For five years now, Quintin roamed the streets, homeless, penniless, every day a question of where he could make some money, or get something to eat.
It all happened so fast, he wasn't really sure if he saw correctly, at first it looked like dogs, but no Great dane is that big. Then the snarls, wolves? But wolves aren't that big... unless they were werewolves? But that's bullshit right? There's no such thing as fucking werewolves!?
Regardless of what those things were, no one believed in his story about the beasts that killed his parents, they call him a delusional bum, a drunk, but Quintin didn't even have money for food! Where the fuck must he get money for alcohol!?
The nights with a full moon gave him no rest, he always stayed in the light, close to people, usually gas stations, since they operate all night.
Many times he got caught off guard, those same monsters came for him if he dared head where it's too dark, but every time they attack, he got saved by one, a female, he gathered as much from her sleek build and visible bust under the fur coat.
Why she helped him he didn't know, didn't really care actually, every time they attacked he was wailing like a bitch and running his feet numb, the only thing he could make out in the panic every time was her shiny black coat, thick wolf tail, and long sharp ears, almost like an Anubis in Egyptian mythology, a term he learned at the local library.
And then her bright, bottle blue eyes, he caught a glimpse of them in a street lamp once... Why on earth was she helping him!? It would be better if they killed him, to end this blasted nightmare!
On the roof of a tall building he had a large fridge box set up behind an air-conditioning unit to sleep in, he chose this roof because of it's retractable fire escape ladder, which he lifts and ties up to give him some sort of privacy. He ducked into his box and closed himself in an old dog blanket given to him by someone who showed pity.
It was cold, the cramp in his gut a reminder of another day without success, he did try of course; washing windows, gardening, anything to make a buck. But tonight, he remained hungry.
A knock on his box made him freeze, the city he was living in had it's dangers, you can get mugged for anything around here, but the point is, Quintin had absolutely nothing but his blanket and his life to give, and life is also a precious possession in a murderous city like this.
"Hello?" A woman's voice called.
Quintin remained quiet, he had nothing to say to anyone... How the fuck did she get up there in the first place!?
"Are you in there?"
He bit his lip 'fuck off! please just leave!' he begged in his mind.
"You don't have to be afraid, it's just me"
Quintin went cold, 'me?' he knew no one, no family ever made contact with him, the world has forgotten of his existence, who the fuck would know him still?
"Are you going to come out? Or must I tare this box away?"
"No! Don't tare my box it's all I have!" He cried out.
"Well then come out already, it's damn cold up on this roof"
He slowly backed out of the box, and found a stunningly beautiful woman with tan skin, black hair and blue eyes waiting for him.
"I, uh, can I help you?" He uttered.
"Well, that depends Quintin" She smiled.
"Who are you? And how did you know my name?" He asked suddenly freaked out.
"My name is Cleopatra, pleasure to meet you"
"Okay, uh, Cleopatra, how did you know my name?" He asked uneasily.
"We basically know each other for almost five years now Quintin, it's just now I decided to come and formally introduce myself"
"I'm not sure I follow, I never saw you before"
"Yes you have... just not like this" She gestured with her hand to herself, Quintin took a close look at her, not very tall, but under the thick parka he could tell she had a well above average figure, her hair long to her lower back. Her entire look basically fitted her name, the neat cut fringe, black tips of makeup on the outside of each eye, she did look Egyptian, she might even be one. Lastly she held a thick blanket under one arm, Cleopatra saw he noticed it.
"Oh yes, this is for you" She held it out to him, but he didn't take it.
"I'm sorry, but you're freaking me out a little" He said backing off one step, the Anubis of Egyptian mythology came to mind.
"Why?" She innocently tilted her head.
"Stop beating around the bush! What the fuck do you want? I've had the worst five years of my life, but I sure as hell don't fucking remember you anywhere!"
Cleopatra sighed "You're not crazy Quintin, I'm that werewolf you saw helping you every time"
He chuckled "Yeah right, why should I believe you?"
"Those other werewolves are trying to kill you because you saw them kill your parents, there are laws werewolves have to follow to uphold peace between us and humans, law one; you must keep yourself an absolute secret, should a human see you, the human must be killed" She explained.
Quintin backed off more then pointed a finger, despite the fact that the two of them were alone on that rooftop, he still called out "I knew it! look! I'm not crazy! They really do exist!"
Cleopatra giggled "You've been alone for a long time haven't you?"
He realised he made a fool of himself "What do you want with me then? Keeping me alive so you can eat me later?"
She laughed "No, for your information, humans actually don't taste at all like pork as rumors go, because you live in cities, the air pollution, your junk food diet, and other factors like over the counter medicine and illnesses like cancer, you actually taste rather horrible" She said making a gag gesture.
"So you do eat humans!" He yelled.
"I said I know the taste! But no! I prefer beef, and lamb" She rose her voice slightly but then cleared her throat, Quintin saw she disliked doing that.
"So, why keep me alive then?" He asked, feeling a rather human vibe from her instead of a monster's at this point.
"To help you get a new life, those other wolves won't stop coming after you, but I can fix that, all you need to do, is come with me"
"Where to?"
"Well firstly you made me hungry with all this eating human talk" She smiled slyly, Quintin gave a hysterical shriek, but Cleopatra laughed.
"Oh Relax! I'm toying with you, there's a 24 hour takeaway restaurant around the corner, let's go get something" She walked over to the fire escape and untied it, but saw Quintin still standing.
"You coming?"
"I, uh? Well..."
"Seriously now, you can relax Quintin"
He nodded and slowly approached.
"One last thing, I know I told you I'm the good wolf, but spill my secret to anyone..." She climbed onto the ladder "... And I'll kill you first chance I get... kapeesh?"
"I hear you" Quintin said swallowing.
The welcoming smell of food entered Quintin's nostrils as they approached the fast food restaurant, but it was only like a dream to him, he never bought fast food before, he always bought cheap food at supermarkets when he had a dime to spend.
"Sorry, but I don't have any money" He painfully said ignoring his cramping stomach.
"I know" She said not stopping "I'm buying, don't worry, go and sit at that table so long" She gestured.
Quintin sat down scanning the room, it was new to him, and he felt uneasy. All around the restaurant people stared at him, he was a bum after all, his clothes in bad shape, he even smelled as bad as he looked.
When Cleopatra placed the box meal in front of him he was at first uncertain, was he really seeing this?
"Go on, dig in you must be starving" She said sitting across from him.
All reasonable thought left Quintin's mind, like a rabid dog he tore into the pieces of chicken, so badly so, that Cleopatra didn't touch her food yet, instead she watched him.
Quintin realised how he ate was badly mannered so he swallowed a last piece then slowed down "I'm sorry, this is my first decent meal in days... my first meal for today" He shrugged.
She smiled and pushed a soda to him "Just don't choke okay?"
He nodded, returning the smile.
Quintin had to commend her, she had respect enough to remain quiet about how he smelled, it was a rather pungent bad smell, and he felt embarrassed.
"So... How were you planning on helping me?" He asked.
"In order for me to help you, you must help me as well"
"Okay?"
She cleared her throat, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"As you now know..." She slightly leaned in, almost whispering "I am a werewolf, and we werewolves have laws, to keep the peace, but there are werewolves out there, like your friends who killed your parents, that disobey these laws, and it's starting to become troublesome"
"That sounds like it could be troublesome"
"Yes, now I wasn't honest about that first law; You must keep yourself a secret at all costs. Law two states if you are discovered by a human, you must either kill, or turn the human into a wolf, thereby you must teach the turned one about the laws, and the consequences of disobeying them"
Quintin took a sip of his soda "The consequences being?"
"He who disobeys the laws will be put to an end, if the turned one screws up, both he and the one who turned him will be executed"
Quintin shrilled "So, so I take it those other wolves would rather kill me, than turn me?"
"It would seem so yes" Cleopatra smiled and ate before she continued.
That wasn't something to smile about, Quintin thought.