Chapter 3: Half moon

Lydia Amorsel

I awoke in the unusual Half-moon wolf pack with no recollection of how I came to be in this strange location and with empty thoughts of how I got here. I recognized their pack because of that literal half-moon crest mounted in the ceiling, staring above it for quite longer time made me feel sick. My attention was then drawn to the fragrance of the food, but I was distracted by the thought of who may be preparing it for me. I was taken aback when I found myself unexpectedly facing an antique, gilded mirror at my back, and I was surprised to saw my flawless face on it. It seemed as though what I was seeing was something completely new to me. My cheeks were as fluffy as a pillow, and my lips were as rosy as a recently bloomed pink rose. Because of the acute form of my eyes and the fact that his eyelids were rather long, I possessed an angelic aura. Also, by having a dark brown hair, my facial features fits with it.

Uh... Is this really my face?

When I glanced around, the space was wide and was filled with gold and silver combination and a faint tint of peach. The interior design was too lovely for me to comprehend on what specific words should best express this place. There was a little chandelier above, a giant walk-in closet, a human-sized mirror too apart from the small one, a peach carpet put below this queen-sized bed that slipped over both sides, and a charming little bulb at the bedside.

Ah! This place is so lovely!

As the fierce wind pushed its way inside the building, the windows were opened. I was taken aback by the force of the blow. I rose to my feet, straightened the swinging curtain, and took a lean forward to witness the scene of this unfolded environment. It just so happened that I became more aware that I was in an unusual environment. I saw a village, werewolves with something on their backs, and more when I looked down from these towering structures around me.

Isn't it true that I seemed to be in a castle? I am, wasn't I?! But, what am I doing here?

"Oh, you're awake," a male voice spoke in a sudden from the room's door, catching me off guard. I hurriedly straightened myself out and made myself presentable for no reason. Upon realizing that the guy in front of me was someone I had never met before, my eyebrows drew together.

"W-Who are you?" I asked, looking around me in fidgety. "And, more importantly, why am I here?"

He tucked both of his hands into the pocket of his everyday jeans and took a long breath of tiredness, trying to figure out how to explain what he had possibly know about me. In a terse response, he answered, "We discovered you unconscious alongside a lake."

"How did you happen to come upon me there? And, how did I end up being there?" I seemed to be perplexed by all that was going on around me. I can't understand what was going on around, including my empty thoughts. The combination of these strange places, as well as the presence of this person in front of me, was the most upsetting to part of my situation right now. Seriously, what was really going on with me?!

He did nothing except by standing there and observing my reactions, particularly when his gaze was drawn to my grey eyes. I pressed my lips as I looked away, trying not to burst out laughing just to ease this awkwardness. My goodness! Surely, he began to be curious as to where I came from. I had this feeling that he also does not have any idea as to who I am and where I came from.

I made the mistake of meeting his gazes when I realized that he was merely looking at me straight in the eyes without saying anything. I took a few steps back before deciding to turn my gaze away.

"You aren't even responding to my inquiry," I whispered, there was a look of sadness on my face.

I gulped.

He blinked his eyes many times in focus. "How do you feel about it? Can you please tell me who you are?" he asked. Hm, it looked like he was able to maintain control over his emotions and communicate well with a strange woman like me.

I, on the other hand, was brought to a halt by his inquiry, particularly since I was deep in meditation about understanding who I am. I didn't even know my own name! I was completely baffled as to what happened to me even now and then.

Am I a reincarnation from a previous existence? No?

It hurt my mind as I pushed myself to recall at least a glimpse of my identity, and no matter how many times I tried, my head would end up making my vision blurry no matter if I strained.

"Be very cautious!" I had lost my equilibrium after closing my eyes for a long period of time, and he grabbed me by my waist quickly before I would completely fall. I didn't seem to be entirely healed at this point.

I became aware that I had a bandage wrapped around my forehead. I inquired about it with him, who just informed me that I had sustained a wound. He seemed hesitant to disclose to me about his possible assumptions. Maybe because he was concerned that making me think too much about the situation would make my illness worsen.

He is probably concerned to me. Oh, that's impossible! A man like him would never ever think about that to a stranger like me.

When he assisted me to sit up on the side bed, I mumbled, "Obviously, you're attempting to keep the true details of what was happening to me."

He sat next to me, and he had finally said something: "I'm concerned that you could be dwelling on what happened to you too much. You haven't healed completely yet." Oh? So he is really a thoughtful man... I wonder if he is somehow related to me by blood.

"You're concerning about me so much. Do you happen to be my brother?"

My question caused him to gag and choke on his spit. "N-no, I'm not," he answered, shaking his head, and kept his laughing aimed only inside his thoughts.

"So, tell me, who are you?" I seemed to be an irritable person who insisted on receiving a quick response. But, I don't care! I need answers!

He, on the other hand, elected to get up and straighten his clothing in front of me instead of responding to my question. "Fix yourself and dress in anything you choose from the wardrobe. We'll have our meal ready shortly," he instructed. He was about to walk away when suddenly, he stopped. He looked like he had recalled something or somewhat in between his thoughts that bothered him.

In a blink of a second, he asked, "You aren't making this up, are you?"

My brows drew together in uncertainty as I furrowed my lips in thought. I was thinking as to why he was ever asking that question in the first place. What sort of a question was that, exactly?

"What? Are you like asking if I am just pretending?"

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Nevermind."

When dinner time arrived, everything went well since the man, who I recently know his name as Ryan, were the only ones in the kitchen at the moment. We established this as a regular practice of having a dinner table set up in this manner almost every day.

One time, I was notified by the castle head maid at a supper that the master's instructions had changed. I was no longer permitted to attend the dinner with him as a guest. As an alternative, I will be eating supper by myself in my room at night. This situation felt skeptical and intriguing. I began to ponder about my prospective connection with the people in this castle, as well as what I should do with my life in the future.

The head maid spoke, "By the way," as she was ready to shut the door behind her. I was embarrassed when the head maid walked up to me with formality, as if she were a boss.

"D-Do you know my name?" I inquired in case the maid was aware of my identity.

Unfortunately, the head maid mistook my query for an insult and responded accordingly. "Tsk, who gives a damn about who you are?" she answered, laughing. "I'm guessing you're Ryan's girlfriend, all heaped up for 'dinner.'"

I hadn't expected those words to escape from her mouth, but they did. I was just asking!

I quietly walked out of the room when I saw that the door was not locked properly. I had the impression that I was no longer in danger as a result of this. I sneaked out of the room and concealed myself between the concrete pillars of the hallway's concrete floor.

My breath caught in my throat as I walked out of the floor and saw the vast stairwell in front of me, particularly when a large group of people focused their gaze at me. I was going to flee back when a woman appeared out of nowhere and stopped me from escaping. She was dressed elegantly in a red dress and holding a glass of wine in the other hand. I smiled, and since this woman seemed to be kind, I didn't regard her as a potential danger. I hope so...

"Where you're going, sweetie? Haven't you been asked to come and hang out with us?"

"Ahm... I wasn't made aware..."

The woman smiled and hummed on her lips as she nodded. However, it was more of a mocking than a typical sad one in this case. "Ah, I understand what you mean. Ryan has been quite busy recently, particularly with his twisted up relationships with his brother and father," the woman laughed, wiggled her shoulders.

I accepted the lady's invitation to become friends with her, and since I was still unfamiliar with the surroundings at the time, I had no difficulty conversing with her. Later on, I learned that the lady's name is Katelyn and that she is from an upper-class family of werewolves, which I admired. I gave a brief account of what occurred to me, but it was a terse one since I was still unaware of what had happened to me before I woke up in this castle. Katelyn couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry at my predicament. I found her to be much too refined to interact with, and Katelyn was well aware of this, for sure, even before the two of us met.

"I believe you've escaped something from the past, based on what you've told me about how Ryan found you, and the fact that you're also one of us."

"Do you believe that?"

"I assume that's it? These are only my assumptions. I guess you're like a useless Omega then," Katelyn answered as she finished her glass of wine.

Seeing how I couldn't comprehend what she was saying, I came up to her and inquired about the unexpected party. Katelyn informed me that the event was just an annual celebration that Ryan had planned for his guys only for the sake of being fancy and having a good time; it was nothing particularly noteworthy.

While we were waiting for Ryan to come, a man approached me and attempted to touch my flesh. Fortunately, Katelyn was able to stop his path before he could complete his effort. I seemed to be so oblivious to what was going on around me that I didn't notice anything. Not even a glance at those who were spreading rumors about my connection with Ryan was worth enough for me to pay attention.

However, those were the things that Katelyn knew out to me, but the fact was that I was well aware of what was going on. I couldn't get those mocking eyes and razor-sharp tongues out of her head, but what else was she supposed to do? I don't even know this place.

Ryan had come during those intervals, but the audience had failed to see him except me. He was there at all times, well aware of what I was up to. I was just pretending that he wasn't there the whole time since I thought of it as not a big deal. In a nutshell, it is possible that he heard and seen everything that has happened.

His instruction brought the festivities to a close. Ryan hurried inside his room as if he were in a rush. He couldn't even get a time to see me.

I rose to her feet as I saw Ryan entered his room from a distance. As I realized that I was nothing more than a ghost wandering around this castle, I let out a deep sigh of relief. I have no clue who I am or where I come from, and I am terrified of the unknown.

Suddenly, I felt a hand resting on my shoulder. Katelyn happened to be that person when I turned my neck at her.

"It seems that he has been really busy recently."

"Yeah, I'm curious as to what he's been up to. I need his assistance in figuring out who I am..."

"Why don't we go out and talk about our life then?" Katelyn suggested, grabbing her arms in a friendly manner.

Katelyn and I lingered in the forest until the wee hours of the morning, talking about random things. Despite the fact that I just spoke a few words because I had nothing to say, Katelyn had said far too many things that were nearly completely not relatable.

For the next few hours, we found themselves seated on a massive tree in the middle of a forest, which turned out to be the ideal position for us to view the full moon that night.

"Ah, the moon is lovely, isn't it?" Katelyn smiled. I just gave her a hump and a nod.

"However, it's becoming very chilly now. Allow me to go back to the palace and get some blankets for us."

And with that, Katelyn walked away from the middle of this forest.

I began to get concerned when many hours had passed and Katelyn had not returned. I took a few steps back and peered about her as I tried to get myself out of the cold. When I was under the influence of the full moon, I had the eerie sensation that someone or something was racing after me! I can hear voices that are unusual and completely unfamiliar, and my mind begins to wonder about the many unwanted memories that I possibly have.

The sensation I was experiencing in the middle of the night seemed familiar...

I rose to my feet and supported my head with both arms. I screamed for help because I was unable to contain the torment I was experiencing in my thoughts any longer.

I can feel my legs becoming more feeble, and just as I was about to pass out, a masculine guy emerged from behind and grabbed my waist.

It was Ryan.