The world seemed to freeze. The massive wolf—towering above the rogue and Caleb—stalked toward us with deliberate, slow steps. Its eyes glowed with a terrible power, brighter and fiercer than anything I'd ever seen. It wasn't just a creature. It wasn't just a wolf.
It was something far worse.
My muscles locked as its words echoed in my mind, the weight of them pressing down on me like a crushing force. "You are mine."
There was something ancient in its voice, something primal that reached deep into the part of me I didn't fully understand yet. The wolf wasn't just a predator. It was a force of nature, and it had come for me.
Caleb stood rigid beside me, his eyes wide with fear, his entire body trembling with tension. Even the rogue wolf, which had been so confident, lay cowering at the feet of the woman, its body shuddering with every step the newcomer took.
I wanted to move, to run, to do anything, but I couldn't. My legs felt like they'd been rooted to the ground, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. I could feel the beast inside me reacting, thrashing against the cage I had barely learned to keep it in, begging to be let out.
The woman—her face still calm, but her eyes sharp with fear—took a step back, her voice low and almost venomous. "You have no claim here," she said, her tone trying to mask the fear I could sense beneath it. "He's not yours."
The massive wolf's eyes flicked toward her, and for the briefest moment, I saw something terrifying—a flash of amusement, almost like it was toying with her. Then it turned its gaze back to me, dismissing her entirely.
"You were never meant for this world," it rumbled, its voice shaking the air around us. "You were meant for mine."
I could feel its words vibrating inside me, pulling at something deep, something raw and ancient. I didn't understand what it meant, but I could feel its truth, its power. It wasn't just threatening me. It was claiming me.
I forced my legs to move, stumbling back as the creature closed in. Caleb's hand shot out, grabbing my arm, his voice a desperate whisper. "Don't listen to it, Jason. Whatever it is, you don't belong to it."
The massive wolf's ears twitched, its lips curling back into a snarl. "He is *mine*," it growled, each word like a thunderclap.
"Who are you?" I finally managed to force out, my voice cracking. "What do you want from me?"
The beast's eyes gleamed. "You will know soon enough." It took another step forward, and I could feel the ground tremble beneath its weight.
Caleb pulled me back, putting himself between the wolf and me. "You won't take him," he said, his voice filled with a mix of anger and fear. "I won't let you."
The wolf's gaze flickered to Caleb, and in a blur of movement faster than I could process, it lunged.
Caleb shifted into his wolf form in an instant, meeting the beast's attack head-on. They collided with a sickening crunch, and the force of the impact sent them both tumbling to the ground. Snarls and growls filled the air as they tore into each other, the massive wolf's sheer size and power overwhelming Caleb's speed and agility.
I stood frozen, watching in horror as Caleb struggled to keep up with the beast's relentless attacks. He was strong, but this thing—this monster—wasn't like the rogue wolf. It was on a completely different level. Every time Caleb landed a blow, the beast barely reacted, as if the pain didn't even register.
The rogue wolf, still lying on the ground beside the woman, let out a low whimper, its eyes filled with fear. Even it knew that the massive wolf was something beyond them all.
The woman, however, seemed to have regained some of her composure. She watched the battle with narrowed eyes, her lips pressed into a thin line. "This is not your fight," she said quietly, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Leave now, and I will let you live."
The massive wolf ignored her, its focus entirely on Caleb, who was quickly losing ground. With a vicious swipe of its claws, the beast knocked Caleb to the ground, pinning him down with terrifying ease. Caleb let out a pained snarl, struggling to free himself, but the beast was too strong.
I took a step forward, my body shaking with fear and rage. I couldn't just stand there and watch Caleb die. But what could I do? I was barely holding myself together, barely able to control the power inside me.
The woman's eyes flicked to me, her expression calculating. "This is your chance, Jason," she said, her voice soft but sharp. "Accept what you are. Accept the power inside you. Only then will you have a chance."
I clenched my fists, feeling the surge of energy building inside me, the beast thrashing beneath the surface, begging to be set free. But if I let it out, if I gave in to that power... would I lose myself?
Caleb let out a strangled cry as the beast's jaws closed around his neck.
"Jason!" he gasped, his voice raw with pain. "Don't—don't give in—"
The massive wolf growled, tightening its grip on Caleb's throat. I could see the blood dripping from Caleb's fur, the life slowly draining from him.
I couldn't let this happen.
The woman took a step closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "You can stop this, Jason. You *have* to stop this."
I felt my vision blur as the rage inside me exploded, the hunger, the fury, the power all crashing together in a violent storm. I could feel the shift coming again, but this time, it wasn't slow. It wasn't controlled.
It was *inevitable*.
My body began to change, my muscles expanding, my bones cracking and shifting beneath my skin. The pain was intense, but it was nothing compared to the fury burning through me. I felt my claws extend, my teeth sharpen, my senses heighten to a level I hadn't even thought possible. I wasn't just becoming a wolf.
I was becoming something more.
The massive wolf lifted its head from Caleb, its eyes narrowing as it watched my transformation. For the first time, I saw something flicker in its gaze.
*Surprise*.
And then I moved.
Faster than I'd ever moved before, faster than I thought was possible. I lunged at the massive wolf, slamming into it with a force that sent it crashing back into the trees. The ground shook beneath us as we collided, my claws sinking deep into its fur, my teeth snapping at its throat.
It roared in pain and fury, twisting and thrashing beneath me, but I didn't let go. The power inside me surged, filling every inch of my body, driving me forward. I wasn't afraid anymore. I wasn't holding back.
I was the beast now.
The massive wolf let out a furious snarl, its body twisting violently as it threw me off. I hit the ground hard, but the pain barely registered. I was already back on my feet, ready to strike again.
But the wolf didn't charge. It stood there, its chest heaving, its eyes locked on mine. For a moment, we stared at each other, the clearing filled with nothing but the sound of our ragged breathing.
Then the wolf did something I didn't expect.
It *smiled*.
"You're stronger than I thought," it growled, its voice low and menacing. "Good. That will make this much more interesting."
Before I could respond, the wolf turned and disappeared into the trees, moving with a speed that seemed impossible for something its size. Within seconds, it was gone, leaving nothing but the sound of rustling leaves in its wake.
I stood there, breathing heavily, my body still trembling with the power coursing through me. The beast inside me was still there, still hungry, still waiting. But for the first time, I felt like I was in control. Like I was the one calling the shots.
Caleb groaned from where he lay on the ground, his body battered and bloody. I rushed to his side, my heart pounding with fear as I knelt beside him. His fur was matted with blood, his breathing shallow.
"You—" he gasped, his eyes flickering open to meet mine. "You didn't... lose control."
I shook my head, still trying to process everything that had just happened. "I don't know how. But I didn't."
The woman stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with something like satisfaction. "You're stronger than I expected, Jason," she said softly. "But this is only the beginning."
I glared at her, anger bubbling up inside me again. "Who are you?" I demanded. "What do you want?"
She smiled, that cold, calculating smile returning to her face. "I told you before. You're meant for something greater. And soon, you'll understand what that is."
Before I could ask her anything else, she turned and walked into the trees, disappearing as quickly and silently as the massive wolf had.
I knelt there, staring after her, my mind racing with questions I didn't have the answers to.
Caleb groaned again, and I turned my attention back to him. "We need to get you out of here," I said, my voice shaking.
He nodded weakly, his eyes half-closed, his body too battered to move on its own. I carefully slid my arm under his and lifted him up, trying to be as gentle as I could. Caleb winced, his breath coming out in ragged gasps, but he managed to stay on his feet, leaning heavily on me.
"We need to go," I muttered, more to myself than to him. The clearing, now eerily quiet, felt wrong. I didn't trust that the massive wolf, or that woman, was really gone.
Caleb coughed, grimacing in pain as we stumbled forward, moving slowly through the trees. "You... surprised him," he wheezed, his voice barely above a whisper. "That's why... he left."
I shook my head, my mind racing. "Who was he? What was that?"
Caleb's eyes flickered, filled with pain but also something darker—fear. "He's not like us," he said, his voice rough. "Older. Stronger. We call him the Alpha Prime. The first... of his kind."
I froze, the weight of his words hitting me like a punch to the gut. "The first werewolf?"
Caleb nodded, wincing with every step. "He's more than just a werewolf. He's ancient. He's the one... who started it all. The curse, the bite... it all came from him."
I tried to process that as we moved deeper into the forest, but it was like my mind couldn't grasp the enormity of what Caleb was saying. The Alpha Prime. The original. That thing had bitten me. Marked me.
But why?
Caleb groaned as we reached the edge of the woods, his legs nearly giving out beneath him. "I need to get you help," I muttered, scanning the dark streets ahead of us. There was no way I could take him to a hospital—they wouldn't understand. And if anyone saw him like this, they'd start asking questions I couldn't answer.
"Not a hospital," Caleb rasped, as if reading my mind. "There's someone... who can help. We need to get to her."
"Who?" I asked, the urgency rising in my voice.
Caleb's head lolled to the side, his breathing shallow. "Her name is Miranda. She's a healer... a banshee. She can... fix this."
"A banshee?" I echoed, the word feeling foreign and impossible, even after everything I'd seen tonight.
Caleb nodded weakly. "She owes me... a favor."
I didn't have any other options, so I made up my mind. "Where is she?"
Caleb took a deep, rattling breath. "Old cabin... near the lake. Go. I'll... be fine."
I didn't believe him, but there was no time to argue. With every second that passed, I could feel Caleb getting weaker, his body sagging more heavily against me.
I half-dragged, half-carried him toward the lake. The night air was cold and biting, the trees casting long shadows across the path. My heightened senses had dulled a bit, but I still felt like I was on edge—like something was watching us from the darkness. Every crack of a branch or rustle of leaves made me tense, expecting the Alpha Prime or his pack to jump out at any moment.
By the time we reached the cabin, Caleb was barely conscious, his weight slumped entirely on my shoulders. The small, weathered building sat nestled against the edge of the lake, hidden by a thick wall of trees. A single light flickered in the window, dim and uninviting.
I banged on the door, my heart racing. "Miranda! We need help!"
For a moment, nothing happened. The wind rustled through the trees, and I was suddenly aware of how isolated we were, how alone. Then, the door creaked open just a crack, and a woman's face appeared in the shadows.
She was older than I expected, her pale skin framed by wild red hair streaked with gray. Her eyes were sharp, almost glowing in the dim light, and there was something in her expression—something ancient, like she'd seen more than I could ever understand.
"Caleb sent you," she said, her voice flat but not unkind. She stepped back, opening the door wider. "Bring him in."
I hesitated for a split second, but Caleb groaned beside me, his body limp, and I knew we didn't have a choice.
I dragged him inside, and Miranda quickly shut the door behind us. The cabin was small, cluttered with strange objects—herbs hanging from the ceiling, jars filled with things I couldn't identify, and candles flickering on nearly every surface. The air smelled of sage and something metallic, like old blood.
"Lay him here," Miranda instructed, motioning to a worn couch in the center of the room.
I eased Caleb onto the couch, his body trembling with pain. Miranda knelt beside him, her hands hovering over his wounds. She frowned, her sharp eyes flicking toward me. "You're lucky you got him here when you did," she said. "Another hour, and there wouldn't have been anything left to save."
I swallowed hard, guilt gnawing at my insides. "Is he going to be okay?"
Miranda didn't answer right away. Her hands glowed faintly as she moved them over Caleb's body, her brow furrowed in concentration. For a long time, the only sound was Caleb's labored breathing and the faint crackle of the candles.
Finally, Miranda sighed and sat back, wiping her hands on her skirt. "He'll live," she said, her voice tired. "But he needs rest. A lot of it. The damage was deep."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, relief flooding through me. But before I could fully relax, Miranda's eyes locked onto mine, sharp and piercing. "Now," she said, her tone shifting. "We need to talk about you."
I tensed, instinctively taking a step back. "Me?"
"Yes, you," she said, rising to her feet. "Caleb may be wounded, but he isn't the only one carrying a heavy burden tonight. I can feel it coming off you in waves. You're not fully... human anymore, are you?"
I swallowed hard, unsure how to answer. "I... I was bitten," I stammered. "By a rogue wolf."
Miranda's eyes narrowed. "Not just any rogue wolf."
My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
She stepped closer, her eyes searching mine. "The Alpha Prime. He's marked you."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Marked me? For what?"
Miranda's gaze darkened, and for the first time, I saw something like fear in her eyes. "For his pack. For his war. You've been chosen, Jason, but it's not a gift. It's a curse. And if you don't find a way to break free of it... he will own you."
The room felt like it was closing in around me, the air too thick, too heavy. "How do I stop it?" I whispered, my voice barely holding together. "How do I get rid of it?"
Miranda didn't answer right away. Instead, she moved to the far corner of the room, rummaging through a shelf cluttered with books and jars. She pulled out a small, weathered box and brought it to the table, opening it with care.
Inside was an old, yellowed map, covered in symbols I didn't recognize. She laid it out on the table, her finger tracing one of the markings. "This," she said softly, "is where you need to go."
I leaned in closer, my heart racing. The map was old—older than anything I'd ever seen. It looked like it had been drawn by hand, the ink faded and cracked. In the center of the map was a symbol—a circle surrounded by jagged lines—and beneath it, a single word scrawled in a language I didn't understand.
"What is this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"This," Miranda said, her voice grave, "is where the curse began. And it may be the only place you can break it."
I stared at the map, my mind spinning. "What do I have to do?"
Miranda's eyes flicked up to meet mine, her expression grim. "You'll have to face him," she said. "The Alpha Prime. And you'll have to survive."
Before I could fully process what she was saying, the front door slammed open with a deafening crash.
I whirled around, my heart leaping into my throat.
Standing in the doorway, eyes glowing with fury, was the rogue wolf.
It was back.
And this time, it wasn't alone.