Captured

Kenneth had spent the last two days pushing himself to the limits of his endurance. Every waking moment was dedicated to training—lifting, running, fighting, honing his reflexes. He could feel his body adapting, growing stronger with each passing hour. The raw power within him was becoming more familiar, yet it still felt untamed, like a beast clawing to be set free.

Frank had been by his side the entire time, helping him research ways to develop his abilities further. They scoured old myths, folklore, and even dubious internet forums, searching for any clue on what he was becoming. None of it was concrete, but bits and pieces of information hinted at what lay ahead. One thing was certain—he wasn't prepared for what was coming.

Frank leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "There's barely anything useful here," he muttered, flipping through yet another old book they had borrowed from the library. "I swear, half of these legends contradict each other. One says werewolves lose their minds on the full moon, another says it's when they're at their strongest."

Kenneth exhaled sharply. "Well, the full moon is tomorrow. Guess I'll find out the hard way."

Frank glanced at him, his expression serious. "Maybe we should ask Max about it. He's the only real werewolf we know."

Kenneth hesitated. He hadn't heard from Max since their argument, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Max was secretive, sure, but he wouldn't just disappear without a word. Something wasn't right.

"I'll go check on him," Kenneth decided, standing up. "You stay here."

Frank frowned. "You sure? You shouldn't be wandering around alone, especially not this close to the full moon."

Kenneth gave him a reassuring smirk. "I'll be fine. I can handle myself."

The next morning, school felt oddly normal despite everything going on in Kenneth's life. The moment he stepped into the campus, the familiar chatter of students filled the air, momentarily drowning out his worries. He made his way to his first class, Psychology, where he was greeted by his friend Lena, a quiet but perceptive girl who always had a book in hand.

"You look exhausted," she said, studying him as he took a seat beside her.

Kenneth shrugged. "Haven't been sleeping much."

Lena adjusted her glasses and tilted her head. "You should be careful. Sleep deprivation can mess with your perception of reality."

Kenneth chuckled dryly. "Yeah, I think reality is already messing with me."

Before Lena could pry further, their professor walked in, setting her books down with a loud thud on the table. "Alright, class. Today, we're diving into cognitive dissonance. Open your textbooks to page 132."

Kenneth tried to focus, but his mind kept drifting. The full moon was tomorrow. What would happen to him? Would he lose himself completely?

Lena nudged his arm, breaking him out of his thoughts. "You spacing out again?" she whispered.

"Just thinking," he replied.

"Well, think about this," she said, sliding a flyer toward him. "There's a charity concert this Friday, hosted by the student council. Reddric has been working on it for weeks. You should come."

Kenneth raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the flyer. The words Harmony for Hope were printed in elegant gold lettering, with a list of student performers underneath. He knew Reddric—one of the more responsible and charismatic members of the student council.

"I didn't know you were into these events," Kenneth said.

Lena shrugged. "I'm not, but it's for a good cause. And besides, Reddric asked me to spread the word."

Before Kenneth could respond, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. As they packed up their things, Reddric himself appeared in the doorway, flashing his usual confident grin.

"Kenneth! I've been looking for you," Reddric said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Tell me you're coming to the charity concert."

Kenneth sighed. "You and Lena are really working together on this, huh?"

Reddric laughed. "I'm pulling in all my connections. And you? You could use a little distraction. Take a break from whatever's keeping you up at night."

Kenneth hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, fine. I'll be there."

Reddric beamed. "Good. And hey, if you're feeling bold, we're still looking for volunteers. Ever thought about performing?"

Kenneth scoffed. "Yeah, that's not happening."

Reddric shrugged. "Your loss. See you Friday."

As Reddric left, Kenneth couldn't help but feel a small sense of normalcy creeping back into his life. Maybe, for just one night, he could forget about the full moon, the hunters, and the looming unknown.

But deep down, he knew normal wasn't something he could hold onto for long.

The old ancestral house was eerily silent when Kenneth arrived. He pushed open the front door cautiously, stepping inside. Dust swirled in the dim light filtering through the boarded-up windows. The place smelled different—stale, abandoned.

"Max?" Kenneth called out. No answer.

His gut twisted. Something was wrong. He searched the house, checking every room. But he found nothing. He thought that Max was out trying to find others to turn into werewolves like the both of them.

Then, a sound.

A faint click behind him.

Kenneth spun just as a silver arrow whizzed past his face, embedding itself into the wall beside him. His heart pounded as he caught sight of three figures stepping out of the shadows, their weapons gleaming under the dim light.

Crossbows. Swords. Silver.

One word came to Kenneth's mind: Hunters.

The lead figure, clad in dark armor, smirked beneath a hood. "The rumors were true," he said coolly. "A lone wolf in Cavite."

Kenneth's muscles tensed. He didn't wait for them to make the first move. With a snarl, he lunged, his enhanced speed closing the gap between them in an instant. He swung at the nearest hunter, but they were fast—too fast. The hunter dodged, slashing at him with a silver-coated blade. Kenneth barely managed to twist away, the blade slicing through his shirt, searing his skin like fire.

Pain flared through him, but he pushed through it. He grabbed the attacker by the wrist and twisted sharply. The hunter grunted in pain, but before Kenneth could follow up, another one slammed a crossbow into his ribs, knocking him backward.

He recovered quickly, ducking beneath a second attack and landing a solid punch to one of the hunters' chests. The force sent them flying into a wooden beam, cracking it on impact. The hunter groaned, clutching their ribs.

But the other two were relentless. Another silver arrow grazed his leg, the burning sensation slowing him down just enough for one of them to land a kick to his stomach, sending him sprawling.

Kenneth coughed, trying to get back on his feet, but the hunters didn't let up. A boot pressed down on his chest, pinning him to the floor. The lead hunter loomed over him, silver sword in hand.

"You put up a good fight, wolf," he mused. "But you're not ready yet."

Kenneth gritted his teeth, his mind racing. "Where's Max?" he growled. "What did you do to him?"

The lead hunter tilted his head slightly, amused. "Ah, the alpha? He's in good hands," he said, his tone mocking. "Or perhaps not so good, depending on your perspective."

Kenneth's rage flared, his breathing growing heavier. His vision blurred for a second, a sudden heat rising within him. His body trembled, his instincts pushing him to let go. He felt something shift—something different.

The hunter hovering over him suddenly hesitated. "What the—"

Kenneth's reflection in a broken mirror across the room caught his eye. For the briefest moment, his irises shifted from their usual yellow glow to a deep, burning red.

The hunter saw it too. He took a step back, genuine uncertainty flickering across his expression. "Red eyes?" he muttered. "Impossible…"

Kenneth didn't understand what was happening, but he knew one thing—he wouldn't go down without a fight.

Summoning every last ounce of strength, he surged upward, his claws slashing at the nearest attacker's arm. Blood splattered across the floor as the hunter cried out, clutching their wounded limb.

But his victory was short-lived.

A brutal strike to the back of his head sent him crashing to the ground. Darkness crept into the edges of his vision, his body refusing to move.

The last thing he saw was the hunters standing over him, their faces unreadable.

Then, everything went black.