Davao Region, Mindanao, Philippines
2021 — Present Day
The Davis house was under attack.
Windows were shattered.
The front door was gone.
Smoke filled the living room.
And Cherry Davis had exactly one concern.
CHERRY: DON'T LET THEM INTO MY FUCKING KITCHEN!
Vince charged the massive creature that had smashed through the doorway.
VINCE: MOM, WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS!
CHERRY: NOT TO ME!
The creature swung.
Vince ducked and drove both fists into its stomach.
It barely moved.
VINCE: Oh.
The creature punched him.
Vince flew backward and crashed through a table.
JR: Vince!
Vince raised one hand from the wreckage.
VINCE: Still alive!
JR dodged a Werecoyote and kicked it through the broken window.
JR: Nobody asked!
VINCE: Asshole!
Three Betas rushed through the doorway.
Ryle stepped forward.
Hellfire covered both arms.
RYLE: My house isn't the one they're destroying, so I'm having a fantastic night.
CHERRY: Ryle.
Ryle looked at Cherry.
RYLE: Right. Your house. Very tragic.
He unleashed a wave of hellfire.
BOOM!
The Betas flew backward into the yard.
Shane stared at the burning curtains.
SHANE: Technically, Ryle is causing more property damage than the attackers.
Cherry slowly looked toward Ryle.
Ryle's face changed.
RYLE: Shane, you motherfucker.
A Werereptile suddenly crashed through the ceiling.
SHANE: WHAT THE FUCK?!
It landed on Shane.
SHANE: WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME?!
Shane blocked its jaws with the baseball bat.
The metal bent.
SHANE: That's concerning!
JR grabbed the creature's tail.
JR: Shane!
SHANE: Little busy!
JR pulled.
The Werereptile flew off Shane.
Vince recovered and grabbed it around the waist.
VINCE: Got you!
He lifted it.
JR: Oh, here we go.
Vince suplexed the creature through the coffee table.
CRASH!
Cherry froze.
Everyone froze.
Vince slowly looked at the destroyed table.
Then at his mother.
VINCE: The monster did it.
CHERRY: Vincent.
VINCE: Definitely the monster.
A roar came from outside.
More creatures charged the house.
Vince's humor disappeared.
Bright-red eyes burned.
VINCE: Everybody outside. Get them away from the house.
Cherry nodded.
CHERRY: Go.
Vince jumped through the shattered window.
JR: There's literally a doorway!
JR followed him anyway.
SHANE: Why are we like this?!
Ryle grabbed Shane.
RYLE: Move!
They rushed outside.
Cherry transformed behind them.
Her body expanded into the massive form of an Evolved Werewolf.
She smashed through the doorway.
Ryle stared.
RYLE: She could've used the door too.
SHANE: Technically, she did.
RYLE: There's no door anymore!
---
The front yard became a battlefield.
At least twenty supernatural attackers surrounded the property.
Werewolves.
Werecoyotes.
Two Werereptiles.
And something Vince couldn't identify.
VINCE: JR!
JR: Seventeen left side! Five right!
VINCE: That's twenty-two!
JR: Congratulations! You can count!
VINCE: Fuck you!
The creatures charged.
Vince roared.
The Midnight Howlers met them head-on.
Vince slammed his fist into a Beta.
JR attacked another from the side.
Shane ducked beneath claws and smashed his bent baseball bat into a Werecoyote's knee.
Ryle grabbed a Werereptile and blasted hellfire directly into its chest.
Cherry tore through the attackers in full wolf form.
A Beta jumped onto Vince's back.
VINCE: Get the fuck off!
Another grabbed his leg.
VINCE: JR!
JR: Busy!
JR was fighting three werewolves.
Vince growled.
He slammed backward into a tree.
CRACK!
The Beta on his back dropped.
Vince grabbed the second attacker and threw him across the yard.
Then—
BANG!
A gunshot echoed.
One of the werewolves beside Vince suddenly dropped.
A smoking bullet hole sat in its shoulder.
Vince froze.
Another attacker charged.
BANG!
The creature dropped.
Silver.
Vince knew that smell.
He knew that weapon.
And more importantly—
He knew the shooter.
A female voice came from behind him.
THEA: You're welcome, dumbass.
Vince slowly turned.
A teenage girl stood near the road holding a modified handgun.
Long dark hair.
Hunter gear.
A confident smile Vince knew way too well.
Vince's bright-red eyes disappeared.
VINCE: Thea?
Thea lowered the gun.
THEA: Hi, boyfriend.
Vince stared.
VINCE: What the fuck are you doing here?!
THEA: Saving your ass.
VINCE: I didn't need saving!
A Werecoyote tackled Vince from behind.
He disappeared into the grass.
Thea stared.
THEA: Really?
Vince threw the Werecoyote off.
VINCE: BAD TIMING!
A younger girl rushed past Thea.
Her golden-yellow eyes appeared.
ZEPHANIE: MOVE!
Zephanie jumped onto the Werecoyote and clawed it across the face.
Vince stared.
VINCE: Zephanie?!
ZEPHANIE: Hi, Vince!
She kicked the creature.
ZEPHANIE: Haven't seen you in forever!
VINCE: THIS ISN'T REALLY THE TIME!
ZEPHANIE: I KNOW!
A roar erupted from the road.
Four more figures appeared.
The first man's eyes glowed red.
The other three transformed with yellow eyes.
Vince immediately recognized them.
Jay.
Mark.
James.
Dean.
His former pack.
JAY: You really know how to throw a reunion, Vince!
Vince grinned.
VINCE: Jay!
Jay tackled a hostile Beta.
Mark and James attacked another together.
Dean jumped onto a Werecoyote's back.
DEAN: WHY IS THIS THING SO FAST?!
JAMES: Because it's a Werecoyote, idiot!
DEAN: NOT HELPFUL!
Thea walked toward Vince.
Vince smiled.
VINCE: You missed me.
THEA: Don't flatter yourself.
VINCE: You definitely missed me.
THEA: Vince.
VINCE: Thea.
She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.
Vince's confidence immediately disappeared.
THEA: I haven't seen you in almost two weeks.
VINCE: I've been busy.
THEA: Too busy to text?
VINCE: Monsters were trying to kill me.
THEA: Every day?
Vince paused.
VINCE: ...Most days.
THEA: Bullshit.
She kissed him.
Vince froze.
JR punched a werewolf and noticed.
JR: ARE YOU TWO SERIOUSLY MAKING OUT DURING A FIGHT?!
Thea stopped kissing Vince.
Vince looked at JR.
VINCE: Mind your fucking business!
JR: WE ARE SURROUNDED!
A Beta charged Vince.
Without looking, Thea raised her handgun.
BANG!
The bullet hit the Beta's leg.
Vince immediately spun around and punched him unconscious.
He looked back at Thea.
VINCE: That was hot.
Thea smiled.
THEA: Focus.
VINCE: Trying.
THEA: On the fight.
VINCE: Oh.
JR groaned.
JR: Jesus fucking Christ.
Shane ran past them being chased by a Werereptile.
SHANE: LESS ROMANCE, MORE HELP!
Ryle blasted the creature.
SHANE: Thank you!
RYLE: You're useless tonight.
SHANE: I'm emotionally overwhelmed!
---
Jay and Vince fought back-to-back.
A Beta attacked.
Vince blocked.
Jay punched.
Another attacked Jay.
Jay ducked.
Vince kicked it away.
JAY: True Alpha now?
VINCE: Yep.
JAY: Bright-red eyes?
VINCE: Yep.
JAY: Royal blood?
VINCE: Apparently.
Jay punched a Werecoyote.
JAY: Still an idiot?
Vince kicked a Beta.
VINCE: Fuck you.
Jay laughed.
JAY: Good. You haven't changed.
For a moment, it felt like old times.
Before the Midnight Howlers.
Before Vince became a True Alpha.
Before everything became complicated.
Mark tackled a hostile Beta.
MARK: Vince!
VINCE: Mark!
MARK: Nice eyes!
VINCE: Thanks!
James punched another attacker.
JAMES: Can we compliment him after we're not dying?!
Dean ran past them.
DEAN: I AGREE WITH JAMES!
A Werecoyote chased Dean.
DEAN: SOMEBODY HELP ME!
Vince looked at Jay.
Jay looked at Vince.
Neither moved.
DEAN: YOU FUCKERS!
They burst out laughing.
Zephanie intercepted the Werecoyote.
She slammed into it.
Both rolled across the ground.
Zephanie ended up on top.
Her golden-yellow eyes glowed.
ZEPHANIE: Leave him alone!
She punched it.
Dean stopped.
DEAN: I had it.
Zephanie stared at him.
ZEPHANIE: Sure.
DEAN: I did!
ZEPHANIE: You were screaming.
DEAN: Tactical screaming.
---
Thea reloaded.
Cherry returned to human form beside her.
Thea smiled.
THEA: Hi, Auntie Cherry.
Cherry stared at her.
CHERRY: Thea.
Thea immediately looked nervous.
THEA: Yes?
CHERRY: You brought silver ammunition near my son?
THEA: Only for the bad werewolves.
Cherry stared.
Thea swallowed.
THEA: Very carefully.
Cherry smiled.
CHERRY: Good girl.
Thea exhaled.
THEA: Jesus.
Vince appeared beside her.
VINCE: Scared?
THEA: Shut up.
VINCE: She's not that scary.
Cherry looked at Vince.
CHERRY: Vincent.
VINCE: She's terrifying.
Thea laughed.
THEA: True Alpha my ass.
Vince placed a hand over his chest.
VINCE: Betrayed by my own girlfriend.
THEA: You'll survive.
VINCE: Emotionally? Probably not.
Thea rolled her eyes.
Then her expression changed.
THEA: Vince, behind you!
A Werereptile jumped from the roof.
Vince turned.
Too late.
The creature smashed into him.
They crashed across the yard.
THEA: VINCE!
The Werereptile clawed his chest.
Vince blocked another strike.
Its jaws snapped inches from his throat.
Thea aimed.
She couldn't fire.
Too close.
THEA: MOVE!
VINCE: WORKING ON IT!
The creature slammed Vince's head into the ground.
Thea dropped the gun.
She pulled a short blade from her belt and charged.
CHERRY: Thea!
Thea jumped onto the Werereptile's back.
She drove the blade into its shoulder.
The creature screamed.
It threw her.
VINCE: THEA!
Vince caught her before she hit the ground.
For a second, everything around them seemed quieter.
Thea looked up at him.
Vince held her against his chest.
THEA: Hi.
Vince blinked.
VINCE: Hi.
THEA: You gonna put me down?
VINCE: Thinking about it.
THEA: Vince.
VINCE: Fine.
The Werereptile roared behind them.
Thea sighed.
THEA: Ruined the moment.
Vince gently placed her down.
His bright-red eyes ignited.
VINCE: Yeah.
He turned toward the creature.
VINCE: I'm pissed about that too.
Vince charged.
The Werereptile swung.
Vince ducked.
He punched its stomach.
Then ribs.
Then jaw.
The creature stumbled.
Vince grabbed its tail.
VINCE: Thea!
Thea understood.
She grabbed her handgun.
Vince spun the Werereptile around.
VINCE: NOW!
He released it.
The creature flew.
Thea fired.
BANG!
The bullet struck its shoulder.
It crashed into the ground.
Vince jumped.
BOOM!
Both knees slammed into the creature's chest.
It stopped moving.
Vince stood.
THEA: Show-off.
VINCE: You love it.
THEA: Unfortunately.
Vince smiled.
---
Suddenly, a deep roar shook the property.
Everyone stopped.
The remaining attackers moved aside.
Something huge emerged from the darkness.
A Werelion.
Its eyes glowed yellowish.
Its shoulders were enormous.
Blood covered its claws.
Jay stepped beside Vince.
JAY: That's new.
JR joined them.
JR: Very fucking new.
Ryle's hands ignited.
RYLE: Finally.
Shane stared at him.
SHANE: Finally?!
RYLE: I was getting bored.
SHANE: You're mentally ill.
The Werelion roared.
Vince stepped forward.
Thea grabbed his arm.
THEA: Don't.
Vince looked at her.
VINCE: Don't what?
THEA: Do that thing.
VINCE: What thing?
THEA: The stupid heroic thing where you run at something three times your size.
Vince looked at the Werelion.
Then at Thea.
VINCE: Technically—
THEA: Vince.
VINCE: Fine.
Thea relaxed.
Vince immediately ran toward the Werelion.
THEA: VINCE!
JR: THERE IT IS!
The Werelion swung.
Vince ducked.
Its claws tore through a tree.
Vince punched its ribs.
The creature barely reacted.
VINCE: Oh, shit.
It grabbed Vince and threw him.
Jay caught him.
Both crashed.
JAY: Great plan.
VINCE: Shut up.
The Werelion charged.
Jay's red eyes appeared.
Vince's bright-red eyes burned.
Both Alphas ran forward.
Jay attacked high.
Vince went low.
Jay clawed the Werelion's shoulder.
Vince tackled its legs.
The creature fell.
JR jumped onto its back.
JR: Shane!
Shane ran forward carrying a chain.
SHANE: Got it!
He wrapped it around one arm.
Mark, James and Dean grabbed the other end.
MARK: PULL!
They dragged.
The Werelion roared.
Zephanie joined them.
ZEPHANIE: Little help!
Ryle stepped forward.
RYLE: Move.
Everyone immediately released the chain.
SHANE: Why—
Hellfire exploded from Ryle's hands.
BOOM!
The Werelion disappeared inside the flames.
SHANE: Oh.
The creature emerged.
Burned.
Angry.
Very much alive.
Ryle blinked.
RYLE: Well, fuck.
The Werelion charged him.
Cherry transformed into her Evolved wolf form and slammed into it from the side.
They rolled violently across the yard.
The Werelion clawed Cherry.
Vince roared.
VINCE: MOM!
He charged.
Jay followed.
JR followed.
Then everyone followed.
The Midnight Howlers.
Vince's former pack.
Thea.
Zephanie.
Together.
Vince punched the Werelion.
Jay clawed its back.
JR kicked its knee.
Mark and James attacked its sides.
Dean jumped onto its back.
DEAN: WHY DO I KEEP DOING THIS?!
Zephanie grabbed its arm.
Shane wrapped the chain around its legs.
Ryle blasted it with hellfire.
Cherry bit into its shoulder.
Thea aimed carefully.
THEA: Vince!
Vince looked at her.
THEA: DOWN!
Vince ducked.
BANG!
Thea's silver round struck the Werelion directly in the chest.
The creature staggered.
Vince saw the opening.
Bright-red eyes blazing, he charged.
He drove his shoulder into the Werelion.
Lifted it.
JR: No fucking way.
JAY: He's doing it.
Vince roared.
He slammed the massive creature onto the ground.
BOOM!
The earth shook.
The Werelion tried rising.
Vince placed one clawed hand against its throat.
VINCE: Stay.
The True Alpha command carried through his voice.
The creature froze.
Its yellowish eyes slowly dimmed.
It stopped resisting.
The remaining attackers looked at Vince.
Then fled.
Silence finally returned.
Vince stood in the destroyed yard.
He looked around.
Broken windows.
Burned grass.
Destroyed furniture.
Half the front wall damaged.
The door completely gone.
Shane whistled.
SHANE: Your mom is gonna be pissed.
Vince looked at Cherry.
Cherry was already staring at the house.
VINCE: Mom—
CHERRY: My kitchen.
Vince looked inside.
Somehow, the kitchen had survived.
VINCE: THE KITCHEN'S FINE!
Cherry rushed inside.
Everyone waited.
Silence.
Then—
CHERRY: MY FUCKING TOASTER!
Shane's eyes widened.
SHANE: We should leave.
RYLE: Immediately.
---
An hour later, everyone gathered outside.
The danger had passed.
For now.
Jay sat with Mark, James and Dean.
JR and Zephanie were arguing over who had landed more hits.
Shane was trying to repair his phone.
Ryle was eating.
Cherry was inspecting the house.
And Vince sat beneath a tree beside Thea.
For once, he was quiet.
Thea leaned against his shoulder.
THEA: You okay?
VINCE: Yeah.
THEA: Liar.
Vince smiled slightly.
VINCE: Everything's changing.
Thea looked at him.
VINCE: Two months ago, I was just an inborn Beta who got into fights and ignored plans.
THEA: You still ignore plans.
VINCE: That's not the point.
Thea smiled.
Vince continued.
VINCE: Now everybody's calling me True Alpha. Royal blood. Prince. King.
He looked at his hands.
VINCE: People are trying to capture me. My uncle might be alive. My mom's hiding shit from me.
Thea gently took his hand.
THEA: You're still Vince.
He looked at her.
THEA: The same stubborn idiot who tried to impress me by jumping off a bridge into a river.
Vince smiled.
VINCE: You were impressed.
THEA: I thought you were going to die.
VINCE: Romantic.
THEA: Traumatizing.
They laughed quietly.
Thea rested her head against his shoulder again.
THEA: I don't care if you're a Beta, Alpha, True Alpha, royal werewolf prince, or whatever ridiculous title people give you.
Vince looked at her.
THEA: You're my idiot.
Vince smiled.
VINCE: Your idiot?
THEA: Unfortunately.
He leaned closer.
VINCE: I can live with that.
They kissed.
This time there were no monsters.
No gunshots.
No explosions.
Just two teenagers underneath a quiet Mindanao night.
For approximately six seconds.
JR: HEY, ALPHA BOY!
Vince stopped kissing Thea.
His eye twitched.
VINCE: WHAT?!
JR stood across the yard with everyone else.
JR: YOUR MOM WANTS YOU!
Vince sighed.
VINCE: Tell her I'm busy!
Cherry appeared in the doorway.
CHERRY: VINCENT!
Vince immediately stood.
VINCE: Coming!
Thea burst out laughing.
THEA: Powerful True Alpha.
VINCE: Shut up.
She kissed his cheek.
THEA: Go before your mom kills you.
Vince started walking.
Then turned.
He ran back, kissed Thea quickly and ran toward the house.
THEA: Vince!
VINCE: Worth it!
Jay laughed.
JAY: He hasn't changed at all.
JR shook his head.
JR: Unfortunately.
Zephanie smiled.
ZEPHANIE: They're cute.
Ryle looked at them.
RYLE: They're annoying.
Shane raised his broken phone.
SHANE: Anybody got a spare screen?
Everyone ignored him.
SHANE: Fuck all of you.
Thea watched Vince disappear inside.
Her smile remained.
But then she noticed something near the edge of the property.
A silver object.
Her Hunter instincts immediately activated.
She walked over and picked it up.
A bullet.
Not hers.
There was a symbol engraved into its casing.
A circle.
Three claw marks.
Thea's smile disappeared.
Jay approached.
JAY: What is it?
Thea showed him.
Jay's red eyes flashed.
THEA: Tonight wasn't just an attack.
Jay looked toward the Davis house.
JAY: What do you mean?
Thea stared at the strange bullet.
THEA: Someone wanted all of us here.
A chill passed through her.
Thea looked toward the darkness beyond the property.
THEA: Vince's new pack.
She looked at Jay.
THEA: His old pack.
Then toward Zephanie.
THEA: His family.
Jay understood.
JAY: They're learning who matters to him.
Thea tightened her grip around the bullet.
Inside the house, Vince laughed loudly at something JR had said.
Thea looked toward him.
Her expression hardened.
She was human.
She didn't have supernatural strength.
She didn't have glowing eyes.
She couldn't heal from claws or broken bones.
But she was a Hunter.
And someone had just threatened the boy she loved.
Thea loaded her handgun.
CLICK.
THEA: Then they're about to learn who they're fucking with.
Far beyond the house, hidden among the trees, someone watched.
A voice whispered into the darkness.
UNKNOWN VOICE: The True Alpha has more attachments than expected.
Another voice answered.
SECOND VOICE: Good.
A pair of unnatural eyes opened.
SECOND VOICE: More things for him to lose.
END OF CHAPTER 4