There was no rain that night.
But there should have been.
Because the air was too heavy to stay dry.
"It's because of Lent."
Celine's voice was low.
But enough to draw everyone's attention.
"Explain," Max said.
She stayed silent for a few seconds.
As if choosing her words was… dangerous.
"There are periods when certain things… grow stronger."
"Like what?" Rick asked, leaning against the wall.
"Curses."
Her gaze settled on him.
And that said everything.
Rick let out a faint laugh.
"Great… just what we needed."
But no one laughed.
Because no one found it funny.
"During Lent…" Celine continued, "the line between control and instinct weakens."
Silence.
Heavy.
"You're saying he might lose control?" Daniel asked.
"Not 'might.'"
She looked straight at Rick.
"He will."
The air shifted.
Rick uncrossed his arms.
His body tensing.
"I've dealt with this before."
"Not like this," Celine replied.
"And how would you know?"
Silence.
Too long.
"Because I've seen it happen."
Max's expression changed.
"When?"
She hesitated.
But answered.
"Before I met you."
That lingered.
And made everything worse.
The suspicion.
The weight.
The danger.
"So what's the plan?" Daniel asked.
"We keep him contained," Max said.
Rick laughed.
"I'm not an animal."
No one answered.
And that was worse.
The night dragged on.
Slow.
But inevitable.
And then—
It began.
Rick was the first to feel it.
His body locked.
His breathing shifted.
"Damn…" he muttered.
Max stepped closer.
"Rick?"
"Don't come near me."
His voice wasn't the same anymore.
Deeper.
More… unstable.
Elena stepped forward.
"I can help—"
"NO!"
The scream echoed.
And then—
His body bent.
Bones cracking.
The sound was sharp.
Wrong.
Daniel stepped back.
"This isn't happening…"
But it was.
And fast.
Very fast.
Skin tearing.
Muscles expanding.
His eyes…
changing.
"Hold him!" Max shouted.
But no one was ready.
Because that…
wasn't Rick anymore.
The beast lunged.
No thought.
No recognition.
No restraint.
Daniel reacted first.
Trying to hold him back.
"Rick! Stop!"
But Rick wasn't there.
Only instinct.
Only strength.
Only hunger.
The impact slammed Daniel into the wall.
Violent.
The air was knocked from his lungs.
Max moved in.
Elena too.
Trying to restrain him.
But it was useless.
"We need to stop him!" Daniel shouted.
But it was too late.
Because the beast was already over him.
Its gaze empty.
Feral.
And then—
The strike.
Fast.
Precise.
Fatal.
Silence.
Total.
The beast froze.
For a second.
Just one.
And then—
It backed away.
Max reached him first.
Daniel's body lay on the floor.
Still.
Eyes empty.
Gone.
"No…" Max whispered.
Elena stopped beside him.
Said nothing.
Because there was nothing to say.
Celine stood still.
Watching.
But her face…
wasn't surprise.
It was… confirmation.
The transformation ended.
Slow.
Painful.
Rick came back.
Collapsed on the floor.
Breathing hard.
Confused.
"What… happened…?"
Silence.
No one answered.
Because no one wanted to say it.
But he saw.
The body.
And understood.
"No…"
His voice broke.
"No…"
He tried to stand.
But couldn't.
"I didn't… I didn't mean to…"
Max didn't answer.
Didn't look.
Didn't react.
Because in that moment…
something inside him broke.
"I warned you…"
Celine's voice came low.
And that—
That was enough.
Max turned.
His gaze hard.
Cold.
"You knew."
Silence.
"You knew this would happen."
She didn't answer.
"And you did nothing."
"I couldn't stop it."
"But you could've warned us better."
Silence.
And that…
was the answer.
Rick looked at her.
Pain now mixed with something else.
Anger.
"You let this happen."
"It wasn't like that—"
"IT WAS!"
The shout echoed.
Louder than anything before.
"HE'S DEAD!"
The silence that followed…
was the worst yet.
Max stood.
Slowly.
His gaze moving across everyone.
But stopping on Celine.
"You're going to tell me everything."
His voice low.
But dangerous.
"Now."
She held his gaze.
For a moment.
But this time…
there was no control.
Not fully.
"I tried to stop it."
"It wasn't enough."
Silence.
"It never is," she replied.
And that…
didn't help.
Rick was still on the floor.
His eyes fixed on the body.
"I killed him…"
No one answered.
Because it was true.
And there was no escaping that.
Later…
The apartment felt different.
Emptier.
Heavier.
More… broken.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Because now…
it wasn't just about the enemy.
It was about what they had done.
Or allowed.
Max was alone.
His gaze distant.
And then—
The voice returned.
Colder.
More distant.
"Now you understand…"
Max closed his eyes.
"Understand what?"
Silence.
And then—
"That it won't be him…"
A pause.
"…who destroys you."
Max opened his eyes.
His heart heavy.
"Then what will?"
And the answer came…
like a final whisper.
"Yourselves."