Moonlit Shadows

When You Can't Stand To Be Apart

Ga-Eun pressed her purple powder coated fingers into Jaci's wound. The sizzling sound coming from the wound caused alarm in everyone else.

"Stay here," murmured Taehyung to Sunny before hurriedly making his way over to the bed.

Jaci was now writhing in pain, and Jungkook was losing control. His eyes lit up a bright gold and the guttural growl that came from him caused Ga-Eun to look up.

"You hurt her," came a voice Taehyung had never heard come out of Jungkook.

He approached the wolf carefully, not wanting to cause more harm but to be ready to take Jungkook down if need be.

Ga-Eun's eyes glowed a bright amber. "I'm doing what needed to be done. She will not suffer harm for long. This was a test, wolf."

Jungkook was snarling and looked ready to pounce onto Ga-Eun.

"Sit down!" snarled Ga-Eun.

Taehyung hovered nearby, looking back and forth between the two.

Once Ga-Eun removed her hand from Jaci's wound, Jungkook visibly relaxed, though his eyes never dulled.

"What did you do to her?" asked Taehyung curiously.

"It's an old way of testing for changes. This is monkshood." Ga-Eun held up her stone bowl that still had some of the crushed purple flowers in it.

"Monkshood is a close cousin to wolfsbane," said Jungkook, now thoroughly irritated, as if he wasn't angry enough before.

Ga-Eun's eyes locked on him and nodded. "It is. But less deadly to us. It just hurts a lot. To humans it is harmless. So, what do you think her reaction means, Jungkook?"

Jungkook's golden eyes shifted nervously between Jaci and Ga-Eun.

"She's becoming a werewolf," said Sunny softly, walking up behind them.

"Ridiculous!" shouted Jungkook. "That is merely an old legend and isn't real."

Ga-Eun sighed and leaned back, removing her gloves carefully so as not to get the powder on her own skin. Then she reached into her bag and pulled out a small plastic bag filled with a pasty substance. With a wooden tongue depressor, she scooped out some of the paste and gently spread it across the ugly wound.

"Well, I guess we will know if that legend is real in a few weeks when the full moon comes again. That is when changes like this are supposed to be complete." Ga-Eun handed Sunny the little bag.

"Apply this tomorrow as well. After two days, only apply it if she's feeling pain at the site of the wound, though I suspect after two days she won't need that anymore. But I will leave it just in case."

"What is it?" asked Sunny.

Ga-Eun winked and smiled. "Secret family recipe."

The Luna then turned towards her packmate. "We should go."

Jungkook was struggling and everyone in the room could feel it. "I...Luna, I need to stay. Why do I feel like I need to stay? I'm so confused. I want to go home, but I literally can't."

Ga-Eun smiled. "Do what feels right to you, Kookie. This is something you have to find out on your own."

Jungkook frowned. He wasn't thrilled with Ga-Eun's vague answer, but he was relieved she gave him permission to stay. He needed to figure this out and soon. His head was filled with too many thoughts and it was driving him insane.

"I'll explain to Hoseok where you are. Don't worry." Ga-Eun moved closer to Jungkook and gave him a gentle hug.

"Listen to your wolf, Jungkook," she whispered near his ear. Stepping back, she smiled and said her goodbye's.