London 2026
Present day
The path at his feet faded, leading into the depths of woods, yet obliged, he followed it through. Sweat in big beads dripped down his nape and his veiny hands trembled to no end. The inner voice in him begged for him to turn back and flee but every fibre in his body, every limb dragged him into the depths. He took in the surroundings; barely visible black trails snaked through the undergrowth, dark tree trunks and shadows danced across. Looking up he could glimpse the shiny moon through the lattice of leaves. His animal instincts pricked up, alert and wide awake.
The wind slipped through the trees, dried leaves cracking beneath his footfalls. The crunching of the leaves terrified the young wolf, giving him away to those that waited for him in a crowd. He didn't want this. All he wanted was to be free from the hold, from the alpha. Pushing through the sounds, the nauseating smells, the kid found what he was looking for. A mere foot away, the gathering formed, in a perfect arch with their alpha at the centre. He was a large man, muscular, perfect features lined with facial hair that was neatly trimmed and shaped.
Their eyes met and he shrunk under the view of his master. "Nice of you to join us, Benjamin." He motioned him forward with his head. Benjamin dragged his feet, coming to a stop three feet before his alpha. Kneeling down, he waited with pent up breath.
"You may rise." Doing as told, he quickly merged back in with the congregation. All faces of different ages, sizes, and colours. Their master continued addressing them. "We need to locate the daggers in order to find them. Qetsiyah's pesky magic and interference is the reason we're here today! Find her descendant. She is the key!"
The subjects nodded.
"Kill who you may, whoever comes your way, but bring me the girl. Alive. Is that clear?"
"Yes." Came the unified response. Benjamin glanced around, unsure how it worked. He was new to this. He was forced into it. One by one he watched them change, transform into their beast bodies. The sounds of flesh tearing, bones cracking engulfed the night sky. It was his turn, his time to transform and join them, galloping through the darkness.