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Ifecowriter
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Book One
Chapter Seventeen: The Veil of Secrets
#caf1_17
The week that followed was the longest of Daniel's life.
Every morning he woke up and stared at himself in the mirror, half-expecting to see the wolf staring back. His body had changed—that much was undeniable. The muscles that now adorned his frame were impossible to ignore. He'd gone from a weak, bullied kid to someone who looked like he could bench press a car. His mother had even commented on it, asking if he'd been secretly working out.
"Just...growth spurt, Mum," he'd lied, his voice barely steady.
But the physical changes were nothing compared to the weight in his chest. That weight was guilt. And it was crushing him.
Eden. The hunter's name was Eden. Daniel had learned it from the news reports that flooded every channel. Eden Miller, 34 years old, husband to Sarah Miller, father to two young children—a boy aged seven and a girl aged five. A hunter who had gone into the woods to provide for his family and never came back.
Daniel had watched the news report with tears streaming down his face, Caroline curled in his lap. She'd meowed softly, rubbing her head against his chest as if to say, "I'm here. You're not alone."
But he was alone. Alone with the knowledge that he had torn a family apart. Alone with the memory of tearing flesh, of tasting blood, of feeling that primal, monstrous hunger.
"You're such a monster," he whispered to his reflection. "You're worse than Walter. Worse than those bullies. You're a murderer."
The mirror didn't answer. It just reflected the haunted eyes of a boy who had lost himself.
~
By Thursday, Daniel couldn't take it anymore. He'd skipped school all week, claiming he was sick. His mother had believed him—or maybe she'd just been too tired to argue. She was always tired these days, working double shifts at the hospital.
But staying home only made things worse. The walls felt like they were closing in. Every creak of the floorboards, every whisper of the wind, made him jump. He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't do anything except stare at the ceiling and replay that night over and over in his head.
It was late on Thursday night when his phone buzzed. Daniel glanced at the screen, expecting his mother. But it was a message from Evil Buddha.
"Meet me. We need to talk. Come to the old oak tree at the edge of Crimson Woods. 11:00 PM. Come alone."
Daniel stared at the message for a long time. His first instinct was to ignore it. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He didn't want to face anyone. All he wanted was to crawl into a hole and disappear.
But something in the message made him pause. It wasn't a demand—it was an invitation. And Evil Buddha had never led him wrong before.
Caroline padded over to him, leaping onto his bed with a soft thump. She stared at him with her large, intelligent eyes and meowed.
"Go," Daniel felt her say. "You need answers. And only he can give them to you."
Daniel sighed, running his hand through his now-messy brown hair. "You're right," he admitted. "I can't keep hiding forever."
~
The night air was cold as Daniel made his way to the edge of Crimson Woods. He'd dressed in a dark jacket and jeans, hoping to blend in with the shadows. His heart was pounding, but this time it wasn't from fear—it was from anticipation.
He found the old oak tree easily enough. It stood at the edge of the woods, its ancient branches reaching toward the sky like gnarled fingers. Beneath it stood a figure, cloaked in shadow.
As Daniel approached, the figure stepped forward into the moonlight. He was tall, lean, and appeared to be around 18 years old. His face was striking—high cheekbones, sharp jaw, and eyes that seemed to hold an ancient wisdom far beyond his years. His hair was jet black, falling in waves to his shoulders. He was dressed in simple dark clothes, but there was an aura of power around him that made Daniel's wolf instincts prick up.
"So you came," Evil Buddha said, his voice matching the deep, masculine tone Daniel had heard in the voice note. He smiled—a warm, easy smile that put Daniel at ease despite the circumstances.
"You're...you're not what I expected," Daniel admitted. "You're younger than I thought."
Evil Buddha chuckled. "And you're older than I thought. Funny how that works."
Daniel felt a small smile tug at his lips despite himself. "Why did you want to meet me? In person, I mean."
Evil Buddha's smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. He gestured to the ground, and they both sat down on the grass beneath the oak tree.
"Because what I have to tell you is too important for a text message," Evil Buddha said. "I know what happened to you, Daniel. I know about the transformation. And I know about Eden Miller."
Daniel felt his blood run cold. "How—"
"I told you I work for an organization," Evil Buddha interrupted gently. "We've been watching you since your initiation. We've also been watching the Crimsones who killed Eden's family."
"Who killed Eden's...wait," Daniel's eyes widened. "Eden's family? Someone killed them too?"
Evil Buddha sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Eden Miller wasn't just a random hunter, Daniel. He was a member of a secret society—a group of humans who knew about the supernatural world. They were trying to protect their community from threats. The Crimsones found out about them and eliminated them."
Daniel stared at him, trying to process this. "So...Eden was a target? The Crimsones killed him?"
"No," Evil Buddha said quietly. "The Crimsones killed his family. His wife and children were found dead two days after his murder. The Crimsones were covering their tracks. They knew the Millers had information about their operations."
Daniel felt a cold chill run down his spine. "So...I didn't kill an innocent hunter. I killed someone who...who was already marked for death?"
Evil Buddha nodded slowly. "You were used, Daniel. The Lycanthrope that attacked you—Varek—he's a rogue who's been corrupted by the Crimsones. They've been turning wolves against their own kind, creating chaos, and making it look like Lycanthropes are going feral. Your transformation that night? That wasn't random. It was orchestrated. The Crimsones wanted you to kill Eden because they knew he had information they needed."
Daniel felt like the ground had dropped out from under him. "But...I'm still a killer. I still did it. I still—"
"Did you have a choice?" Evil Buddha asked. "Did you choose to transform? Did you choose to lose your mind and become a beast?"
Daniel opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. The truth was, he hadn't chosen any of it. He'd been a prisoner in his own body, a passenger watching helplessly as the wolf took over.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you," Evil Buddha said softly. "You're not a monster, Daniel. You're a victim. And the Crimsones are the real monsters."
For the first time in days, Daniel felt a flicker of something other than despair. It wasn't forgiveness—he still felt the weight of Eden's death—but it was...understanding. Understanding that the world was more complicated than good and evil, right and wrong.
"What kind of organization do you work for?" Daniel asked finally.
Evil Buddha's expression became guarded. "We call ourselves The Veil. We monitor the supernatural world and hunt evil Cursed—those who use their powers to harm others. We're the ones who keep the balance between the human world and the supernatural world."
"So you're like...superheroes?" Daniel asked, a hint of sardonic humor creeping into his voice.
Evil Buddha laughed. "More like supernatural police. But without the guns. Usually."
Daniel couldn't help but crack a smile. "Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because you have a choice, Daniel," Evil Buddha said seriously. "You can go back to your life, pretend none of this happened, and hope the Crimsones don't come for you. Or you can join The Veil and fight back."
Daniel was silent for a long moment. "I don't know if I can fight," he admitted. "I'm still weak. I still...I still can't control myself when the moon is full."
Evil Buddha nodded. "That's okay. You're still new. But you have potential, Daniel. The Alpha who scratched you—Varek—he was on a higher Cursed Path than most. That means your potential is higher too. With training, you could become one of the most powerful Lycanthropes of this generation."
The words hung in the air between them. Daniel wanted to believe them. He wanted to believe that he could be more than a monster. But the guilt, the fear, the overwhelming weight of it all—it was still there, still pressing down on him.
"I need time," Daniel said finally. "I need to think."
Evil Buddha nodded. "That's fair. Just remember, Daniel—the longer you wait, the stronger the Crimsones become. And they're hunting you now. You're special, and they know it."
Daniel stood up, brushing grass from his jeans. "Can I...can I have your number? In case I need to talk?"
Evil Buddha smiled, pulling out his phone. "I was hoping you'd ask."
~
Daniel walked home in a daze. The night was still, the stars bright overhead, but his mind was chaos. Everything he'd thought he understood had been turned upside down. He wasn't just a monster. He was a pawn in a larger game. A game he hadn't even known existed.
When he finally reached his house, he crept through the back door and made his way to his room. Caroline was curled up on his bed, her golden fur gleaming in the moonlight.
"You're different," Daniel felt her say. "You're not as sad as before."
Daniel sat down beside her, stroking her fur. "I learned some things. About Eden. About the Crimsones."
"The Crimsones?" Caroline's ears perked up. "They're dangerous. You must be careful."
Daniel blinked. "You know about the Crimsones?"
Caroline's eyes glowed faintly—a soft golden light that made Daniel's breath catch. "I know many things, Daniel. But I can't tell you everything. Not yet."
Daniel stared at her, his mind racing. "Caroline...what are you?"
Caroline purred, closing her eyes. "I'm your friend. And that's all you need to know for now."
Daniel opened his mouth to ask more questions, but Caroline was already asleep, her soft purring filling the silence.
Daniel sighed, leaning back on his bed. He had so many questions. So many fears. But for the first time since the transformation, he felt like he wasn't completely alone.
He had Evil Buddha. He had Caroline. And maybe—just maybe—he could have a future too.
~
The next morning, Daniel got out of bed and looked at himself in the mirror. He was still the same face—brown eyes, brown hair, narrow lips. But there was something different in his eyes now. A flicker of determination.
"I'm not going to let this beat me," he said aloud. "I'm not going to let them turn me into a monster."
Caroline meowed from the bed, stretching her tiny body. "That's the spirit! Now feed me!"
Daniel laughed—a real laugh, the first one in days. "You're such a bossy cat, you know that?"
"And you're such a slow human. Feed me!"
Daniel shook his head, still smiling as he walked toward the kitchen. For the first time since that horrible night, he felt like maybe—just maybe—things would be okay.
~
Meanwhile, far away in Moon City, Orpheus Rodolfo was packing his bags. His father, Viscount Luther, had been clear: they were leaving the city within the week. The Crimsones in Moon City were becoming too dangerous, too suspicious, and the Rodolfo family needed to disappear.
But Orpheus couldn't shake the feeling that he was running from something. Something that was only just beginning.
"Who is Mr. Anonymous?" he muttered to himself as he folded his red shirts. "And why did he need my blood?"
He had a feeling he was about to find out. And he wasn't sure if he was ready for the answer.
.