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Scarlet

When Wolf had said that he could sense moonlight, Scarlet had imagined him being able to head straight for the school's stash. She did not expect having to wander around aimlessly, waiting for him to get an inkling as to what direction they should go in. But it seemed to be working. Occasionally he would change direction, that was a good sign. Right?

"Have you ever sensed the moonlight before?" she asked, "Just if you were heading to your next class or something?"

Wolf frowned. "I think so, but I guess I just put it down to my condition acting up."

"I'm not sure that's how your condition works." Scarlet said sceptically.

"Maybe not with most lycanthropes but transforming at the wrong times has created some… side effects."

"Ah."

Wolf paused, cocking his head to one side as if he was listening, before walking into a different corridor. "I think it's this way."

"What does the moonlight feel like?" Scarlet asked curiously.

Wolf shook his head. "It's hard to describe. I feel a sort-of pull, I guess, and I start thinking about things like why I don't have a tail. I think it's trying to make me… you know. Change."

Scarlet narrowed her eyes in concern. "You know, you don't have to do this if you think it's going to make you transform."

Wolf offered her a small smile. "I think I'll be fine. Besides, how else are you guys going to find this stash?"

Scarlet rubbed her arm uncomfortably but said nothing.

Wolf paused for a second and cocked his head again, a scowl darkening his features. Scarlet opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, when he abruptly turned on his heel and walked back a few steps before pausing again. His scowl deepened.

"Wolf?" Scarlet asked, "Everything okay?"

Wolf didn't answer. He narrowed his eyes at the wall beside them and hesitantly put his hand on the white stone. Instantly, her drew back his hand, hissing and cradling it to his chest as if he'd been burned. Was it just Scarlet's imagination, or were his nails slightly longer and sharper than usual?

Wolf glared resentfully at the wall. "I think the stash is behind there."

"You're sure?" Scarlet asked, placing her own hand against the stones. It didn't feel any different, just plain old stone. But then again, she wasn't a werewolf.

"Positive." Wolf insisted.

Scarlet tugged her wand out of her waistband and pointed it at the wall. But before she could even open her mouth, Wolf's fingers had wrapped around hers, shocking her into silence.

"Pretty sure blowing up the wall isn't going to do anything." He said, "The teachers have probably enchanted it to be resistant against that kind of magic in case one of the werewolves got too nosy, or a student screwed up a spell."

"Yeah… that makes sense." Scarlet mumbled, her gaze locked on Wolf's hand, "So… what other options are there?"

The warmth of his fingers lingered as he let her go. "Maybe a password?"

"What kind of password would the teachers use?"

"Lunars rule?" Wolf suggested.

Scarlet snorted in laughter.

She took a step back to study the wall, hoping for some kind of indication on what they should do. But all she saw were perfect white stones, exact duplicates of every other stone in the castle. The gaps between them weren't wider, there were no cracks or holes. Scarlet gritted her teeth in frustration. Why couldn't things be easy, just once?

She raised her wand again. "Accio moonlight."

Nothing happened.

Scarlet pocketed her wand and shrugged at Wolf. "Hey, it was worth a try."

"I think everything's worth a try at this point." He muttered.

"Okay, how about we stick with your password idea?" Scarlet said.

Wolf scowled at the wall. "It would take forever to figure out the password just by guesswork."

"Then we'll do educated guesswork. You've been part of this whole conspiracy for a while now, right? Surely you must have heard them say something?"
Wolf shook his head hopelessly. "I'm sorry. They never even say the incantation they use to transform us out loud, let alone a password to a stash of pure moonlight."

Scarlet patted him on the arm. "It's okay. The teachers have probably had this going on for years. They're obviously good at keeping secrets."

Wolf smiled at her shakily, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Let's try some other passwords." Scarlet said encouragingly. "How about… "Werewolf"?"

The wall didn't change.

Scarlet scowled in annoyance. "Okay… maybe "Full Moon"?"

Still nothing.

""All Hail Levana"?"

Still nothing, but Wolf chuckled a little.

Growling in frustration, Scarlet kicked the wall, hard. The wall didn't budge and, to add salt to the wound, now her foot hurt. Perfect.

"I thought we already established that attacking the wall isn't going to do anything." Wolf said, his smile teetering between amusement and concern.

"I was hoping it would make me feel a bit better at least." Scarlet grumbled.

"I take it that didn't work?"
"Well aren't you the ace detective."

Wolf's smile widened, but as he cast a glance down at the hand he'd touched the wall with, it slipped off his face, leaving behind a dark frown. His hand looked back to normal now, but from his eyes you'd think it was already a giant paw. "I think… I might have an idea for getting to the moonlight."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like it?"

Wolf studied the neatly interlocking slabs of rock that formed the wall. "I think I might be able to pull the moonlight towards me. I believe my condition summons it. If I can just pull the moonlight out from behind that wall… maybe we won't have to bother finding a way past it."

"And what if you absorb that moonlight?" Scarlet demanded, "Don't think I didn't notice the way your hand changed just by touching the wall."

Wolf flexed his fingers. "It's back to normal now."

"But how do you know you'll go back to normal after pulling all of the moonlight in there towards you? You hate transforming Wolf! Merlin's beard, you don't even like talking about transforming!"

Wolf cringed, but his voice was firm as he said, "If it comes to that… I want you to promise me you'll run."

"You mean, abandon you? No way!" Scarlet said furiously.

"I won't be able to control myself if I transform." Wolf said desperately, "Scarlet please, I… you're my best friend. I can't wake up and find that I've murdered you. I need you to promise me that if it even looks like I'm starting to transform, you'll run."

Scarlet stared at him, her mouth opening and closing but no words coming out. She wanted to argue, she wanted to say that Wolf would never hurt her. But if he transformed, he wouldn't be Wolf anymore. He wouldn't care less about all the time they spent together, how they had talked and laughed and joked. All he would see was a human that needed killing, and that was that.

"Scarlet, please." Wolf begged.

Scarlet sighed. "Alright Wolf. I promise."

He smiled with relief, though it was quickly replaced by trepidation as he looked again at the wall. His arm shook as he reached out to touch the stone.

He gritted his teeth, and a vaguely inhuman growl rumbled in his throat. The nails of his hand slowly lengthened, and fine brown fur sprouted on his knuckles. Scarlet stood still, torn between reaching out for him and running like she promised. She knew that Wolf would want her to do the latter but…

Silver light leaked out through the cracks in the wall in small blinding white ribbons. As she watched, they coiled up Wolf's legs, seeping into the fabric of his clothing and whatever open skin they could find. Wolf's breaths began to shorten.

More light spilled out from the cracks in the wall, growing faster and faster by the second. And every one of them gravitated towards Wolf, melting into his skin. Fur slowly grew over his arms, his neck, his face. Scarlet winced at the audible cracks as his body changed, growing hunched and lean. The growls turned into pained whines, and his green eyes glistened with agonised tears. As he looked at Scarlet, she could see the beginnings of fangs growing out from his jaw.

"Scarlet… please…" Wolf croaked, his voice hoarse from his slowly changing voice. "run…"

Scarlet wiped away a tear tracing its way down her pale freckled cheek. "I'm sorry Wolf."

Fighting the urge to look back, Scarlet turned on her heel and took off down the hallway, the agonised howls of her friend following her.

A/N: Anybody up for a cliff-hanger?

Just a heads-up, I've got exams coming up, and I'm going to be studying like mad and might not be able to post on schedule all the time. I'm not giving up this story! I'm not ashamed to admit that I've completely fallen in love with it over all this time.

Please review!