The Rogue and the Moonlight

🌙 Chapter 5

The night air was thick with mist, curling around the streetlights and turning the city into a maze of shadows. Thalric walked slowly, his hoodie soaked from the faint drizzle, his thoughts a storm of their own.

Ever since the night at the tunnel, he had felt… different. His senses were sharper, every sound and movement amplified. The faint pulsing in his wrist, the glowing mark—sometimes it whispered to him, though he could never make out the words.

He shivered. Was it fear? Excitement? Or something darker… something calling to the wolf inside?

---

At school, Veluna had been unusually quiet. Her usual calm presence was still there, but today, her silver-gray eyes darted away whenever he looked. She lingered at the edges of the classroom, watching him—but not fully watching.

During lunch, Thalric finally decided he couldn’t wait any longer.

“Veluna… can we talk?” he asked, catching up with her near the library doors.

She hesitated, glancing around. “Not here.”

“Why are you acting so… distant?” he pressed. “You’ve been hiding something since we left the tunnel.”

Her eyes softened, but a shadow passed across them. “Some things… you’re not ready to know yet.”

“I’m your friend! Don’t do this!” Thalric’s voice rose slightly, drawing a few curious stares. “I need to understand!”

Veluna sighed and reached out, brushing his arm lightly. The contact sent a strange warmth through him, a pull he couldn’t explain. “You’re changing, Thalric. More than you realize. You’ll understand soon… I promise.”

Before he could argue, the bell rang. She slipped away, leaving him with a racing heart and a thousand questions.

---

That night, sleep was impossible. His dreams were filled with silver moonlight, endless forests, and the echoing howl of wolves.

And then, he saw him. A tall, lean figure with glowing amber eyes that pierced the dark. The figure’s face was familiar—though he didn’t know why—and its voice, low and teasing, whispered,

“Thalric… finally awake.”

He woke with a start. Sweat clung to his hair. The room was quiet, but the sense of being watched lingered.

His mark burned again. He flexed his wrist, and the faint crescent-shaped glow pulsed. A low growl rumbled inside his chest. His wolf instincts were stirring.

---

The next day, Veluna insisted they meet after school at the edge of the city, near an abandoned park. The sky was bruised purple from the setting sun.

“Thalric…” she began, her voice hesitant. “There’s someone you need to meet. Someone… from your bloodline.”

“What bloodline?” he asked, tension coiling in his stomach.

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, a rustling came from the shadows. Before he could react, a figure stepped out.

Tall, muscular, and shrouded in black leather, the boy—or was he a man?—looked at Thalric with amber eyes that seemed to burn.

“You’re the golden wolf,” he said simply, his voice smooth but edged with danger. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Thalric’s heart stopped. “Who… are you?”

The figure smirked, taking a step closer. “Call me Kael. And yes… I know what you are.”

Veluna stepped protectively in front of him. “He’s a rogue. Don’t trust him.”

Kael’s eyes flicked to her, amused. “Ah, the Moon Keeper. Still playing guardian, I see.”

Thalric tensed. “Rogue?”

Kael’s smirk widened. “I don’t follow your rules. I do what I want. And right now… I want to see if the prophecy is true.”

Veluna’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “Be careful,” she warned. “Rogues are unpredictable. They can feel your power—and feed off it.”

Kael’s gaze lingered on Thalric, sharp and calculating. “Interesting… so you do have the mark. The golden crescent. The Moon has chosen you.”

Thalric swallowed hard, feeling a mixture of fear and something else—a spark of excitement. The pull in his chest was stronger than ever.

---

The tension snapped when Kael suddenly lunged forward. Thalric’s instincts flared.

He dodged instinctively, but the world slowed. Every movement, every shadow, every breath became crystal clear. His senses were alive, more alive than he had ever felt.

His wrist flared, the mark blazing gold. His eyes flickered. For a moment, he was no longer human.

He felt the wolf, fierce and wild, coiling in his chest like a predator ready to strike.

Kael paused, eyes gleaming. “Not bad… but let’s see what you can really do.”

Before Thalric could answer, Kael disappeared into the shadows, moving faster than the eye could follow.

Veluna gasped. “He’s testing you. Don’t let him provoke the wolf completely.”

Thalric’s chest heaved. “I… I don’t know if I can control it.”

“You have to,” Veluna said firmly, her eyes meeting his. “Otherwise, you’ll lose yourself.”

---

Hours later, Thalric walked home, the city silent around him. Rain began to fall again, soft at first, then harder. His heart pounded, still racing from the encounter.

He replayed every detail in his mind: Kael’s eyes, his voice, the way he moved like a shadow. But underneath the fear was a thrill he couldn’t deny. The wolf inside him was stirring, hungry to run, hungry to fight, hungry to be.

Veluna caught up with him at the bridge. She was drenched, her coat clinging to her form, but her silver eyes glimmered with a strange light.

“You’re not alone in this,” she said softly, brushing a strand of wet hair from her face. “The Night Blood chooses the strongest. And you… you’re stronger than you think.”

Thalric’s gaze met hers, and for a moment, the world around them disappeared. The rain, the city lights, the shadows—all faded into silence.

“I don’t even know who I am anymore,” he admitted, his voice low.

Veluna stepped closer, her hand hovering near his. “You’re finding out. And I’ll be with you… every step.”

For the first time, Thalric felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the mark or the wolf inside him. A warmth he couldn’t fight.

The moment was broken by a howl—far, loud, and unnervingly close. The hairs on the back of his neck stood.

Veluna tensed. “That was no ordinary wolf. Kael is gathering others. He’s rallying them. You need to be ready… soon.”

Thalric’s golden eyes flickered in the moonlight. Something inside him growled back, a deep, primal sound.

“I’m ready,” he whispered. Not fully knowing if he meant the fight… or Veluna.

The moon rose higher, full and silver, bathing the bridge in light. The night was alive with whispers, shadows, and the faint pulsing of the mark on his wrist.

And somewhere, hidden in the mist, Kael watched, his amber eyes reflecting the glow of the moon.

The game has begun.

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