The Hybrid Curse [MM]

Chapter: 9

*****

Roman's POV:

I glanced at the wall clock, its ticking echoing in the silence. It was 2:00 AM, and sleep was nowhere in sight. For the last 20 minutes, I'd been trying to figure out a way out of this mess, but nothing came to mind. I knew that crossing him would only lead to my end, and I wasn't ready to face that.

I went over every conversation I had with Liam, and each one just deepened the sting of his betrayal. Something felt really off, and the message I was staring at only made it worse.

Then my mind drifted back to Zeke. He wasn't the kind of guy to keep those who crossed him around for long. He either took them out immediately or kept them around for some reason I just couldn't understand.

A chill sensation crept down my spine, subtle yet persistent, signaling a shift in the atmosphere that felt completely off.

I jumped up from the couch, feeling it more intensely now—a dark energy hung in the air. It was faint, but I could definitely sense it as I sniffed around.

The closer I got, the heavier that dark energy felt, lurking in every corner of the room and making the air thick. Strangely, it seemed to be coming from the opposite direction, and disbelief washed over me. I tried to shake off the feeling, wondering if I was just imagining things, but no, it was real. It was definitely coming from Liam's room.

Standing right in front of his door, confusion bubbled up inside me. Why was there such a dark vibe coming from his space? Should I just barge in or ignore it, thinking I might be mistaken?

Deciding to push through the feeling, I opened the door. A rush of fresh air from the open window hit me, and just like that, the dark energy vanished. Then I spotted Liam sitting on the bed, staring right at me.

"What's up?" he asked, looking way more annoyed than before.

I let out a heavy sigh, unsure of how to tackle this situation. Should I confront him or just let it go since I had no solid proof? Was I letting my imagination run wild, or was there really something dark going on?

"Hey, Liam. I'm really sorry about everything that went down. I just wanted to see if you were asleep so we could sort things out…"

"Just go to bed, Roman. Actually, just head home. I don't want you here tonight." He interrupted me, cutting off my chance to explain.

"Liam, this is…"

"Aren't you the Beta of the Crescent Moon Pack? Last I checked, you've got a nice duplex to crash in, plus your own bungalow, and your parents' place is open too. You've got plenty of options tonight, but my house is off-limits for you."

With that, he turned and wrapped himself in his duvet. I stood there, frozen. This was the first time he'd kicked me out, and honestly, it felt like too much. I was genuinely concerned about him as a friend, and Zeke was acting all strange, now throwing me out of his home?

Without saying another word, I stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind me. Anger surged within me, hot and wild, like a fire ready to burn everything down. The tension from the night had pushed me to my limit, and I knew that cooling off wasn't an option. Not tonight. Not with how I felt.

I jumped into my car and sped away, tearing out of his driveway and onto the highway. The roar of the engine matched the fury in my chest, each mile only adding to the storm brewing inside me.

My own places? Not the best choice right now; they'd just complicate things. And my parents' house? Definitely not a good option for my peace of mind. There was only one place that might help me escape this chaotic mindset.

The only sounds around me were the chirping crickets, the croaking frogs, and the soft rush of water as I strolled through my favorite spot. Each step crunched the dried leaves beneath my feet. I reached the cliff's edge and plopped down. To an outsider, it might look like I was admiring the waterfall, but really, I was deep in thought.

I should've been furious, maybe even howling in my wolf form, but this place has always been my escape. Liam and I discovered it one afternoon back in high school while trying to dodge our teachers. Since then, it's been my go-to refuge. I know Liam has visited a few times too, but I doubt he realized I came here.

Suddenly, a thought struck me. I got up, brushing off my clothes with quick, anxious movements. Without a moment to lose, I dashed to my car.

I searched every nook and cranny, my heart racing as I hoped I hadn't left it at home. My hands scoured the seats, the dashboard, even under the steering wheel. Then, I spotted it—the red journal, sitting neatly in the passenger seat, almost like it was waiting for me.

I snatched it up and flipped through the pages, my fingers racing with each turn. But no matter how many I scanned, I couldn't find what I needed.

Just as I was about to shut the book, I caught sight of the word I was after. My breath caught. Dark Energy.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I opened the page, my fingers brushing the worn edges. The title loomed large against the aged paper. This book was a gift from my dad—a collection of secrets and knowledge that only a few knew about. Its rarity made it even more precious.

As I read through the text, a sense of unease settled in my stomach.

"Dark Energy is not merely a presence—it is a force, an essence that lingers where the unnatural occurs. Unlike common supernatural auras, which shift and fade, Dark Energy clings, corrupts, and feeds upon the space it inhabits. Those attuned to the mystical will recognize its signature: suffocating weight, an unnatural chill, and an almost sentient awareness that lingers in the air."

The next passage sent a shiver down my spine.

"One of the rarest and most dangerous occurrences of Dark Energy is the unnatural claim—a vampire marking a werewolf. When such an act takes place, the energies of predator and prey twist together, creating an imbalance. The werewolf, bound by blood and dark essence, is no longer purely a beast. The vampire, in turn, becomes something neither living nor undead—a creature tainted by the primal force of the wolf."

My pulse quickened as I read further, my mind racing with the implications.

"Those in the same room as such a mark may sense the disturbance—a disruption in the natural order. Some describe it as a shadow creeping along their spine, an invisible weight pressing against their lungs. Others feel the presence of something watching, something unnatural woven into the very air."

I gulped realizing the words on the page aligning perfectly with what I had just felt in the room.

The energy I felt wasn't just a vampire's aura.

It was something deeper. Something unsettling.

And the worst part? It was something that couldn't be undone.