Already, I was sweating profusely as I sat on the ground after morphing back into human form. My entire body trembled from exhaustion. Julius's face was also drenched in sweat as he stared intently at me, his expression a blend of fear and fascination.
"Congratulations, Darius," he said cautiously, sliding out his hand for a handshake. His voice quivered slightly. "You are now contaminated with the most formidable werewolf virus. Hence, you possess a rare ability — to shift into the most ruthless and immortal werewolf ever known."
I wanted to say something, but words failed me. My lungs burned. I was still panting and struggling for breath. All I could do was stare at him and listen.
Without fear or regret, I felt something heavy stir within me — a new kind of strength, dark yet steady. I was no longer concerned with weakness or emotion. All that mattered now was blood, adventure, and the protection of humanity. After all, hadn't my father sent me on this mission when he handed me that virus?
Julius continued, "The ferocious fact about this virus is that you heal instantly from any wound, and your claws… they are poisonous."
I was still gasping, my mouth half-open as drops of saliva fell to the ground at my feet. Julius met my gaze with courage, placed his hand on my shoulder, and said solemnly, "You are immortal now, Darius. This is why Lord Mayor and his wolves will stop at nothing to obtain the strain."
I rolled my weary eyes toward him. "Can you tell me more about the Lord Mayor and his shifters? The memory still haunts me — how they devoured my parents like freshly made peppered barbecue."
Julius's expression darkened. Every time he was about to reveal something profound, he would stare with those eerie, depthless eyes of his. The air around us thickened. Despite my fear, I felt grateful to have him as my ally. If I were to protect humanity, it would start with Julius. That was my mission now.
He sighed and began, "They are mere shifters, Darius. The bad news is—they are not immortal. They don't heal. They are mortals…" He paused, shutting his eyes as though watching something unfold in his mind's eye. "When your father discovered this strain of wolf virus and revealed its features to the Lord Mayor, greed consumed him. His ambition grew darker, and there was no stopping him. It became either the virus or endless war."
I raised an eyebrow. I wanted to sound curious, but deep down, I didn't care anymore. If war was coming, then let it come.
"But why would he want to destroy humanity and replace it with shifters?" I asked.
Julius nodded grimly. "Because if he does, there will be no competition—no rivals. Since he would be the only immortal wolf, every shifter would see him as a god and worship him. Lord Mayor wants supremacy. And he knows he cannot be called 'god' while humans still breathe."
He paused suddenly, his pupils dilating. Something had interrupted him—a revelation. His eyes turned dark and distant as the moon began to creep out from the gray clouds above. Soon, it shone in its full glory.
Julius lifted his gaze toward it. "There is trouble right now at Caritas Airport," he said hoarsely. "Lord Mayor and his shifters are there. They have begun their mission to destroy humanity. People are dying, Darius. You must go. You must stop them!" His voice grew louder, desperate. "Your mission has just begun!"
I turned my face toward the full, glowing moon. My veins began to bulge beneath my skin, running from my neck down to my feet. My body tensed as if ready to burst. Then, the cracking began—bones shifting, muscles expanding, fur sprouting across my skin.
Julius stood frozen, his hands pressed against his mouth in awe as my transformation unfolded before him. My claws slid out with a hiss, and within seconds, I had morphed fully into the all-brown wolf once more.
I howled, the sound echoing into the ends of the earth. Dust swirled around me as I leapt onto my hind limbs, my fury shaking the ground beneath. The air trembled with my rage. Julius backed away quickly, retreating to the edge of a nearby tree.
I howled again, louder this time, saliva glistening as it fell from my jaws. With one last mighty leap, I bounded onto the summit of a nearby mountain. The full moon glared down at me, silver and eternal. I raised my head, howled once more — a cry of vengeance, destiny, and purpose — before leaping from mountain to mountain, driven by the mission that awaited me.
I was no longer just Darius.
I was the protector of humanity — the immortal wolf.