Mariah & Josiah

I woke up in the middle of the night gasping for air, sweat dripping down my face and onto my chest. My heart was racing, though I couldn’t understand why. I usually slept fine, but something about that night felt wrong. The air felt heavy—like someone, or something, was watching me.

I decided to go downstairs for a glass of cold water. As I entered the kitchen, I froze. The window above the sink was wide open, curtains fluttering in the breeze. I hesitated, every instinct telling me not to move closer—but I didn’t want bugs coming in, so I reached for it.

Before my fingers even touched the window, something grabbed me. Claws—rough and cold—wrapped around my arm. I tried to scream, but the sound caught in my throat. I pulled back, but its grip was too strong. In seconds, it yanked me forward, dragging me through the window. My head slammed into the frame, and pain exploded behind my eyes. As everything began to blur, one thought kept me conscious: I can’t die… not yet.

And then I saw him—a man with a sword, stepping out of the darkness.

Later that morning, I woke up in a hospital bed, a blinding light filling the room. Everything felt hazy, like time itself had slowed. A nurse walked in, her shoes squeaking softly against the tile.

“Oh hey—how are you feeling?” she asked, her voice cautious.

“I think I’m okay... but I don’t remember how I got here,” I said, still trying to focus.

Her brow furrowed. “Wait—you don’t remember driving here and telling us you weren’t feeling well?”

Driving here? I didn’t even have a car. My stomach twisted. “Was… was someone with me?”

She looked confused. “No, you came alone.”

“Oh. Maybe I’m just remembering wrong,” I muttered.

“That’s okay,” she said with a smile. “Your mom came by earlier—do you want to see her?”

“Yeah,” I said quietly.

A few minutes later, my mom rushed in, panic written all over her face. “Mariah, mi amor, what happened?” she cried in her thick accent.

“Mami, I’m fine,” I said, trying to calm her.

“What happened? Why didn’t you call me?”

“I couldn’t. I—I don’t even know what happened,” I whispered.

“¡Dios mío!” she gasped. “The doctors said you can go home, just take it easy, okay?”

“Yeah,” I said softly. “Let’s go.”

As we left the hospital, I couldn’t stop thinking about that man—and those claws.

Would you like me to help you continue this story from here (like building the scene where she starts realizing she’s turning into a werewolf), or would you prefer I focus on improving this opening further, such as pacing or dialogue flow?

Josiah’s Point of View

The night had teeth.

I felt it gnawing at the edges of my thoughts long before the moon rose. The air trembled with the scent of blood and rain. My wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin, growling for control. I knew something was coming; I just didn’t know who—or what—it wanted yet.

Then I smelled her. Mariah. Sweet, scared, oblivious Mariah. I’d been avoiding her for weeks, pretending I didn’t hear her voice echo every time I closed my eyes. She wasn’t supposed to be part of this world... my world. But the Alpha had other plans.

He wanted her.

Not for hunger, not for power—but because she was the key. I didn’t know what that meant exactly. The whispers in my head argued about it constantly—some said she could end the pack; others said she could save it. I tried to ignore them, tried to stay human long enough to protect her. But when the Alpha’s howl split the night, the voices screamed in unison.

She’s in danger. It’s your fault.

By the time I reached her house, I could already smell the Alpha near the window, his musk thick and primal. My hands shook, claws half-formed, heart pounding like a gunshot in my chest. I didn’t think. I just moved.

I lunged at him as he reached through the window, his claws wrapping around her arm. He was too strong. Too fast. When our bodies collided, I felt his dominance surge through the bond like fire. My knees hit the dirt. I wasn’t strong enough to beat him. His strength crushed mine, forcing me down, tearing through my control.

I could barely tell where my voice ended and the madness began. The whispers laughed at me, mocking the beta who thought he could be a hero.

Then light cut through the darkness—a flash of silver, cold and sharp. The man with the sword appeared, stepping out of the shadows like a ghost summoned from my imagination. His blade gleamed under the moonlight, moving with impossible precision.

The Alpha howled and vanished into the trees.

For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating again. My mind couldn’t decide if the man was real or something the disorder had conjured. My wolf retreated, whimpering in confusion. Then I saw Mariah—her body limp, blood at her temple. I wanted to reach her, to explain, but my hands were covered in dirt and guilt.

She was safe... thanks to him. Whoever—or whatever—he was.

The whispers started again, softer this time.

You can’t save her. Not from them. Not from yourself.

The Next Day – Mariah’s Point of View

The next morning, everything felt surreal—like I was walking through a dream I couldn’t wake up from. The hallways buzzed with chatter and locker doors slamming, but all I could hear was the echo of that growl from last night. The sunlight streaming through the school windows felt too bright, almost fake.

I clutched my books tighter to my chest and tried to focus. Just one normal day, I told myself. I could pretend nothing happened.

That worked until I turned the corner.

Bam. Someone collided into me, hard. My books flew everywhere. Water spilled from my bottle across the floor.

“Watch where you’re going, Mariah!” Keke snapped, glaring down at me. Her tone carried that familiar sharp edge—half anger, half challenge. Everyone knew Keke had a temper, and today it looked like she’d woken up ready to fight the world.

“I—I’m sorry,” I stammered, crouching to pick up my notebook. My hands trembled. For a second, her shadow looked longer, darker... sharp like claws.

“What’s wrong with you? You tryna start something?” Keke stepped closer, her voice rising. Her face was flushed, her braids swinging with every breath.

“Keke, chill,” a voice said behind her. Kylie, her twin, appeared with her usual bright smile, sliding smoothly between us. “She didn’t do anything. Honestly, I bump into people all the time. Like, last week I ran straight into Mr. Dune, remember? He almost spilled coffee on himself!”

Keke’s glare wavered, the corners of her mouth twitching like she wasn’t sure whether to yell or laugh. Kylie kept talking, her tone light and cheerful, steering the attention toward herself like she always did.

“I mean, everyone knows I’m the clumsiest twin,” Kylie said, flipping her hair with exaggerated pride. “You should’ve seen me this morning—I almost tripped over my own backpack.”

Finally, Keke sighed, shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous,” she muttered, rolling her eyes but turning away.

Kylie flashed me a small grin. “Don’t take it personally. She’s just cranky. Didn’t eat breakfast.”

“Yeah,” I whispered, forcing a smile. “No worries.”

But as I bent to grab the last of my scattered papers, I caught sight of something strange on the back of my hand—a faint mark, like a crescent shape, glinting silver under the fluorescent lights. It hadn’t been there before.

And suddenly, I wasn’t sure if the nightmares had ever really stopped.

Would you like the next scene to switch back to Josiah—maybe showing him watching Mariah from a distance at school, struggling with what he knows—or stay with Mariah as she starts noticing changes in herself?

Josiah’s Point of View – The Next Day

The smell of disinfectant still clung to my clothes, even after a shower. I couldn’t get rid of it—hospital air and blood memories wrapped around me like smoke. Every step through the school hallway felt too loud, too heavy, like my body didn’t belong here anymore. Maybe it didn’t.

I tried to act normal. Smile occasionally. Keep my claws—my thoughts—hidden. No one could know what had happened. Not that they’d believe me if I told them about the Alpha, about the man with the sword. Most people didn’t even believe I could keep a steady mood, let alone save someone from a monster.

Still, I couldn’t stop scanning the halls for her.

Then I saw her—Mariah—by her locker near the science wing. She looked pale, tired, nervous. Something about her scent had changed too. It used to be calm, sweet like summer rain. Now it was tangled with fear... and wolf.

That terrified me.

I moved closer but kept to the shadows. I didn’t want her to see me. Not yet. She didn’t remember what happened. I could tell. Her eyes wandered like she was lost in her own world. But something else stood out: that mark. A faint silver crescent on the back of her hand. The Alpha’s mark.

I clenched my fists until my nails drew tiny lines of blood in my palms.

A sudden burst of noise broke my focus—Keke and Kylie, the twins from her grade, arguing again in the hallway. Keke’s voice cut through the chaos like glass breaking. I watched Mariah flinch as Keke slammed into her, books scattering. My instinct ignited—I almost shifted right there, teeth gritting as I felt the wolf rise to defend her.

But then Kylie stepped in, laughing it off, drawing the attention away. The energy settled. Mariah smiled weakly, but her hands shook. She didn’t see me standing behind the lockers, watching.

I pressed my back to the cold metal, breathing through my teeth. The whispers started again, faint but familiar.

She’s changing. You failed to stop it.

“No,” I muttered under my breath. “I saved her.”

Saved her? You doomed her. The Alpha’s bite always takes. Always.

Voices or instincts—I didn’t know anymore. Maybe both. My reflection in the locker’s metal shimmered for a second, eyes flashing gold. I blinked, and they were brown again.

Somewhere deep down, I knew the Alpha wasn’t done. He’d be back for her. Unless I found him first.

Josiah’s Point of View – That Afternoon

I spent most of the day convincing myself not to talk to her. Every time I tried to get close, the wolf inside me whispered what could go wrong—what would go wrong. But by the end of last period, I couldn’t ignore it anymore. The moon would rise again tonight, and if I didn’t warn her... she might not survive it.

She was sitting alone under the oak tree near the basketball court, earbuds in, sketching absentmindedly in a notebook. The sunlight caught strands of her hair, giving them a faint bronze glow. She looked peaceful. Normal. Like last night hadn’t ripped the world open.

For a second, I almost turned around. I should’ve. Instead, I forced myself forward, heart pounding too fast for comfort.

“Hey,” I said, my voice rougher than I meant.

She jumped slightly, pulling an earbud out. “Uh—hi. Do I… know you?”

I hesitated. “Not really. I mean… I’ve seen you around.”

Her eyes narrowed just a little. There was recognition there—buried deep, but real. “You’re Josiah, right? You’re in ninth grade?”

I nodded, shoving my hands into my hoodie pocket to hide the shaking. “Yeah. I just… wanted to see if you were okay. You, uh, missed first period.”

“Oh. Yeah. I had a rough night,” she said quietly, eyes drifting down. “You ever wake up feeling like you dreamed something real? Like too real?”

I swallowed hard. “Yeah… more than you think.”

She looked up then, meeting my gaze directly. For the briefest second, her pupils flashed with a faint golden hue—just like mine had the first time I shifted. She blinked, and it was gone.

My stomach twisted. The whispers in my head started up again, faint this time.

Tell her the truth. She deserves to know.

No. She’ll think you’re crazy. Just like the last one.

I rubbed my temple, forcing them away. “Sorry, I just—if you ever… need someone to talk to, I’m around,” I said. It sounded lame, even to me.

Mariah tilted her head, curiosity softening her expression. “Thanks, but are you okay? You look… tired. Like sick-tired.”

I almost laughed. “Yeah, I don’t sleep much.”

Silence hung between us, thick but oddly comfortable. The wind rustled the leaves above, carrying the faintest scent of moonrise—a warning only I could sense.

“I’ll see you around, Mariah,” I said, stepping back.

As I turned to leave, I heard her voice—soft but questioning. “Hey, Josiah. Have we ever met before?”

I froze. My heart stopped for a beat.

Maybe she didn’t remember the attack. But somehow, she felt it.

Mariah’s Point of View – That Night

That night, sleep wouldn’t come. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the forest again—the claws, the red eyes, the man with the sword. My body ached like I’d run for miles. It wasn’t just tiredness; it was deeper, like something inside me was shifting, rearranging.

I threw off the covers and sat up. My skin burned hot, sweat clinging to my neck. “Great,” I muttered. “Probably caught something at the hospital.”

When I walked to the bathroom, the mirror made me stop cold. My pupils were huge, almost black, and for a brief second, I thought they glowed faintly gold. I blinked. They looked normal again.

“This is insane,” I whispered.

I splashed cold water on my face, but it didn’t help. My heartbeat sounded too loud, too fast—echoing in my chest like drums. Every sound in the house became magnified: the refrigerator hum, the ticking clock, my mom’s breathing down the hall.

And then came the smell.

Metallic. Sharp. I sniffed again, realizing it was coming from outside. Blood.

I pressed my hand against the wall as if bracing myself. My nails dug into the paint—not just pressing, piercing. Little white crescents deepened until the drywall cracked. I stumbled back, staring at my hands. The nails weren’t normal. They were longer, darker, faintly shimmering at the edges.

“No, no, no,” I muttered, panicking. My pulse kept rising, and with every heartbeat, something growled inside of me—an echo that wasn’t a thought, wasn’t human.

“Mariah!” I froze. My mom’s voice came from the hallway. “¿Estás bien, mija?”

I jumped, hiding my hands behind my back. “Yeah, Mami! Just... washing up!”

Her footsteps faded. I turned the faucet on again, breathing hard. The pull inside me was unbearable now—like electricity crawling under my skin, begging to be released. Then, outside my window, I heard a howl. Long. Low. Too close.

The world tilted. My reflection flickered, and in that split second, the girl in the mirror wasn’t me. Her eyes glowed gold. Her teeth were sharp. Her veins pulsed silver.

And for the first time, I wasn’t afraid of the monster.

I was afraid it was mine.

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