Marcel woke up feeling sore all over. He sat up slowly, wiping sweat off his face. His hands looked normal.
He was just a regular guy again.
He let out a shaky laugh and rubbed his eyes. Finally, the wolf inside him had calmed down.
He spotted a clean shirt hanging nearby and put it on, still feeling tired but relieved.
He needed to get back to the wedding before anyone noticed he was gone.
Looking in the mirror, he saw a mess,pale and sweaty but at least it was him.
Then suddenly, a sharp pain hit his chest.
"Not again," he muttered, holding onto the wall.
He grabbed his phone and called Jeremy.
"Come on, Jeremy… pick up!" But no answer.
His hand started changing again. Fingernails darkened and got longer. His teeth clenched as heat spread through him. The wolf was coming back.
And worse,he could smell everyone around him. Their sweat, their perfumes,and most especially Thier blood.
His breathing sped up.
He opened the door and ran. Didn't care where, just away from the crowd.
####
In the bathroom…
June leaned against the wall, biting her lip as Jeremy knelt in front of her. Her dress was pulled up, one leg over his shoulder. She gripped the sink, breathing fast.
Jeremy's hands held her gently, his mouth moving slowly and carefully. She shivered. A soft moan escaped.
"Jeremy," she whispered, fingers pulling at his hair.
He didn't say anything, just kept going like he'd been waiting forever. His tongue moved in slow circles, teasing her until her knees almost gave out. She gasped, pressing closer.
Jeremy stood up, eyes dark.
"What do you want to do?" June asked, biting her lip.
"Something you'd like," he said, pulling her close and kissing her hard. His hand slid between them.
June let out a soft moan, leaning back against the cold tile. He moved slowly at first, steadying her as she wrapped her legs around him.
Their lips met again,deep and messy. His hips moved faster. The air felt thick.
"Ah, you're bad," Jeremy said, between breaths. "Didn't think you'd go for it, but guess I'm charming."
"Shut up," June whispered. "This can't happen again…"
Jeremy didn't answer, pushing harder. June gasped.
Then something moved outside the small bathroom window.
Jeremy froze. He turned, eyes narrowing.
Something dark passed by.
Not a person.
It moved too fast. The shape didn't look right.
His stomach tightened.
He pulled away slowly. June looked at him, confused and breathless.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Nothing," Jeremy said, going to the window.
But inside, he was thinking fast.
He hadn't finished with June yet , but what he just saw? It wasn't normal. It looked like… a man turning into something else. A wolf.
His hands clenched.
How was this happening? It wasn't even a full moon.
Was it happening to all of them?
He needed to talk to Marcel.
"I'm sorry, love. We'll finish later. I promise," he said, kissing June's forehead.
June was annoyed but didn't want to look desperate.
"Jeremy," she said softly.
He paused at the door, looked back, and smiled.
"No one can know,not yet."
"We'll talk when I'm back. I have to fix something first."
####
In the garden…
Claire was in the garden, recurring how the love of her life said yes to Lucy,
''if I had told him about my feeling,maybe this would have been my wedding.''
She said to herself.
As she was still lost in thought, something darted across the grass.
Claire looked.
It was too fast. Too low.
She turned and saw a flash of fur. A face not quite human, not quite wolf.
Familiar.
Marcel?
She froze. Her breath caught. The shape had been fast, but not fast enough.
That face.
Marcel.
Claire always knew Marcel wasn't normal. But she loved him regardless and wasn't ready to let anyone take him away.
####
In the woods…
Marcel dropped to his knees in the dirt, breathing hard. His hands were paws now. His chest rose quickly. Teeth bared, frustrated.
The wolf had taken over.
####
Back at the hall…
No one noticed Claire slip back inside.
The music was loud. People laughed and danced and ate like it was the party of the year.
Even Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were out there, acting like teenagers in love.
The air felt heavy with happiness.
No one looked at Claire.
No one even noticed she'd been gone.
And weirdly, no one seemed to remember the groom was missing.
Except Lucy.
She sat in the middle, makeup perfect, dress shining under the lights, but her smile was frozen.
Her eyes were searching.
Where was Marcel?
Her fingers tapped her leg.
Again.
Where was Jeremy?
June?
Was this really how it was supposed to be?
''At least my dad sent me a message he needed to do something important,I guess it's because this is not a real wedding.''
But everything felt strange,
''Even that man,''
She recurred
A pale man stepped up on stage Thirty minutes ago, voice calm.
"Forget everything else. Enjoy the wedding."
and immediately people started to really enjoy the wedding forgetting everything else.
Lucy frowned.she didn't quite understand everything.
She didn't want this wedding, but never thought it would feel like being abandoned.
Not able to stand up without eyes on her.
Then Claire appeared beside her, almost like she'd come out of nowhere.
Leaning in, voice low.
"You married a beast," Claire said.
Lucy blinked.
"What?"
"Marcel," Claire said. "He's… a werewolf."
Lucy stared at her.
"Werewolf?" she said. "Is that even real?"
No laugh. No tears.
Just silence.
Trying to decide if it was a joke.
Or something worse.
###
Outside, behind the building near the trash bins…
Blood dripped from his lips as he lowered the silver bag. Not wine. Not juice.
Something real.
A woman, her face hidden by a wide hat and veil, handed him a thick envelope.
He counted the money with long fingers.
"They forgot," he said, grinning. "No one remembers the groom is missing."
The woman said nothing and walked away into the dark.
Who was she?
Why was she helping Marcel?
To be continued…