CHAPTER 34: THE FULL MOON- ALPHA RENN

The other Alphas might have gone through hard moments—some struggled with voices in their heads, others played dangerous games with nature or electricity. But for Renn, it was worse. It was never just one thing. He looked down at his legs and didn’t even know what he was becoming. A wolf? A lion? Maybe even a bird? Nothing was clear anymore.

His left hand had already taken the form of a wolf’s paw, but his feet looked nothing like a wolf. They were strong and rough, more like a lion’s. It wasn’t even time for the full transformation, yet the pain had already taken over him. Only minutes ago, he had managed to tear off feathers that had grown suddenly on his sides. Feathers, like a bird. His body was confused and so was he.

Samuel, his Beta, came in quietly with a plate of food. Renn ate it fast, yet it felt like his stomach was still empty. Nothing tasted right. His tongue was bitter. The food might as well have been ash. He hated this body. Hated what he had become. It disgusted him, and that disgust made him angry. Made him bitter. He never asked for these strange, messy powers. Why couldn’t the moon goddess give him something way cool?

"Once you find your mate, this will be over," Samuel said softly as he handed him a glass of water. "I have a strong feeling you’ll find her tonight."

Renn drank until he was full, then handed the cup back. His throat still burned, but it helped. He rested his back against the wall, breathing heavily. Every part of his body hurt. It was like he was being pulled apart, forced into different shapes by something he couldn’t control. His skin kept tearing as his powers tried to break free.

"I will find her," he said, his voice low but firm. "I have to. I must be the first. I’ll mark her before the others do. They said the first to mark is important."

Samuel looked at him, confused. He had never been told much about the prophecy. Only the basics his parents passed on. "What does it mean to be the first? What’s so important about that?"

"I don’t know," Renn answered with a sigh. "But we’ll find out when I do it."

Just then, the skin around his legs started to shift. The thick fur of a wolf began to grow. It was another sign. The full moon was almost out.

"It’s time for me to go, right?" Samuel asked, hesitating at the door. He didn’t want to leave his Alpha, not like this. But he knew what could happen if he stayed too long. If he waited, there would be nothing left of him. His own Alpha might tear him apart without even knowing it.

"We’ll meet in the woods when this is over... with the others..."

"Gooooo!" Renn shouted, his voice raw. His bones began to crack again, louder this time. His head throbbed with pain, the kind that felt like it belonged to a thousand people at once. He tried to stand, but his legs failed him. He dropped to the ground, screaming through the pain that swallowed him whole.

His chains were already cracking as he growled in pain. His body shook violently, and the space around him felt too small. His cell could no longer hold him. He was shifting, but not into just one form. First came the wolf, then a phoenix, and then a lion. His body couldn’t decide what it wanted to become. He could feel every bone stretch, every muscle twist. It was torture.

Renn struggled to stay focused. He knew the faster he transformed, the sooner the pain would stop. He had to shift. He had to win control.

Finally, after what felt like forever, it happened. His body gave in and settled into one shape. A giant wolf, larger than any he had ever been. His fur was darker, his fangs longer. He looked dangerous, and he felt even worse on the inside. There was a deep rage building in him, but still, he raised his head and howled loud into the sky. It was a signal. A message to his pack that the transformation was complete. He could hear them reply, even if they were far away.

Without wasting time, Renn ran out of the pit and headed into the forest where his pack waited. Tonight, they would hunt together under the full moon. The new members followed his lead, and everything started off fine. They moved like one body, one mind. The forest welcomed them. But then something changed.

A force hit him. Strange and heavy. It pulled him, pushed him away from his pack and deeper into another part of the woods. He tried to resist it, but he had no control. He didn’t want to leave the others behind, but he could not stop himself. Something was calling him. Or someone.

Then came the scent.

It hit him so hard that his paws slowed for a moment. Sweet and strong. It took over his mind and body. His senses were no longer his. Nothing made sense anymore except one word that kept ringing in his head.

Mate.

He tried to stay calm, but he couldn’t. He picked up speed and ran faster than ever before. He had to get to her before the others did. Every step brought him closer to the scent. Every breath filled his chest with heat and hunger.

Then he realized where it was leading him.

West House.

Renn stopped just before reaching it. His heart pounded hard in his chest. Why there? What could his mate possibly be doing inside West House? Who was she? Was she a student from the Luna school? Or maybe a female teacher working in the academy?

He wanted answers, but none came. The scent was too strong. It blinded everything else.

Still in his wolf shape, he walked slowly through the gate of the house. And there, standing right in front of him, were the last two wolves he wanted to see.

Taros and fucking Hiro.

What the hell were they doing in West House?