Brett could feel the stinging pain on his face and across his body. This pain was nothing compared to the anger and shame that he can feel on the inside, though.
Brett was living at the peak of his life last year. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the country, he had loving parents, friends, a girlfriend, and a great future to look forward to.
But that all changed during the last football season. During one of the playoff games for the state, Brett got paralyzed with an illegal hit that had him laid out in the hospital for weeks in a coma. When Brett woke up, he found that he couldn't move or feel his legs at all.
He was devestated.
Suddenly, his whole world came crashing down. All of the division 1 offers he had went up in smoke, like they never existed. After awhile, his girlfriend stopped visiting him in the hospital and started going out with his best friend, and number one receiver. His parents were actually quite wealthy, his father was the CEO of a major company in the city, while his mother had a small jewelery shop in the city as well. Though his parents still loved him, he could clearly see the sadness in their eyes whenever they came to visit. After many tests were done, it was concluded that it would be impossible for him to ever walk again.
When he came back to school, it was no less than hell itself. All of his former 'friends' ostracized him and the teachers looked at him with either disdain or pity in their eyes. Brett completely isolated himself from the rest of the world. He felt that he had lost everything, and in a certain sense he did. But Brett did not realize that what he lost was just a speck of dust compared to what he would gain. The opportunity to be the Right Hand of The Dark One.
Some of the students who were jealous of him before now found an opportunity bully and beat him. That is what led to the situation in the alley.
Brett was in a state of pain and despair. That's when 'he' showed up. His level of combat and ruthlessness was so high that Brett began to suspect that this highschooler was actually a grown man in disguise. After this person saved him he whispered something is Brett's ear that he will never forget in his life.
"Everything comes with a price. Leave your window open tonight if you want the power I can give you."
The teenager simply walked away after saying those words.
If those words came from anybody else, Brett would have just ignored them. But this teenager was extremely charismatic. Almost to the point where Brett thought he met the Devil himself.
Brett spent the entire day absentmindingly going through school, still thinking about those words.
***************************************************
Ambrose went through the entire day without a hitch. He met up with Madison after school and began to walk home together.
Madison couldn't hold it anymore and had to ask; "Hey Ambrose, what did you say to Brett before school?" She stared him down with her puppy dog eyes.
SIGH!
"I just gave him some words of encouragement, after all he's been through a lot since he's been back at school." Ambrose said.
"Hmm." She looked at Ambrose with narrowed eyes for a few seconds before she looked away. "That's true, those people are so shameless. They treated him like a God before he got hurt and now they just treat him like trash."
"That's just the way humans are. Sometimes they are capable of great kindness but they are also capable of great evil." Ambrose lamented.
"Hehe you talk like you're not one of us." Madison joked.
Ambrose just gave her a mysterious look and said; "Maybe I'm not human at all."
"Hahaha, Ambrose what's up with that look?"
"What I thought it was pretty convincing…"
"In your dreams!"
Their back and forth banter continued all the way to Ambrose's house where Madison stayed for dinner and did her homework with Ambrose.
***************************************************
Brett got home to the terrified faces of his parents when they saw his bruises.
"Who did this to you?! I will sue them and the school into oblivion!" Mr. Peterson who just got home from the city with his wife raged.
Mrs. Peterson spoke lightly, trying to hold back her anger; "Brett you can tell us what happened, we will get justice for you."
"I'm fine mom, just leave me alone. I'm going up to bed." Brett brushed her off as he struggled onto a machine that helped him up the stairs.
After he had left, Mrs. Peterson started sobbing; "What did he do to deserve this?! Why is the world so cruel?!"
Mr. Peterson consoled; "It's okay honey, we will figure something out."
Brett went to his room and sat on his bed in deep contemplation. For hours, he would occasionally cast glances at his unopened window.
It was 10 P.M. when Brett made up his mind. He got onto his wheelchair and rolled over to the window and with much effort, finally got it open.
'How low I've fallen.' Brett gave himself a self deprecating smile.
Brett somehow felt anxious, he waited around for an hour, restless, trying to make the time go by faster.
It was now 11 P.M. and Brett was beginning to lose hope. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through his window into his room.
WHOOSH!
The hair on Brett's neck suddenly stood on end. Slowly, turning his wheelchair around he saw Ambrose leisurely leaning against the wall.
Brett's face immediately went pale and he wanted to scream but just as he was about to, he heard; "Shhhhh."
Brett suddenly felt the world turn into a blur. When he finally opened his eyes, he was still on his wheelchair but he was outside. More precisely, he was in a forest. Probably the one outside of town.
"H-How, how am I here?!" Brett finally opened his mouth.
"I carried you, duh." Ambrose said like it was obvious.
Brett couldn't believe it but the proof was right in front of him; "What are you?! There is no human that can do that!"
Ambrose just chuckled; "Trust me, I'm definitely not human, but there are indeed humans that can do that too." Ambrose continued; "So, do you want power?"
"P-Power? What the hell are you talking about?"
"I mean like real power, like jumping 30 feet high or leveling a building."
Brett was not convinced; "How can I jump like that when I can't even walk?!"
"HAHAHA, when I turn you, it will fix your injury and make you stronger than you can ever imagine."
Hearing this, Brett had a crazy thought; "T-Turn me?! Are you a Vampire?!"
"A Vampire? You're not even close. I'm their worst enemy, a Werewolf… to be more precise, I'm an Alpha Werewolf which means I can create others." Ambrose stated as his eyes started to glow blue.
"Just think about it. If you don't want this then I will just put you back in your room like nothing ever happened."
Brett fell into contemplation if he said no, he would be back in his room in the next second like everything was a dream. But, if he took Ambrose up on his offer, a whole new world of opportunity will present itself.
Brett finally opened his mouth; "What do you want in return? Nothing comes for free in this world."
"At least you're smart. All I want is your loyalty towards me. Once I turn you I want to make you part of my pack immediately." Ambrose continued; "So, what do you say Brett?"