Caitlyn's POV
Cold.
After I drank the bottle of the purple potion Zed handed me, it felt as if my body had been plunged into an ice cave.
My consciousness gradually blurred while Zed's face morphed into various expressions before me.
At times, he wore a surprised expression, looking at me with concern. Other moments, an indulgent laugh escaped him, as if he had succeeded in some secret plot.
Occasionally, he revealed a fierce expression, staring at me with wide, lifeless eyes. All the surrounding sounds seemed to flood into my head instantly.
I collapsed to the floor, covering my head that felt on the verge of exploding.
"Are you okay, Caitlyn?" Zed held my shoulders and looked at me with concern. I couldn't discern if he was genuine or feigning concern at that moment.
As I opened my mouth to answer, my body convulsed uncontrollably. I shook my head frantically, cowering on the ground.
Darkness floated before my eyes, and I sensed my body falling uncontrollably. Amidst the darkness were faint clusters of light, seemingly separating from my body and gradually escaping.
I struggled to see the contents of those light clusters, but there was always a powerful suction pulling me downward.
In a trance, I glimpsed a tall man within the light masses. He wore a black overcoat, and his handsome face resembled a god from Greek mythology.
Deep indifference filled his eyes, but when he locked eyes with me, a hint of tenderness emerged.
"Talon..." I muttered, the man's name surfacing in my mind. However, his figure grew increasingly blurred before me. For reasons unknown, a profound sadness welled up in my heart.
My eyes became moist inexplicably, and the scene before me slowly faded, as if I had lost a part of my heart.
I struggled to break free from the circle in front of me, but no matter how hard I tried, the clusters of light within my body accelerated and dispersed outward.
Each additional mass of light that escaped added another layer of sorrow to my heart.
Gradually, I realized that my emotions were settling into a sense of peace. The pain, laughter, happiness, and sadness that I once felt all seemed like name tags floating in front of my eyes, not affecting me in any way.
My expression gradually turned indifferent, and I slowly closed my eyes.
However, just as I closed my eyes, a burning sensation erupted in my neck. I couldn't help but cry out in pain and instinctively covered my neck with my hands.
Strangely, I could vaguely feel the wound on my neck, but it felt more like a mark. In the haze, I seemed to hear a mournful wolf howl. The sound was filled with sorrow, tinged with anger and despair.
It was at this moment that I felt my body slowly swelling up, experiencing a tearing pain in my flesh and blood, with a dazzling mass of light gradually peeling out of my body.
A guttural cry echoed in my ears.
"Caitlyn!"
It was a young woman, her eyes filled with dismay, her face streaked with tears.
"Caitlyn!"
It was a man, in whose body I sensed a closeness between bloodlines, his hoarse voice full of resignation.
"Caitlyn."
It was a younger man, his voice so calm, like that of a cold stranger. However, for some reason, when I heard his voice, tears involuntarily streamed down my face.
A sigh emanated from somewhere. With this sigh, everything around the light gradually subsided.
I reopened my eyes, and what I saw was an empty stone platform. In the center of the platform stood a mysterious and majestic wolf head statue.
And a wave of awe instantly surged in my heart, stemming from the connection between bloodlines.
"Are you... okay?"
A handsome man materialized in front of me, his eyes filled with concern. However, for some reason, I sensed a lingering self-blame in his gaze.
"Uh-huh," I nodded indifferently.
I could sense the wolf within the man before me, and there was a definite connection between us—the awe that comes from being a pack member to the Alpha.
"Alpha, all is well with me."
After a brief moment of disorientation, I remembered the man before me and respectfully bowed.
"It worked!"
Suddenly, a voice emerged from behind me. I turned my head to see an old werewolf not far away, sporting a joyful expression.
Seeing me glance at him, he raised his smiling face and greeted me.
"Have you... mastered the method of transforming into a wolf?" the old man asked.
Through the connection in my bloodline, I nodded at him. Then, I prostrated myself on the ground, and the strength in my limbs gradually filled up. Accompanied by a loud wolf howl, I transformed into a white giant wolf in a flash, my pupils turning a mysterious purple color.
"Good! We, the Fullmoon pack, have found the Gamma!" the old man exclaimed, tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," the Alpha said, walking over to my side and gently stroking my fur. The wolf inside me seemed to enjoy the touch, emitting a soft purr.
Unsure of the Alpha's intentions, I nodded obediently without making any reply.
Alpha looked up at me with remorse in his eyes.
"I wonder what Talon would look like if he saw you like this."
"Talon?" I murmured the name softly, a complex wave of emotions coursing through my body. My breathing became labored, accompanied by a sharp headache, and I reverted back to my human form.
"Alpha, Talon... who is he?" I asked, looking up at Alpha with confusion.
"You might as well just call me Zed from now on," Alpha sighed softly before walking past me.
I looked at Alpha's retreating back, uncertain of what to say.
"He used to be someone important to you," Alpha whispered as he turned his head around.
"And who am... I?" I inquired, looking up, a little confused.