As Thomas, Sophie, and Steven approached the house, they confirmed the worst: Beth was missing. Thomas collapsed onto the couch, his face pale and his eyes glistening with unshed tears. His hands trembled, clenching the fabric of his pants as he muttered, "It's all my fault." His voice cracked, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
Before his emotions could consume him, Sophie stepped forward and slapped him across the face, her eyes blazing with intensity. "Pull yourself together!" she shouted. "If they had killed Beth, they would've risked losing the alpha too. They'll wait until the full moon when they're at there strongest. That's when they'll try to end her and the alpha would emerge assuming if it was in her of course."
Thomas rubbed his reddened cheek, looking up at her in disbelief. "You're saying we have time?"
"Exactly," Sophie affirmed, crossing her arms. "But not much. Steven, check the date of the next full moon."
Steven fumbled with his phone, tapping rapidly until he found the information. "Three days from now," he announced grimly.
Thomas exhaled shakily. "Three days… That's something. But how are we going to save her?"
Sophie's expression hardened. "First, we need to address your situation. If you lose control or die before then, we lose everything."
"No," Thomas objected firmly, standing to his feet. "Beth comes first. If she dies, it's on me. We save her now."
Before he could continue, Sophie slapped him again, harder this time, sending him stumbling back. "And if you die on the way? What then? You think guilt is going to save her? We fix you first, or we all lose."
"Agh, will you stop hitting me!" Thomas yelled, clutching his cheek.
"I'll stop when you stop acting like an idiot," Sophie snapped.
Steven stepped between them, raising his hands. "Alright, enough. Let's think this through. Sophie's right—if you're dead in two days, there's no one to save Beth. We handle your problem first, then we go after her."
Thomas hesitated, his fists clenching. "Why are you two even helping me? You could die because of this. It's not your responsibility."
Steven smirked and clapped Thomas on the back. "Because you've helped me more times than I can count. It's my turn to repay the favor."
Sophie shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm just interested in the beasts. But I don't mind helping you."
Thomas managed a small smile. "Thanks, guys."
Before the moment could settle, Steven's eyes widened as he pointed at Thomas' hand. "Uh… Thomas, your hand."
Thomas looked down and froze. His right hand had transformed into something monstrous—covered in red fur, with sharp claws extending from his fingers. "What… What is this?" he stammered, his voice shaking.
Sophie stepped forward, examining it closely. "Looks like you're running out of time," she muttered.
"What do I do?" Thomas asked, panic creeping into his voice.
Sophie straightened. "We can't get rid of the beast inside you. But… we might be able to seal it so you can control it instead of it controlling you."
Steven blinked in surprise. "You can do that?"
Sophie laughed. "Hell no."
Thomas and Steven both glared at her, and Steven leaned closer to Thomas, whispering, "She's finally lost it."
"I said might," Sophie clarified. "We can't do it, but the village that made the original sealing jar—Aslaste Village—might have the knowledge to create something for us."
Thomas' face lit up with hope. "Then let's go!"
Sophie raised a hand to stop him. "Hold up. There are two issues. First, Aslaste Village doesn't like outsiders. If they see your hand, they'll assume you're a beast and kill you on sight."
Thomas frowned, glancing at his monstrous hand. "I'll just wear a hoodie and keep it hidden."
"Good idea," Sophie nodded. "Second, the village is a day's drive away. We'll need something fast."
Steven grinned. "How about a Ferrari?"
Sophie's jaw dropped. "Since when do you have a Ferrari?"
Thomas smirked. "I've always known Steven was rich."
Soon after, Steven's driver arrived with the sleek, red Ferrari. As they piled in, Sophie took a deep breath, savoring the luxurious smell of the car. "This is amazing," she murmured.
"Just drive," Steven told the driver. "We're heading to Aslaste Village."
The driver raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Just go," Steven insisted.
The driver sighed and started the car. Despite his irritation, he couldn't help but smile as he glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing the trio fast asleep. After a grueling 80 minutes at top speed, the driver finally arrived, his eyes bloodshot. He honked the horn loudly, jolting them awake.
"We're here," he announced.
They stepped out, gazing at the distant village nestled against a mountain. Thomas pulled his hoodie tighter to conceal his hand, and Steven instructed the driver to wait. As they approached on foot, they were met with a sudden whoosh. An arrow struck the ground in front of them.
"Halt!" two guards commanded, stepping forward with weapons drawn.
Meanwhile, in a dark, abandoned garage, Beth was tied up, her face streaked with tears as she glared at the snarling beasts surrounding her. One of them, smaller than the rest reach out to touch her face, but the largest beast kicked him aside.
"No body touch her", the large beast growled.
"In three days, under the full moon, we'll kill her and bring back our master ", Beth heart sank as she struggles against her bindings, her mind racing for a way to escape.