

“Worth a shot.” said Davis. He gestured to the boy with one hand, stepping to the side—Andy took the lead.

The boy led the trio through the quiet streets, steps unsteady as he fought against the occasional waves of pain. The rain continued to steadily fall, soaking through his baggy clothes and chilling him to the bone. He wondered just how often he would have to endure this pain, if this was just going to be a permanent fixture in his life from now on. He wondered how long it would last, and, if it was this bad now, how brutal it was going to be when the transformation happened for real.

As they rounded another corner, the dilapidated office came into view, paint peeling off its weathered siding as per usual. Andy stumbled up the creaking steps and pounded on the front door with his fist.

“Hello? Is anybody—?”

“Andy?” A voice from behind—the boy jumped and spun around. Approaching from around the adjacent corner, two familiar faces sped toward the impromptu investigators—Cici and Drew, who looked about as soaking wet and miserable as Andy did.

The Xita’s eye widened as she took it all in—there was Andy, looking all haggard and helpless, but more surprising was the one who stood with him—Elder Davis, very much alive, his imposing figure unmistakable—Cici’s mind raced, piecing it all together.

Andy hadn’t betrayed them after all.

A wave of relief washed over her, mingled with guilt for having doubted her new friend. Before Andy could utter a word of apology, Cici rushed forward and threw her four arms around him in a tight embrace. The force of it nearly knocked Andy off his unsteady feet, but Cici was sure to hold him upright. She could feel him trembling slightly, whether it was from cold or something else, she wasn’t sure. His damp clothes clung to her exoskeleton, but she didn’t care—all Cici cared about was that Andy, presumably, decided to stay.

“I’m so sorry,” Andy began, his voice muffled against the girl. “I never meant to—”

“Shh, it’s okay,” Cici cut him off, squeezing him tighter. “I knew you’d do the right thing.”

…As much as everyone wanted to allow for the kids to hug it out, there were definitely more pressing matters to attend to first. Drew cleared his throat, stepping toward the two in a casual attempt to break them up.

“Hate to put a damper on this touching reunion, but we’ve got bigger fish to fry. Vick’s missing and apparently the valley’s under attack. Natural Order. Hudson’s been on about it all morning.”

Andy’s eyes widened as he pulled away from Cici. “Vick’s missing?”

“You haven’t seen him either?” Cici asked.

“Not since we split last night,” Andy said. “I thought he was still with you guys.”

“He was, until we saw the fire. Just suddenly up and disappeared. I thought he went to go take pictures, but by the time we got caught up, there was nobody at the gate.”

Andy's stomach dropped. If Vick was out there alone with the Natural Order invading...he shook his head, trying to focus through another wave of dizziness.

“We have to find him.” Andy insisted.

“You’re in no condition to go on the hunt,” Davis said firmly." “We need to get you somewhere safe before you transform.”

“But Vick—”

“I’ll go look for him. You worry about yourself. This is a big day for you.”

Andy shuddered and slowly nodded. As much as he wanted to help, he could feel this monster inside of him, creeping closer with each passing minute. The pain and disorientation were only getting worse.

“Okay,” Andy shakily said. “But please, find him. And be careful.”

Davis laughed. “I’m not going yet, kid. We still need to figure out your arrangements for the night.”

“What, you taking him to the Ward?” Drew asked.

“Something like that.” Davis said.

“Place like that’s nowhere for a kid.”

“You have any better ideas?”

Drew piped down, a slight sneer on his face. It wasn’t worth the trouble to pursue this. The kid would just have to learn things the hard way—cosmic justice, in his eyes.

The pale man took the lead, showing the group through the winding cobblestone streets, their echoing footsteps being all that was audible that day. As they walked, Andy leaned heavily on Cici for support, his body wracked with tremors.

The alley opened onto a grand plaza dominated by the imposing stone building. The city hall’s blocky architecture loomed over them, stained-glass eye leering from beneath the rain-slicked eaves. The window glowed with a soft inner light.

"The Moonlit Ward is connected to the old city hall," Davis explained as they turned down a narrow alley. "It was originally built as a secure holding area for newly turned Werewolves, to keep them safe during their first transformations."

"Wow," breathed Cici. "I've passed by there a hundred times and never knew what was inside."

Davis nodded. "Most folks don't. We like to keep the Ward low key, helps encourage others to go. Usually it'll see use from newer residents, folks who aren't comfortable with their alter egos quite yet."

"Or for anyone who causes Hudson too much hassle." Drew said under his breath. Davis caught wind of the wisecrack, but he paid it no mind. In his eyes, there was little else the man wanted than a reaction.

As they approached the towering oak doors, Andy stumbled again. Cici caught him, alarm in her voice. "He's getting worse. How much time do we have?"

“At this rate, I would give him a few hours, at most.” Davis said.

“No time to lose, then.” Cici said. “Let’s get him hooked up and get going.”

Taking a step inside the building, the group was greeted, as per usual, by the ever-present Snoozie. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Andy, more so when she saw who he had as company.

“Elder Davis!” Snoozie straightened out at attention, blinking. “Here for the Ward?”

“You know it.” Davis replied, gesturing to Andy. The Onierovore nodded and flew over her desk, toward the doors on the eastern side of the tower. Pushing them open, the strong smell of antiseptic filled Andy’s nose—he gagged a bit before moving forward.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The halls were…notably empty, considering how large of an event this full moon happened to be. No staff, no patients, just stark white walls as far as the eye could see.

“Where is everyone?” Andy asked, his brows forcing themselves together.

“They’re back home—Mr. Hudson doesn’t want too many people out and about right now, as you might’ve heard.”

“Who’s in charge of this operation tonight, then?” Drew asked.

“Just me.” Snoozie replied dutifully. The man raised a brow.

“How much does Hudson got you doing these days?”

“Too much.”

Snoozie led the group down a long corridor lined with heavy metal doors. Each door had a small window and a slot for passing food or medication. The sterile white walls mixed with the yellow buzz of fluorescent lighting gave the place a slightly uneasy atmosphere. Andy struggled to keep his eyes open for very long at any given moment. Everything was much too intense at the moment.

As they walked, the boy’s condition continued to deteriorate. The fever was really ramping up. His legs shook with each step and sweat poured down his face. Cici kept a firm grip on him, supporting most of his weight.

“Almost there,” Snoozie said, glancing back with concern. She stopped in front of one of the doors and pulled out a ring of keys. “This should do nicely.”

The lock clicked open and Snoozie pushed the door wide open. Inside was a sparse, padded cell with a single cot bolted to the floor. Thick chains and restraints hung from the walls. Andy balked at the sight.

“I…I have to stay in there?”

Davis crossed his arms. “It’s for your own safety, kid. And everyone else’s. The first change can be…intense.”

“But—” Andy began to protest, but another wave of pain cut him off. He doubled over and clutched at his gut, only to mistakenly tear into his sweatshirt with his claws. The pain only got worse—his grip tightened, causing his sides to bleed.

All the while, Cici did her best to help the boy over to the cot and lay him down. Andy groaned as he was lowered onto the thin mattress. His whole body ached, muscles spasming uncontrollably. Cici hovered anxiously nearby, unsure of how to help.

“It’s okay, you’re gonna be alright.” She tried to reassure him, though her voice wavered with uncertainty.

Davis watched on with a grim expression, placing a hand on Cici’s shoulder, gently pulling her back from the cot.

“We should go. Snoozie will handle things from here.” Davis said.

The Onierovore nodded along, her luminous eyes fixed on Andy’s trembling form. “I’ll take good care of him, sir. I always do.”

Drew shifted uncomfortably, eager to be on his way. Already edging toward the door, when his eyes met with Davis’s, he nodded and ducked on out. The pale man followed, lingering in the doorway only a moment—Cici had hesitated, her gaze still locked on Andy. She knew they had to go, but leaving him like this felt wrong somehow.

“If you need a second to say goodbye, we’ll be talking in the hall.” Davis said, closing the door softly behind him. The click of the latch echoed in the stark room.

Cici turned back to Andy, her antennae drooping. She knelt beside the cot and gently placed a hand on his forehead. His skin felt feverishly hot to the touch.

“Hey, you’re gonna be okay. I know it hurts now, but you’re gonna get through it, alright? You’re strong. And tomorrow, you won’t even remember it happened, so…you know?”

Andy tried to smile but it came out more as a grimace. His voice was barely above a whisper.

“I’m…scared, Cici.”

“I know,” Cici said as she awkwardly patted him on the head. “But you’re also brave. I know you are. And, when this is all over, maybe we can all like…go get some ice cream, or something. My treat.”

A weak chuckle escaped Andy’s lips. “Ice cream sounds nice.”

“There’s this little shop by the lake—the central lake, I mean. It’s super boujee, but they’ve got just about any flavor you can think of.”

“Any flavor?”

“Any flavor—my favorite is the cat food.”

“Cat…food?”

“Or maybe it’s huckleberry. I dunno, I’m torn.”

Andy shook his head.

“…I’m sorry I said y’all were freaks.” He said. Cici laughed.

“That’s not what you said. You said you didn’t wanna be stuck as a freak. Big difference.”

“I feel like the implication is still there.”

“Whatever it was, I know you didn’t mean it.”

Andy shook his head again, snorting this time.

“Why’re you so nice all the time?”

Cici took a moment to consider, then shrugged her shoulders and sat back.

“I dunno. I just figured someone's gotta believe in you.”

The girl tilted her head to the side, antennae both twitching simultaneously—some indication of a smile, Andy presumed. He smiled back, of course, and laid back in his cot, his eyes already fluttering closed as another wave of pain washed over him.

“I should probably go, huh?” Cici asked, antennae now drooping again. “…I’ll be back tomorrow, okay? Just hang in there.”

Andy nodded weakly. Standing up, Cici went to the door, hesitating before she slipped out into the hallway.

Outside, Davis and Drew were speaking in hushed tones about Vick’s absence—whatever Drew knew, she assumed, he would tell the Elder, just hopefully not the parts about them sneaking out.

The two fell quiet as Cici approached, exchanging a brief glance.

“Ready to go?” Davis asked.

Cici nodded. “I guess so. What’s the plan, now?”

“We need to find Vick and make sure the Order hasn’t gotten to him.” Drew looked to Davis. “Any ideas where to start looking?”

The pale man stroked his chin. “The trek from the western gate is a long one on foot. The Order will likely set up camp as a base of operations in the valley. If I had to guess, they’re likely doing reconnaissance in the hills overlooking the city. We should start at the base trails and work our way out toward the gate.”

Drew hummed out loud. “Me ‘n Cici found a campfire near the gate, but the area was totally cleared out by the time we got there.”

“Really? Was there a scent you could follow?”

“Just barely. Nothing I could trace—all drowned out by the smoke.”

“Well if they’re on the move, we shouldn’t waste any more time.”

Drew nodded. “Sounds good to me. Let’s roll.”

As the group made their way out of the Moonlit Ward, Cici cast one last worried glance back at Andy's room. She hoped he would be okay on his own. The sanitized smell of the hallways faded as they emerged back into the rainy streets.

…

Andy tossed and turned fitfully on the thin cot, sweat beading down his forehead. The stark white walls of the cell had long faded away in his mind, replaced now by familiar, homely surroundings—Andy was back on the farm, back home, eating dinner at the kitchen island and chatting with his mom.

This was wrong.

Why was he back here? What had happened?

“Andy?”

The boy's stare was broken, and he looked up to meet his mother's gaze.

“Yeah, Ma? What’s up?”

Miriam laughed and rolled her eyes. “Did you hear a word of what I just said?”

“…No? Sorry.”

“Your father and I are thinking about going to Berkeley Springs this weekend and wondered if you wanted to tag along.” Miriam spun some spaghetti on her fork and placed it in her mouth.

“Oh—yeah. Yeah, sure! That sounds fun.”

“Great. We’ve got ourselves a date then.”

“Just don’t be smoochin’ in front ‘a me.” Andy said with a scornful look. After a moment, the both of them laughed. The boy twirled more pasta onto his fork, savoring the rich tomato sauce and tender noodles. The warm, comforting aroma of garlic bread wafted through the cozy kitchen. Outside the window, silvery moonlight filtered through the swaying leaves of the old oak tree in the yard.

Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed through the house. Andy paused mid-bite, noodles dangling from his fork. Miriam wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up.

“I’ll get it,” she said, heading for the front door.

Andy listened as his mother's footsteps receded down the hallway. The door creaked open, followed by silence. After a long moment, the door closed again. Miriam's footsteps returned, a puzzled look on her face as she re-entered the kitchen.

"That's odd," she said, settling back into her chair. "There was no one there."

The large kitchen window shattered.

Andy’s eyes darted toward the sound, drawn by some primal instinct—through the fragments of glass he saw an enormous shape, moonlight glistening off its razor-sharp fangs. The creature sailed through the air in slow motion, its muscular body covered in a thick white fur, matted with leaves and dried blood. Its glowing yellow eyes burned with a feral hunger, locked onto Andy and his mother.

It was a beast, massive, terrifying, beyond Andy’s worst nightmares. Andy tried to cry out, to warn Miriam to run, but his lips were sealed shut, his body was unable to move. All he could do was watch, watch as the white shape enveloped his expressionless mother.

Before the wave of blood could splatter his face, the dream was quite suddenly…swallowed whole.

Andy blinked. Six eyes blinked back at him.

“You okay?” The entity asked. Snoozie? What was she…? Andy opened his eyes and pushed himself upward. He was drenched in sweat, still trembling with unnatural chills. Sure enough, as his blurry vision adjusted, Snoozie was there, standing right over him as he slept.

“I’m…fine. What are you doing?” Andy asked.

“I saw you might be havin’ a bit of trouble, so I thought I might check in on ya.” Snoozie said.

Suddenly, a steaming mug was thrust into Andy’s face.

“Hot cocoa?” Snoozie asked.

Andy’s stomach churned at the thought of consuming anything at the moment. He shook his head. “I don’t think I can keep anything down.”

Snoozie nodded sympathetically. “That’s alright, dear. Just thought I’d offer.” She set the mug down on a small table near the cot. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a truck,” Andy groaned. “Is it supposed to hurt this much?”

“‘Fraid so.” Snoozie said. “The first time is always the most difficult. But you’re doing well, all things considered.”

Andy’s eyes widened. He looked down at his hands, half expecting to see fur sprouting from his skin.

Nope.

Nothing but a pair of clammy, cold hands.

“Not yet, hun, but soon. You’ve got a bit more time before moonrise.”

Andy nodded, trying to calm his racing heart. He took a few deep breaths, wincing in pain every now and again.

Snoozie hovered nearby, her luminous eyes filled with concern as she watched Andy struggle. The boy's face was pale and drawn, dark circles forming under his eyes from the strain. The thin mattress beneath him offered little comfort, its scratchy surface only adding to this abysmal feeling.

Outside the small barred window, the sky was beginning to turn yellow, darkening as the evening approached. Shadows lengthened across the floor, creeping ever closer. The impending night brought with it a sense of foreboding.

Snoozie wrung her limbs together. “Is there anything I can get you, dear? Maybe some water, or a cool cloth?”

“Some water would be nice.” Andy said with a gulp, throat dry.

Snoozie nodded. “Of course, hun. I’ll be right back, okay?” She gave Andy a reassuring pat on the arm before gliding out the room, leaving the door open behind herself.

Left alone once more, Andy turned onto his side with a groan, curling up slightly as the discomfort only worsened. His gaze fell upon his hand, resting on the thin mattress in front of him. He stared at it intently, expecting the changes to wash over him at any moment now. The boy’s fingers twitched and tapped. His nails seemed sharper than before, tinged with a bluish hue. The veins beneath his skin stood out starkly, pulsing with every heartbeat.

As he studied his hand, Andy’s mind raced with questions. How much was this going to hurt? Was he going to be awake for it? Would he still be himself, or…?

Buh?

In what seemed like seconds, minutes had passed. There was water at his bedside—the sky had gotten even darker. Andy shot up, clutching his chest, breaths heaving. He looked around the room, gulping down his spit before gulping down the whole cup of water before him, as well as the lukewarm cocoa Snoozie had left behind.

Almost immediately after slamming both the liquids, Andy went right to the ground and puked a small bit on the floor. Slowly, he brought his head up toward the window, eyes paranoid, searching for the moon. It was still nowhere in sight—almost like it was taunting him.

As the boy struggled to get to his feet, legs shaky beneath him, an eerie sensation trickled across his skin, the hairs on his neck standing on end. His eyes darted around the padded room, searching every corner and shadow. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, no, but…Andy couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was there with him.

The door to Andy’s cell was wide open now. The halls were just as quiet as before. Snoozie was nowhere to be seen.

His nostrils flared, and he caught a whiff of something familiar—old pine aftershave, tobacco and gun oil. It was unmistakable. Andy’s heart began to race, recognizing his old man’s aroma.

Martin was here, somewhere close, but how?

The boy’s enhanced senses kicked it into next gear, picking up on every tiny detail. The faint creak of the rooftop, the minuscule shifts in the air currents—the near-inaudible sound of steady breathing, just on the other side of the room.

Just as Andy locked eyes with the invisible form did Martin reveal himself, Vick bound and gagged at his side. The Vampire looked terrified—but the old man simply looked…tired.

“Hey, son.” Martin drawled. “You got a moment to talk?”