Chapter 1 : Prelude to Crisis (1)
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the night before the full moon. It was late, and the campus was dead silent. A cool breeze drifted through the window into the dormitory, adding a slight chill to the air. Davina lay quietly on her side, her eyes gently closed and her hands resting beneath her cheek. Her breathing was long and rhythmic, as if she were deeply immersed in a dreamless sleep.
Suddenly, her brows furrowed. An unseen scene barged into her mind without warning, playing out slowly like a movie.
In the dead of night, a bright, flawless full moon hung in the sky. Its silvery light spilled onto a straight highway, illuminating a tall, muscular figure walking from the distance.
His features had lost their soft, human contours, becoming entirely bestial. Two long, pointed ears folded back, and his eyes flickered with a ghostly blue light. Covered in coarse fur, he looked like a monster straight out of hell. With every step he took, a low growl rolled from deep within his throat. As his lips curled back, a row of razor-sharp fangs—capable of tearing through flesh—glinted coldly in the moonlight.
She recognized him. It was Mason in his werewolf form.
A few seconds later, he seemed to stop in front of someone. Expressionless, he raised his razor-sharp claws high and slashed down viciously. A shrill, piercing scream instantly echoed in her mind. Splattering blood drew a curve of despair in the air, raining down on his terrifying face—
"No—don't—!"
Davina jolted awake, terrified by the vivid scene. She sprang up in bed, panting heavily, her forehead covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.
Esther, sleeping in the next bed, was awakened by her scream. She quickly sat up, switched on the bedside lamp, and asked nervously, "Hey, what happened?"
"N-nothing," Davina swallowed hard, trying her best to calm her racing heart. "I... I just had a nightmare."
"Oh, another nightmare?" Esther frowned slightly, a worried look crossing her face. "I don't think it's just my imagination. Your nightmares seem to be getting worse lately. Last time, you were sleepwalking and drawing weird lines on paper. Are you sure you're okay? Do you want to see a doctor?"
"It's just a nightmare, not an illness. I'm fine, really," Davina replied with unusual certainty, trying to dispel her roommate's doubts. She forced a smile. "Don't worry about me. Go back to sleep."
Before Esther could say another word, Davina pulled the covers up, lay back down, closed her eyes, and pretended to sleep. Only when she heard Esther turn off the lamp and settle back into bed did she open her eyes again, staring at the ceiling in lingering fear.
The truth was, she couldn't sleep at all.
Whenever she closed her eyes, the scene of Mason committing murder resurfaced in her mind, terrifying and realistic. Why would she dream of Mason killing someone? Was it a premonition that he would kill tomorrow night?
As this thought took root, a strong sense of unease gripped her heart. It haunted her the entire night and refused to dissipate even when dawn broke.
⚜⚜⚜
"You dreamed of Mason killing someone last night?"
Jared stood facing Davina, his arms crossed, repeating her words with a solemn expression.
"Yeah. The scene was so real, like I was actually watching him do it." Recalling the dream, she still felt anxious, her nerves taut. Then, as if remembering something, her expression grew tense. "Didn't you say a couple of days ago that Lorre saw a mark on Mason's wrist? That the mark acts as some kind of trigger, inciting his emotions during the full moon and making him do extreme things? Does that include murder?"
"He did say it was a possibility, though he couldn't be sure. Lorre mentioned that when Mason's emotions are triggered, he will 'sacrifice' the person he cherishes most. I believe 'sacrifice' means taking their life. I just don't understand who Mason would kill." Jared furrowed his brows in deep thought. "Logically, it couldn't be Helen. She's a werewolf too; if Mason tried to attack her, she'd definitely be able to fight back."
"Do you really think Mason would kill someone?" The anxiety worsened with this thought, pressing down on Davina's chest like a heavy boulder.
"I'm not certain. You know how emotions can cloud a person's judgment and drive them to extremes. If Mason's rage is triggered, combined with tonight's full moon, his strength will undoubtedly be magnified. I'm afraid things might not be as optimistic as we hope."
Jared's brow was deeply furrowed, his face showing unconcealed worry. It seemed tonight in Buckton Town would be anything but peaceful. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but worry about Davina's safety. He looked at her seriously and spoke with caution.
"I want you to promise me to stay on campus today. Try not to go outside, especially near the woods. Rex and I have already agreed that he'll stay at school all day. If anything happens, you can go to him."
"What about you? Aren't you staying on campus?"
"Aiden said that every full moon, they lock themselves in the forest basement to prevent themselves from running out and hurting people when they lose control. Sasha and I have agreed to wait near the basement with Lore. If anything unusual happens, we'll know immediately and can react." Jared paused meaningfully, a complex dark glint flashing in his deep eyes. "The fact that you dreamed of Mason killing someone the night before the full moon means something is definitely going to happen tonight. Lorre's power alone might not be enough to hold him back."
"Is that really safe?" Her green eyes were filled with worry, her tone laced with unease. "Didn't Charissa say a werewolf bite is fatal to you guys? If you run into Mason and have to fight him in close combat, isn't that too risky?"
"I won't deny that a bite from them is lethal, but that doesn't mean they don't have weaknesses." Jared's tone was calm and steady, showing no panic in the face of the unknown. "Have you ever heard of wolfsbane?"
Davina shook her head in confusion, guessing, "An herb used against werewolves?"
"Exactly. It burns werewolves and can even paralyze them, just like vervain hurts vampires. Sasha has always grown this herb in the courtyard specifically to counter werewolf attacks. If we make it into a liquid or grind it into powder, coat our weapons with it, and stab it into a werewolf, it will cripple their mobility. If we really encounter a transformed Mason, as long as we weaken him, he won't be able to resist Lorre's magic."
Despite his words, Jared wasn't entirely confident. No one could predict what would happen tonight, and there was no guarantee that wolfsbane alone would stop Mason.
But they couldn't back down. The enemy's plan would bring disastrous consequences to both the human and supernatural worlds. They absolutely could not stand by and watch Mason become a sacrificial pawn.
Besides, since Lorre, a wizard, had stepped up to stop this, they couldn't just hide like cowards and let him shoulder this dangerous mission alone.
"If only I weren't just an ordinary human, if only I had the power to help you." Unable to join tonight's operation, Davina deeply felt how insignificant her strength was. She lowered her eyes, her voice tinged with frustration. "Knowing bad things are going to happen but only being able to play the role of the protected... it feels terrible."
"Hey, didn't I tell you that you possess an unknown power and aren't just an ordinary human?" He reached out and rested a hand on her right shoulder, his blue eyes gazing intently at her, his expression turning surprisingly gentle. "To be honest, if it weren't for your dreams, we probably still wouldn't know that Lucian and Flora are trying to use the ward stone and the power of sacrifice to bring Oberon's soul back into his body. Moreover, your dream of Mason killing someone last night has given us a huge clue."
"That's exactly why I'm even more worried."
Her pointed words held deep helplessness and unease. She raised her hand and gently covered the back of his slightly cold hand, looking at him with concern. "No matter what, remember to be careful. Don't get hurt."
Seeing the worry pouring from her eyes, a subtle warmth suddenly surged through his body, quietly striking his long-frozen heart.
"I will," Jared nodded firmly, slowly parting his lips to speak. "You too."
