Tolu suddenly froze, his head snapping back over his shoulder.
Leke: "What's wrong—?"
Before he could finish, dark figures stepped out from the shadows, circling them. Their movements were deliberate, closing in but still keeping their distance.
One of them, clearly the leader, moved forward with a predatory smile. His eyes swept over Tolu.
Leader: "I smell Dele on you. He wasn't with us when we were called… so I'm guessing since you're here and he isn't—"
He didn't finish. He didn't have to. The implication was heavy in the air, and Tolu's stomach sank. He clenched his fists, muttering under his breath:
Tolu: "…fuck."
Leke's eyes darted around, panic setting in. "Tolu… what's going on?"
No one answered him.
One of the wolves behind the leader tilted his head, voice low and cold.
Wolf: "What do we do about the human?"
The leader chuckled darkly, his smile widening as his eyes flared a bright blue.
Leader: "He'll be prey."
Leke stumbled back, his face draining of color. "Wh-what the hell—?!"
The wolves didn't wait. One by one, their bones cracked and shifted, muscles tearing and reforming. In seconds, six of them stood in their half-wolf state—towering, broad-shouldered, claws gleaming under the streetlights, fangs bared. Their growls rumbled like thunder, echoing through the quiet street.
Leke stumbled back, his heart hammering. "What the hell is this?!"
A low, guttural growl sounded right beside him. He turned—and nearly fainted. Tolu's eyes glowed an unearthly indigo blue, his face stretched with sharp fangs, claws lengthened, his body rippling with wolfish power. He stepped forward, shielding Leke.
The other wolves froze for a beat. They hadn't expected this. Newborns were supposed to be weak, unstable. But those eyes… blue eyes. They hesitated—until their leader snarled.
Leader: "He bleeds like anyone else. Get him!"
They rushed him all at once.
Tolu didn't wait. He surged forward to meet the first attacker, ducking under a wild slash and ramming his shoulder into the wolf's chest. The impact sent the wolf staggering back, wind knocked out of him. Tolu spun, raking his claws across another's forearm before the rest could close in.
He moved like he'd been fighting for years—not with brute strength, but with space and instinct. Every time one tried to circle, Tolu pivoted, forcing them into a line so they couldn't swarm him. His feet were light, sliding across the ground, never staying still.
A wolf lunged high, claws swiping for his throat. Tolu ducked, then came up hard with a clawed uppercut that ripped across the wolf's jaw. Blood sprayed, and the attacker fell back with a snarl.
Another tried from the side, but Tolu spun into him, slamming a knee into his ribs, then clawed his back in one vicious motion before pushing him away.
Leke stood frozen behind him, wide-eyed, trembling. He couldn't process what he was seeing—his best friend tearing through monsters like something out of a nightmare.
The leader watched closely, lips curling.
Leader: "Impressive… but let's see how long you last."
Two wolves attacked in tandem, one low, one high. Tolu growled, backpedaled just enough to avoid both claws, then darted between them. He caught the lower one by the scruff, using his momentum to flip him over his shoulder, slamming him into the pavement with a sickening thud. The second barely turned before Tolu's claws slashed across his chest, leaving three deep, glowing lines of blood.
Tolu's breathing grew heavier. Sweat and blood dripped down his face, but his glowing eyes never dimmed. He crouched, growling low, daring the rest to come closer.
For the first time, the wolves hesitated—not because of his strength, but because of how he fought. Calm. Calculated.
The fight dragged on, claws clashing against claws, teeth snapping in flashes of rage. Tolu moved with precision, forcing the wolves to come at him one by one so they couldn't overwhelm him all at once. Even so, the numbers wore him down—every block, every counter left him a little slower, a little more exposed.
A brutal strike caught him across the chest and sent him tumbling backward. As he struggled to regain his footing, one of the wolves spotted an opening. He bypassed Tolu and went straight for Leke.
The claws slashed down—Leke managed to shield himself at the last second, but not fast enough. Pain ripped through him as deep gashes tore across his arm, blood flowing freely.
The metallic scent filled the air.
Tolu froze. His heart pounded, his breath turning ragged. He knew that smell—he knew what it meant. Leke was in danger.
A guttural growl ripped from Tolu's throat as his body convulsed. Bones cracked and shifted in rapid succession, his frame twisting violently. In a blink, his human form gave way to the towering frame of a full wolf, fur bristling under the moonlight. His indigo eyes blazed like twin flames.
The wolves recoiled for a heartbeat, shocked at the sudden shift.
Tolu didn't waste it. He lunged, jaws snapping shut around the arm of the wolf that had struck Leke. The sickening crunch of bone echoed as his fangs sank deep, ripping the attacker off balance. The wolf shrieked and thrashed, but Tolu only tightened his grip before hurling him aside like dead weight.
Landing between Leke and the rest of the pack, Tolu's claws dug into the earth. He crouched low, his growl rolling like thunder as he glared at the remaining wolves.
Leke, clutching his bleeding arm, stumbled back. His eyes widened—not only from fear, but from awe.
The leader bared his teeth, chest heaving, clearly wanting to press the attack. But his gaze flicked across his pack — bloodied, limping, their breaths ragged. Even if they overwhelmed the boy, at least one of them wouldn't make it out alive. And that one could very well be him.
His eyes locked onto the wolf standing protectively in front of the human, blue eyes burning like a warning. For a long, heavy moment, the forest was silent except for growls and the rustle of leaves in the night breeze.
Then, without a word, the leader turned his back. The others hesitated, frustration and shame in their eyes, but none dared challenge the decision. One by one, they followed, melting into the darkness of the trees.
The tension hung in the air, sharp and unspoken.
Tolu stood still, hackles raised, his glowing eyes tracking the retreating figures until the last shadow vanished into the trees. His chest heaved with every breath, the metallic tang of blood thick in his mouth. He knew this was no victory—just a warning.
This was the first of many battles to come.