Good things come once in a blue moon but misfortunes never come alone.
Alex moved cautiously through the dense forest, weaving between the trees until he reached a clearing. There, two dozen wolves stood waiting, their eyes glinting with anticipation. He stopped at the edge, his gaze locking on the one who stood out, even among the alphas. This man, more than any other, exuded an aura of raw power.
"Have you made your decision?" the alpha asked, his voice low and commanding.
The man had short raven-black hair and stubble, but it was his icy blue eyes that froze Alex in place. The chill in them was enough to send a shiver down his spine.
"Let the girl go first," Alex demanded, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands.
The alpha regarded him with cold amusement, then nodded. "As you wish."
Alex still did have a little faith that he would let her go. But then, the sharp claws that replaced the man's fingernails slid out with a hiss, and any hope Alex had left vanished in an instant.
Before the alpha could strike, a dagger appeared from nowhere, sinking deep into his shoulder. I noted to myself that Rolo must have had a lot of practice with that throw.
Alex barely had time to process the relief before I lifted the girl off the ground, making her disappear—of course, my companions could see me well, it would have been disappointing if I got accidentally caught in the crossfire along with the wolves.
The wolves were caught off guard, frozen for the first few moments. Des, Coffee, and Rolo wasted no time. They surged out of their hiding spots and attacked with deadly precision.
Des was a blur of motion. His blade flashed through the air, and in one smooth, unhesitating stroke, he decapitated the first wolf he encountered. It was a signature move—swift, ruthless, and efficient. Des never took unnecessary risks, always going for the kill with a clean strike to the neck.
Alex, still visibly shaken, found his focus. He plunged a dagger into the heart of the closest wolf, barely flinching as it let out a death rattle. In the same fluid motion, he slit the throat of another attacker, blood spraying in a thick arc as the wolf crumpled at his feet.
Coffee was a force of her own. Her weapon was no ordinary spear. It was a modular design, crafted from segmented pieces that only solidified when she swung it menacingly. The chain-like form of the spear wrapped around the throat of her first victim, and with a sharp pull, she snapped his neck. Then, with a practiced flick, she swung the segmented weapon into its spear form. The result was a formidable distance weapon that allowed her to fend off attackers while protecting her back.
But it was Rolo who truly caught me off guard. As his cloak swirled in the heat of battle, I noticed the hidden compartments sewn into the fabric. Each one contained a slender vial, and Rolo had already grabbed two. He unscrewed the caps with expert speed, then poured the contents of the vials onto the wolves nearest to him. At first, nothing happened. The wolves weren't harmed.
Then, with a flick of his fingers, sparks exploded into the air, and I realized—Rolo was wearing thimbles on his thumbs and middle fingers, which he used to channel the spark. The two wolves closest to him burst into flames, their screams drowned by the roar of the fire. The flames were magnificent, bright and consuming, and I had to admit—chemistry had its uses. Who would have thought?
Meanwhile, Alice, ever the sharpshooter, picked off his enemies with uncanny precision. Three wolves fell before they even had time to react. But the pack adapted quickly, and soon they were dodging bullets with calculated movements. They began to anticipate Alice's shots by sound, all while searching for his position. He moved with the grace of a seasoned assassin, changing locations after every shot, never allowing the wolves to get a fix on him.
I, on the other hand, was focused on keeping the girl safe. I hid her quickly, securing the ring on her finger so the wolves couldn't track her. I pursed my lips—I shouldn't have come up with such a great idea, but Alex was whining that he wanted to see her alive, so there was nothing I could do.
But the battle raged on. I rejoined the fight, quickly taking down several wolves. But despite our efforts, the circle of attackers was closing in on us. There were more than twenty wolves now, and we weren't the only ones hiding.
"Shit!" I cursed aloud, frustration bubbling over. It was the only word that seemed to fit the situation.
The wolves closed in tighter, their growls and howls filling the air. I exchanged a look with Rolo. He understood immediately. It could have been the kid's motto: A plan B for every battle—because he always had an emergency plan for things, even if it was one simple word:
"Run!" I shouted and the others took off, scattering in all directions as fast as they could. It was our only option.
I dashed towards where I had hidden Elsie, knowing I couldn't leave her behind. She had my ring, after all. The largest wolf, sensing I was in charge, lunged after me—well, that spoiled our plan.
We were expecting him to go after Alex. Before we set off, Rolo handed out a few of his "toys"—vials containing the strongest acids and a length of thin wire. He'd given precise instructions: stretch the wire between the trees before we took our positions—to lure the wolves that way if our plan failed.
I was the only one exempt from this particular task, using every ounce of stealth to creep as quietly as possible toward Elsie. It was a near-impossible feat, especially with wolves that had exceptional hearing and an even better sense of smell, no matter how much I relied on the invisibility ring. I rubbed my skin with dirt, trying to mask my scent, but the moment I started moving, the proximity to the beasts made it harder to stay silent. Every shift in the wind, every crack of a branch underfoot was a risk.
I didn't know where the others had set up the wires, so I couldn't lead the alpha there. That could just as easily mean my end. I glanced back. A massive, jet-black wolf was gaining on me. Its steps were fast and deliberate, and the space between us was closing. The first wolf's death howls echoed in the distance, but I wasn't about to engage the alpha—not yet, anyway.
Soon, I'd be close enough to Elsie. A part of me thought about simply slipping the ring back on, grabbing the girl, and disappearing. But the sweat running down my back told me it wasn't an option—the wolf would catch my scent, no matter how well I hid.
I changed course, veering left, steering away from Elsie. As I adjusted, I noticed figures weaving between the trees, fast and purposeful. I immediately recognized one as Alex. The other, I assumed, was Rolo—both closing in on me. I was sure they shouldn't be so close even with the change of direction. But, given the situation, they probably realized I was being trailed.
Before I knew it, the two of them were running right beside me.
"Any ideas?" I gasped between breaths.
Rolo didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled two vials from his pack and threw them to the ground. A match flicked into life, and he tossed it behind him. Fire erupted, flames lapping at the air, but the alpha wolf simply leaped over them as if they were nothing. The only casualty was the fur on its underbelly.
Without hesitation, Rolo pulled out more spikes, throwing them toward the wolf's legs. They were sharp, jagged, welded together from four angles—clearly homemade. They slowed the beast for a moment, but it wasn't enough. The wolf howled in rage, its eyes burning with fury, now even more relentless.
"Do something, damn it, or we'll die here!" Rolo demanded.
The next moment I realized that fate didn't hate me—no, fate loathed me. Fortuna, you stupid bitch!
We reached a dead end. A four-meter concrete wall loomed ahead, topped with barbed wire—a well-secured barrier. It wasn't something you could scale or jump on a whim. I couldn't believe I'd ended up in this mess. A private company's restricted area, of all things!
We stopped, facing the alpha, and as soon as it saw we were trapped, it slowed its advance, savoring the inevitability of our fate. The wolf stalked us, its steps deliberate and heavy, each movement exuding dominance.
"Hit him," Rolo barked, but his words weren't meant for me.
"What?" Alex asked, confusion lacing his voice.
"I said hit him," Rolo repeated, his urgency growing. "If he's knocked out, we might have a chance."
Alex didn't need further convincing. Before I could protest, my favorite werewolf was about to punch me square in the face. It took every bit of reflex I had to dodge. He was damn lucky I dodged because if he had hit me, he wouldn't have survived. I blinked furiously at Alex.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" Rolo snapped urgently.
Alex didn't even have time to think, the alpha wolf was on us. In one swift motion, it lunged at Alex, pinning him against the concrete wall with brutal force. Its massive paws dug into his chest, squeezing the air out of him.
"Alex!" I shouted in a panic and before I knew it, I was already in action.
Without thinking, I reached into my pocket, pulling out the bottles.
I hurled them toward the alpha, and the moment they shattered, the wolf released its hold on Alex with a painful whimper, shaking its head as it tried to rid itself of the sting of the liquid.
But two other wolves were closing in fast, their growls vibrating the ground beneath us. I didn't have time to think. My instincts kicked in, and I stepped in front of Alex and Rolo, positioning myself as a barrier between them and the wolves.
"Don't move," I said softly.
But my words didn't match the storm brewing inside me. I had to warn them first.
The monster erupted from within me, ravenous, as though it had been starved for centuries. A creature born of pure destruction, capable of devouring everything in its path in the blink of an eye. Yet, I was not afraid of him. Because this beast was me.
I unsheathed my dagger, the cold steel glinting in the dim light, and in an instant, I stood before the alpha. My bones gave up under the monster's power with a loud crack, but the pain was inconsequential, swallowed by the storm of power surging through me. The agony, fleeting as it was, left only the intoxicating, heady sensation of dominance.
The world around me slowed to a crawl, as though the air itself had thickened, suspended in time. The alpha's gaze locked onto me, first confusion, then raw fear flashing in his eyes. His mistake was thinking he could outrun what I had become.
I drove the dagger into his neck and in a fluid, unrelenting motion, I slashed upward, tearing through muscle and sinew. My muscles stretched and tore with the strain, the sound of it sickeningly wet. But it didn't matter. My body healed before the wound could even register.
I felt my lips curl upwards slowly, very slowly as I watched the alpha collapse. His blood sprayed into the air, thick and hot, the scent so rich, so intoxicating I wanted more of it. The monster within me reveled in it, thrumming with satisfaction.
The grin widened, grotesque and gleeful—like I was wearing my mask. The monster inside me was ravenous, unable to get enough of the smell that lingered in the air. It was maddening, insistent—an urge that clawed at my every sense. I could see his reflection in the wolf's glassy eyes, his grin twisted and grotesque, a chilling mirror of my own.
Still, it felt right. The beast was happy, joyous to be free at last.
The two remaining wolves attempted to flee, but their escape was futile. In a heartbeat, I was on the back of one, my dagger sinking deep into its skull. The sickening crack of my bones echoed through my skull as my body warped under the pressure, muscles tearing, breaking, yet healing almost instantly.
Then, Coffee appeared. In the blink of an eye, her spear was buried deep in the chest of the last wolf, finishing the job.
But even as the fight was over, I remained seated on the lifeless corpse, my hands shaking as I gripped one with the other. The moment Coffee entered the scene, an overwhelming urge surged within me—a desire to tear her apart, to sink my fangs into her throat. The beast inside me recognized her strength and it only intensified my hunger.
The monster fought me harder than ever before to gain control of my body. I took deep breaths. With every ounce of strength I had left, I shoved it back into its cage, into the depths of my chest where it belonged.
"Are you okay?" Coffee asked, and I looked up at her, my gaze steady.
I was certain my eyes had returned to normal, but the trembling in my hands gave me away.
"I almost killed you," I admitted.
She nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. "I felt your bloodlust," she said softly, "We all did."
I glanced toward Alex and Rolo, both pale and frozen by the fence, their faces etched with lingering fear.
"But the point is," Coffee continued, her lips curving into the faintest of smiles, "you managed to control it."
She extended her hand, and I hesitated for a fraction of a second before I took it. She pulled me up, and a sense of relief washed over me. It was the first time I had truly conquered the beast within.
But before I could savor the moment, the world began to blur, and then... everything went black.