I want him, but he doesn't want me!

Marsel and Ace sits across from each other near the crackling campfire.

The flames dance, casting shadows over Marsel's sharp, ageless features. Ace shifts uncomfortably, the weight of the silence pressing down on him.

Finally, he blurts out, "Who are you, really? Why do you know so much about me?"

Marsel leans back against the large oak behind him, his eyes meeting Ace's. "I am Marsel," he says with a small chuckle.

"No, not your name, you know what mean." Ace says with a hint of impatience in his voice.

Marsel's expression turns to a serious one , "Okay, a wolf born over a thousand years ago. A legend, some would say. My existence was shaped by the Moon Goddess herself. I serve her purpose, communicating with her through visions and carrying out her will. That's how I know about you, Ace. I've seen you, your struggles, your potential… all of it."

"Over thousand years?! Do you seriously think this is time to joke around? Why don't you just be honest with me?! And if you've been making fool of me , and you don't know what I want to know then tell me!"

"Ace, unless someone manages to kill you, you can live hundreds and hundreds of years, as long as yiu are a werewolf."

For a while Ace stays quiet , digesting that,

After a while he stops dwelling on that and ask. "So the Visions? You're saying she sent you to me?"

"Yes," Marsel replies. "The Moon Goddess communicates through vivid dreams and images, guiding me to those who need me most. You are not just any wolf, Ace. Your bond with Kieran, your soulmark, your heritage—they are part of something far greater than you realize."

"Heri..tage? Do you know my parents? Do you know my family? I just want to understand why they threw me by the roadside... I jus..." Ace asks desperately, his words choking him.

Marsel goes quiet for a moment, a flash of mixed emotions appears on his face before they disappear immediately.

"No , but maybe after all these I can help you find them, only after all these is over." He says , his voice tinged with something like guilt.

Ace swallows, his voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever, so what am I supposed to do with all of this?"

"To survive, you must understand who you are—and what it means to be a wolf."

Marsel leans forward, his tone turning instructional. "Let me tell you the basics, Ace. Werewolves are beings of instinct and cycles, tied deeply to the phases of the moon. The full moon is the time when our connection to our wolves is at its peak. It's when the call of the wild becomes impossible to ignore, and our emotions are amplified. You will feel it—the pull, the power, the need to run under the moonlight. The first full moon after a shift is the hardest. Your control will be tested."

Ace frowns. "Tested how?"

"Your wolf will try to dominate you," Marsel explains. "It will feel like a battle inside your mind. The key is not to fight it, but to work with it. Balance is everything. Your mantra will help: 'I am the wolf, and the wolf is me. Together, we are one.' Repeat it when you feel yourself slipping. It will ground you."

Ace nods slowly, the weight of Marsel's words settling over him. He can't fight it anymore.

Marsel continues, "Then, there's the mating season—a time when our instincts are heightened, when the bond with a mate becomes nearly unbearable to ignore. It's intense, raw, and can be dangerous if not controlled. You'll feel the bond with Kieran more strongly during this time. It may confuse you, but it's natural. You will want to be with him so bad that you cannot ignore it no matter how much you want to."

Ace stiffens at the mention of Kieran, his heart aching. "I don't even know what the bond is supposed to mean anymore. It's like… he's the only person I can think about, but he doesn't want me, why does it feel like am the only one feeling the bind between us?! He rejects me!" Ace says , his voice broken.

"The moon goddess suddenly mated a man to a man, Kieran has never known something like that, in fact in the history there is nothing like that, he is having a problem accepting it , but the bond won't change, Kieran is suffering even more than you are suffering, right now he is struggling in your absence , he has been desperately looking for you , he feels the pull too, but he tries to ignore it , and it hurt him , so you are not the only one feeling it."

"You know, I had a boyfriend, someone who cares about me more than himself_ Xiao Jun… he's always been there for me. He loves me, and now that I can't feel him anymore , am worried how he will feel , I know right now he is in turmoil because he doesn't know where I am , I don't know what to do , I don't want to hurt him." Tears play on his eye balls.

Marsel's gaze softens. "The bond with your mate is sacred, Ace. It is a gift from the Moon Goddess, a connection that transcends understanding. It doesn't erase what you feel for others, but it is undeniable. You must be honest with yourself and with those you care about. Deception will only cause more pain."

Ace runs a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling to the surface. "So what do I do? Just abandon everything and give in to this… this fate?"

"No," Marsel says firmly. "You face it. Step by step. Start by understanding yourself and the wolf within you. The rest will follow."

-

Marsel shifts the conversation, his tone becoming more serious. "Control, Ace, is both your greatest weapon and your greatest challenge. Shifting is not just about transforming—it's about knowing when and how to transform. Anger, fear, desperation—these emotions can trigger a shift. If you don't learn to control them, they will control you."

Ace nods, his expression wary. "So how do I control it?"

Marsel smiles faintly. "It begins with awareness. Your body will give you signs—a quickening heartbeat, heat spreading through your limbs, a restlessness in your mind. When you feel these things, stop and focus. Breathe. Repeat your mantra. Picture yourself as both the wolf and the man, coexisting in harmony. This mental clarity is your anchor."

"What if it doesn't work?" Ace asks.

Marsel's gaze sharpens. "It will work if you believe it will. Doubt is your greatest enemy."

Marsel stands, motioning for Ace to follow him to the center of the clearing. "Enough talk. It's time to put what you've learned into practice."

Ace hesitates. "Now? What if I hurt someone? Or myself?"

"You won't," Marsel assures him. "I'm here, and I won't let that happen."

Ace takes a deep breath and nods.

"Close your eyes," Marsel instructs. "Focus on your heartbeat. Feel the power within you, the wolf stirring beneath your skin. Let it rise, but don't let it take over. Guide it."

Ace does as he's told, his breathing steady. He feels a warmth spreading through his chest, a tingling in his limbs.

But he fails , several times , again and again.

Marsel's voice cuts through the quiet. "If focusing isn't enough, we'll use another method."

Before Ace can ask what he means, Marsel's tone turns sharp and taunting. "You think you're ready for this? You think you can handle the truth of what you are? You're nothing but a scared boy pretending to be strong. You are pathetic , weak! I have no idea why the goddess would choose someone so pathetic! Look at yourself!"

At first , Ace feels confused with sudden insults , but as marsel's mockery goes too far, anger flares in Ace's chest. "Stop it!" he snaps, his voice trembling with rage.

"Make me," Marsel challenges, his gaze unrelenting.

The heat inside Ace builds to an unbearable level, and with a guttural growl, he feels his body begin to shift.

Pain ripples through him as his bones realign, his muscles stretching and reshaping. Fur sprouts along his arms, and his senses sharpen.

When the transformation is complete, Ace stands on four legs, his chest heaving.

A beautiful werewolf,

Marsel approaches slowly, his expression calm. "Good. You've taken the first step. Now, breathe. Focus on your mantra and guide yourself back."

After minutes of being stubborn, Ace closes his eyes, his wolf form trembling as he repeats the words in his mind: I am the wolf, and the wolf is me. Together, we are one.

Trying , over and over again, failing but trying again.

For a moment he thinks he will remain like that forever , that thought makes him try harder.

Slowly, the pain subsides, and he returns to his human form, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.