I was sleeping peacefully when an alerting sound woke me up from my deep slumber. I stretched my arms, fumbling through the dark, searching for my phone, my eyes still half closed. Squinting, I pressed the power button and turned away from the flashing light my phone emitted. Rubbing my eyes with the other hand, I looked at the screen to see it was 1 in the morning.

Huh, why an alarm at one?

keeping my phone back on the desk beside my bed, I went back to sleep just to jerk upright a moment later. It was my first day at the internship. I dashed to the bathroom to freshen up and ran back to my room in my towel. Only then did I slow down.

I strode towards my wardrobe, took out a shirt and black sacks, changed into them, and grabbed my bag, making sure I had a backup suppression shot along with scent masking spray. I reached out to my phone to check the time. It was one thirty, and I still had thirty minutes left.

I sped towards my garage, opening it and picking up my keys from the hanger. I unlocked my car, leaned in, and threw my bag in the passenger seat before occupying the driver's seat.

Inserting my keys into the car, I twisted them, activating my vehicle. Slowly releasing the clutch, I sped towards my office.It was a fifteen-minute drive at the most, and hence I had time to spare.

The drive to my lab building was smooth since I faced minimal traffic on the way, given the time of night.

As I reached the building, I didn't need to search for parking spaces, as many were open. I was really beginning to like this shift. Minimal traffic, easy parking, and no supernatural beings in my surroundings.

Parking my car, I grabbed my bag and stepped out of my car. Just as I stepped out, I smelled another werewolf scent, and it was familiar. I inhaled some more and groaned, my shoulders dropping. Quickly reaching into my bag and taking out the extra shot with one hand, I stretched my other hand out and injected it into my vein. I wrapped the empty syringe in loose paper from my bag and kept it back.

My excitement was dimmed, and I was walking towards the entrance when Adrian stepped out.

"Ahh, I thought it was you. Wow, you are five minutes early; you must have been excited," he concluded, smiling at me.

"Yes, I was. I mean, I am, but I don't understand. I thought nobody would be here for this shift. "I walked towards him, giving him a half smile and trying to be polite.

"Yes, I usually don't come for this shift, but today's your orientation, so I had to be present," he said, looking me in the eye.

I nodded in response and walked forward while he waited for me at the entrance. He stretched out his arm, opening the door for me. There was a security guard sitting at the reception desk.

"This is Brody; he is the security in charge, and he will log your timings in every day," he introduced.

"Welcome, maam," the bodyguard said, reaching into the drawer and taking out a register. He shifted through the pages, and when he found the page he was looking for, he forwarded it to me with a pen in his other hand.

"Now, If you could please sign here, ma'am."

I gave him a polite smile, Leaning in, I took his pen, signed across the empty space aagainst my name and handed it back to it. He took it back scrutinized the signature and nodded at me.

Meanwhile, Adrian was tapping his foot, waiting for me to finish the formalities. I turned back to look at him and he nodded towards the elevator. I followed him on his heels.

' I will show you to your work and will be out of your hair soon, All this while, I had to cover this shift due to a lack of availability of suitable candidates. Thankfully, by some luck, I came across you, My beast will finally cool down; it hates these shifts,' he said via the link.

'I understand, well, not really but late-night shifts are usually disturbing but they align with my needs.'

By now, we had reached the second floor and the elevator dinged open."This way, Aurelia."

He led me straight to the end of the room, where there was a huge metallic door marked for authorized personnel only. He fed the digital lock a security code and recited it to me so I could remember. Memorizing the code, he entered, and I followed him through the now open door.

While the entrance was filled with cubicles containing computers for DNA sequencing, I assumed the laboratory was outfitted with all of the advanced technology that a genomics researcher could desire. I was simply blown away by it. Some of the equipment, though old, appeared to be powerful enough.

There were numerous PCR machines and thermal analyzers, electrophoresis equipment, spectrophotometers, fluorescent fluorescence microscopes, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) platforms, and much more spread throughout the lab.I was giddy with excitement at the prospect of using them; I nearly drooled.

Adrian turned to face me and chuckled, hands on his waist, as he saw my expression. "I know, isn't it spectacular?"

"Mindblowing," I corrected, brushing my fingers across the NGS platform. The remaining part of the shift was full of excitement. He demonstrated me the usage of some equipment and went through the list of my duties.

Once he was done, he led me back to the office area and pointed me towards a cubicle."That would be your desk, In the rare chance that you will need to prepare a report or such, you can use the computer." He gave me the passcode for the computer. It was simple: ILIOS123.

"Well, thats done Now its time for me to leave. I will lock up my cabin and then go.i guess All the best for your research." Adrian grinned at me, turning and walking away.

I went to my desk, unlocking my computer and syncing my personal email as I saw Adrian leaving. I waved him good-bye, and he did the same, entering the elevator. The elevator doors closed, and I was left to myself.

Going back into the lab, I did my assigned work for the day. It was already six o'clock when I sensed the human lab technician arrive because the orientation had taken a long time, which prevented me from conducting my personal research.

He unlocked the door, and looked up momentarily, surprised to see me, before understanding dawned on his face: " You must be Aurelia; I was informed you would be here. Welcome"

I straightened from my slouched position at the fluorescence microscope and shook his hand with a firm grip as he came over to where I stood.

"Thank you, but I am at a disadvantage as I am unaware of your name."

"Oh, I am Harry Collins; I wish I were Harry Potter, though," he joked, taking his hand back and keeping it in his pockets.

"Oh, well, don't we all?" I jested, playing along.

He beamed in response, glad that I got his joke. "Ahh, well, I will go and do my share of work, Nice meeting you." He went towards his desk, the only one present inside the lab and sat there, taking out a few registers.

The rest of the day went by in a blur, I finished my work, reached home, had breakfast with Grandma, and took a nap. By the time I woke up, it was evening. My beast was whining; she was locked up indoors for the whole day and lashed out at me, whining to let her free.

Well, even I was feeling grumpy so I quickly changed into my joggers and set out into the forest, linking my grandma, 'Going out for a jog, Be back soon.'

'Ok.' She responded and cut the link off.

I went to the backyard, went into a running start and leaped over the fence, my beast howling with pleasure. I was carrying my backpack with me with wide handles that I could carry my clothes in while I was in lycan form. I had certain hazards set in the forest behind my backyard for exercising in human form. Nothing elaborate, just a few fences and tree trunks at different parts of the trail.

Soon enough, I was deep into the forests, away from commotions. it was half way to the community and at this time of the day, weres were usually busy so nobody came to run here. It was so thick in this part of the forest that the sun was almost blocked out. If not for my heightened senses, I would not be able to see anything.

Quickly stripping off my clothes, I folded them and put them into my bag, hauling it over my shoulder and quickly transformed into my beast.

The straps, which hung loose earlier, now tighten with my bulked-up frame. My beast, happy that she was let out, howled out, and broke into a run.She was enjoying the run, howling, She smelled the scent of a rodent and changed her direction for a small meal.

She crouched low, her nose close to the ground, and her paws softened so that the leaves under them didn't even make a sound. Slowly, she moved ahead and quickly pounced on the rabbit, devouring her. Meanwhile, I sat back and gave her more control, I so did not like the way she ate so tried to ignore my bodily responses.

Just then, we heard another crunch, followed by a gunshot. Guns were prohibited so close to the were community. Not that they harmed us much but still, there were babies and toddlers with their parents who had not developed much immunity who came with their parents into the forest for a picnic or so. They would be seriously injured.

My beast followed the sound, her nose picking up a strange, rotten scent. She followed it and came near the source but could not find it.

Just then, she felt something drip on our nose. She raised her paw and wiped it to see blood. Shocked, I took my control back but still remained in my beast form. I looked up and the sight that I saw raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

What do you think Aurelia saw?

I would like to see your guesses.

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