Chapter 1 Fateful Encounters

The wine in the glass Lucy held spilled across the tablecloth — a deep red stain. The man’s glare sharpened. "Spill one more drop again, and I will kill you." Lucy’s hands kept shaking as she quickly wiped the mess. Heart pounding against her ribs, she avoided looking at his face again. Bloodmoon werewolves never made empty threats; they were known to keep to their words. And she knew no one would care if something bad happened to her tonight. "That's enough. This is certainly going to make my opponent drunk!" The man's evil laughter waved in amusement across the table. A drinking contest, it seemed. Lucy gave him a polite smile and turned away, just as her boss’s voice cut through the air. "Lucy, come here quickly!" Here in this restaurant at Elm Street, Lucy works to serve over 50 clients in a day, enough to give her fatigue, and her boss really made things worse than the regular clients. She suppressed a sigh as she wasn't expecting him to show up again until tomorrow. A moment’s rest was apparently too much to ask for. "Boss," she called back, weaving through the crowd to meet him. He handed over a briefcase to her. "You will find a man in blue suit at the resort across. Hand this over to him and call it a day." "Okay, boss." She nodded. Some minutes later, Lucy arrived Halford Resort and kept looking around to find the man she was meant to meet. She yawned and slowly sat on a waiting chair before an elegant aquarium. Still waiting and searching, she noticed someone by the corner, staring right at her. Eyes collided, she looked away as she felt a strange sensation go through her veins—something primal, something unexplainable. When she locked eyes with him, it was as though the world around her blurred. There was actually someone else behind the scary looking man in rags, someone she was actually interested in. Her pulse quickened, her skin tingled, and for the first time in her life, she felt hypnotised by a stranger. Who is he? Why does it feel like… like I know him? She squeezed her hands and kept tapping her left foot while avoiding to look in that direction again. "Excuse me, hey..." a calm voice spoke. She immediately turned to see the tall handsome guy she was interested in, whilst... she gulped before replying, "Hey." "...how long have you been here? I am looking for someone, a lady and I felt I should ask you since you have been staring. My instincts drew me to you I must say." Her mind buzzed with questions. Something about his scent. I love it so much. Am I… attracted to him? Or is it something else entirely? "...hello!" His voice called her out of her inner self. "Ummm, I am sorry I didn't see. I came here not quite long, waiting to deliver this to someone." She flinched to pick up the briefcase. And before she could respond, a lady approached him with a dazzling smile. "There you are!" The lady exclaimed, slipping into his embrace. "I’ve been waiting like forever." He kissed the classy looking lady in a way that made Lucy's chest tighten. She had no right to feel jealous, yet there it was. He walked away without ever giving attention to Lucy. "Hey, I think you have what belongs to me." A man in blue suit drew her attention to himself, tapping his foot impatiently. "Yes, my boss sent me." Lucy nodded the sooner she saw a picture of her on his phone screen which he showed her right away — her boss must have sent it to him for easy identification. After handing it over, she composed herself. "And give this envelope to your boss. I'm leaving." Lucy soon looked in the direction of the man in rags, a figure of someone familiar but was no where to be found this time. She searched with her eyes then ran out of the resort with hopes to find him. Suddenly she felt something move behind her in the shadows and into the night it went. She sensed its presence heavy like a storm brewing in the distance, must have been huge, she feared she has seen a ghost. But still the assumptions that he was watching her never left her mind as she hurried to get home safe. The next day, Lucy found herself staring out the restaurant doorway, eyes fixed on the resort. Her inner voice growing loud in her head. Will I see those two again? Something told her she would. And that when she did, it would change everything.