Tyler had always found Ghost to be... different. Quiet, intense, and a little off. There was something about him that Tyler couldn’t place, an energy that buzzed just under the surface. But lately, something had changed. Ghost seemed more restless, more unpredictable.

That night, Tyler was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, trying to ignore the nagging ache in his neck. It had been bothering him for a week, but he didn’t think much of it. Maybe it was just stress, maybe sleep. But something felt off, and he couldn’t shake the feeling.

Ghost walked into the kitchen, looking more on edge than usual. “Everything okay?” Tyler asked, glancing up. Ghost didn’t answer right away, only grabbed a bottle of water and twisted the cap off with a quick motion. His eyes were distant, unfocused.

“I’m fine,” Ghost muttered, but the words didn’t match his tense posture. He turned, pacing, and Tyler couldn’t help but notice how tightly wound he seemed.

“I need some air,” Ghost added, barely making eye contact before heading for the door. Tyler watched him go, curiosity winning over caution. He followed Ghost outside, stepping quietly onto the porch.

The full moon hung in the sky, casting a pale glow over the yard. Ghost was standing near the edge, his back to Tyler, his muscles rigid. He was breathing heavily, his hands shaking. Something about it was wrong.

Tyler took a step closer, but just as he was about to speak, Ghost’s body spasmed, a guttural growl escaping his throat. Before Tyler could react, Ghost’s skin began to stretch and shift. His bones cracked, contorted into something inhuman. Tyler froze, eyes wide with disbelief as the transformation took place.

Ghost was becoming a werewolf.

In the chaos, Tyler stumbled back. But in the frantic motion, Ghost—now a massive, snarling creature—lashed out, his claws catching Tyler’s arm. Pain exploded through Tyler’s body, but before he could process it, the beast was already running off into the woods, disappearing into the darkness.

Tyler’s arm burned where he’d been scratched, but he was too shaken to fully comprehend what had just happened. Ghost... was a werewolf. And somehow, Tyler had been caught in the middle of it.

The Next Day

Tyler woke up with a pounding headache and the persistent ache in his neck. He didn’t remember much from the night before, but the sight of Ghost transforming was burned into his mind.

He glanced at the scratch on his arm, which was sore but looked harmless. No deep wound, just a small mark. Nothing to worry about, right?

But that night, something was different. As the full moon rose again, Tyler began to feel a strange restlessness. His neck hurt more than usual, and his senses were sharper—everything around him felt more intense. The pain spread through his bones, the heat in his veins almost unbearable.

Suddenly, his body jerked. He gasped as his bones cracked, muscles stretching in unnatural ways. His hands turned to claws, teeth lengthening. Panic set in as he realized the truth.

No. This can’t be happening.

But it was. Tyler’s transformation had begun.

By the time the transformation had taken full hold, Tyler was standing before a mirror, staring at the werewolf that now looked back at him. His reflection was nothing like the person he’d been just hours ago. The instincts inside him screamed to run, to hunt, but amidst the chaos, one thought stood out.

He wasn’t just a witness to Ghost’s curse.

He had become part of it. He had been infected—by Ghost’s scratch.

Tyler’s mind raced as everything started to click. The pain, the changes, the full moon, the scratching... It wasn’t a mistake. The beast that had overtaken Ghost was now in him, too.

And now, Tyler understood—he was no longer just an observer of the curse.

He was living it.