Becoming a Monster

Chapter 333: Chapter 333: Please, Let Him Stay

Mark’s plea silenced the room. Despite the prevalent noise in the background, everyone was oblivious to it. Even the golden sheen that graced the other half of the room was ignored.

Bailey’s head snapped towards Mark, her eyes wide with disbelief. And within that surprised gaze was a mix of anger. Her emotions wanted to lash out, to vehemently denounce anyone who was willing to take Paul away from her. But despite her shaking fist, her clenched teeth, her subtle glare, she didn’t say anything. Not yet. Because deep down, she just wanted Paul to live.

This led her to look towards Noah in a much more emotional state. All the actions she had witnessed Noah make since the time she had known him; she had always believed that he was just misunderstood. Rarely has she ever judged him, always hoping that there was a justified reason for his decisions. But now, she couldn’t stop herself from blaming Noah for this outcome.

It took the moment for her gaze to meet Noah’s; his eyes narrowed towards her in response. In that one exchange, Bailey’s hatred broke down, smothering her face in tears. How could she blame the very reason they were still alive? And now, he was also the only person who could save Paul.

She should be grateful, but it was hard to just accept everything. Her chest heaved with the weight of her emotions. She gripped Paul’s arm even stronger, oblivious to the grunts that Paul was so desperately trying to hold in. Her lips quivered with unspoken words.

Please don’t take him from me too...

Her pleading gaze looked towards Ailetta. She feared that if Paul was tamed by Noah, he too would forget her, look at her with those same uncaring eyes Ailetta had, despite the bond she thought they shared.

Noah understood what she was feeling. He remembered how Bailey was the first person who spoke to him, asking about his well-being without an agenda behind it. How she put herself in jeopardy for Ailetta without anything to gain. Because he understood, and because he respected her, he didn’t resent her for her stare.

Instead, he looked towards Paul, barely hanging onto his sanity.

”If I were to help you, if you became one of us...Would you follow me? Would you protect my family the same way you protected your friends?”

The tone in his voice was nonchalant towards Paul’s suffering, he spoke as if Paul’s death held little concern to him. Yet his eyes told another story, a gaze that resonated with his creatures as they too were curious how the potential member would respond.

With clenched teeth, Paul only studied Noah for a moment. His eyes closed, the weight of his body moved to hold himself up on his own, resolving himself to give a proper answer out of respect to the person who deserved it.

Paul didn’t look at Noah with an ounce of hatred, but there was a deep-rooted anxiety. He had made it a habit to always measure the danger levels of those around him, activating his skill subconsciously without being aware of it. He, more than anyone else there, truly understood how powerful, and how dangerous Noah truly was, even without seeing him in action. It was only when in front of Noah that he was conscious of using his skill, afraid of the backlash that it would inflict on his instincts.

His mouth opened slowly, a growl manifested from his heavy breathes, for a moment he looked like he might lose all of his sanity.

”...Yes.”

His head dipped, not from helplessness, but in acceptance.

”If I live...If you save me...then I’ll follow you...That, you have my word.” His eyes were resolute, holding little fear of what he might become, but there was still something within his gaze that was holding him back.

”But...If I can...Let me stay with them...Just a bit longer...To protect them a little bit longer...Then, you’ll have my life...And...My loyalty till I die.”

Noah didn’t answer at first, and no one dared to speak. Either they were too emotionally saddened by Paul’s care for them, or they were afraid that any sound they made would impact Noah’s decision.

Paul’s character surprised him. It was a trait that was rare to find in people. Someone who would give everything, who would ask for nothing in return. Noah’s eyes glistened to Paul’s resolve. It was the same mentality he had come to have when he gained his family, and yet Paul was able to have that same mindset for those he only considered friends.

Noah didn’t have to think about it. A virtuous person with a loyal heart, and a unique ability could never be a liability to his team. In fact, Noah wasn’t dissatisfied in seeing Paul as a potential family member.

”Fenrir.” Noah called out to the Werewolf who reacted as if he knew he would be called. His giant body lifted from his prone state as he walked to Noah’s side.

”Make him part of the pack.”

Fenrir’s eyes changed, narrowing in response to the person in question. Fenrir was both excited and questioning the individual. He took a step toward Paul but stopped after his first. His nostrils flared as he took in the sight of both Mark and Bailey being in the way.

Maybe it was because Mark and the others had already witnessed what Fenrir did to Neal, or maybe it was because of the stare Fenrir directed towards the others, warning them to move. Whatever the reason, they had quickly separated from Paul without question, leaving him to stand on his own.

Bailey forcibly had to be carried away, unwilling to move from his side because she had yet to hear Noah’s decision.

She thrashed in Mark’s arms, her fingers clawing at the air, desperate to hold onto Paul just a moment longer. Her heart screamed for her to run to him, to drag him away, to find another way. But her soul knew that this was Paul’s choice. So, despite her frantic attempts to escape Mark’s grasp, the strength she used in her flails were nonexistent.

Fenrir approached, each step built up a momentous pressure that they instinctively held their breaths in suspense. His jaws slightly parted, revealing fangs that were even more destructive, and much more domineering than the beast that put Paul in this situation. Saliva naturally leaked from his jaws, but in his fangs were also a thick black substance being released like a serpent’s venom. A black substance that somehow seemed to be glowing.

Paul no longer could continue to strong charade, falling to his knees to resist the mental changes to his mind, no longer caring about the changes happening to his body.

And throughout his struggle, his eyes remained locked with the wolf’s, refusing to show fear even as the beast loomed over him. He too wanted to hear Noah’s answer, but knew he had no place to demand anything.

”Fenrir.” Moments before Fenrir leaned down to convert Paul into his pack, he froze upon hearing Noah call out to him. His jaws remained open, allowing the substance to freely drop out of his mouth.

”Use your other form.”

All eyes were being directed towards Noah, confusing etched in their expressions. No one understood what that signified. But Fenrir paused, it seemed as if he didn’t understand either.

Then, his eyes dilated as if he had an epiphany. And a moment later, his body shifted.

It was subtle at first. Fenrir’s body merely grew smaller. It was only when he was almost Paul’s height that the others could see what was happening. Fenrir’s fur receded just enough to show glimpses of muscled skin, his snout was almost completely flat, showing a face that looked astoundingly human.

Fenrir’s humanoid form stood tall, lean compared to his wolf form but impossibly powerful, but he was also naked.

He stood there, imposing and without shame as he finished his transformation, eyes set to finish the job assigned to him. With his human form it was now possible to better gleam his expressions, and his current expression was mild discomfort. Unsettled using his human form. Still, he didn’t hesitate. He approached Paul, uncaring about how Paul felt about being approached by a ”man” unclothed.

With his mouth opening, revealing his prominent fangs that now had a glowing, silver liquid leaking from them, instead of black.

Chomp!

Without warning, Fenrir bit down into Paul’s already healed injury. His bite had almost a magical effect as not only Paul’s transformation halted, but also any movement he attempted, he was completely at Fenrir’s mercy.

The suspense was rising with each minute that went by. At first there was no change, at least none that the others could see. Only Noah with his Nexus eye could see the mana changing, churning throughout Paul’s body.

It was the moment Fenrir released his hold that Paul’s body suddenly convulsed.

His limbs jerked like something dormant had been forcibly awakened.

His body surged with power. The fur that was beginning to cover his skin grew even more rampant. Dark and light brown fur intermingled throughout his body. His muscles bulging, his limbs elongating. Instead of pure skin on his exposed areas, an earthen sheen replaced it instead.

The transformation into a werewolf didn’t stop at all, but his transformation was refined.

And when they assumed Paul was going to stay that way, their eyes widened as his transformation took on another change.