Beneath the Lycan Moon

The darkness that hung low over the expanse of the woods was extremely thick and entire, giving it a very eerie feeling. A dark fog circled the lone figure of a girl on the ground and it appeared like the whole world was empty save for the chirping of crickets and birds, and the sound of an oncoming rainstorm.

Ember jerked up from her fetal position on the tarred road, looking around in total horror and confusion. Her eyes burned from the biting cold and she tried to adjust them in order to see through the darkness, but it enveloped her like a shroud.

The sound of distant hooting of owls and rustling leaves made her all the more nervous and alert. She sat still on the cold ground, trembling with fear. She was afraid that if she stood up, her feet would dissolve beneath her.

Shoving all the nasty thoughts aside, Ember struggled to her feet, her long white gown torn and dirty. Her hair was unkempt, the ice cold ground stung her barefoot like a living thing. She winced because her body ached all over. 

She looked around frantically, but there was no one in sight. The road was deserted, and the trees seemed to loom over her like sentinels.

"Hello!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the night. "Hello, is anyone there?". She held her breath, listening for a response but was met with nothing but the sound of her own voice.

Ember's voice grew hoarse from shouting, and her throat was parched. She stumbled forward, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of life. A new panic seized her as she slowly came to the realization that she was alone in this strange forest. 

Why was she here? How had she gotten here? And most importantly, where the hell was Pete and the rest of the pack? The last thing she remembered was going into the mating circle with Pete. Aside from that, she had no other memory. This triggered another round of anxiety in her. 

Why did she have no memory of what had happened after she had marched with Pete to the pyre? Where was her mom? Her dad? The rest of the pack?

"Help!"she cried out, her voice cracking with fear. "Somebody! Anybody! Help me please"

She stumbled forward looking as lifeless as a ghost. Her stomach rumbled, alerting her that she was hungry and adding to that hunger a thirst so bad that she could drink up a whole river if given the chance.

As she walked, she sensed a presence watching her from the trees. Her heart pounded, and she quickened her pace. The feeling of being watched intensified, and Ember's skin crawled. She glanced over her shoulder, but there was no one there.

Alarmed, she began her frantic motion of crying into thin air. "Is anyone there? Someone help me! I just need some water. Please!"

Hours had passed, or so it felt, and by now, Ember had given up hope of finding any help. She began to walk aimlessly down the road. She silently prayed that someone would show up and had already lost all hope, until she saw headlights in the distance. 

A flame of optimism ignited in her and she almost burst open with excitement, but was too weak and exerted to show it.

A car approached, and she flagged it down frantically. The driver, a kind-faced man, stopped and rolled down his window. He looked at her like she was a ghost before opening the door to his car and stepping out.

"What are you doing out here alone, young girl?" he asked, concern etched on his face. He looked around to confirm that the strange looking girl was alone and this was not some kind of ambush.

Ember hesitated, unsure what to say. "Please, don't hurt me", she said weakly. "I just need to find my way back home. Can you help me, please?"

The man nodded and helped her in the passenger seat. "You're safe now", he told her.

"What could a young girl like you be doing around here alone?" He asked, as they drove out of the woods. She couldn't tell him the truth – that she had no memory of how she got there or what had happened to her. So she lied.

"I was on a hiking trip," she said, trying to sound convincing. "I got lost. I don't know how I ended up here."

The driver looked skeptical, but his expression softened. "You're a lucky girl," he said. "This area is known for wolf attacks. You shouldn't be out here alone."

Ember nodded, relief washing over her. "Can you please take me somewhere?" she asked. "Anywhere is better than being here alone."

The driver nodded. "I'll drop you off at the nearest town," he said. "But first, let me get you something to drink. You look like you could use it."

As the car slowly rolled away, she glanced back at the trees, still having a great feeling of being watched. She shivered, feeling a chill run down her spine. Maybe it was all in her head, the fear had made her imagine things that were not there.

The driver's voice interrupted her thoughts. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Ember," she whispered.

"I'm John," he said with a smile. "Don't worry, Ember. You'll be safe now."

But Ember couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't safe at all. That someone had been watching her, that someone was still watching her.

As they drove, Ember's mind wandered back to the mating ground. What had happened to Pete? And why couldn't she remember anything?

Meanwhile, in the trees, Carin watched as Ember drove away with the strange man. His heart felt heavy, but he knew he'd made the right decision. Erasing her memory had been necessary.

It was best for her if she couldn't remember him. Maybe with her memory gone, he could pretend to forget her. He could learn to live with this ache in his heart.

As the car disappeared into the distance, Carin turned and walked back into the darkness, leaving Ember's fate uncertain.

In a perfect world, vampires and werewolves were not mortal enemies. In a perfect world, the tragedy that happened in his family never happened. In a perfect world, the Lycan who brought that tragedy to his family, got what he deserved and all was well.

But for now, he would learn to live without Ember. He would forget all about her like she was nothing but a bad dream. It was going to be hard but it was doable.

The darkness closed in around Carin, and he vanished into the shadows. Ember, on the other hand, was heading back into the unknown. Without her memory to guide her, she was unsure of what she was doing. What was she doing?

As John drove, he glanced at Ember, concern etched on his face. "You okay?" he asked.

Ember nodded, but her eyes were fixed on the road ahead. She knew what she had to do. She would make her way back home. 

Pete, her parents and her pack had some questions to answer. How could they all have abandoned her in the woods? How could they have betrayed her in such a way?