Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S6 Ep373: Episode 373: Nightmarish Horror Stories

Episode Date: October 6, 2026

Tonight’s first phenomenal supernatural tale is ‘Fresh Meat’ by the wonderfully talented Corpse Child, kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me narrate it here for you all:https://www.reddit.com/u/Corpse_Child/Today’s second offering is ‘Ghosts of Nutty Putty’, by Shadow Swimmer 77, kindly shared with me via the Creepypasta Wiki and read here under the conditions of the CC-BY-SA license.https://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/Ghosts_of_Nutty_Puttyhttps://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/User:Shadowswimmer77

Welcome to Dr. Creepin's dungeon. Well, they say that fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one, as we will see in tonight's two tales of terror. Later on, we have the instrument by Ivan Redef. But we begin proceedings with Helena ascending the staircase by Samantha R29. Now as always before we begin a word of caution.

Tonight's stories may contain strong language, as well as descriptions of violence and horrific imagery. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then let's begin. Fresh meat, by corpse child. You know, you still laugh at the idea of being a vegetarian. The idea of purposefully not eating meat

used to sound so dumb to me. I mean, yeah, he'll feed lifestyle and all. and yes I am aware that some people actually can't eat me because of an inability to digest it but come on how could you say no to a nice full rack of baby back ribs or a quarter pound of New York style steak right well

guess the joke's on me now after what happened I can't think of any of that without wanting to puke I'm going to put this out there now if you're a feigned of heart or weak of stomach do not read this Let me also go ahead and say that, no, I'm not talking about Mickey D's either. Say what you want about their food, not being actual meat or whatever.

I can guarantee you, whatever it is made of. It's far less horrific than what I saw at a place I used to work at. Mr. Pigsley's Diner, home of delicious meat, happy bellies, and having a snort and good time. Those words, the big, bold, red words, plus. stood next to that smiling fat-ass pig with a 50-style football jacket and haircut. It will always haunt my nightmares. The place itself was one of those that was made to resemble an old-timey diner from the 50s and 60s. Black and white tile floor, vintage photos from car shows,

old stuntmen or shots of Elvis Presley as well as different antiques on display. The place even had an actual jukebox, coin operated with actual CDs instead of the touchscreen ones you see nowadays. In the middle of the dining area was where the bar was. During the day, until about six or so, it was an ice cream bar with the barley sodas being brought out

later on in the evenings. Remember how you could bring your kid up to the bar on a Friday afternoon for a little oinkers hour, where the ice cream was handmade right in front of them and they got whatever flavor and toppings they wanted, and however much of it they wanted for free.

Aside from this, They also had the piglet wall of fame, where the Rugrats would have pictures taken of them in little pig masks with the mascot, Mr. Pigsley, standing beside them as they scoffed down a three-ounce plate of pool pork. Well, of course, the kids loved it. And the parents loved it too for how dirt cheap the food was. We're talking $15 tops for a large-sized barbecue plate

with two large sides with a drink. A sale of this to say that the place was very family-old. oriented, or particularly when it came to bring in the kids. My family actually used to take me and my brother André when we were little kids, and like I said, with all the other kids, we too had more than our fair share of our little oinker hours on Fridays to kick off the weekend, and had our pictures added to the Wall of Fame, which were all gone now after what happened. Now, take that and fast forward almost a year ago.

I'm 21, and haven't just moved out of my parents' house. with no degree or any other job experience and I needed to have a way to make rent for my apartment. You can imagine how difficult a decision it was for me to choose Mr. Pigsley's diner as my go-to. I was hired almost on the spot after I put in an application to be a cook. Well, the pay for a job I'd be doing admittedly wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting. $11 an hour, 40 hours a week. Of course, being that it was strictly second shift, this meant that. long, exhausting night slaving in the kitchen, and then close in the kitchen. It was rough,

but I had to do it, and after about a month or two, I'd just about gotten used to it. Actually, it wasn't long after that that I was getting my first raise to 1175. I'd also managed to get to a point, usually because the other kitchen staff were out back taking a smoke, and I was actually able to handle work in most areas of the kitchen alone. In other words, I had gotten pretty good at my job pretty quickly. One of my duties, unfortunately, was washing any remaining dishes at night when we closed. It sucked, mostly because of the fact that it was always the grill utensils

and shit that I got stuck washing. You know, the shit that would be the dirtiest. And we had to wait until we were closed for the night to wash them. Because of this, and because the shift manager, Trish, usually dragged her feet with her part. making sure everything is down right. As well as the fact that closing shifts only had two people around to shut the place down for the night,

we aren't usually getting out of there until about one or one-thirty in the morning every night. Well, it's because of this that things would take a weird turn. Funny enough, I almost didn't even notice it. It was a Friday night, which of course meant we'd been slammed all day with business and I was beyond tired and ready to be done with the place for the night. I was in the sink room, located a little ways behind the kitchen and grill area, next to the freezer and dry stock, washing the dishes, as best I could anyway,

while Trish finished up with the money. Since my phone was dead, I couldn't listen to music or podcasts while I washed the dishes like I usually did, and that's when I heard it. It was very faint, and again I almost didn't hear it. It almost sounded like a faint groaning noise, but being exhausted and figuring that it was, just the electrical home of the freezer, I shook it off and continued. It was when I was just about finished with the dishes, though, and I heard it again,

louder this time. Listening a little harder, I noticed that it was indeed coming from the freezer. I pressed my ear to the door, and I could hear it much louder now. Concentrating, I thought I could hear the sounds of muffled sobbing from inside. I tried pulling the handle to open the freezer door, only to find it locked. Hmm, weird, I thought. Why is the freezer locked? I was never told before that the freezer was supposed to be locked at night. Maybe it's to keep the meat fresh, keep everything cold.

This didn't make much sense to me, but I ended up having to just go with it when I heard Trish calling for me, telling me she was ready to go home. I pretty much immediately forgot all about it until the next night, closing the kitchen when I heard it again. Like last time the freezer door was locked And inside I could hear a very faint sound Like someone groaning Well it was louder this time A lot louder

I also noticed this time That it seemed like it would randomly let out sharp bursts of crying or wailing At one point I thought I could hear a shrill Sort of screaming noise as well What the Started knocking on the freezer door Hello, hey

Is someone in there? Nothing. The only response was the continued groaning noises from the other side. I tried knocking again. Hey, what's going on? I spun around to see Trish standing behind me, looking confused. What the hell are you doing? Have you finished yet? Oh, yeah. I looked at the freezer. Hey, um, is there any particular reason the freezer's locked? She cocked her eyebrow. What do you mean? I pull the handle to demonstrate.

Her eyes continued looking confused as she then tried to open it herself with the same result. Huh, she said, resigning. That is weird. No, I don't know why the heck they'd have it like this. What's got you so worried about it, though? Well, um, I felt like I could hear something

or somebody in there. What do you mean? She asked. Looking even more confused now. I shrugged and chuckled nervously. I don't know. I just kept hearing these weird noises coming from in there. I pressed my ear to the door again, still hearing that faint groaning sound.

Hey, do you hear it? Well, still looking skeptical, she then pressed her ear to the door. She stayed like this for a moment before shaking her head. That sounds the same it always has. At least, same as it has since I've been here. "'Well, this is an old place, though. "'The warrant in there must be on the fritz.' "'You sure?' I asked,

"'cocking my own eyebrows in confusion. "'Cause it sounds like someone's in there.' "'Oh, yeah, besides which, we can't get in anyways. "'I don't know about you, but I'm kind of like to get out of here and go home "'before it's time to open the place back up.' "'She held up her phone, reading almost 1.45 a.m. "'With that, I gave one last look at the fruit, freezer before turning and following Trish.

But that night I couldn't shrug it off like I'd done before. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop imagining something or someone in the freezer. Moreover, I couldn't stop wondering about what that sound was. Obviously, I wasn't buying the whole

just the old 40 wiring crap. What the hell were they doing in there? As it happened, the next day was when the owner, Mr. Pigsley, would be in for one of his little routine visits. He'd usually come around once or twice a month, unannounced, and just sort of check in, you know, make sure everyone's doing everything that needs to get done. Basically a sort of general

inspection, you know. One thing I noticed too was that one of the first things he always did was to check out the freezer. Naturally, I figured if anything was going on in there, he'd know, right? As well as this, we were actually slow for the first time that week, by the way. which made it relatively easy for me to ask him about it first thing when he came in. What do you mean? He asked me, talking his eyebrow like Trish did. The past two nights, sir, I've been hearing these weird noises coming from the freezer. Whenever I try to go check it out, though, it's always locked.

Is it supposed to be? He frowned. What sort of noises? I don't really know, sir, I replied. admittedly feeling a bit awkward. That sounds like someone's in there. And he stared, frowning at me for a moment before opening the freezer and walking inside.

I followed him. Inside, of course, I heard the droning over the refrigeration systems. In other words, the normal sounds it should have been making in there, and there were boxes labelled, fresh meat, stacked against the walls. Everything was there just the way it was supposed to be. No weird sounds, nobody else in the freezer, aside from me and Mr. Pigsley. Well, he said, turning back to me.

I don't hear nothing. Well, uh, you look back inside for a moment before saying, Okay, nothing set for the fridge wires on their last legs. I reckon I'll have to get that looked at, won't I? He chuckled when he said this, before I then say, Thanks for letting me know. I stood for a moment, confused, before stammering. Yes, sir.

Sure thing. I then felt the hand of Andy, one of the other grill hands, tap me on the shoulder, telling me I was needed back in the kitchen. Mr. Pigsley waved his hand dismissively before turning and going back into the freezer. Fridge wires on their last legs. I couldn't take my mind off of how wrong that sounded to me. For one thing, the fridge actually sounded normal. Plus, after taking a peek at the thermostat outside,

I saw that, well, at least according to the reading. at the time, it was working just fine. Secondly, this didn't make sense to me because, if they really were on their last legs, shouldn't even know that and done something long before now. On top of all that, though, was the fact that the big question wasn't even answered. Why the hell was the freezer door locked?

Not only this, how was it locked? There were no bolts or anything on the handle, inside or out. and as much as I wanted to shove all of this at Mr Pigsley until I got an answer, I wouldn't get the opportunity again before he left. That night I wasn't the one to close the kitchen, having agreed to switch shifts with Andy's so he could get a few more hours in. For some reason, he was only scheduled two days that week for five hours each. So this meant I was getting off that night at around 10pm.

Because I was still sceptical, or should I say suspicious, about the whole freezer thing, I asked him, as part of the agreement, if he'd keep an eye on the freezer and tell me if he noticed anything off about it. He agreed. I could tell he thought I was nuts. So ten o'clock rolled around, and I was punching the clock, but not before checking the freezer one last time.

It was unlocked, and full of nothing but frozen food. I was heading out back to my car when I heard a rustling sound coming from the dumpster. Looking over, I could see the lest, lid pushing up, like something was trying to get out. I was about to brush it off as probably just raccoons or maybe a couple of stray cats when I heard what sounded like snorting. What the f? I was cut off when I then heard a high-pitched squealing noise that almost seemed

to echo in the empty parking lots. This caused my heart to skip about three or four beats and I had to close my eyes and cover my ears tight. This was a little. This was a little bit of a little bit. This was followed by several loud banging noises coming from inside the dumpster. I watched this continue, jaw slacked, frozen in shock, until the lid of the dumpster suddenly flew open. For a brief moment, I saw what looked like two pig ears slowly emerged from the dumpster, followed by two dark, empty, marble-looking eyes glinting into the streetlights. That was when I took off like a bat out of hell

and bolted back around to the front of the diner and ran inside. "'Hey!' I shouted, "'crashing through the front doors. "'They immediately looked at me, wide-eyed and startled. "'I struggled to speak, being out of breath. "'There's something out there.' "'Where?' Andy asked. "'I pointed to the back and said, breathless,

"'and the dumpster.' "'His face immediately fell into one that said, "'Oh, you're shitting me here, right?' I caught my breath as Trish asked what it was exactly that I'd seen. I think I'm... I began, remembering those two black, beady eyes glaring at me. I think he was a pig. A pig?

Trish asked. Her voice completely bewildered now. Andy stared at me for a second before scoffing. Dude, he said, sounding like he was two seconds from busting his gut, laughing in my face. Whatever shit you're... I'm serious, I shouted, cutting him off. He just kept looking at me like I was crazy while Trish looked lost. I saw two pig eyes staring at me from the dumpster.

I heard it squealing too. Where the hell could it have come from? Trish asked. I mean, there's no farmer around here. And he snickered and remarked. Oh, maybe the last truck had one that wasn't quite ready yet. Oh, Trish snickered at this too. I was the only one, though, who wasn't finding this funny. Oh, damn it, Andy.

I'm not screwing around here. I saw a giant pig staring at me in the dumpster. But he'd just snick it again. Ah, it was a giant pig. He then made a surprise face and turned to Trish, saying, Hear that, Trish? A mean old monster pig is going to get us, say? Oh!

I carved my hand into a fist, clenching my teeth. I was getting really agitated really quickly. Before I could do or say anything, though, I heard something coming from the back behind the kitchen near the freezer. What? Trish asked, noticing my attention towards the back of the diner. I shushed her before starting towards the freezer. Listen, I whispered.

It sounded like something big was dragging its feet across the floor. You hear that? I watched Trish and Andy cup their ears. Listening closer, I could also hear the sound of someone's muffled bawling in the distance, sounding like their mouth was covered or taped over. I watched as Trish seemed to take notice. What the hell is that? she asked, turning out and looking at the back like I was. Andy just looked at the both of us confused.

Now you two, Trish, what are you guys going on? He stopped when he heard the sound of the freezer door opening, and now his eyes were wide. What the fuck? Who's back there? We heard the freezer door shut, still hearing the muffled screaming from behind. And he started towards the back when I shut out my hand stopping him. Wait, what if it's a maniac with a gun or something? And he just pushed past me towards the back. I followed after him with Trish joining him.

behind me. The sounds from the freezer were louder now, shrill, like someone was being tortured. I could hear what sounded like a young girl, high school age, screaming. No, please don't, let me go. These were followed by sharp cries of pain that caused the three of us to have to cover our ears. As we were doing this, the sounds both of screaming and the weird squealing were getting louder and louder. I began imagining the things. I began imagining the things. on the other side to be a sort of mutant behemoth pig monster like Andy had said, with huge muscular arms and gigantic tusks that impale me like a cabab. Finally, Andy ran and got the emergency fire extinguisher

and used it to batter the door until we heard something full to the ground, crashing on the other side before shoving the door open. In front of the door was a bunch of the fresh meatboxes that had apparently been propped against the door to keep it shut. Now knocked over onto the floor of the freezer, I saw a few of them had broken open, scattering red, meaty, bloody chunks all across the floor of the freezer. Just for a brief second, I looked closely at a pile of the stuff, and that was all it took to make me start to retch.

There, spilling out of the box was what looked to be a large intestine, coiling out from the severed legs of what looked to be as small, child, possibly even an infant. Almost on cue, the smell of a dead body flooded my nose instantly, further causing my stomach to turn over on itself. I wasn't the only one struggling to keep from spilling their stomach either after seeing this, and he had to cover his mouth and turn away. To her credits, funnily enough, given how she always claimed to hate scary movies in the past when I talked about them. Trish was the only one who wasn't affected by this, at least not as much as me and

Andy. She took the lead and went inside. It took another second of pulling ourselves together before me and Andy could follow her though. Inside we could all hear the sounds of screaming and pigs squealing from the far end of the freezer. Slowly the three of us made her way towards the back, towards this sound. Despite what I said earlier about Trish being the most strong stomached out of the three of us. What she saw next made her vomit right there in the freezer where she stood. There in the middle of the floor was a young girl. Couldn't have been a day over 17. Pinned to the floor naked and on top of her was a giant, hairy, overweight griller of a man wearing what looked like one of those pigs' masks you'd see from

Party City on Halloween. The pig man stopped, as he must have heard Trish. and reared up from the girl before turning to look at us. For a second, we all just stood there. Me and Trish both speechless with horror while Andy was the first to speak. Who are you? What the fuck are you doing? He, it, whatever, just stood snorting angrily, like he was rearing up to charge at Andy. Trish ran over to try and help the girl

when she was snatched by the throat and hurled into a stand. sack of meatboxes behind her. I ran to help her up while Andy charged towards the pigman. Just like Trish, Andy was caught by the throat before being forced to the ground. After helping Trish up, she ran over to help the girl while I tried to help Andy. Pigman had him on the ground, crushing his throat and pressing one knee on his chest, crushing his ribs. And without thinking I heard myself at him, shoving him off of Andy and into the wall to the right of us. Andy was wheezing and gasping for air as I helped into his feet

while Trish rushed her and the girl out of the freezer. Call the police! I shouted to her as she ran out. When I looked to where the pigman had landed, I saw that the mask had fallen off. Now, against the wall, Buck-ass naked was Mr. Pigsley. What the? Before I could even finish that thought, he looked up at me, glaring,

before letting out a deafening squeal and charging at me. In less than a few seconds he was on top of me, ravenously trying to bite at my face like a rabid dog. I tried pushing his face away, which resulted in three of my fingers getting bitten, hard enough to start bleeding and go numb. And he tried wrestling in, off of me by getting him in a chokehold only to be met by a back hand that sent him into the wall

again now he was crushing my throat like he had been with andy my vision started blurring when the next thing i knew i felt mr pigley's hand released my throat causing me to grasp for air mr pigley was on the ground staring up at the ceiling dazed with andy holding one of the boxes that he'd used to bash him over the head with he You're okay? He asked. Yeah, yeah, I groaned. Pain still shooting through my hand.

I could hear Mr. Pigsley groaned as he stirred on the floor. I told Andy to stay there and make sure he didn't go anywhere while I went to check up on Trish. Sure enough, Trish and the girl were out front, talking to a couple of police officers. I joined them and they asked me where he was. I led them back to the freezer where Mr. Pigsley was still writhing on the floor. floor. The officers then took over, leading us back out to the front. By that time, the parking

lot was filled with police cars and an ambulance. After having them checked out by the ambulance, the other officers escorted Andy, Trish, and the girl home while I was checked out for my hand. I actually had to be taken to the hospital for it to get stitches. I read a few days after that, upon looking into the contents of the freezer, the mutilated remains of infants, as well as several teenagers had been found with evidence that they were being ground up and processed using the meat grinder next to the dry stock area in the back.

Mr. Pigsley was arrested and tried for kidnapping, as they were unable to link him to any of the human remains at the time. We claimed, though, that he had absolutely no idea what was going on, that apparently he was at his house one moment and then lying naked in the freezer the next. In the end, he was sentenced to three and a half years in a psychiatric facility. The diner was closed down and condemned after that, and a month later, it was cleared out and bulldozed,

and it's now serving as a vacant parking lot. I lost all contact with Trish and Andy, as well as anyone else from Mr. Pigsley's diner, soon after that night, and got a new job as a sales associate at a thrift store, where I work nowadays. Oh, the pay isn't as much and the hours are long, sure, but my co-workers are pretty cool. Plus, at least I don't have to work around food anymore.

Well, it was sometime last week that I was scrolling around online, just screwing around on my break at work. When I found old articles about local sightings of the pigmen. I clicked on them and read about multiple reports of people, namely teens and or small children, going missing in the dead of night, in the town located just next to mine. Each time a few witnesses would claim to see a giant creature with the head of a pig and the body of a man lurking around. Of course, these were usually the tinfoil hat types making these claims, so it didn't surprise me that these claims weren't exactly taken seriously by authorities at the time. That said, they never found any suspects, nor were the missing persons ever found.

But the worst part, the thing that's driven me now to have come. constant nightmares was when I looked at the dates of the reports. They were all dated in the early 50s, right around the time that the diner had first opened its doors. All that time, I, as well as God knows how many others, had been eating children. What's even worse is that for almost a year, I was the one that cooked it and served it to people. This is why I've decided two things. First, I will never work in another food establishment again. No exceptions. The second is that I'm strictly a vegetarian. It was admittedly a bit hard at first. Like I said, how could you pass up a nice juicy prime rib? But any time I thought about meat of any kind,

I can't help but remember what I saw in the freezer that night. In shadows deep, where silence breathes. A cave unfolds its stony reeds. Echoes dance on walls so tight. Embraced by dark, a captive's night. No stars to guide no moon to grace, yet in this solitude a silent space. Cold and damp the wall stand tall. The captive's refuge a rocky hall. Whispers linger in the caves embrace, tales untold of time and space. Stalactites drip a rhythmic song, and heart of darkness one belongs. But hope may flicker in the gloom, a key to free to lift the tomb. But even in the darkest lair, there's a glimmer of light, a breath of air.

Ghosts of Nutty Puddy By Shadow Swimmer 77 All Jasper could see of the boy By the narrow beam of his helmet light Was a pair of low-cut boots And maybe two inches of ankle Then Jasper asked the protruding feet

He felt a thrill of fear At how very still the young man was Jasper spent several long moments Mentally willing a response before At last the boots kicked weakly. Penn was alive, at least for now. Really?

Observed a voice that Jasper reminded himself was just in his head. It looks like the rug came alive and swallowed him, sucked him down in one big goal. Pretty familiar, huh? My name's Jasper. I'm going to get you out. The rescuer spoke to the feet,

ignoring the commentary. You're going to fail him, the voice said. I'm sure of that. Just like before. That was years ago, John. Jasper mumbled under his breath. You're just a memory. It wasn't my fault.

And why am I still here with you? chuckled the phantom voice softly before falling silent. Jasper knew it would return. It always did. be back as soon as I can, Ben. Just have to go call for some more help. Try as best as you can not to move around. You're likely to wedge yourself in even tighter.

Ben's foot waggled gently in what Jasper took as acknowledgement. Jasper carefully eased himself backwards through the cramped tunnel. One excruciatingly calculated movement after the next. The walls were far too narrow to turn around, and it would be nothing short of a catastrophe if he got himself trapped too. It took maybe five minutes for Jasper, an experienced cave explorer and rescue worker, to extricate himself back to the main cave from the branch Ben was in. Half a dozen late teen and early twenty-somethings waited for him there, four girls and two boys.

Did you find Ben, Mr. Grant? A girl who asked Jasper the question had large eyes, wet with barely unspent tears. Her hands clasped together in front of her, so hard that she was. they were white. Lizzie, thought she called herself. Jasper took off his helmet and poured out a handkerchief, wiping the sweat and dirt from his forehead.

Yeah, he's in there all right. Got himself stuck real good. I got a satellite phone in my truck to call for some more folks to help get him out. You, he pointed to one of the boys. What's your name? Greg, he stuttered. Well, Greg,

You can come and monitor the phone once I get set up. Rest you wait here, and for God's sake, don't go in that hole after him. Jasper grunted at the collection of heads nodding in affirmation, then began moving to the main cave's entrance, stepping carefully to avoid twisting an ankle. Greg followed closely. The entryway tunnel was tall enough for a grown man to stand in and sloped upward gently for several dozen meters before turning sharply.

The last ten feet or so a straight vertical ascent. Just a bit of light from the low-setting sun shone through the hole above him as Jasper climbed the rough metal rungs driven into the stone wall to assist Spelunkers with entry and exit. Leaving the cave and heading towards his truck, his eyes passed over the bright yellow sign posted next to the entrance. Danger, it warned, experienced cavers only. That you lot.

Jasper asked Greg. You experienced cavers? No, sir, the young man answered. His head hung sheepishly. Jasper's breath hissed through his teeth. Yeah, didn't think so. No lights or other gear clued me in on that real quick. You're lucky I was passing by. Don't typically come out here this time a day. Is my brother okay? A strong hint of anxiety had entered. with Greg's voice. Jasper lowered the tailgate of his pickup,

and began searching through boxes in the bed. "'Benz fine,' he replied, finding the small case he was looking for and unsnapping it. But that's a temporary situation of best. I imagine he's in quite a bit of pain, and, depending on how tired he's wedged, likely having some trouble breathing. That's a double if he starts to panic.

The real trouble now is he's stuck upside, down like that. Too long and the blood will start to pool and, hey, um, how long has he been stuck in there? I don't know. A couple of hours now, maybe. We thought he was playing a joke at first, but when we tried to pull him out, we couldn't. We tried calling 911, but no one could get a signal. Then we thought about going for help. We couldn't decide who should go, and we didn't want to leave him and, hey, look, take a breath, kid, I get it. Then I showed off. while you were standing around deliberating. I'm not surprised you couldn't get cell service.

We're a little more than 50 miles from the closest ranger station. That's where the tower is. That's why they gave me this sat phone and... Hmm. Jasper paused, looking up at an ominous collection of clouds that had seemingly gathered since he'd first gone to check on Ben. That ain't good. Mr. Grant?

Cloud color that thick means this. thing might not work either, he replied, consulting a small notepad in his pocket for the number the station had given him to call. Several minutes of static on the line confirmed Jasper's fear. Jasper shook his head. Oh, shoot. Okay, look, I hate to leave you all here, but I'm going to take my truck over to the ranger station and call for help. If Ben's only been in there a couple of hours, like you said, it'll be pretty uncomfortable for him, but he's going to be best to to have more professionals on site to make sure we can get him out. Shouldn't take me more than three hours to get a full-on rescue party out here.

Meantime, I'll leave you this phone to keep seeing if you can get through and... Damn it. Large raindrop had splashed the back of Jasper's hand as he'd been talking. He cast a wary eye up at the clouds. This just keeps getting more complicated. You familiar with the weather around here, Greg? No, not really. We're just visiting for spring break.

Well, don't rain often. When it does, it rains a whole bunch. Way Ben's situated upside down like he is. Any of you have a vehicle? I think you'd go try and make it to the station and get some more help. No, sir, we hiked out here. Just brought some water and energy bars. We didn't think we were going to be going cave in.

Just saw the sign and thought it'd be fun. "'Okay.' "'Just but pause for a moment, "'biting his lip as he considered the sun "'becoming more and more obscured by the clouds, "'sinking, feeling growing in his gut. "'I don't suppose if I gave one of you my truck "'that you'd be able to take it and then get back out here.

"'Oh, I don't think so, sir, but not in the dark.' "'Yeah, well, if something manages to go even worse, "'I'd hate not to have it. He sighed, and thought for another long moment before heavily arriving at the inevitable decision. Oh, Ragnas just up to us, then. Jasper returned to the truck bed, rummaging through boxes and selecting several large bundles of rope, a small mallet, a drill, carabiners, and several pulleys, piling the gear into Greg's arms. Mr. Grant? Greg's voice cracked slightly, his lower lip trembling.

You've done something like this before, right? You'll be able to get bent out? You're sure it'll be okay. Jasper hesitate. Well? The phantom voice spoke up. You're going to tell him the truth. The rescuer shook his head to clear it.

Oh yeah, kid, um, loads of times. Liar. Jasper stared straight ahead, his hand absently scratching a faded scar that ran the length of his cheek. "'Loads of times,' he repeated. "'His thoughts going back in time. "'It'll be okay, John.' Jasper spoke to the pair of feet in front of him as he pounded a pittin into the rock wall with small, precise taps.

"'It's all going to be okay.' "'You thought the trapman had said something. "'Certainly sounded like he was talking to someone anyway, "'but the dense earth made it difficult to hear.' "'Yeah, whatever you're saying, buddy, I can't hear you too well. I wasn't talking to you. John said, his voice a bit clearer.

Jasper had been working for the Utah Institutional Trustlands Administration for almost seven years and rescued more than ten cave climbers in every one of them. Despite that, he didn't think he'd ever seen anyone quite as stuck as John Edward Jones. The young man and a group of friends had decided the night before Thanksgiving to explore the famous Nutty Pottie Cave, And, despite having some experience, John had gotten trapped in a precarious position. The berth canal tunnel he'd been trying to find was narrow enough, but Ed's push, the one John had accidentally gone down, was even smaller.

At only about 10 inches wide and 18 inches high, the tunnel was so narrow, only one person could access John's feet at a time. The tight confines were further exacerbated by the fact that the tunnel bored almost straight down. any attempt to pull John out would be in almost direct opposition to gravity. After some quick deliberations, the rescue party had determined a series of ropes and pulleys would give the team the best chance of success. One of the most experienced rescuers to arrive, Jasper had volunteered to serve as the primary point man to rig the system.

Really? Jasper had thought to himself the first time he set his eyes on John. It looks like the rock came alive and swore. wanted him, sucked him down in a wild big gulp. By the time Jasper started installing the rescue equipment, John had already been stuck for about 20 hours. Jasper worked with a will, driving holes, driving the pittance into slowly selected positions and threading rope. Despite his efforts, the hard rock made the going slow. He'd been at it for several hours when he felt a hand to tap his foot. Yeah, he asked.

Unable to turn to see who was getting his attention. Reach your hand back, Jasper. See if you can get this walkie to where John can talk into it. His wife's here. She's six months pregnant. He wants to talk to her husband before we start to pull him out. Just in case, um... Well...

Thank you, Mark. Come on, man. Just let me work. I'm almost done. Two minutes, sir. The girl's pretty freaked out. Fine. Jasper sighed.

He managed to get his left arm back, hand to his side and could just feel the antenna of a small radio, where Mark pressed it into his palm. It took a bit of twisting, but Jasper was able to pull the radio up past his body, and he keyed the mic. Anyone there? Hello, John, baby, is that you? The concerned female voice came through from the other end. "'No, Mrs. Jones. "'This is Jasper Grant.

"'I'm with your husband. "'I understand you want to try and talk to him. "'But, well, I'd like to keep it short "'because we're pretty close to getting ready to pull him out. "'If everything goes the way it should, and it will, "'you'll be able to talk to him face to face in no time. "'All right, Mr. Grant, I'll be brief. "'Thank you.'

"'Jasper reached the radio forward and tapped John's foot. John, can you still hear me? I've got a radio here and someone who wants to talk to you. Who's that? John's voice was muffled through the rock. I've already got people talking to me. They don't want me to lead. Jasper shook his head in an exasperation.

That's just the blood pooling around your brain, John. Where you're wedged upside down, you know, it's got to work overtime to keep everything flowing right. That's why we've got to get you out of there, buddy. here, come on, say hi to your wife. He keyed the mic again. Emily? John asked.

Yeah, baby, I'm here. The young woman replied, the raw emotion in her voice noticeable even through the radio static. I love you, John said, his words taking on a sluggish quality. We love you too, and we'll see you real soon, okay?

She choked. Okay. Jasper could tell the man was fading, and he brought the radio back to his face. Mrs. Jones, I'm going to have to let you go, but I'll get your husband out to you real soon here. Thank you, Mr. Grant. Mark, you still there? Jasper called. Yeah, sure am.

Okay, head on back. I just want to check this rope around John's ankles one more time. then I think we're ready to get him out. Those pittance all secure? Jasper wrote his eyes. Come on, man. I've done stuff like this a dozen times in the last 18 months. They're set.

The kid's fading. We've got to move. All right, all right. I've got eight of us back here ready to pull. Hang on to the walkie. Give us the word when we're good to start. Okay, we all do. Jasper carefully check the knots.

he'd tied. Satisfied, he spoke to the trapped man again. I've got to head back a bit, John. So you have room to slide when they start pulling. But in a minute, you're going to be out. I'll be the first one, you see. Jasper thought he heard John say something, but couldn't tell what. You hang in there, buddy. Jasper edged himself back about ten feet to a slightly wider part of the tunnel. Okay, Mark, he spoke him to the radio. Let's go. In the light of his helmet beam, Jasper could see the rope passing through a caribbina near his face go torts as the other rescuers took out the slack and began to pull. He turned his attention to John's feet. John's scream was muffled, but Jasper could still make it out.

Hold on, Jasper yelled into the walkie-talkie. Stop pulling. What's going on, John? It hurts. John whimpered. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. I know, buddy, but we've got to get you out. You ready to go again? John made a soft sound of pain, but didn't say no.

Just a call back into the radio. Mark, go again. Nice and easy now. The rope went taut. John began to inch upward again with agonizing slowness. Oh, let go. John shrieked again. stop again jasper called into the radio john talk to me bud what's up they're holding me they don't want me to leave they want me to stay here

yeah look that's just voices in your head those voices john don't you listen to them a little more we'll have you out all right keep going mark the rope started to pull again and it must have been jasper's imagination but it seemed to as though John didn't immediately start moving as he had the previous two times. He finally did after a few seconds that dragged on for a subjective eternity, but the extrication was somehow even slower than before. Jasper could feel sweat pooling at the back of his neck, but whether from the exertion of installing the pulley system or adrenaline, he couldn't begin to say, almost there, buddy, almost there. Jasper spoke to himself as much as he did to John. At long last, John was pulled to where Jasper could see just past the length of his body to his head. Jasper grinned. How are you, kid? John's face was red and dirty, but smiling.

It sucks. I'm upside down. I can't believe I'm upside down. My legs are killing me. And then, more softly, I didn't think they'd let me leave. It's just a child. It's just a child. It's just just the blood in your head, John. Mark, go real easy now. You keep him coming. Jasper reached his hand out towards John's steadily approaching boot. I got you, buddy. He ters his fingers, the tips just brushing John's ankle.

And then, John stopped moving. A low sound of protest escaped his lips as Jasper fumbled to grasp the trapped man's foot. He saw the rope strain as the other end. rescuers poured from the tunnel entrance. But it was almost like something was striving against their efforts. Jasper watched as impossibly. John jerked an inch back down the tunnel. In the back of his mind he heard a metallic snap

and the sound of tearing silk. Something flashed by Jasper's face, breaking hard against his cheek as his head snapped back instinctively, bashing into the tunnel wall. despite his helmet everything went black when jasper woke up the tunnel was filled with dust

jasper jasper what the hell happened he heard mark calling through the radio he shook his head i don't know we just about had him out he was

the dust began to clear as jasper shone his light down the tunnel only to reveal John's feet back where they'd started or possibly even a little deeper than before. He was almost out. Mr. Grant? Greg's voice shook Jasper out of his reverie. Oh, yeah, kid.

Loose of times. Now, come on, let's get back. Together the two made their way back to the cave, carrying the equipment. They carefully lowered it down to the makeshift ladder before finally getting it to the main cavern. All told, Chasper figured they'd been gone only maybe 15 or 20 minutes, but they'd already lost all but the barest last bit of sunlight, and the rain had started steadily to pick up. His helmet light revealed Lizzie and the others waiting for them,

clumped together in a miserable-looking huddle. Yeah, everything all right, kids. Lizzie's eyes were wide as she approached him. I think something's wrong with Ben, Mr. Grant. We tried calling to him, but he didn't say anything back. Ah, no, he's far enough down. He probably just can't hear you, darling. Don't worry, we'll get him out.

Jasper smiled at her. It might just take a little while. Jasper began by selecting a solid anchor point in the main cavern. He bought out a hole with a battery-powered drill, and he used the hammer to pound in a long piton. I'm going to head down in there and rig a pulleys system with a bunch of anger points. Once I get it all set up, I'll have to stay in there to monitor things, and it'll be on you lot to actually pull him out. Now, you think you can handle that?

Yes, sir, Greg nodded, a look of determination on his face. Great. Now, this rock looks like it's pretty hard. It might take a while for me to get everything all set. You'll do your best to stay warm and be ready to go when I tell you, okay? The group nodded collectively. All right then. With a sigh, Jasper eyed the hole where he figured he'd be spending the foreseeable future. No time like the present.

At the back of his mind, the phantom voice chuckled softly. Jasper sat in a threadbare easy chair in the living room of his dingy apartment. He hadn't shaved in days and wore nothing under the dirty pink bathrobe wrapped around his thin. frame. He had a half-empty bottle of bourbon in one hand and a yellowed newspaper clipping in the

other. His right cheek was heavily bandaged from where the flying caribbina had split it open. The phone on the small table to his right rang shrilly. And he deliberated a moment between the items he held before setting the clipping down to remove the receiver from its cradle. Hello? Jasper asked into the phone before taking a swig of bourbon. Jasper That you It's Mark Jasper blanched through his drunken haze

Though from fear or rage He wasn't quite sure What fuck do you want Look man I'm not calling to fight Just wanted to check on you Make sure you're okay Well

I'm not Kids dead His wife's Wasn't your fault Jasper stared down at the bottle. I rigged the system. I rigged it, and it broke. That's true, but it was the rock, not the system.

I picked their fucking rock mark, Jasper shouted into the phone. Silence from the other end. It wasn't your fault, Mark repeated. There's nothing you could have done. Thought you'd want to know they've been. decided to close Nuddy Puddy Cave, put a cement cap on the end to make sure nobody else goes in. Yeah.

Making a fish John out first. Uh, no, they, um, the board's decided it's too dangerous. Goodbye, Mark. Jasper sneered. Don't call again. He hung the phone up and just sat there for a moment. Abruptly an ugly feeling clamping his chest, Jasper hurled the bourbon bottle against the far wall where it shattered into a hundred pieces to the floor,

the amber liquid staining in the light carpet. You know it was your fault, right? John asked from where he stood in the shadowy corner. Jasper nodded miserably. Now they're just going to leave me in that gone-forsaken cave. That's your fault, too. Jasper slid from the chair onto the floor, wrapped in the fetal position.

His tears came hard and sudden, and didn't stop until long after he'd fallen asleep. Jasper used his forearm to wipe the sweat from his eyes. He double-checked to ensure the piton was properly seated before turning his attention back to where Ben's feet still protruded. His stomach was wet from a steady stream of water that had begun running past him down the tunnel towards the trapped boy. Yeah, how you doing down there, Ben?

The boy's foot moved gently. Okay, now, we're almost. good here. Just have to get the rope situated, then one last check and we'd be pulling you out. Jasper looped the rope around the boy's ankles, tying no slip knots the way he had

thousands of times before. The truth is, he could do this with his eyes closed and his hands behind his back. But he never took anything for granted. Not anymore. All right, buddy. Now, I'm going to give your friend some instructions, and then

I'll be back to make sure you get out nice and smooth, okay. He doesn't want me to leave. Ben's voice was muffled in reply. Those voices are just the blood stuck pulling in your head, kid. It's, um... Wait,

he? Jasper asked, perplexed. He says his name is John. I think you should take the job. All these memories of the pain and your imagined sins. I think this will help you get over him. Dr. Fiegel said,

from behind her desk. Jasper turned his head from where he lay on the therapist's couch. I don't know, Doc. I just... I don't know if I'm ready. Jasper, you've been coming to see me for the better part of ten years, ever since your friend Mark bodily dragged you out of your apartment. This is just a roving park job.

It's not rescue work, per se. Almost the opposite. You'll be doing preventative action, Keep an idiot tourist away from dangerous sides. Okay. But what if I find one that's stuck? Well, then you call for help. You call for help, and that help will get them out.

You'll be a hero. You'll finally be how to put these ghosts to rest. Just one ghost, Doc. It's only John that talks to me. Jasper, we've gone over this and over this. It isn't John. John is dead. Ghost aren't actually real.

That's just a figure of speech, a metaphor. Any voice you hear is just your guilty conscience, which, as we've also discussed, is completely unnecessary. Now, by unanimous perspective, nothing that happened in Nuddy Puddy Cave was your fault. Everyone's faith in you is fully restored, except perhaps your own. Do this for a little while,

and maybe you'll even convince yourself. All right, Doc. Jasper nodded. I know. it wasn't my fault. Liar! John whispered in his ear. Jasper was in position, gave two tugs on the rope,

the signal he'd given to Greg, Lizzie, and the others. Okay, here we go, Ben. Nice and easy. He caught down to the trap-boy. The rope went taut and began sliding through the system of caribiners back towards the cave entrance. The knots tightened around, his ankles and Ben's feet slowly, agonizingly, inched closer to where Jasper lay, waged uncomfortably,

ready to grab hold as soon as the boy got close enough. Here we go, buddy. Almost there. He doesn't want me to go, Ben whined. He's not real, kid. That's just the blood in your head. Jasper choked. Not real, the phantom voice chuckled.

Such a liar. We're going to get you out. It's going to be okay. It's not my fault. Is anything you say not a lie? The rope slid and the boy inched closer. It hurts, Ben gasped. He's holding me. He doesn't want me to go. It's just the blood. Jasper breathed. Closer and closer Ben's foot came, Jasper stretched out his hand to the utmost clutching straining to grab onto the boy's ankle. Just the blood.

The tunnel widened just enough that Jasper could glimpse Ben's face past his body. His eyes were closed in a rictus of pain, arms stretched over his head, his shirt soaked in rainwater almost to the shoulders. Just beyond the boy, grasping his outstretched arms, Jasper could barely make out another figure. one he recognized. John's face was red and dirty, but smiling. Ben's eyes snapped open, rolling in fear.

He won't let me go, he whispered. The boy jerked abruptly downward, and Jasper heard a metallic snap followed by the sound of tearing silk. Something flew by his face, and the tunnel was filled with dust despite the water. Jasper coughed. Jasper coughed, choking, unable to see anything.

Mr. Grant? He heard someone calling frantically from the main cave. Mr. Grant, something happened to the rope. Greg, he thought to himself. Is everything all right, Mr. Grant? Someone else called. Is Ben all right? Or is he?

Jasper thought. As the dust cleared, he looked back down the tunnel towards where Ben had disappeared. All Jasper could see of the boy by the narrow beam of his helmet light was a pair of low-cut boots and maybe two inches of ankle. Then? Gasper asked the protruding feet. He felt a thrill of fear at how very still the young man was. Gasper spent several long moments mentally willing a response. And then several more.

Red in the Wolves, Part 1. I searched the crowd coming onto the train like a predator, which is a flock of sheep, milling about in the field. I watched for who was aware and who wasn't. Who was looking around, and who had their head down. I was looking for what separated the wolves from the sheep, or in this case, the sheepdog amongst the sheep. I saw him bundle in with a herd of people onto the pack subway car,

his head up and scanning, choosing to stand rather than sit his back to the corner he was prior military or law enforcement i could tell by the way he stood and the look in his eyes he also had an aura of violence about him being in my line of work it does you good to smell the violence on a man before you get close he spotted me as i spotted him because we were both doing the same thing people watching albeit i was doing it for different reasons I gave him a smile, just flirtatious enough with a hint of sadness. I knew how to attract men. It was my job, anyways. I knew how to be just mysterious enough to bait the hook for a man like him.

Men like him love are damsel in distress. Now I would sit and let him stew with the idea of me on his mind. We had three stops until I needed to get off, and I needed to know if he was in for the long haul. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I looked to see it was a text from a block number. It said, At 2,200, the quarry has entered the designated hunting grounds. The game is afoot.

Eleven hours, 59 minutes remaining. I frowned when I saw I was lumped into a group chat with four other numbers. One said, Enjoy your last train ride, bitch. I already knew who it was before I even read. the signature, Mitya. So that meant the other three numbers were his packmates.

The packmaster, Alexi, was one of the numbers. They were already in the area. I had to move fast. I pulled the red scarf tighter around my neck. I lowered my head to smell the scent of my sister's perfume. I needed a reminder for why I was doing this.

Of course I couldn't take off the scarf. I was instructed to wear it for the whole time of the trial, or I'd automatically forfeit and lose. It was the same perfume my sister always wore that they were using to hunt me down. After two more stops, the train was almost empty. It was literally just me, the man, and an older couple at the other end of the car. I had to do this now. I walked up to him.

He was already watching me in the reflection of the window, while he pretended to be looking down at his phone. I got a couple of steps away. He looked up and gave me a plight, questioning stare. I don't usually do this, but... I ran my hand through my hair nervously, putting a little tremble in my voice for good measure. I leaned in close to break out the doe eyes.

You wouldn't happen to be a cop, would you? Or do you know any cops? His eyes widened, and he looked me over. I had everything where he could see it and put two and two together. He looked at the large purple bruise on my wrist as I played nervously with my hair. I was leaned in enough for him to see the makeup hiding my black eye, and the top button of my blouse was undone so I could keep his attention. He put the clues together, or at least the clues I wanted him to.

He asked in a low voice, were you in any danger, ma'am? Jackpot, I knew it. He was a cop or former cop. He jumped right into action, took the bait nicely. I poured the scarf up in an attempt to cover my face and looked around the car nervously. Can you talk with me over here? I said, nodding in the direction of the cramped area between the cars.

He nodded back in agreement, and we crept into the small, dark compartment. Once the door was firmly shut behind us, I let the silence hang in the air for good effect. We both stood close to each other and swayed lightly back and forth with the motion of the speeding train. Light strobe softly through the windows, and I could hear his breathing. I wondered if he was close enough to smell my sister's perfume. He waited patiently for me to continue.

I'm in trouble, I said softly. "'I don't know who to go to for help. "'I can't go directly to the cops, "'but I need someone like them to keep me safe.' "'Just tell me what happened, Miss,' "'the man said in a gentle voice. "'It was a practice, patience, "'of a man who does this for a living.'

"'I'm in trouble,' I said. "'I'm on the run from some men I used to work for, "'but there is a place in the city where it can go to be safe, "'to be free.' "'The man nodded slowly in understanding. I saw his hand subconsciously touch the left side of his jacket. He probably had a gun in there when I was feeling it for comfort. I have to get there within the next couple of hours.

If I don't hurry, they'll kill me. Please. I open the latch on my purse to show him stacks of money held together with rubber bands. I can pay you. I have 30,000. His eyes widened at this, and he finally spoke. First off, answer my questions truthfully. this man is he your pimp and this money did you steal it from him yes i said he is my pimp he and his crew forced me at a young age to work for them

and no this is money i've saved up over the years to escape well he'll say it's his money but it's my body that earned it a little anger entered my voice at this i seemed to impress the man i was glad i didn't have to completely lie to him about everything. Where do you have to go? He asked. Not far. I have to meet up with a contact to tell me the location of the safe house.

The contact's at the next stop. How many men does your boss have? He counted quickly. Four, including him, I answered. You consider this for a while. I could see him weighing the situation in his mind.

Finally, he answered. Four isn't bad. I escorted you to your contact for half the money And if I want to bail after that I bail If it's not completely fucked I'll take you all the way I couldn't help but smile

He was confident and pragmatic That was a good sign But he believed Mikhail in the pack were only humans And he was sorely wrong Deal I say Are you a cop He gave a half smile.

I'm a military police officer, just back home for a couple of days for my father's funeral. It was yesterday. I'm shipping back out in a couple of days. Boy, could I pick him, military training and a cop. We're coming up on the stop now. I needed him to be a little more wary of the job he'd agreed to. Him being too confident would get us both killed.

The pack would be on our train. soon. The doors opened up onto the platform. I told my new hired man we needed to find Dmitri's circle. He walked up to a giant map plastered on the subway wall. Anyone else would have used a phone, but he said he didn't need his phone. I was now starting to doubt my decision with the boomer trace he was showing. I saw a group of men walking towards us while he was distracted with the map. He did throw a glance at them, must have seen them as a non-threatment. He did throw a glance at them, must have seen them as a non-threat. They were just punky teens acting tough, but I had put him on his toes. There were three of them, the tallest one leading in friends. He was one of those obnoxious people

who talk with their hands. As he came close to me, he was waving his hands around, describing some dumb thing he and his friends had done last night. I looked the handle of the purse around his arm and screamed as I grabbed onto him. Let go, asshole! I screamed at him. My hand slipped to my stun gun in my coat pocket, and I gave him a jolt to the stomach. He gurgled and dropped to the ground like his clothes weighed a thousand pounds. The other two reacted in anger, as expected.

Chika, blot! And you whore! came from their lips. Well, they weren't wrong. My bodyguard spun around and intercepted the two as they gave chase to me. He collided hard with one of them. "'A knee to the groin at full charge was enough to drop the punk into a whimpering mess. "'The last one turned to swing on the bodyguard. "'The bodyguard stepped under the punch to execute a perfectly timed counter-attack.

"'The right hook not the kid smoothed out. "'I stood in amazement. "'I had originally planned to use my higher guard as a sacrifice to slow down Mikhail in the pack, "'but maybe we had a chance. "'Maybe we would both make it. But there I was being stupid again. Well, I thought I killed foolish thoughts like naive hope a long time ago. The tall man I'd tased was beginning to sit up.

I saw the flash of a silver handgun being pulled out from the back of his pants. Oh, God, this wannabe gangster actually had a gun. Well, this was getting out of hand. I didn't want the idiot to get shot. The bodyguard pulled out his own gun much faster and pointed it down at the thug. "'Don't do it, punk,' the bodyguard yelled. "'I saw the fag hesitate. "'Gun still pointed downwards by his side.

"'But I could see the look of defiance on his young face, "'and I could see the cold gaze of violence in my bodyguards. "'It was a pissing contest that would end in death. "'I reached back into my deep coat pockets "'and pulled out my pepper spray. "'Yep, I had more utilities than Batman. "'I aimed high and let loose with an arc of the, the burning liquid. The stream hit the thug square in the face, and he scratched his face in pain.

Leave him, I said, as I reached over to pull my bodyguard's arm down. He stared, surprised at the now squirming and screaming thug on the ground. We hurried to the long set of stairs leading up out at the subway. In our long climb up, I heard my phone vibrate again. I looked down at it in my hand. I smell a man with her, the trace of gunpowder and gun oil on him, cup maybe, she has pepper spray and she's head and sound. It was from a number I didn't recognize in the same group chance, but I knew it was another pack member. As we crested the stairs into the snowy night streets, I turned to look back down into the subway at the bottom of the stairs. There he was, walking up with his hands in his pockets.

When he tilted his head up to follow us, the fluorescent lights in the subway reflected off them to make them flash green and gold. The corner of his lip curled up in a snarl. I didn't know him personally, but I recognised him from the brothel and knew his name. He was short with a stocky frame, corded muscles bulging in his neck.

His black hair slicked back, matching his nicely cut goatee. He moved with an eerie weightless grace as he began stalking his way up the stairs. He removed his hands from his pockets, and I could see the claws beginning to form. You smell pepper spray, Ivan? It's bear mace. I yelled at him loudly. My bodyguard turned to see the approaching man. I let loose with a continued stream of mace, my arm working in a circular motion, dousing the steps with the face burning liquid.

Ivan was a good twenty feet out of the range of the arcing stream of mace, but he was also downwind. He let out an audible growl before he sneezed and started shaking his head. His eyes and nose already leaking like forces, mucus slinging everywhere. Damn, talk about a bad reaction, the bodyguard said. We were both at the top now, staring. Ivan was in the throes of pain, between the blur of his furious head-shaking. I could see his transformation coming further along. His goatee was now a beard,

the texture of his hair took on a dark fur-like quality. His arms had gotten longer, and the bones at the end of his fingers were jutting out of the skin into sharpened points. I could see his own blood dripping from his hands, the white tips of the bone claws stabbing through his skin. My bodyguard was frozen in amazement at the horrid sight before him.

I believe this was the moment he'd really, Regreted taking this job. I had to grab him by the arm to pull him away. Dmitri Circle, it should be around here, I told him as we ran down the snow-covered street. My informant will be in room 432 at the Fountainwood Apartments. It was a bodyguard that spotted the apartment shortly after. It was a run-down square brick building, rising high into the sky. It was dotted with many windows, most broken.

The locked security door was also broken, and we just led ourselves into the convent. The room was tumultuous, with loud tenants and thin walls. Trash left to stink up the hallways, leaking ceilings and broken hallway lights. I'd lived in places like this before. On the fourth floor, at the end of a long, dark hallway, we found 432. The bodyguard checked the stairwell entrance at the other end of the hall to find it chained shut. If the pack found us, they could only come in from one direction. You need me to come inside with you, he asked as I began knocking on the door.

Already we could smell the strong scent of marijuana emitting through the door. No, I'll be fine. Be look at while I deal with whoever's inside, I reassured him. The door opened a crack, and I almost caught a second-hand high from the smell wafting out of the apartment. I saw a pretty female face peeking at me with a deadpan expression. Oh, it's you, came a droning voice from behind the door. I'm surprised you even made it. Well, we're sitting ducks out here, lady?

I told her in frustration. Oh, yeah, replied the bored voice. Only you can come in. Your friend has a cop face. I have rules against showing any kindness to cops. She droned on, her eye flicking to my bodyguard. Sure thing, lady. my bodyguard said over his shoulder, looking agitated,

Rules or rules. The door closed, and I heard the chain bolt sliding free. It opened again just enough for me to slip inside. It was like I'd walked into a hippie's dreamland. The room was decorated with black lights, glowing posters and illicit vegetation, planted under heat lamps in the living room and kitchen. I scanned the small apartments.

Only the girl and a stoner do to sleep on the couch. The sleeping stoner must have been a guard because there was a sword-off shotgun wedged underneath a sofa for him to reach for. I guess I wasn't considered enough of a threat to wake him up. You have three choices for a safe house, the woman explained. You had a choice of three different stops on the train, which each led to their own specific informant. Each informant has the location to three different safehouses,

and they should keep the hunters from knowing, where you're going and cheating by just killing you when you get close to the safe house. That's like, the woman looked up and counted in her head, nine different safe houses you could have picked. They know I'm here, so that narrows it back down to three safe houses I can possibly pick. I said impatiently. The stoner girl looked like she didn't understand. She flopped open a paper map to show me.

There was a red circle around Fountain Woods, where we were, and three more dark circles around three locations spread out on the map. The circles on all of these said, Grandma's house. I'm so glad she thought this was funny. I looked at all three locations and decided on the closest one at a construction site. Why be fancy? Just make a mad rush straight up the middle.

I made a mental note, nodded to her, and turned back to the door. I felt the woman staring at me like she was waiting for something. "'I'm ready to go, so like, bye,' I said to her. "'Oh, no, you got to tell me which location you picked,' she blurted. "'Screw you. No, I don't,' I said back. "'I didn't trust this idiot not to sell me out to the first wolf who came knocking. "'Yes, you do. I have to call and set it up,' she said as she pulled out her phone. "'If they don't get my call, they won't be there.'

I stared at her for a while, pissed. Whatever, put it on speakerphone so I can hear who it is, I demanded. Fine, said the woman, hitting speed dial on the phone. Where are you going? I waited until the phone was answered, and an unfamiliar man's voice spoke up. The idiot lady looked at me to tell her where I was going. The construction side of Wicker Street, I answered. extraction team will be on route you have eleven hours left to get there good luck the voice finished

and hung up i didn't like it but i had no choice i still expected whoever was on the phone to send an immediate message to the hunting pack but maybe it was a good thing maybe it was a security protocol to keep the pack from paying off the teams at the safe houses to tell them where i was going hopefully they were as confused as I was to keep the hunt fair I can leave now red the woman said at first I didn't catch the reference because I was a brunette tired and in a hurry but it hit me a second later she thought this was funny maybe even amused her to know I could be in the last hours of my life I gave her a cold stare and that's when I noticed a small tattoo on her neck

I didn't have to lean in too close to already know what it was. It was the burning moon. It was a brand of ownership. It was Mikhail's brand. A tattoo he only gave to his personal favourites. She must have been a prostitute at some point like me. She was prettier than most. He gave her this sweet little spot dealing for him.

She was kept in an apartment all for himself. "'Hey, how about I sweeten the pot a little?' I said with a disarming smile. I popped open my handbag, and her greedy eyes saw the cash within. How about I'd tip you for your services, you know, just to keep things between us girls. I'm thinking, one thousand for a secret like this,' she said she stepped in close to glare down at the money, my hand rummaging around inside. of course us ladies need to work together to stay ahead of the wolves i said cheerfully they feed upon us and victimize us like sheep i continued as i finally found what i needed but you know i paused for

dramatic effect she looked up from the money and into my eyes sometimes we're the most dangerous wolf of all and shot out of my purse and jammed a long, metal fingernail filer into her neck. My other hand covered her mouth, and I forced it to the wall. Her eyes bulged as I muffled her scream. She bled out within seconds as I lowered her to the floor, blood pouring down one side of her like a leaky faucet. She wouldn't be running back to tell her master like a good pet now. I wiped off her blood on her clothes and slipped back out into the hallway.

The stoner asleep on the couch, still happily dreaming. Back in the hallway, my bodyguard didn't even turn to acknowledge me. He was focused on something at the far end of the hall. I quickly saw what it was. Ivan had found us, and he looked pissed. Ivan no longer looked human. The only reason we knew it was him was because this monster wore the same tattered clothes as Ivan. Now he was completely in his best form.

His snout and face covered with fur, shining golden eyes, muscles ripping through his clothes, bone claws long and curved. What sort of gun are you packing? I asked, with fear in my voice. It's Sean, by the way, he answered. Sean of Charca. I thought you should know the name of the guy you're getting killed. Well, as for my gun, it's nowhere near big enough.

Talking was over as Sean leveled his pistol as the wolf began charging us. I flattened myself against the apartment's door as Sean led out two quick shots. Ivan staggered as part of his head combusted into red mist, but he didn't drop him. He skidded off the hallway wall and continued running towards us, leaving a blood trail in his wake. The wolf was close now. He hooked his claws into the thin walls and began pulling himself up to run alongside of it. Sean panicked and fired two more shots. The first one missed.

The second a shoulder graze. When Ivan's forward momentum got him to the ceiling, he kicked off with all four limbs to shoot like an upside-down missile straight towards Sean. I opened the door to fall back into the apartment at the last instant. I saw Sean duck as the beast sawed over him, Sean screamed out in pain. More gunshots went off in the hallway, mixed with screams and growls. I kicked the doorway back closed.

I flipped around on my stomach to stare at the couch. I had to get that shotgun. I scrambled past the dead woman's body to snatch it up. As I stood up, the stoner was finally awake and grabbed at me in panic. I hit him in the nose with the butt of the shotgun to put him back into his slumber. As I return my attention to the door, Sean and the wolf came bursting through. Sean crashed to the ground with the wolf on top of him, taking a huge bite out of Sean's left arm. He was covered with blood, and I noticed Ivan's legs and right arm were human again.

I figured Ivan was dying from the gunshots to the head, but wasn't going to die soon enough for Sean to survive. As the wolf shook Sean back and forth like a rag doll, I steadily apprehend. approached them and put the two barrels of the shoddy inches away from Ivan's exposed brain. With a thunderous boom, the wolf's head exploded all across the side wall. Sean frantically kicked the headless body off and scrambled away, part of the wolf snout still attached to his arm, now quickly transforming back into human teeth. I dropped to my knees and let out a sigh of relief.

Sean backed up against a wall and just stared at the ground, gory mess. Oh, I quit, lady, he finally said. No, I replied. You have to finish this now. You killed an honoured pack member. The only way you stay alive is if you leave with me. But you killed him, he replied. Semantics, I scoffed. We both killed him. Besides, I'll just lie and said you did the whole thing. So, um, we're in this together. You are a bitch, he replied flatly. Yeah, I know, I replied back.

Part two. Ivan was dead. His brain splattered all over the apartment walls. This was a death sentence for the both of us. Sean had to duct tape up his bleeding arms with the tape from the apartment's kitchen. and it stopped the bleeding but wouldn't be enough i hurried shone down the hallway we had to get out of this apartment before the rest of the pack smelled the blood stop it stop this right now shone yelled at me as he pulled me to the side who stood in the building's dingy stairwell you tell me what i'm really up against you tell me what's trying to kill both of us shone yelled at me his voice echoing down the stairwell his eyes were were a fury and his jaw was clenched. I almost felt sorry for what I'd done to him. They're werewolves,

I said with trepidation. Yeah, no shit. I figured that little piece out. He told me, eyes bulging. Why are they trying to kill you? Why they're trying to kill us? He demanded. It's a trial, it's a game, right of passage for young wolves to join the pack, I answered back. They hunt an innocent virgin over one night. The youngest wolf leads the pack, and he must make the kill to be fully initiated. And Sean did what I knew would come next. He looked me over and made a pf sound. You're no virgin, Missy, he said rudely. I'm taking my sister's place, I shouted back. I'm taking her place so she doesn't get killed. But we do. We get to be sacrificed for your pure. Pure virginal sister, Sean sneered.

No, I counted. We get to the safe house and we end the game. Mikhail loses and he's ejected from the pack. Mikhail? Sean asked. Is he the big bad wolf leading these assholes? No, he's the pup, the youngest of the group. Tonight's his ritual, his initiation to the pack.

Alexi's the packmaster. Alexi's allowing Mikhail to... lead the pack for only one night. Michael is twelve hours to find and kill me. Sean looked at his watch. How far is the safe house? The Wicker construction site of town over, so two hours by car,

four by public transportation, and I'm not even considering walking, I said. Sean was silent for a minute. You chose the closest safe house, didn't you? Even though it was the most obvious and the most dangerous. didn't you?

Yes, I began to reply. I've known you for an hour, Sean interrupted, and I've guessed your decision. I'm pretty sure Mikhail knows you were a little better than me. You're predictable, hot-headed, stubborn. He'll know where you're going, and what path you're taking. He knows you'll take the fastest route. So, well, now our only chance for survival is speed.

run the ball right up the middle before they close in on us he finished those were my thoughts exactly i guess i was predictable once again i grabbed him by the arm and we ran down the stairwell and into the snowy street the sword-off shoddy halfway hidden tucked under my arm and light jacket when we made it out onto the street i noticed how empty it was it was cold the temperature was dropping and it was past midnight in the middle of the ghetto finding a cab would be difficult. Once again, Sean stole the idea from my head. We have to steal a car. We began running along the curb, shopping around the snow-covered cars. A wolf's howl tore through the night air with its eerie tone. It echoed off the buildings, making it hard to pinpoint. Sean and I looked at each other.

This was definitely not a sound you should hear in the city. Another howl answered it from further up the street, this one much closer. I checked my phone and I wasn't surprised to find new messages. Ivan is dead, girl out in the open, funnel her towards Mikhail so he can take the kill. The man is mine, it said. I figured this was Alexei talking to the other unnamed wolf in the pack. This meant Mikhail wasn't one of the two wolves homing in on us. We still had time.

I showed Sean my phone screen and his eyes widened. Come on, he said, this time grabbing me by the arm and pulling me off the streets towards a run-down building. He pulled me up to a door with a thick chain and padlock. He swiped the shotgun away from me and levelled it at the lock. More time to go car shopping. We need to get off the street. Stop, I told him as I pushed the shotgun away from the lock. I can pick the lock. the blast will just bring them faster.

And so I began picking the lock with one of the gadgets from my purse. I thought a lot of scenarios about how tonight would play out, and a lot require breaking into lock buildings. I popped the padlock and went to remove it. Sean put his hand over mine. He was now hovering over me, no longer facing the street. Not yet. Don't open it yet. He whispered in my ear.

I continued messing with the chain. and padlock. I could feel the tension emitting from Sean's posture. I listened and kept my head down as Sean shielded me. I could just barely make out footsteps approaching. Now, he yelled as he spun around and fired off one barrel into the street. I heard the shattering glass, the hiss of air from a tire and a deep growl. I hurriedly pulled the chain from the door and swung the door open. I look back to see the shotgun-ridden car across the street. Its window shattered, and it was leaning to the side from loss of air in a front tire. Snow slid off its hood and roof. A figure bounded over the hood and sprinted towards us. Sean sighted it and fired. The creature jumped to the cover of another

vehicle on our side of the street, just a split second before the shotgun blasted its remaining shell. The wolf made it behind the vehicle just in time. The peblets of the shockers of the shotguns shotgun peppered the new vehicle our attacker was hiding behind. The car being honking and flashing its brights, letting off a shrill alarm. I saw the figure retreat from the high-pitched alarm. The figure was lean and gangly, its face covered with fur and its eyes reflecting from the overhead streetlights. It wore a dark blue track suit which already showed damp spots of blood from being hit by the shotgun spread. The wall skittered into the shadows along the buildings, only its gold eyes reflecting

back at us. It was making sure to stay out of the way of the shotgun's daily range. Sean popped the shotgun open and ejected the shelves. He pantomime placing two new ones in and snap the shotgun back to ready. We were out of ammo and this bluff would only work for so long. Stay back, he shouted at the wolf. Not how you speak to another person, but how you do when trying to scare away a wild dog. I'll blow you apart if you follow you. us. We both backed into the darkened building, some sort of abandoned emergency clinic or medical office. I brought the chain with me so we could loop and paddle up the chain from the other side. As I looped the chain, I could hear low growling from the other side as the wolf patiently pursued

us, waiting just on the other side. We were left in pitch black and had to navigate the hallways with a flashlight on my phone. Then we busted through a door into a back, and we busted through a door into a back alleyway. Sean ran across the alley to kick in a door to another business. This was some sort of grocery store, and we happened to surprise a large family living in the back rooms. They were very surprised to see a woman and a bloodied man

with a shotgun come barreling into their living corridors. It must have been a community of families squatting illegally in the building, because I counted twelve people in total, stuffed into the small room. Five of them were kids. All of them were crammed together with mattresses on the ground, and a thin clothesline, running down the center of the room, its only barrier. One young man sighed shone up and decided to jump towards a nearby lampstand, grabbing for

something. Sean, quick reflexed as ever, intercepted the man and rammed him into the wall. Sean quickly opened the drawer of the lampstand to reveal a small handgun. Sean snatched it up and pointed the empty shotgun at them one-handedly. They were all screaming while Sean screamed back at them to calm down. The chaos went on for a moment, until I finally cut in. "'Line them up against the wall,' I commanded Sean. "'What? No, you're crazy,' he asked back in disbelief. "'Oh, my God, Sean, just line them up against the wall.

"'I'm not going to execute them like a war criminal.' I fussed back at him. He issued gruff orders and waved his gun at them. They formed a ragged line against the wall, the old ones hiding the children between them. I reached into my purse for my last trick and pulled out a small bottle of perfume. I began running down the line, spraying them like an over-aggressive beauty attendant at the mall.

The small room filled up quickly with its strong but beautiful scent. My sister had been forced to wear this perfume ever since we were taken. The wolves had deemed her and a couple of other girls as special and set them apart from the rest of us. The rest of us were forced to make money for the wolves. prostitution, drug dealing, stealing. That was our school of hard knocks. For my sister, she and her group of girls were pampered and educated and taught to be obedient.

My sister was set in a special subclass, separated from the rest of us. She was kept pampered and untainted for the pleasure of the royal werewolf members. Young wolves can either pick an untainted girl to breed with and continue the bloodline or pick to hunt. and slaughter during initiation. Why do the hunting girls have to be pure? I don't know. Some chauvinistic ancient ritual. Something the Neuri people did back hundreds of years ago.

It's always been a rite of passage for wolves becoming four members. Me and my sister, Anika, are twins. Well, I'm the oldest. I was originally selected to have the life of the pampered plaything for the wolves to use. when I realized what my life would be and what awaited Anika, I switched places back with her the first night. She was my little sister. She was too kind and too pure to live the life I was forced into.

I had to protect her. It's what her mother would have wanted. The perfume was specifically used on my sister and her group of girls by the strict madame that run the house she stayed at. It was a scent only used for the untainted girls. I was made to wear her scarf so the wolves could track the unique scent of the perfume. The madame kept the perfume locked up in a room. Sometime later in the coming morning, the wolves would find a dead madame, with her perfume missing.

The perfume I'd stolen was the same perfume I was dousing the poor family with now. Well, hopefully, it would throw the wolves off the scent. Once I covered all of the family sufficiently, I told them to go. Those poor people just stared at me and didn't move, and too terrified. I looked to Sean so he could convince them to leave. He pointed his gun in the air and fired off a shot from the pistol. Go, run. The family then stormed out of the room, going in every direction.

Let's go, Sean said. Your little centric won't matter if they lay eyes on us. We exited out of the front of the building. We seemed to be in the clear. We heard a howl further away from us, in the direction of some of the fleeing family. We turned the corner of the street to be lit up by red and blue lights. We were face to face with a cop car. The spotlight hit us, and we heard the doors open on either side.

Hands up, drop the guns, came a command from the driver's side. We did as he commanded, as we were both being blinded by the spotlight. I heard the clatter of Sean's guns, the asphalt. I saw one of the cops approaching us from the passenger side. Turn around. Don't face me, he screamed. We both did, now facing out into the darkness of the street. Shit, I stated, as I saw a wolf creature in the distance, twice as big as the others. It was Alexey, his glowing eyes approaching. He was carrying something large and cylindrical in his hands. Sean duck just in time as a manhole cover came spinning towards him like a frisbee from out of the

darkness. I heard a sickening thud and the crashing of the police car's windshield. I spun around to see the manhole cover embedded in the windshield and blood everywhere. I looked down to see the body of the cop that was approaching us. His head smashed backwards, his mouth ripped open and gushing blood. The cop on the driver's side was pulled into the darkness from behind. Gunshots and growls followed. The time for running had stopped. I soon knew the entire pack had arrived, and Mikhail was going to take his kill. Part three, we stood with her hands up facing the giant wolf approaching us. This one stood at least seven foot tall and was still hunched over and had to be over 300 pounds. He wore no tattered clothes. His body was completely engulfed in jet black fur

with stripes of white around his eyes and ears. His left eye gold and his right eye reflecting green back at us. Behind us we could hear the growling and screaming of the cop fighting the wolf that grabbed him from behind. More gunshots rang out and I hope the poor cop was able to wound his monstrous attacker before he was killed. Sean Lee to, over to me and whispered. The sirens in the cop car. I was vaguely aware of what he meant. I knew the car alarm earlier hurt their eardrums,

but how was I supposed to get to the car, surrounded by both of them? Now, he shouted. I was really starting to get pissed off. How was I supposed to know what to do every time he yelled something and started shooting? And shooting he did. He quick drew the pistol he'd stolen

and fired off a continuous stream at the big black wolf. I spun to make a mad dash to the driver's seat with his door open. I jumped into the cramped seat and looked down at all the buttons mounted in the middle panel. At first, my panic made it impossible to comprehend what any of it meant. I was shaken back into reality as Sean's body was slammed down onto the windshield next to the embedded manhole cover. The force of the impact made him crush the glass inward like a crack shell on an egg. Finally, my brain kicked into gear, and I saw a switch labelled siren with three settings. I cranked that bad boy all the way up, and the car lit up like a Christmas tree.

The takedown lights came on, flooding light in all directions. The red and blue lights flash vigorously, and the siren belted out its ear-splitting tune. All that extra light exposed Alexei towering right in front of the car. I could see his gigantic frame through the smash windshield, and around Sean's limp body, his eyes burning holes down at me. He grabbed his ears with his huge pause and whimpered in pain from the sudden blare of the siren. I jerked that car into drive and was going to hit Alexei with a thousand pounds of charger, but I heard a wet thump on the window next to me.

I turned to see the poor policeman who'd stopped us. He was missing half of his face, with an eyeball gone and his cheek totally ripped away to show his teeth underneath. I saw the absolute fear in his remaining eye and almost opened the door for him to come in. Almost. Something hit the cop with enough force to shatter the glass. He was launched headfirst into the car and across my lap, lodged between me and the steering wheel. A large claw reached in after him and grabbed me by the hair. It was the wolf from earlier.

The one Sean had peppered with a shotgun on the street. This wolf had seen better days. He looked like the cop had shot him a couple of times before being smashed through the car window, because the wolf was wheezing from multiple gunshots to the chest. I slammed on the gas, and Alexei quickly stepped out of the way of the launching vehicle. I rocketed away from the wharf while he still had a hold of my hair. There was a painful rip as he yanked out a handful from my head. I screamed in pain and tried to see around the dead cop on top of me,

and Sean's unresponsive body embedded in the shattered windshield. I swerved and skidded away from the walls, down the deserted streets, my vehicle wailing and lighting up the city as I desperately tried to escape. I tried to push the dead cop back out the window, but had a better time pulling him most of the way in, his leg sticking awkwardly out of the window. It was a miracle Sean stayed put on the windshield until my tyres lost traction on a slick patch of road,

and I slid sideways into a parked car on the street at around 40 miles an hour. Like a patient being transferred from one gurney to another, Sean rolled sideways off my hood and onto the snow-covered hood of the parked car. This was ridiculous. I knew I had to stop and check on him, and get his dead body off of me. I turned off the lights and sirens to leave us on a suddenly quiet street. I pulled the car out enough to open the door and wrestle my way out at the driver's seat.

As much as I wanted to run to Sean, I took the time to pull the dead cop out and lay him on the street. The cop's gun was missing, so I snatched his pepper spray and taser. I finally made my way over to Sean. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he was sleeping like a baby with the soft snow piled around him like cushions. The snow around his right shoulder was coloured red with blood from a new bite mark. I would have taken him for dead if there wasn't the slight fog of breath coming out of his mouth.

"'Shorn!' I yelled, slapping him lightly on his cold cheeks. I kept shaking him, and he only moaned. A wolf's howl pierced the air behind us, and his eyes shot open. For an instant I thought they glow golden in the moonlight. He shut up with a start and grabbed me by the neck, his teeth grinding as he growled at me. "'Shon, stop,' I gasped at him. His face didn't change as his grip tightened,

He looked at me like I was a bug he was about to squish. I'd done it. I'd pushed him too far. He was a killer, and now he was going to kill me. Maybe I deserved it. Finally, he blinked, and the cruel look of anger slid off his face, to be replaced by recognition. He let me go and looked around, frightened.

We need to go, he said. I can see. smell them, he said, grogily. What? I mumbled. Are you okay? I reached out to touch his bloody shoulder. He looked down at the bloody wound in confusion. Yeah, actually, I feel great, he said in awe. His pupils were dilated, and he smiled a little.

All sleeping beauty needed was a little nap, I said sarcastically, and pulled him off the car. He flopped into the passenger seat of the patrol car beside me, and I cranked the battle car up. I flipped the yellow taser in front of his face. He took it after a moment of consideration. Yes, the pepper spray stays with you, he stated with a half smile. Why was he so nonchalant? He was starting to freak me out. We need new wheels.

He said in his normal, emotionless tone. Every cop in the city will be gunning for us now. They probably called out their descriptions to dispatch before they were killed. Not a good look for us. I'll park it after we put some more distance between us and the pack, I said. Suddenly the roof caved in over our heads from something heavy slamming down on it. Oh shit! I screamed in terror from the sudden commotion.

I stepped on the gas so fast we did a burnout before lurching forward. Sean reached down and flipped on the siren. It welled sharply before there was a wretched clanging and screeching of the light bar and sirens been ripped out of its mounted position. The siren led out a pitiful whimper as it was flung to clatter in front of us, causing me to swerve from the twisted debris. I knew our passenger was one of the wolves, but which one? My questions were answered as the legless body of a mutilated man was slapped against the wind-should by the wolf on our roof. The man's intestines were dangling from his stomach. as the wolf smeared his innards all over the windshield, obscuring my view with gore.

It was one of the people I doused with perfume. It had to be Mikhail performing this savagery. I was still racing down the mostly empty streets, only seeing the road out of a corner of unblemished windshield. A white furred hand reached around through the busted window towards me. The large hand wrapped around my tiny left wrist and pulled it free from my grasp around the steering wheel, but I still held on tightly with my right hand.

The great strength of the wolf began to pull me up and out of my seat. Sean, help! I screamed with panic as half of my body was already out of the window. I held on desperately with my right hand, but my grip would soon be broken. I felt Sean straightened the steering wheel. He anchored himself around my waist. Now I could see the wolf who was pulling me up by my hand.

It was a snowy, white wolf, contrasted with bright red blood smeared all over his face and muscular chest. His eyes were also bright red dots against cloudy orbs. He helped me up with his right arm while his left hand dug into the top of the roof, holding him steadily atop his perch. I'd never seen Mikhail as a wolf, but I knew this was the sadistic blonde-haired albino that I'd learned to hate. The cold air whipped across my face as his lips curled back in a cold.

cruel smile. I'd lost my grip on the steering wheel, and was only being kept halfway in the car by Sean's futile attempt to save me. I knew I was about to die as Mikhail opened his mouth, slobber flying out in long lines, until I felt something hard and plastic being placed in my hand. With Sean holding the lower part of my body, I swung my right hand up to place the taser under Mikhail's chin. He didn't even notice it before the doors of the taser cartridge popped open and two electric barbs shut up straight into the underside of his chin. The taser made its patented sound as the monster's body seized up, his grip almost breaking my wrist. Sean must have heard the taser's rapid song and jerk me hard back down inside, cutting me up good on the broken glass.

He slammed on the brakes and the car lurched as the tyre screeched against the asphalt. The upper half of my body was flung forward to smack painfully against the doorframe as Mikhail's body flew forward from the momentum to bounce and slide heavily across the icy road. At the end of his third rolling tumble, he righted himself to land deftly on all fours, skidding to turn and look at me with hatred in his red eyes. I unwedged my bruised and bloodied ribs from the door's window frame and grabbed the wheel, throwing the car into reverse. Mikhail's sleek white forms began charging back at us

the beat-up old cop car started to drive backwards. He was back on two feet now, at full sprint, inches away from being able to grab the hood of the car. I was looking out the back window and saw we were coming up to a T-junction. We'd have to turn right or left, and Mikhail would be on us in an instant. Sean poured out his old gun and announced loudly,

Turned the car for me to face him, I'll shoot in point blank. He quickly started rolling down his window. Well, I thought we were out of ammo, but maybe Sean had one shot left, so I trusted him and did what he asked. While speeding backwards, we came to the turn. I whipped the wheel to turn Sean's window facing the charging, Michael. Sean steadied the pistol with both hands, likely going for a precision headshot on the charging Mikhail.

The two of them were face to face, Mikhail already within reaching distance, and point blank with Sean's pistol. Play dead, Fido, he yelled at Mikhail. Mikhail's red eyes widened and he quickly threw himself to the side. He slid behind the meager cover of a mailbox and traffic light on the street corner. No gunshot came And Sean whipped his head around to scream at me Drive, drive! I slammed the car into drive

And we rocketed forward and away from Mikhail. The rear-view mirror showed a very confused white wolf Getting back to his feet As he got smaller and smaller. The engine roared as we lost sight of Mikhail at the next turn. The bluff had worked. The wolves had learned Sean was proficient with firearms And prima donna Mikal didn't want half his face missing from a well-played shot

I heard his how following us as we left him behind We sat for a while in silence letting our nerves calm down as we twisted and turned through the city streets It was obvious we had to get a new vehicle as I'd had to hang my head out of the window to see where we're going half the time Once I felt we were far enough away, I backed the beat-up cop car into a dark alley. We sat for a little while in silence. Sean unwrapped the tape from around his arm, and I was amazed to find the bite marks had almost healed. We looked at each other worried, neither of us wanting to state the obvious that he

was changing into one of them. The quiet between us was broken by my phone ringing. I looked at the number to see it was my account. I called it. I answered it and put it on speakerphone for Sean to hear. After moments of static silence, Mikhail's wrathful and slightly whiny voice broke through. You will die tonight, Hall. You'll die by my hands.

You and your little guard dog will not deny me my right. Sean and I looked at each other and shared the cringe. Mikhail continued with his vitriol. We think you're a hero, good sister. I didn't want your used up tainted flesh. I wanted your sweet sister. You think convincing Alexi's son to mate with her that you saved her from the hunt. You are wrong.

I'll kill both of you tonight. Well, it was true. I had to use my charms to convince a foolish boy, Alexi's wolf's son, Nico, that if he liked me, I was nothing in comparison to my beautiful. pure sister. I convinced Nico my sister was the one he wanted. She was wifey material, or at least exclusive breeding material. I'd noticed Mikhail eyeing my sister too. He wanted her, but for a completely different reason. Mikhail didn't want my sister purity. He wanted her blood. He wanted his initiation kill to be her. I'd work fast to seduce the young pup Nico.

I spoke whispers of my sister during the early hours, and I said the prince deserved the best mate, and my sister was the best. It would be a pairing against her will, but Niko was kind and gentle, well, for a wolf. So you can see Mikhail's anger when he chose my sister for his hunt, and got the bargain basement model instead. He got me.

Niko had gotten his daddy's ear, and Alexia denied the uncle. young upstart, Mikhail, his kill of my sister. Take me off speakerphone. Mikhail said calmly in a language only spoken between the clan. I understood the phrase and turned off the speaker and tucked the phone to my ear. I have clan members loyal to me stationed at Anika's lodging. He continued in normal speech.

Turn yourself into me, or I give the order to rip her throat-outs. You've had your fun, but I will kill your little sister if you don't let me kill you. I'll even make it quick if you don't make a fuss. There was a pause, and I felt my heart drop. I knew Mikha was selfish enough to go against the clan if he wasn't getting his own way, and he did have a group of human followers that followed him around like he was a superstar. He would kill my sister, and all of this would be for nothing. The parking structure under the bridge,

before you take the exit to the wicker construction site. He continued with the directions. Don't tell you a guard dog. Bring him or leave him, I don't care. He's dead either way. He paused. You have one hour, he stated. Mikhail hung up the phone and we sat in silence.

Fresh falling snow covered the blood cake windshield, and Sean stared at me expectantly. His breath began. to frost. I need to tell you something, Sean, but you're not going to like it. I finally admit it. Part four. I told Sean the truth. I couldn't lie to him anymore. He'd save my life multiple times in only a few hours. I told him about Michael's demand and how he'd probably kill Sean whether he survived the night or not. I told him about my sister, about how this was all for her. I told him how I took her place in this hunt so she could be indentured off to a safer life with Alexi's son.

I told him how Mikhail lusted after my sister, but not a sexual lust, but a bloodlust. Finally I told him that Mikhail was rigging the game by threatening to kill my sister if I didn't sacrifice myself to him. So now I sat alone in a newly stolen car, with only the sound of the wind blowing through his broken window to accompany the rest. rushing thoughts in my head. I looked in the rearview mirror to see the mess that was me. My mascara was running dark tears down my face. My face had been cut from the shattered glass, a large chunk of my hair was missing. I was a far contrast from the seductive damsel in distress I portrayed earlier in the night. I saw the exit ramp to the Wicker construction site coming up ahead. I was so close to freedom, but I couldn't go there.

I had to instead save my sister and meet with Mikhail under the overpass. I'd done everything to save my little sister. It's what my mother made me promise on her deathbed. Maybe I couldn't free her from the clan, but I could make sure she was safe inside the clan. My mother had worked for the Nuri clan, the same wolves that chase me now. She was diagnosed with cancer in her early 30s. She could have asked for money from the clan to afford her treatment, but she was a refused. She knew that if she died, the clan would hold the debts over me and my sister.

Well, my mother passed, and the arsoles took us anyway. I was 12 and an Nika 10, and they began grooming us right away. I hated all of them. I took the turn around under the overpass and drove into a small parking lot shrouded in shadows from the overhead highway. My headlights illuminated the tall white figure of Mikhail in his wolf form. His white fur still painted red with blood. He held out a cell phone in his large clawed hands. I knew it was a threat showing me he could still order his men to kill Anika. I got out of the car from my head down, defeated.

I slammed the car door shut harder than was necessary. He said you'd make it quick and Anika will be safe. I said to him with disdain. At least honour something you say. Mikhail stood still like a statue before I realised you was concentrating on turning back into his human form. He couldn't talk in wolf form, so of course he'd want to gloat and monologue before he killed me. Mikhail shrunk half a foot and his wolfhead returned to normal. His white fur gave way to his pale naked skin.

A familiar smirk quickly found its way across his perfect face. He stood proudly in his nudity, like the cold had no effect. White fur wilted off him in soggy clumps, the moonlight from the street reflecting off his sculpted body. He stretched his muscles by rotating his shoulder and cracking his neck and jaw. Mikhail bent down to retrieve a silver revolver from the snow by his feet. He dusted it off and checked the cylinder for ammo. Satisfied he flicked the weapon back shut and motion for me to step forward.

"'Arrogance and bravado exuded off him like a thick stench. "'All of this was for show, to dominate me one more time before my death. "'I'll make it quick like I promised,' he chatted cordially, "'spinning the gun around on his fingers. "'I'll have to shoot you at an angle, I think,' he said, "'outstretching his arm to point the gun at my neck, "'then twisting his wrist to point the barrel upwards slightly. "'I'll shoot you up through the neck,

and into the skull. Of course, I'll have to rip your head off in my wolf form to make it look like a proper kill. He smiled sadistically. But is my sister safe? I asked meekly, taking a small step towards my killer. He crooked an eyebrow at me. For now, he said. Once I've gained some seniority in the clan,

I'll talk with Niko about making a trade with me for one of my harem girls. Niko may be royalty, but he's weak-willed and easily persuaded. Now, come, he snapped, kneel before me. I walked up within arm's distance of him, but refused to kneel. He looked about and smiled wider. As you wish, whore, die on your feet like you aren't used to being on your knees. Mikaa was thoroughly enjoying himself as he looked around the deserted underpass. "'Where's your guard, dog? He didn't tag along?'

"'Michael mentioned as he scanned the darkness and inside of the stolen car. "'You cut him loose.' "'Michael finally stated, "'Oh, that is some actual character development for you. "'I thought you hated all, then. "'No matter. He's been marked for death anyways. "'He can't be left alive after being bit on the full moon. "'We can't have strays running around now, can we?'

Well, I hadn't noticed the moon. I guess it would have to be a full moon on the night of the sacred hunt. I barely noticed the sky during all the violence and commotion. Sean had been bitten and infected on this supernatural night. The clan would not let him survive for long as a newly turned wall. Mikhail pointed his pistol, and I scrambled to buy more time. I don't hate all men. Just chauvinist assholes like you.

You want to know why? I teased with a sarcastic smile. I saw a litany of emotions cross his arrogant face. At first it was anger. I thought he pulled the trigger on impulse. The second was hurt and general amazement. How could a woman dislike such a specimen as he? And so his face resigned to smug curiosity, and he stilled his hand.

Oh, why, dear whore? He snickered, trying to hide his genuine interest. I was about to emotionally unload on him. I was going to tell him everything I hated about his sadistic face and his sadistic clan and how they'd systematically ruin my life. I felt the tears begin to flow as I began to open my mouth. Mikhail, what the hell do you think you're doing? Came a voice in the wolf's native language.

We both turned to see an older man jogging up, obviously limping and favouring his chest. It was the wolf that Sean had wounded lightly in the beginning, and the cop had shut multiple times before the wolf threw the cop through the windshield. The wolf was haggard and grey. Obviously he was the oldest of the pack, but his muscles were corded and rippling through his flesh. His face was the only thing human. None of your business, old man.

I'm ending the hunt. Just had the gun out in case her Rambo bodyguard decided to show up. Mikhail shouted disrespectfully at his elder. And the elder stiffened, not taking the upstart's bullshit. He sniffed the air lightly and looked around, like you didn't feel the animosity coming from Mikhail. What are you doing here anyways? Meet up at the construction site and we'll end the ceremony there, Mikhail demanded.

The elder huffed and used his pointer human fingers to wipe his eyes as he continued in their guttural tongue. Ah, I was looking out for you, Pop. This is your night, isn't it? That smelled wolfblood. My sensitive hearing hasn't gone yet either. So now I know you're playing your own games to cheat and win. I'll have to tell Alexi of your blatant disregard for our sacred rule.

I saw Mikhail Flinch as the elder continues. I meanwhile snuck back to the cover of the open driver's seat of the car. Furthermore, pup, the wounded elder tried to continue through wheezing breaths, but was interrupted with multiple shots from Mikhail's pistol, slamming into his exposed human face, neck, and injured wolf body. The elder clasped in the snow like a bloody snow angel, steam and heat rising from his dying body.

Don't lecture me, you old bastard. Mikhail yelled at the dead elder. Oh, shit. Now I'm out of ammo. said Mikhail, at the sight of his empty pistol. I guess I can blame it on your toy boy you had shooting at everyone, as he threw his empty gun on the ground. Mikhail looked up at the full moon peeking lowly over the buildings with intense concentration.

Finally he spoke with a jovial voice. Oh, if I can make a Mr. Brightside reference, I'll be coming out of this cage doing just fine, right? He smiled his gorgeous smile. Ah, the elder was a massive, digless blowheart, and I get to kill you as slow as I always wanted now. I was too busy scrambling around inside my rusted white bewick to really notice all the dumb stuff Mikhail was saying. But I could hear the naked Mikhail slowly begin to tread towards the vehicle. Mikhail was stopped by a hissing laughter coming from the dying elder in his makeshift's snow grave.

Mikhail stopped and turned to look at his betrayed glansman. Foolish young pub. Quietly the elder weased in common tongue. I smelt the blood of a wolf. You don't even use your own powerful senses greatly. What are you talking about you, mangy mutts? Just die already, will you? Mikhail barked.

During Mikhail's tirade, the trunk of the Buick popped open and a lithe figure stepped out to the passenger's side door and aimed an awkwardly bright yellow weapon at him. There are two of them, you dumbass. You didn't smell the one in the trunk. The elder croaked with his dying breath. Mikhail turned to see Sean posted up against the passenger's side of the Buick, aiming what looked like a bright yellow shotgun at Mikhail.

A beanbag round flew at Sonic Speed to rock. to pocket towards Mikhail's proudest target. The bag pelted him right in his exposed and unprotected genitals, and the albino man led out a gasping whimper and collapsed into a fetal position. Sean racked loose the spent shell and loaded another non-lethal beam bag round into the yellow shotgun. I just wish cops had real guns, not this hugger-fug bullshit. Sean yelled in righteous anger, as he pointed the barrel down at the whimpering Mikhail's face. Another beanbag rocked Mikhail's face into a bloody mess, sending him spiraling into

unconsciousness. Sean's anger wasn't satisfied as he flipped the shotgun over to beat Mikhail's limp body with. That won't work, Sean, I cried. When they're close to death, they heal crazy quick. Beating him will make him even stronger. Sean paused mid-pummel, Mikhail already convulsing violently. What about the old-timer? Is he dead? It must have been silver bullets in Mikhail's gun. He was always paranoid of the wolves around him. That old Mikhail landed a killing shot on the weakened elder wolf.

I explained quickly. I got in the car and honked. Sean stared down at Mikhail's mangled face in pure anger, his eyes glinting. I honked louder to snap him out of his rage. Ah, less than lethal bullshit. Why can't cops carry real weapons anymore? He growled as he tossed the yellow shotgun into the darkness.

He gritted his teeth, and I thought he wouldn't turn to listen to me. It's almost over, Sean, I pleaded. Grab his phone and come on. It has all the evidence we need to save both of us. He had it rigged against us from the beginning, and the dead wolf has silver bullets on him. Dick one of those out for if we see Alexi. Sean grumbled and kicked around in the snow.

before coming to his senses and swiping up Mikhail's old flip-phone. He then unceremoniously walked over to the dead elder wolf and jammed his hand into a gunshot wound in his neck to retrieve a clump of silver and blood. Mikhail was starting to moan, and his smashed face was returning to its perfect countenance again. Sean finally relented, and slid into the passenger's seat beside me. The four moon's healing both of you quickly, I gasped. We need to get to the safe house and end. this. As I put the car into reverse, I could already see Mikhail sit up and blink the groginess

out of his eyes. Sean let out a low growl at him. We drove for the next five minutes around the Wicker construction site's fence. Hasterly spray-painted wooden signs pointed us to the correct entrance. We finally arrived at a set of turnstiles surrounded by a high fence with razor wire stretched across the top. We turned off the car and cautiously made our way to the spinning metal bars. Hopefully it would allow both of us to enter through the revolving bars, but Sean let me go first.

We thankfully made it through the turnstiles to enter a large sparse concrete lot, littered with lamps, construction equipment, and boxy metal buildings. One of the building's front doors was open with an inviting yellow glow from inside. So that's the finish line.

Sean Stead, more as a statement, it's obviously a trap. Yep, I said as we trushed towards the welcoming lights. A massive figure stepped up to the doorframe, cutting off the warm light. It was Alexey in full wolf form, with his two-toned eyes of golden green and black fur with white around his eyes. He was having to duck in the trailer,

and he stepped out onto the stairs and turned his body to motion with his hands for us to pass into the room. "'What the hell is this?' I said suspiciously. "'Nothing,' Alexi said through his deep wolf voice. "'years of experience had taught him to speak while in wolf form. "'You cheated, but you knew you had to defeat Mikhail. "'It was his test, and he failed.' "'I walked past Alexi into the office.

"'It was warm and well lit, with bottles of water and sandwiches on a side table. Sean went to follow, and Alexei stepped in his way, poking a sharpened bone claw into his chest. Not you, boy. You killed an honoured pack member and injured many more. You've taken a bite from me and have already begun the change. The ancient rules declare your death. I watched Sean take a step back and raise his fists in a pitiful attempt to challenge the gigantic Alexi. Sean began sniffing the air and a look of horror washed over his face Sean backed further out into the snowy yard and Alexey followed

Sean's head whipped back and forth searching the darkness around him I stepped forward to the door's edge to see what Sean was looking at there were multiple sets of glowing eyes flanking him out of the darkness at least ten sets of eyes in total towering over him

and drawing closer and closer in a tightening circle. At this point the ten lumbering wolves entered the light spilling out the doorway, towering above him standing upright. Many I hadn't seen before, some I had. Sean sighed a deep sigh of defeat and dropped his guard. His shoulders slumped. Stand the mud up for me to see him, Alexi barked out into the crowd.

Alexi made a quick motion with his head and two unknown wolves shot out. to grab Sean by either shoulder. Sean pulled back with a growl and his eyes flashed gold for a moment, but he quickly realized he was not getting away. The two wolves held Sean tightly as Alexi walked down the short steps towards him, to lift up his chin in his clawed hand to look down directly into Sean's gold eyes. You have two options. The guttural mix of beast and man issued from Alexi's throat.

You interfered with our sacred. hunt and resulted in the deaths of two of my clan. Sean's face was stoic, but the cold was making him shiver. Our ancient rules dictate death to the outsider, but I'm a reasonable packmaster, and I know the trickier wiles of the female. He growled at Sean. Once more, I have fought you, and you showed no regard for yourself above her. You drew on me and fired in an instant so she...

she could escape. That may be the reason I went for the shoulder instead of the neck. Honor is a rare trait among humans. So, you spared me, Sean said quietly, looking down from the intimidating aura of Alexi. Do I join you a little where... Alexi moved in a flash and snatched up Sean by his throat, lifting him up two feet to be face-level with Alexi. Like you and the girl found.

out, Mikhail was an onerless cheater and cowards. I may have suspected, but I guess the female knew from the beginning, so she felt she needed to cheat herself. Alexi looked back at me with contempt. He then sat the blue-faced Sean back down and continued. You kill Mikhail and join as a new pub in the clan, or you refuse and you die right here. After coughing a bit, Sean straightened to look Alexi's square in the family. the eyes now. So I meant to hunt an experienced wolf who can transform. Last I saw him, he was

healing from a broken face under an underpass. There was a series of barks behind Sean, causing him to turn, and I saw the last thing I expected to see. Two fully morphed wolves were dragging a naked Mikhail in human form. They pushed him forward towards Sean and Alexi. So, I heard the deal, packmaster. I'm to let this pleb kill me. Mikhail said opulently, still not ashamed of his nudity. No, Mikhail. Alexi growled over Sean's shoulder.

If you kill this mutt, we give you 24 hours to leave the country. You'll be exiled from the clan. The network system of human followers you've accumulated are being hunted down as we speak. Alexi shrugged. Maybe another weaker clam will take you on eventually. if you can kill this human right now. Three things happened at once. Mikhail smiled sadistically.

Sean took up a fighting stance with a look of horror, and I screamed. That's not fair. It's slaughter a wolf to a lamb. I was particularly proud of that last allegory, and Alexei turned again to consider me. I didn't mention the rules, he barked. In order to join the New Eri clan, you must have cunning as much as Brue force.

He turned to Mikhail and said coldly, You fight this man in human form, I'll have you ripped apart by your former clansman. The smug look on Mikhail's face faltered, and he looked around at the seriously imposing wolves forming a circle around him, Sean and Alexi. Alexi walked backwards to join the circle. begin he growled macao was the first to strike with a one-two slash with his arms the first one caught shaw's right eye and cheek with a bloody scratch and shone blocked the other strike by raising his elbow mccal winced at having his soft human hand collide with shorn's hard elbow and he stepped back while trying to shake the pain out of his injured wrist shone touched the bloody scratches on his cheek and smiled i think he realized what I realized at the same time.

Mikhail was a weakling in human form. I would like to say Mikhail put up a valiant effort, but I'm not going to lie for that shit. Sean got within his reach and beat his naked ass all through the snow with throat punches and elbows and eye gouges. I'd seen how efficient Sean was at ending fights, so I knew he was taking his time with Mikhail. Finally, Sean delivered a low kick to the inside of Mikhail's knee, causing him to crumple to his other knee in the snow.

Mikhail tried to stand, but Sean performed a devastating downwards elbow, like an axe to the top of Mikhail's head. Mikhail staggered and almost toppled over in the snow. If Sean hadn't swooped him behind him and wrapped him up in a chokehold, he would have done. Sean arched backwards, lifting Mikhail's bare toes out of the snow. Mikhail kicked and weezed grogly. This was it. Sean was going to strangle Mikhail to death in the next couple of seconds. True to Mikhail's nature, or just survival instincts, his body exploded in mass,

his rapidly expanding back and neck muscles flinging Sean off of him. The white fur sprouted instantly to cover him. and his already albino eyes glowed red. Wolf Mikhail turned around to face Sean laying on his back in the snow. His bone claws grew to around ten inches in length, and drool ran from his mouth like a frothy waterfall. Mikhail was about to pounce on Sean for the kill before the enormous black mass of Alexi stepped up between them.

Mikhail looked at Alexi in surprise, which quickly turned to anger. Mikhail swiped his long, right-cloried Alexi, only for it to be caught by Alexi's black, furred, muscled hand. There was a wicked snap as Alexi broke Mikhail's wrist with just his grasp. Mikhail attempted to let out a howl of pain, before Alexi seized the bottom part of Mikhail's jaw and rip downwards, sickly ripping Mikhail's bottom jaw and most of his throat out in a gory mess. To finish it off, Alexi used both hands to grab Mikhail. and snap his neck with a vicious twist. Mikhail finally fell dead to the ground. While Sean had been playing with him earlier,

Alexi was obviously done playing. After the shot wore off, and the warm blood pulled around the dead Mikhail, the wolves eagerly helped Sean to his feet. I heard a door open behind me in the office and was hit with cold air and a scent of cologne. It was Nico's color. I turned my head to face him.

He was handsome and rugged like his father, but with kind eyes and dimples from constant smiles. He was dressed immaculately in a fitted suit. He stared at me forlornly for a while. I could almost see a tear forming in his eye. Don't, Nico, I command it gently. Don't show weakness to them. I was never going to survive the night

after all the havoc I caused. I only wanted a Nika to survive. I said, tears now in my eyes. Nika walked up close behind me now. She'll be fine. She'll be safe, father says. There's only one catch, he trailed off. You must kill me, I answered him.

The two of us started all this, we must end it. I've heard him nod and he said it. agreement behind me. Outside the ten wolves held Sean upright. I'd seen the ceremony before. All the wolves would bite a new recruit on a full moon to seal his initiation into the pack. The wolves gathered around Sean and outstretched his arms for a good place to bite him. I could feel Nico's bone claw tickling my neck.

Sean and I looked at each other in terror. But in an instant it dissoned. disappeared from both our faces, he and I were determined. Take care of a Nika, I said. I will, Niko whispered back, as he slipped my throat with his claw, blood flowing freely over my red scar. As my vision faded, I saw Sean nod to me. Sean knew I was talking to him, not Niko.

Sean wasn't a wolf, he was a protector. and if he found me worthy of protecting for sure he would my little sister then all the wolves bit shorn at once and my vision faded to black as Nico cradled me and so once again we reach the end of tonight's podcast

my thanks as always to the authors of those wonderful stories and to you for taking the time to listen now I'd ask one small favour of you wherever you get your podcast wrong, please write a few nice words and leave a five-star review as it really helps the podcast. That's it for this week, but I'll be back again same time, same place, and I do so hope you'll join me once more. Until next time, sweet dreams and bye-bye.