It was tall, too tall. Its shape was wrong, twisted between beast and man. Its eyes glowed with the moonlight in a way that made her stomach drop.
A piercing scream tore from her throat.
Ian walked through the forest, hands in his pockets, trying to quiet the thoughts in his head. Two wolves suddenly jumped in front of him, hackles raised.
They circled him, baring their fangs until they recognized him.
One of them shifted back. "You, Vampire. What are you doing out here?"
"I have a name, werewolf. The same thing you are," Ian replied casually. "Wandering around aimlessly."
Just as Ian finished speaking, a sudden scream sliced through the air.
The other wolf fell into a defensive stance, and the first one shifted back. Their attention snapped toward the sound.
Before any of them could move, something burst from the trees.
It slammed into Ian, driving him into the ground. He grunted, rolling as claws swiped where his head had been. He threw a sharp kick, sending the creature flying back.
Ian pushed himself up, his eyes narrowing.
This creature was not a rogue wolf.
Standing on all fours, it was larger than any werewolf, its muscles a blend of man and beast, its face shaped like a wolf but more feral.
A lycanthrope.
The creature snarled and charged toward Ian, its massive body lifting off the ground, but this time Ian was ready. He kicked its head, sending it flying and crashing its back into a nearby tree, though not before its claws scratched his torso.
The sound of bone breaking came from its back. The creature tried to stand again but failed. Its spine had been snapped.
Ian stared down at the claw marks on his shirt, blood trickling from the fresh wound, soaking the fabric. He turned toward the two wolves who had watched the brief fight, doing nothing to help.
"Call for backup. There are more of them."
Just as he finished his sentence, another lycan emerged from the shadows, attacking one of the wolves.
Its aim was for the wolf's neck, but it missed, biting its front leg instead, breaking the bone instantly with a single bite.
The second wolf attacked the lycan, biting into the back of its neck while it was occupied with the first, giving it the chance to tear out the flesh and kill it.
But the fight was far from over as more rough growls came from the trees around them, red eyes glowing in the darkness.
"Fuck," Ian cursed.
He did not like the current situation one bit. They were outnumbered and even worse, surrounded.
The lycans were ready to pounce, but the next second, howls erupted around them. They were attacked from all sides, two wolves tackling one lycan each.
The sound of flesh ripping and bones cracking filled the air as the battle dragged on.
When the fight finally ended, the wolves stood victorious, lycan bodies scattered around, some torn into pieces.
Amidst the just concluded chaos, Ian bent down and picked up a severed lycan head, examining it with curiosity.
He had never seen a lycanthrope before. He had always thought they were just myths, creatures born from werewolf fairytales.
While still examining the head, he noticed a large black wolf coated in blood approaching him from the corner of his eye.
The wolf shifted. It was Alpha Caden.
"I heard you offered some assistance. Thank you for your help," Alpha Caden said.
"Hmm," Ian replied without looking at him.
His attention remained on the head.
Alpha Caden's gaze fell to his torso, noticing the blood still flowing.
"Why don't one of my people escort you back? Our healer can check that injury for you."
Ian finally looked at him. "No need. I'll heal," he said.
He then remembered the lycan he had injured earlier. Wondering if it was still alive, Ian left Alpha Caden and went to find the wounded creature.
It did not take long for him to find it. A wolf was already about to rip its throat out.
"Leave that one," he ordered, stopping the wolf. "I want it alive."
"Why, if I may ask?" Alpha Caden said from behind as he approached.
"Don't you also have questions for it, he or she?" Ian asked, raising a questioning brow.
"No," Alpha Caden shook his head.
He nodded toward the wolf, giving the kill order through the mind link, and the wolf immediately tore out its throat.
"Questions are unnecessary. That rogue would not have told you anything."
"Really?" Ian said. "You speak like you have interrogated them before. And I noticed you failed to mention that the rogues were lycans. I would assume you knew, judging by your lack of surprise."
Alpha Caden immediately shook his head, blatantly denying it. "I also had no idea they were—"
"The night has been eventful enough. I think I will return to my family," Ian said, waving at Alpha Caden to stop talking.
With the severed head still in his hand, he strode away, finding his way back to the Draven residence.
.....
Sleep was far from Camelia's eyes. After the warning bells rang, signaling a pack attack, the residents closest to the entrance were evacuated, sent deeper into the pack for safety.
She was the only one left in the area. If the attack reached inside, her life would be in serious danger.
She paced back and forth in her room, occasionally peeking through her window. A sudden knock came at the main door. Camelia's heart almost jumped out of her chest at the loud bang.
She gulped nervously before grabbing a torchlight and heading downstairs in the darkness. The house was completely dark. When she reached the door, she peeped through the peephole, but there was no one there.
She frowned in confusion, holding the light close. Was someone trying to play a prank on her?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, the sound of glass shattering came from upstairs, from the direction of her room.
Startled, her heart began to race. Holding the torch in front of her, she climbed the stairs, each step slow, the wood creaking beneath her feet.
As she neared her room, her heartbeat grew louder in her ears.
Suddenly, a man emerged from her room. She gasped as her steps came to a halt.
He smiled maniacally as he stared into the light. His teeth and mouth were bloodied as if he had just fed on someone. His hands were soaked with fresh blood. His body was covered in dirt, mud, and blood, and a dirty jean trouser clung to his lower body.
"What a sweet thing. I could smell you from miles away," he said, rubbing his bloody hands over his face like a deranged psychopath.
Camelia stepped back slowly, then turned and ran toward the stairs. But the man was faster. He caught up to her just as she reached the steps, grabbing her arm. She screamed as his sharp nails dug into her skin, the torch falling from her hand and tumbling down the stairs.
He threw her to the floor and before she could move, he was already on top of her, pinning her hands down.
"They said I could do whatever I wanted with you, hehehe," he laughed, leaning in to lick her face.
She bit his ear.
"Ahhh!" he screamed.
His grip loosened, giving her the chance to push him off. She scrambled to her feet and ran down the stairs. Even as she heard the sound of bones cracking behind her, she did not stop.
She reached the bottom when something flew past her head and landed in front of her.
A fully transformed lycan.
Her eyes widened. "What the—"
Before she could finish, it pounced. She dodged just in time. Her eyes snapped to the door, then back to the creature.
She knew she would not make it if she ran for the door.
Think, Camelia, you are about to be killed here.
The lycan pounced again. She tried to dodge, but this time she was too slow. Its claws slashed her abdomen, cutting deep.
She screamed and fell onto her back.
The lycan advanced. Camelia dragged herself away, but it clawed her again, this time tearing into her leg.
Another scream ripped from her throat.
Was this it?
Was this how her miserable life would end?
She was losing blood fast. She could feel herself growing weak.
Then everything went black.