Chapter 20: After the Full Moon

285words2026-01-19 05:17

The full moon came and went. As agreed, I stayed away from the forest that night, though it took every ounce of my scientific discipline not to sneak back and observe the transformations firsthand. Instead, I spent the night in my apartment, pacing anxiously, wondering how Jackson was faring with the treatment I'd prepared.

The next morning, Liam picked me up at our usual meeting spot. One look at his face told me everything I needed to know—the treatment had worked, at least partially.

"Jackson made it through," he said without preamble as I climbed into his truck. "The pain was reduced by at least half, according to him."

I couldn't suppress my smile. "That's incredible! Did you notice any differences in the transformation itself? Duration? Physical manifestations?"

"It was... smoother," Liam admitted. "Less violent. And he recovered faster afterward."

"I need to see him, run some tests," I said eagerly. "If we can understand why it worked, we might be able to improve it even further."

Liam nodded, and we drove the rest of the way in silence. But it was a different kind of silence than before—less hostile, more contemplative. Something had shifted between us, however slightly.

When we arrived at the cabin, Jackson was waiting on the porch, looking tired but far better than I'd expected. He grinned when he saw me.

"Charlie! Your magic potion worked!" he exclaimed as I approached. "I mean, it still hurt like hell, but compared to the last few months? Night and day difference."

"I'm so glad," I said sincerely, setting down my equipment. "I need to check your vitals, if that's okay? And I brought some modifications to the formula that might help even more."