I y there on my bed, staring out at the ceiling, my mind tangled in the day's events. Across the room, Mike was already asleep, his snores filling the small dorm. I tried to focus on the mundane—the tour, the campus, the new faces—but my thoughts kept circling back to the book. Those weird pointy symbols, like broken gss, all twisted and dark, and a low buzz, like a phone vibrating, but it was all coming from the book. It was like they were fused to the back of my eyelids."

  And then there was her.

  Lidia.

  I couldn't shake the memory of her—dark hair, sharp features, those striking green eyes. "

  When I felt her look earlier, it wasn't just, you know, looking. It was like she was running a diagnostic or something, totally throwing me off.

  My phone buzzed, jolting me from my daze.

  I grabbed it, already knowing who it was.

  "Hey, Dad," I answered, keeping my voice low so I wouldn't wake Mike.

  "How's it going? Settling in okay?" Dad's voice was steady, but I caught the underlying tension. He always seemed to be on edge.

  "Yeah, All good," I said, hesitating for a moment.

  The book.

  Should I mention it?... But how?

  I still didn't understand it myself.

  "Everything's fine, Dad." I lied, my hand clenching into a fist.

  There was a slight pause.

  Then,"Good. That's good. Remeber to call if you need anything, Son".

  "I will, thanks Dad".

  Click.

  The call ended, and the silence suddenly felt heavier. Alone with my thoughts once more, my mind drifted back to Lidia.

  Her eyes, that weird green, like sunlight through a whiskey bottle, kept popping into my head.

  I need to stop thinking about her.

  _______________________________________________

  Meanwhile, across campus.

  In a dimly lit room, Lidia sat cross-legged on her bed, phone pressed against her ear. Her fingers tapped absently against a book—"Myths of the Ancient World"—as she listened to the voice on the other end.

  "I haven't found it yet," she murmured, gncing toward the window as if expecting to see something—or someone.

  "Are you sure the Grail's prophecy is not mistaken?"

  Silence.

  The voice on the other end was firm, carrying a weight of expectation.

  "Find it."

  Click.

  Lidia exhaled slowly, setting the phone down.

  Her fingers tracing along the books worn leather, as if the texture itself held the answers."

  'How am I supposed to find it?'

  Lidia adjusted the pendant, feeling the cool metal pulse against her skin—its needle spinning zily as if drained.

  But," I have to do this. If I mess this up, things would get really bad."she sighed.

  Her mind, suddenly drifted back to the library.

  Ethan.

  Remembering the way his eyes looked at her somehow disarmed her. She tried to push the thought away.

  A little smile pyed at her lips. 'He was cute, I guess.'

  __________________________________________

  Far away from Bckwood University.

  A man stumbled out of a bar, his steps uneven but deliberate. The night was quiet, the distant hum of city traffic mixing with occasional bursts of ughter from nearby streets.

  He turned down a darkened alley, the only light flickering from a streetmp at the far corner.

  Then he stopped.

  Without turning, he spoke, "You can come out now. I smelled your scent a mile away."

  From the darkness, Robert stepped forward, his expression grim. He held a military-style dagger in one hand, a revolver holstered at his waist.

  His eyes focused intently on the man.

  "I'm looking for someone," he said, his voice cold. "Someone who might be part of your pack."

  "Considering only one pack exists in this town, I'm guessing you know who I'm looking for."

  The man chuckled, a low, mocking sound. "And why would I tell you that?" His tone turned condescending.

  "Tell me, and maybe this will go easier for you. If not, you'll be in a lot worse shape ter when you're bleeding out on the pavement."

  Then, as if realization dawned, he said, "Ah... you must be the hunter that's been sniffing around. What's the matter? Lost your way?"

  Robert didn't respond. Instead, in one fluid motion, he drew the dagger across his palm, letting his blood soak its bde, its edge gleaming under the dim alley light.

  The man's smirk faltered; his eyes suddenly tainted blue.

  "Just an Omega," Robert muttered, like he was talking about a bug he stepped on."

  "You must have been bullied to end up drinking alone in a bar. Or are you just that pathetic?"

  The man snarled , his eyes glowing brightly as his form shifted. His amusement giving way to anger as silver fur sprouted across his skin, a guttural growl ripping from his throat, as if announcing his birth.

  His bones snapped, and within seconds, his form stretched upward, muscles expanding, fur bristling as his full transformation took hold.

  The air was thickened with a musky smell, the tension could be felt eeringly, like something was about to snap."

  The man..no beast, now standing upright, without warning lunged—instantly.

  Robert pivoted—almost too slow to react.

  The beast's cws grazing his jacket. His dagger instantly finding its ribs as if instinct, the steel sinking deep, the beast wound hissing as the poisoned blood seeped into its muscle.

  A kick to his sternum sent him sprawling across the pavement, gravel biting into his palms. He fired mid-roll, bullet punching through the beast fur, but the creature barely flinched, its eyes burning brighter with pain-ced rage.

  Attacking once more, the beast's cws sshed through the air—

  Robert leaned back swiftly, feeling the wind from the strike pass inches away from his throat.

  His memory suddenly fshed—yellow eyes, soft ughter, a fsh of dark fur, blood.

  The weight of those memories held him onto tightly, a reminder of what he had lost.

  He forced it down with a struggle, willing himself to focus.

  He quickly retaliated with a ssh across the beast's legs.

  Causing it to stagger.

  It then paused—its chest heaving as it bared its teeth toward him.

  Robert grinned, cold. "What's wrong? Getting tired?"

  The creature snarled fiercely, unching itself at him once more, determined to tearing him apart.

  It swung it cws, just inches away from taking his head but then, robert found an opening and with a swift, calcuted swing, he drove his dagger deep into the beast shoulder, twisting it before yanking it free.

  The beast staggered weakly, its wound refusing to close.

  It slowly reverted it's form, colpsing against the alley wall , a crazed ughter escaping his lips despite the pain.

  Robert stepped closer, revolver aimed. "Last chance. I know someone in your pack was responsible. Tell me who."

  The man grinned through bloodied teeth. "And what makes you think I'd betray my own?"

  The man's grin widened. "We all know why you're hunting us. But you'll never—"

  The dagger fshed once more, silencing him mid-sentence.

  Robert exhaled, stepping back as the body slumped to the ground.

  He wiped his bde down, carefully, like it was some kind of important tool, then he holstered his revolver, letting out a quiet exhale, as if shaking off a ghost.

  Robert's jaw tightened. Another dead end. Another failure."

  Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the night.

  Leaving a message to those still hiding in the dark.

  The hunt wasn’t over. It was just beginning.