Niko was retracing his steps, his footing unsteady as he made his way gingerly through the underbrush towards the cabin. His shoulder and leg were now completely numb. It allowed him to continue, masking the burn of the silver and the sharp jagged pains that stabbed him with every step.

For the moment it was the least of his concerns. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. He would have to move the boys. Immediately. Tonight. They were no longer safe in their little cabin in the woods. Nick had no way of knowing whether that hunter was alone, or with a party, and he was in no condition to find out. His shoulder although numb from the pain, was a bloody, sticky mess. Too much blood loss would render him unconscious—useless in protecting the boys. With this foremost in mind, he moved as swiftly as he dared, knowing that a racing heart, a rapid beat would only serve to pump the blood from him even quicker. Instead he’d forced his wolf to a slow and steady pace while his frantic mind contemplated his options.

They would have to pack light, take only the essentials: whatever they could fit into a small pack. If there was a hunting party—and Nick doubted that this hunter would be working alone—they could be quick on his trail. Getting a group of dysfunctional teens on the move in the middle of the night would be no small feat. They would have questions and there would be no time for answers. Their best option would be to head to the lockhouse for the night. There would be medical supplies and water in which to clean himself up. At daybreak, they could move to the city, where it would be harder for them to be tracked.

Nick had finally reached the clearing and up ahead, the cabin. He immediately returned to the spot where he’d left his clothes, only to find they were now gone. Instead, he found a familiar scent; the muted smell from before was now back, stronger than ever. Whatever had been watching the boys had returned. Silently, he slunk through the shadows along the side of the cabin. He rounded the corner cautiously to find a dark figure upon the porch, waiting for him.

Nick’s wolf growled a warning. The man’s proximity to the boys warranted it. He raised his hackles as he approached, teeth bared. His wolf meant business and he wanted this stranger to understand that.

Instead of looking wary. The man seemed happy by the exchange. Like the challenge was exactly what he had been hoping for. He was mid-forties and of medium height and build. His dark hair, long and scraggly was streaked with gray. His chin was covered in a week’s worth of stubble and like the hair upon his head, it had seen little care.

“It’s Nick, right?” He called out with a crooked smile. He took a step forward, to lean on the rail by the stairs. “Looks like you’ve had quite the night.”

Nick’s wolf faltered. There was only one way he could have known his name. He’d already had contact with the boys.

“You didn’t happen to run into my… friends, now did you?” He asked as he laughed wickedly. “You did, didn’t you? Did you take care of them for me?”

The man then whooped like a lunatic and a chill coursed down Nick’s back. While he had indeed killed the man who had shot him, he’d taken no pleasure in doing so. But this man, was clearly delighted by the prospect of the hunter’s demise.

“I suppose I should thank you for that. Yet, it still doesn’t make up for what you did!” The hunter’s voice lost all jollity as he continued. Instead, anger consumed his words. “Taking my pack! Without cause! Without a fight! Them boys is mine! I made’em and you had no business interfering.”

He took a step back. The man was clearly deranged. If what he said was true…that it wasn’t by accident—that he had purposely turned those boys—then he had mauled children and then left them to die. Nick had assumed that they had been attacked by a wolf under the influence of the full moon, but this…this was far worse, for who would intentionally do this to a child?

The hunter wasn’t finished. Stepping back quickly, he began pounding loudly against the door. “Boys! Boys, get out here! Now!”

Almost immediately, they appeared. Marcus and Adam, both bare-chested came out to stand by the stranger. Behind them came the three younger teens that Nick had fostered, as well as two older ones that Nick had never seen before. Marcus was glaring at Nick with anger in his eyes.

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“The deceiver has returned!” The stranger bellowed, throwing his arms up into the air, like a wayward preacher. “Retribution is at hand.” He placed a gentle hand upon Marcus’s and then Adam’s shoulder. “It is time for you to take back your power.”

“You lied to us,” Marcus spat the words at him. “Keeping us weak; making us drink your stupid tea. Why? Why would you do that?”

“Because he is the one who is weak, afraid of what you could become. A true Alpha doesn’t fear his pack but inspires them to greatness. Now it’s time to show me that you want that greatness.” He turned to the older boys in back. One of them reached forward to hand him something.

The stranger held up two glass vials. Inside each was a milky-white luminescent liquid. “I will give you the power you need, but you must prove to me your loyalty.” He said as he handed one each to Marcus and Adam.

Immediately, Marcus uncorked the top of his, while Adam seemed to hesitate. “Come with me brother,” Marcus said as he tipped up his flask, quickly swallowing it. He smiled at Adam. It seemed to be all the encouragement he needed as Adam too uncorked his vial and quickly downed its contents. Almost in unison, the boys keeled over, grasping at their sides as if in pain.

Nick moved forward as it seemed very likely that this stranger had just poisoned the boys—only to stop dead in his tracks.

The boys who had fallen to their knees suddenly screamed as they arched their chests, lifting their chins to the sky. The next moment they were no longer boys, but wolves; their painful screams morphing into haunting spine-tingling howls.

When they turned their heads to Nick, their eyes were glowing a strange milky-white, much like the contents of the vials they had consumed. Kicking off their pants they began slinking towards him, while the two boys in back downed flasks of their own.

He backed away slowly as Marcus and Adam approached, each attempting to flank him from either side. Niko growled, baring teeth in warning and as he did two more wolves descended from the steps above.

Hackles raised, he wheeled and snapped as Marcus attempted to charge him from the right, and as he turned, the two he didn’t recognize came at him from the front.

That was when Jaylen appeared; running at full force he threw himself into the fray to stand defensively in front of Nick, as if his small form had any chance of deflecting the oncoming wolves. “Stop!” He was wide-eyed, his voice shaky. “This wasn’t the plan.”

The wolves, however, didn’t halt, didn’t slow and as they sprang, Jaylen lost his footing, stumbling backwards as Nick rushed forward to shield his body with his own.

They set upon him, biting, and tearing at his flesh, while Nick struggled to keep his head down and Jaylen protected. Niko whimpered, a high-pitched whine escaping him as one of the wolves latched on to his already injured shoulder—perhaps encouraged by the blood there—and began to shake its head. A moment later it released him as a strangled yelp of surprise caused Nick to glance up in time to see one of the wolves, Marcus he thought, go skidding and rolling out of control as if he’d been struck by some massive force. From the porch he heard the stranger curse. A moment later, a second wolf was knocked clear of him, and this time Nick was able to determine from where the blow had occurred.

A black wolf of exceptional size was facing down the two remaining wolves, for Marcus and Adam had indeed backed off. Intimidated by this new foe they had scattered to the safety of the treeline. The black wolf turned his head to Nick, and eyes as blue as his own locked onto his before he suddenly doubled in size. Nick followed suit, bringing out his tank form and stepping up to the black wolf’s flank.

From the porch, the stranger let out a string of cuss words. He seemed to realize his show of force was over, for even the wolves who had come with him were backing down when faced with an even fight. “Get back here,” he screamed at Marcus and Adam, who both turned tail and disappeared into the underbrush.

The black wolf charged, and the two remaining wolves scattered, the fight having left them.

The threat over, Nick changed back to his smaller form before dropping to the ground. Every inch of him ached and stung from the mauling he had received. He wheeled, when Jaylen gently touched his side. Niko bared his teeth in response as he issued a warning growl. Jaylen had betrayed him as equally as Marcus and Adam had, perhaps more so, as it had been his lies which had let him out here to be ambushed.

“I’m sorry.” Jaylen cried. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. “I didn’t know.”

The black wolf sauntered closer and leaning down, licked Nick’s face submissively, before nudging at his neck gently with his nose.

Nick struggled to his feet, his eyes glancing at the stranger before he turned to leave. Behind him, the younger teens cowered, perhaps confused by what they had just seen. Nick turned and wearily limped off.

“This isn’t over,” the man called after Nick.

The black wolf had a message of his own for the man. Before he turned to follow Nick, he lifted his leg to pee upon the steps.