Lunar Ties

The cold laboratory floor woke Selene. Her body felt heavy, as if she were trapped in a vessel that wasn't her own. When she tried to rise, pain pierced through every muscle. Her breath came in short gasps, and her trembling hands reached out for the table to steady herself.

Her eyes fell on a shadow reflected on the monitor in front of her. Her skin was bruised, small cuts marked her arms and legs, but the state of the laboratory was even more shocking. Shelves were overturned, equipment shattered on the floor, and claw marks scarred the walls like an invisible warning.

"No way…" Selene murmured, her voice hoarse. She wracked her brain, trying to recall what had happened the night before. Only vague flashes came to her an overwhelming hunger, dark shapes, and the echo of a growl in her mind.

Shaking, she approached her workbench. The black liquid the one she had been studying the previous night was still in its small glass vial. But something was different. The color looked darker, and an eerie energy seemed to emanate from it, making her hesitant to touch it.

***

Selene diverted her attention by cleaning up the lab. While sweeping up shards of glass, her mind was plagued by unanswered questions. What exactly had she consumed? Could the liquid have triggered the absurd transformation she vaguely remembered?

Using a microscope, she examined the symbols on the vial. Intricate patterns resembling ancient glyphs became clearer under magnification. Selene carefully documented every detail, sensing this could be the first clue she needed to uncover the truth.

She reached for an old reference book she had previously dismissed. Myths and legends she once deemed mere fairy tales now seemed like the key to understanding her predicament. The book described a mystical liquid said to transform humans into wild creatures, figures spoken of only in tales of werewolves.

"This doesn't make sense…" she muttered again, but this time her voice carried less conviction. The facts and logic she once relied on now felt fragile.

***

A sudden knock on the front door startled her. Reluctantly, she left her lab and walked to the living room. Standing outside was an unfamiliar man dressed in a long, dark coat, his expression unreadable.

"Selene Albright?" he asked, his voice deep and sharp.

Selene nodded, her guard up. "Yes, that's me. Who are you?"

The man gave a faint smile, but there was no warmth in it. "We need to talk. About what you've found."

Selene remained in the doorway, not allowing him inside. "What are you talking about? I don't know what you mean."

The man sighed, his eyes narrowing. "Don't try to hide it. You know exactly what you've discovered. And you know what's happening to you."

Her heart raced. His words pierced straight into her growing fears. "Who are you?" she demanded, her tone sharper now.

"My name doesn't matter," the man replied tersely. "What matters is that the liquid isn't yours. And you're playing with something you don't understand."

Selene stared at him, trying to decipher his intent. "So, what do you want from me?"

"A choice," he said, his voice now calmer. "Hand over the liquid, forget everything, and return to your normal life. Or…"

Selene waited for him to finish, but he didn't. The air hung heavy with unspoken threats.

"What if I choose not to hand it over?" she asked, surprising herself with a sudden burst of courage.

The man met her gaze, his eyes cold and piercing. "Then you'll have to face those who will come looking for it. You're not the only one who knows it exists, and you certainly aren't the strongest."

Before she could respond, the man turned and left, his footsteps almost inaudible.

***

Selene returned to her lab, her emotions in turmoil. His words echoed in her mind. Who were "they"? And why was the liquid so important?

Before she could delve deeper into her investigation, an odd sensation coursed through her body. Her senses felt heightened every small sound outside her house seemed crystal clear. The morning air wafting through the vents carried an overwhelming intensity.

When she caught her reflection in the lab's glass pane, her breath hitched. Her irises, usually brown, now glowed with a golden hue. Selene stepped back, gripping the table for support.

"No… this can't be happening," she whispered, though her body told a different story. She felt stronger but also wilder.

***

That night, Selene couldn't sleep. Unease blanketed her thoughts. When she finally decided to step outside for fresh air, her feet carried her toward the forest instead.

She stood at its edge, staring at the trees that seemed darker under the moonlight. The cold wind brushed against her face, but she didn't retreat. Something within her, something untamed, urged her to go further.

As her feet touched the forest floor, the transformation within her intensified. Her breathing deepened, her eyes caught distant shapes with startling clarity, and her ears picked up sounds of nocturnal creatures she'd never noticed before.

***

As Selene walked deeper into the forest, the darkness of the night seemed to amplify the strange urge inside her. She felt something deep and primal awakening within her, pulling her further into the shadows of the towering trees. The desire to explore, to discover something beyond mere scientific knowledge, felt so strong.

The deeper she walked, the stronger her body felt. The muscles that had once been stiff started to feel more flexible, as though a new energy was flowing into her. But on the other hand, a fear she'd never experienced before began to grow. What was happening to her? What she was feeling was more than just a side effect of the liquid. It was something more.

Suddenly, a sound startled her. Footsteps behind her, heavy and steady, as if someone was silently following her. Selene turned, trying to find the source of the sound, but there was no one there. Only the darkness surrounding her.

"Who's there?" she called out, her voice hoarse.

But there was no answer. Instead, a strange noise echoed in her ears a raspy sound that seemed to come from the depths of the forest itself. Cold sweat began to bead on her forehead, and her heart pounded.

Without warning, another change took place. Her body began to feel a new sensation something more terrifying, like an unstoppable force. Suddenly, her ears caught the sound of a growl coming from deep within the forest, vibrating the air and filling the surroundings with an ominous energy. It was the same sound she'd heard in her mind before a sound that signified something far darker was drawing near.

She started to back away, trying to return to the path she had walked. But her legs seemed to move faster, uncontrollably. There was a new strength inside her an instinct that was wild and untamable. Her breath became heavier, and her body moved in a way that was more animal-like than human.

It was then that she heard footsteps again, this time closer. But it wasn't a human following her. The creature, hidden in the shadows of the night, moved with incredible speed. Selene could only dodge with reflexes she didn't know she had. Her hand shot out to the nearest tree, and in an instant, she climbed it easily, as if her body had been pre-programmed for such an action.

Up in the tree, Selene tried to calm herself. She knew she couldn't escape this feeling. Something deep and very powerful had awakened inside her. Was this the result of the liquid she had been studying? Or was it something darker than that?

But before she could think further, a large shadow passed under the tree where she was hiding. Something so big and fast, it made the air around her feel heavy. Selene felt the ground beneath her vibrate as if the creature was searching for something. Or more precisely, searching for her.

Carefully, Selene crouched on the branch, trying not to be detected. Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation. Her body had become more sensitive to the environment, even though she tried to remain calm. Her instincts were sharper, and she could feel the creature's movements even though she couldn't see it.

The night grew darker, and the growl grew more frequent. Selene realized that the creature wasn't the only threat in the forest. There was something bigger, darker, watching over this place. Something that might also be interested in her.

Cautiously, Selene climbed down from the tree and began moving faster, avoiding the heavy steps that continued to follow her. But this time, instead of fear, she felt a force guiding her. Her steps were lighter, and her newfound senses were sharper. This was a state she had never imagined, but also one she couldn't avoid.

When she finally emerged from the forest and returned to her house, her body felt exhausted but filled with an energy she couldn't control. The sensation enveloped her like something unreachable a sudden awakening of power she hadn't expected. Selene knew she couldn't ignore this any longer. These events weren't just coincidences.

In her laboratory, she looked into the mirror in confusion. Her eyes were now golden yellow, and her skin appeared brighter. The remnants of her wounds began to heal in an unusual way, as if time itself was working to mend her body.

She gazed at the vial of black liquid once more. Perhaps it held the answers to all the unanswered questions. But a bigger question arose now was this the beginning of something she couldn't control?

With a heavy breath, Selene approached the vial. Gripping it tightly, she knew that the decision to continue seeking answers was one that would change her life forever. But what was even more frightening was the reality that she might have already become trapped in a game much bigger than she had imagined