We took a stroll around the area while leaving our cars parked at the parking lot of the bar. The more minutes I walked, the better I became and soon, the alcohol began to wash away, leaving me completely sober even though I had a lot to drink.

I didn't care about the time. I was in no hurry to return home. I had messaged Carol earlier, informing her about my date tonight. She asked for my location to be switched on the entire time so I kept it on for her.

The fresh, cold breeze refreshed me along with the scent of the rich trees and the woods.

We didn't talk much. Silence hung between us like our shadows.

I tried to enjoy the moment but I couldn't. My plan to get King drunk had failed when I realized he couldn't get drunk even when he had more drinks than I did.

Whenever I glanced at him, he was more awake than ever. Energy was brimming inside him and it surprised me.

Even I got tired after a long day of doing nothing, this man seemed as if he could walk across the whole town and he still wouldn't get tired.

Far deep in the woods we reached at the midst of the night. It was a long way back to the car and I found my legs giving up.

Thankfully, I had a chance to change my shoes before setting off with King or the heels I had worn would've killed me.

I took another look at him, finding something hidden in his eyes. He seemed nervous.

"Do you want to tell me something?" I questioned while moving carelessly across the rocks.

"No." He shook his head.

"You're lying to me?"

"No."

A muscle ticked in my jaw as he continued to hide something. The air surrounding us thickened. The weather grew cold and the wind grew stronger as moments passed by in silence.

"What's the truth? Why are you here?" I moved an inch from the rock and reached closer to him. He had his eyes fixated on the ground till I questioned him. When he looked up, they filled up with confusion. "I searched about you."

"I can tell." He tried to shake it off but I wasn't going to let it go.

Not this time.

I frowned at him and said, "You're a rich man—a billionaire. You were surrounded by women, beautiful women I might add. You are in control of the city. So, what are you doing here? What are you doing with someone like me?" My mouth twitched and a strain appeared in my heart at my own words.

At the end of the day, it was strange what King was doing with a girl like me.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Eos." He said, his voice deep and his eyes fixated on mine.

Suddenly, I felt something strange wash over me when he continued looking at me. Wrinkles appeared over my head. My breathing became uneven. Every muscle in my body became weak and every bone seemed to turn into liquid in front of him.

My knees wanted to bend, to submit.

"What are you doing to me?" I asked, my voice low and my heart heavy. It was either I needed some really good help or I was imagining things I shouldn't be imagining.

I couldn't tell.

King snapped out of the trance he was in. He appeared shocked, remorseful. His body leaned toward mine.

"Nothing. We should get going." He grabbed my hand, covering up what he had done. Panic followed his tone.

I didn't move. "What did you do to me?" I asked as my lips quivered in fear. I snatched the glove out of my hand and the ugly claws appeared once again. "I am not taking the medicine. You were there that night, you were at the cemetery, King. You saw me." The words came out of me, the concerns, the truth—everything.

"Eos—"

"I just want to know what you did to me. You were at the hospital yesterday. I heard you talking with the doctor. I can hear everything from miles away, my skin is changing and my bones are breaking—I can feel it. The pain is terrible and it's killing me." A few sorrowful tears appeared in my eyes but they didn't drop yet. "I just want to know what you did to me. And why?"

He stood stern at his position, barely moving. His hands were now in his pockets, far away from mine while mine leaned toward his. I felt a sacred attraction to him—there had to be a reason.

"At the welcoming party, you came to me, no one else. The way you threw Bryce out of the window wasn't human-like. Nothing you do is human-like—not even the way you fuck me." I stated, raising my voice and sounding a little crazier than I already was.

He sighed and straightened his shoulders. "It's a bite. You were not supposed to transform. It should've left a bruise and that's all."

"It was a wolf's bite." I cleared out, remembering the entire night and how I wished I could've died by it.

I needed more than just knowing it was a bite that should've left only a bruise.

"Eos," He stepped forward and took my name. As my name rolled off his tongue, I froze on the spot as if his voice had some control over me. He placed his hand over my shoulders gently and his eyes bore into mine before he continued, "What you got is rare. It doesn't happen. You were gifted—"

"With what?" I whispered while gritting my teeth. Pain wasn't a gift.

"Immortality and power." He replied and I arched a brow at him in disbelief. "I couldn't control myself that night. I shouldn't have bitten you but I did. It's awful, I know it. If you survive your first shift, you'll live forever. But you have to shift this full moon."

My brows collected together. Horror washed over me and my throat tightened. "Shift to what?"

King stepped away from me. He moved farther back to a tree. I stepped down from the rocks and onto the ground while keeping my gaze over him.

Sweat dripped down my back. I closed my hands together while watching him carefully.

He unbuttoned his shirt and removed it before reaching for his pants. The same tension from the bar earlier rose between my legs even though I was terrified.

I couldn't help it.

"What are you doing?" I asked, taking many more steps back and away from him.

Minutes passed. I stayed silent until King turned into a four-legged wolf. Deafening, high-pitched screams broke through the woods. I could only hear my own voice before something danced through my vision.

Stars.

And then I was gone.