DeLune was not a common last name. That was the truth. And therefore, Knight DeLune was a werewolf: didn't need to be a genius to work that one out.

Those were the three thoughts that flashed across Sugar's head as an awkward silence fell over the greenhouse. Wendy looked as impassive as ever, maybe even slightly smug, Sugar honestly couldn't tell; Rosa's face was awash with concern, and the slightest bit of confusion, though it was fast slipping away; and Knight looked like a stunned mandrake, right after you pulled it out of the ground, and right before it would start screaming.

Sugar wasn't sure what his own expression looked like at that moment, but his best guess was that it was something similar to Rosa's, though less confused.

Werewolves were some of the more ferocious magical creatures that prowled the earth. Even in their beast forms, they still possessed the same level of intelligence as they had in their human forms. It was also popular belief that they retained their magic as well. Though, that has never really been confirmed. How could Knight be one of them? He wasn't anything like them... Knight was a friend. If he was truly a werewolf, there would have long been signs, right?

Finally, Knight swallowed and broke the suffocating silence.

"You're right... I am... the werewolf." he said, softer than anything he had before, but then broke into a more panicked register, "but, it wasn't me! I didn't do this, I didn't kill her!"

Suddenly, Wendy stood up, and pointed her wand straight at Knight, muttering something under her breath, as a spell shot through Knight, sending him staggering backwards.

"What the hell was that for?" Sugar jumped up to defend Knight, almost out of instinct. Even with the truth revealed, Sugar still found himself unable to hate the guy.

"Relax. It's not going to hurt him. It's a spell invented by the Witching Council themselves for their screening process. All it does is force a werewolf, or any other magical creature with a humanoid form to turn."

And sure enough, when Sugar heard Rosa let out a gasp, and looked where once Knight was now stood a small wolf with black and white fur, with his ears flattened against his head. It was...

"That's a lot smaller than I expected." Sugar said, blinking at the wolf.

Of all the descriptions of werewolves he had heard, small was never a word used to describe them. Full-grown ones could be up to three times the size of normal wolves. But the one that Knight had transformed into just looked like... a regular wolf. Weren't werewolves supposed to be some kind of man-wolf hybrid?

Knight slowly backed away. Was he simply afraid, or was he going to pounce? Meanwhile, Wendy put her wand away.

"Mmh, checks out." Wendy said, casual as ever, "It's only in late adolescence that werewolves grow to their full size in their wolf form. But, that does prove something."

"What do you mean? Are you allergic to getting to the point?" Sugar half snapped, only to be met with a death glare from Rosa for daring to challenge Wendy. Well, wasn't his fault that even though she seemed so calm about everything, while he was still worried about the werewolf in the room. He had never liked dogs... and wolves were just bigger, worse dogs... even if said werewolf was Knight.

"What I'm saying is that your friend there is telling the truth," Wendy said, "the girl's arm was bitten off, right? Your friend's mouth is way too small and narrow for that to be the case. Therefore, it is innocent."

At this, Knight seemed to relax a little, the hackles on his back lowering a little. And Sugar felt himself becoming relieved. Of course, he always had that feeling that Knight couldn't have done such a thing, but having his hunch confirmed still felt good.

"So, you believe me?"

"Wait, YOU TALK?" Rosa and Sugar said in unison.

"So, it speaks. How interesting. All the books say that is a trait only of those who were turned..."

"Yes... we all can, not just those who were bitten. Just not too much, then our throats will get really sore... that used to happen to me a lot. My ma always said I talked too much for my own good."

As if on cue, Knight coughed a little, shuffling on his paws nervously.

"You can turn back, y'know? The spell doesn't prevent that." Wendy said with a shrug, "probably won't do you any more favours if someone else were to see you in this state."

Sugar seriously wondered if she dealt with werewolves every day.

With what sounded like a sigh of relief, the wolf's fur thinned and moved onto its hind legs, and within seconds, Knight was back. But Sugar still had questions.

"Wait, how come you still have all your clothes? I thought they would tear off when you transformed..."

"That's wrong," Knight said, unable to stop himself from chuckling a little at the admittedly goofy suggestion, "they get magically preserved or something like that."

"Werewolves are magical creatures, above all. If they couldn't control their magic qualities to some degree, they wouldn't have been given that designation in the first place." Wendy said with a small sneer, "Though, Magical Creature Studies is only a subject from the second year onwards, so I won't hold it against you."

Sugar looked down, embarrassed. Great... what a brilliant first question to posit to your friend who recently came out as a werewolf.

"Wait," Rosa spoke up for what felt like the first time in ages, "if you're a werewolf, then surely there would be knowledge. All the packs are closeknit these days... Knight, do you know anything about whom the actual killer could be that you're not telling us?"

Knight bit his lip, as he seemed to debate whether or not to speak his mind. Ultimately, he decided for it.

"It can't be anyone from the registered packs, Miss N- I mean, I couldn't smell any of their scents... but... I think I know who it could be..." Knight swallowed.

"Have you heard of The Bloody Wulf?"

"Who?" Rosa said, looking to Wendy for guidance, but the older witch shrugged, seemingly clueless as well. But Sugar had heard of that name, one his mother spoke with disbelief, disbelief that the Witching Council never found him.

"Towards the end of the Mythica War, a group of Peace Sorcerers had to kill this werewolf pack. They were driven mad by... something." Sugar began slowly, "They managed to kill all of them, but many sorcerers died in the process. But in the weeks and months after, there were reports of this brown wolf attacking various werewolf packs... obviously he was one of the mad werewolves, one that had escaped death and now turned on his own kind."

"Yes, that's him," Knight nodded grimly, "but he should be dead by now! They hit him with a necrosis spell... the rot would have consumed him in hours."

As he spoke, Knight seemed to get paler and paler.

"Hey, if it is The Bloody Wulf, surely the Peace Sorcerers would be onto him." Rosa said, in an attempt to comfort Knight.

"It's not that simple. There are more players in this than them," Wendy said, clearly concocting some plan, "the School Board, for example, has their scapegoat, and I doubt they'll let him get off that easy. We're going to need undeniable proof that it is him. But since whoever is behind this, Bloody Wulf or not, wants to play the long game, we'll play it right with them. We've got time..."

Yeah, time. They weren't even through with their first term yet. There was plenty of time.

"Don't you worry a bit, Knight. We'll figure this out." Sugar said, tentatively patting his friend on the back.

"Uhm, guys... that's nice and all, but it's the full moon the day after tomorrow... And since my medicine is gone... I'm going to be stuck as a wolf the whole day."

"Shit."

✧༺✦✮✦༻∞　　∞༺✦✮✦༻✧

The man tapped his metal hand on the table impatiently, as the woman flicked through a spell book.

"Damn the King, doesn't he know my arm flares up each time I take that medicine? Don't see how me not being in 'proper' form changes anything..."

"Damn him indeed." the woman next to him purred as she cast a spell, watching as the dark staining where metal joined to flesh on the man's arm faded just a bit, "but be patient. It will be time for you to hunt again soon, and isn't that a wonderful way to blow off steam?" the woman turned her attention to the plate next to her, picking up a silver fork.

"Right... I still don't see why this 'mission' has to take so goddamned long..."

"Hah. Sirius, I always tell you this. Even the King has a method to his madness. Fear," she jabbed the fork into a green human eye, and brought it to her mouth, "is something to be drawn out, savoured..."

"Savoured... like your meals?"

"Exactly. Every bite is measured. Patience, Sirius, patience." She smiled, biting down.

┌─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.☪ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┐

𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣'𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕖

└─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.☪ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┘

The ending to this chapter is a bit darker than my usual haha. But don't worry, we'll be back to ur regularly scheduled content of student hijinks :>

Also, not even I'm fully convinced Knight isn't a were-golden retriever or something xD Too bad Sugar doesn't like dogs and can't appreciate them smh mh

~Viva