Chapter 5

I bounded among the trees, paws pounding against the soft earth as I chased my prey. The doe stood no chance but I let it run, drew out the hunt until I could hold back my excitement no more and leapt upon her back, forcing her to the ground. She squirmed and struggled underneath me and I swiftly bit down and broke her delicate neck between my powerful jaws. Sweet blood filled my mouth, spiced with fear and adrenaline from the chase. I howled my superiority before bending back down to partake of my kill, only to find it was a doe no longer. Glassy eyes stared up at me from Maria's small blood covered face, surrounded by a halo of matted blond hair. Her accusatory, unblinking gaze pierced to my core and I stumbled backward trembling. Rough calloused hands grabbed at my fur.

"You killed her! You're nothing but a killer now! An evil demon." A broad male form loomed above me silhouetted against the night sky as he screamed at me. The moonlight reflected off the blood pooling below me and I caught my first glimpse of a face twisted in hate and fear, Old Joe.

"You can't help it can you? The killing. I've got to stop you before you kill again!" Joe reared back drawing his short sword from it's usual place at his waist. "Die monster! DIE!" I scrambled backwards, along the ground before rolling onto my paws. With a yell full of insane fury Joe ran towards me slashing wildly. I dashed into the forest and sprinted for all I was worth. The sound of him crashing through the brush nearly drowned out by his continued screams filtering through the trees, building upon themselves until his words were a palpable pressure upon my skin. An impact shook the ground behind me and pain pierced my heart. Glancing down, Joe's blade dripped crimson where it extended from my chest. He stepped close until I felt him pressed against my back, blade hilt flush against my skin, lips caressing my ear.

"You're nothing but a monster."

I bolted upright gasping, drenched in sweat. The world spun around me. Sounds seemed to echo in my ears. Scents, muted compared to last night, but like a flawless vista compared to all the days before, spread across my mind like a tapestry. Even the bark and leaves looked more detailed and vibrant than I was used to with thin veins and ridges running across their surface. Pulling my legs in I wrapped my arms around them and placed my head between my knees panting. It was a dream! Just a dream. I would never hurt Maria!

Slowly the world stopped spinning and refocused around me and I realized Mayor Thompson was speaking nearby and I looked up to find him, Finn, June and Mils standing in a group.

"The bloodlust. The hunt...it was..." He seemed unwilling to continue but his eyes shone with predatory need. The others all nodded silently, except Finn. Now that someone else had started he was unable to contain himself. His eyes glowed bright amber as he spoke.

"It was good...too good. The strength...the power!" He exclaimed, following with a whispered, "...the blood on my lips..." He shuddered in what was clearly pleasure. Glancing around the others they licked their lips, fists clenched with equal fervor. I stood frozen, horrified at what I was hearing, yet his words stirred an answering desire to hunt again within me.

"What is wrong with you?! The hunt was- was-", I scrambled for words, but I couldn’t find one that fit. The problem was a piece of me agreed. I had enjoyed the hunt, yet I also realized I never would have felt that way before last night. I was more in control of myself than then but I'd definitely changed more than just physically. That thought filled me with the same terror as it had at the pond.

"You felt it too Ali! I know you did. I saw you bring down that doe, and we all saw what you did to Kelber!"

"I did, but I didn't play with it like some kind of chew toy like you did!" I ignored the part about Kelber, not sure how to respond to that. I felt no remorse for anything I’d done to Kelber.

Mayor Thompson, Mils and June all looked down uneasy, looking vaguely ashamed while Finn sneered in response.

"Stop living in denial Alison. Embrace the freedom, the power, that’s been given to you."

"They killed us Finn. They killed Maria and your mother and turned us into monsters like themselves. Don't you care?"

Finn's eyes began to glow and veins stood out starkly visible at his temple, throbbing.

"Of course I care!" He roared. "I loved my family, but Jaron is the alpha, he has the right and he's making us stronger and you can't get stronger without sacrifice! Why don't you understand that? We've been given a gift Ali. One you can't refuse. We're top of the food chain now. No one can stand against us."

"You're not thinking clearly Finn. Listen to yourself! You're trying to justify the murder of your own family!"

Feral growling rumbled up Finn's throat and he threw himself at me. Adrenaline pulsed through me and I felt my eyes burn. Strength flooded my muscles and reacting quicker than I ever could have before, I clasped both hands, slamming them down on his head. Instead of tackling me as he'd intended, my blow forced him face first into the hard dirt, where he lay groaning.

"We have to get out of here, while Jaron and his lackeys are gone."

Laughter bubbled up from where Finn lay on the ground at my feet.

"Pathetic. Run away from the truth, from yourself. No disobeying the alpha. Something else I know you feel, the need to obey him. To submit."

A chill ran down my back. He was right about that, the need to obey Jaron at least. It never even crossed my mind to not follow him after shifting the day before. Sure, I'd gone to wash in the pool after the hunt, but that was more because he hadn't told me not to than because I'd resisted his command.

"Shut up Finn."

I valiantly resisted the urge to kick him and looked towards the others.

"You know we have to leave. Think of what they've done to us! If we stay, we'll be forced to do what he says."

"We- we can't Ali. I can barely even think about leaving." Came June's quiet voice. "And it feels so good." She continued in an even quieter whisper. "I want it. I want to hunt, to kill. I want to feel that again."

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Her eyes shined and she shuddered, but her voice was filled with a conflicting mix of fear and desire.

She had a point though, every time I thought of leaving, an almost physical pain filled my skull, forcing my thoughts toward Jaron and despite knowing intellectually I shouldn't feel anything but hatred toward him, I felt an overwhelming submissiveness. It felt natural to want to stay and obey him. I mean, he was the alpha.

I shook myself.

"No! June, he'll make us kill people! Next time it won't just be deer."

"We need to stay. Even if we did try the others will just kill us! It's our only choice." She gripped her arms tightly, a rough growl entering her voice.

These weren't the people of my village. Mayor Thompson's grief at Serena's death seemed muted or forgotten. Gentle, soft-spoken Mils biting her lower lip in desire as she listened to the others talk about the hunt. Finn, who'd just lost his only family to these monsters, seemed to have completely changed and become enamored with his new form and the strength that came with it. I remembered Jaron's speech. He said we'd find 'new purpose', 'new pleasures' and it seemed he was right.

"Where's my dad?" He'll talk some sense into them, I was sure. Last I saw him he'd just begun changing in my arms.

"He's around." Said Finn with a twisted parody of his old smile. "I'm sure he'll set you straight."

Jaron's laugh boomed as he stepped out of the trees into the clearing much as he had yesterday. "If he doesn't then I certainly will." He stared at me a moment, causing the hair on the back of my neck to prickle.

"You all felt it. Tasted it. Freedom and power like nothing you've felt before. The rush of the hunt, the glory of the kill. You are all pack now and you will obey me or be punished." He met each person's eyes and one by one they looked to the ground and nodded until he met mine a second time. His glare grew more intense, he was alpha of our pack. I resisted a few moments until his eyes began to glow. The longer I stared the need to obey grew, became an almost physical pain until it was too much and I slumped like the others, nodding as tears tracked down my cheeks.

I felt like I was going to be sick. I was just as bad as the others, who was I to judge them?

Shame washed through me back and forth like waves. Rough, calloused fingers gripped my chin and raised it until our eyes met again. "You show spirit spear girl. More than these other simpering fools. Hold onto it and you'll be an asset to the pack." Releasing me he glanced down to where Joe's body still lay just beyond the trees at the clearings edge and scowled. "Too bad. It amazes me how some coward weaklings survive the transformation but strong fighting men perish."

How could I submit to this monster?

"It has come to my attention that a caravan is headed towards the city with news of our attacks and therefore, our general location. We can't have that, now can we?" He gave a sinister smile. "Gather some clothes from your houses. We leave in half a glass!"

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Returning to Glimmerdale really drove home what had happened. There were no bodies, Jaron's people had clearly already moved them somewhere, just like they must have done at Jaksonsville. Still, many buildings we passed had shattered or splintered doorframes and dark stains were scattered among the buildings and on the dirt of the road. My new senses found the air saturated with the rusty metallic scent of dried blood.

Passing the village hall, the ground around the entrance was a deep, muddy red. I dared not look inside. Gathering there was the first thing we were told to do if we were ever attacked. It must have been the site of our last stand. No person could have done this. Whether man or beast, they were all monsters.

Returning to our house I found dad rummaging through his dresser.

"Dad!"

I ran and hugged him for all I was worth, pressing my face into his clean shirt.

"Hey sweetheart. I'm so glad you made it."

Arms closed around me and a large hand stroked by hair. For just a moment I let myself forget and feel safe.

Opening my eyes, I looked up at him.

"Where have you been?!"

"After the hunt yesterday, Jaron told those of us who were with him to clean up the village and I fell asleep right here at home."

"Dad we've got to get out of here. The others have all gone crazy."

He looked at me quizzically.

"What do you mean gone crazy? And we can't leave, we've got to stay with the pack."

My joy at finding him froze inside me.

"Jaron just wants to use us! He knows about the caravan on its way to the duke's city. We- they are going to kill them all! We need to get out of here!"

"We have to obey the alpha Alison." He looked pained as he said it. "We can't just run away, we're part of the pack now and we're all in this together. Family. I admit a part of me wants to leave but I don't think I could even if I wanted to. Besides, this isn’t so bad is it? Didn’t you feel the hunt last night? It felt right didn’t it?"

No. Not him too.

The frozen joy melted, seeming to drain out of me, leaving me feeling empty, hollow. I twisted myself out of his arms to stand a few feet away. Tears pricked at my eyes.

"No... but...he killed all our friends, he'll make us kill people. Please dad. Please." I begged him to listen.

He gazed down at me, a troubled look upon his face.

Speaking softly, he reached for me. "Don't cry Alison, you're shaking like a leaf. This is the way things are now. We've got to make the best of it, together. Like we've always done."

My vision blurry with tears I turned and rushed into my room, slamming the door behind me.

"Ali..." I heard his sigh through the door.

I let myself slide down to sit at the foot of the door, trying to hold back sobs. They all seemed so defeated, like we had no other choices now but to stay. After all they'd done to us, all they'd killed...

To be honest, I couldn't blame them. I understood. They were all right. I had felt what they felt, at least up until the fight with Kelber. Even asking them to leave I wasn't sure I actually could. A large part of me wanted to hunt, to kill again and it, I, knew that Jaron would give that to us. This was a losing battle. I clung to the fact I'd never have felt any of this before.

Wiping the tears from my eyes I stood to find a clean set of clothes only to realize all my travelling clothes were still in my pack, wherever that was.

"Ali we're leaving, Jaron says to get back to the clearing now."

Opening the door, I brushed passed dad without a reply. We walked in silence back to the others.

The scent of burning flesh reached me far before we entered the clearing. In the center, the bodies of our former neighbour’s lay piled, engulfed in flames. I couldn't look, I had to get out of here.

As I turned to flee Jaron's voiced reached me.

"Stay. Watch."

Again, I felt the pressure build inside me and I resisted until I shook with the effort.

"Look. At. It." This time his words were edged with violence.

I turned my head until the flames flickered in the corner of my vision and the pressure eased.

"Good enough. With a bit of tempering I think you'll make a good soldier yet."

Kelber stepped up beside him, pure hatred clear in his eyes as he looked at me while speaking to Jaron.

"We gotta leave now if we want to catch 'em before the city can see."

"Right you are." Jaron replied. Raising his voice, he addressed all of us. "Shift forms and follow me. Carry your clothes with you, we might need them yet."

I gasped. With his command given I felt my bones begin to shift and quickly shrugged out of my clothes. The agony started swiftly changing to a sense of release as my skin stretched and muscles bulged just like the first time.

As I finished changing Jaron bounded off into the trees, heading west parallel to the road. The freedom and power flowed through me, washing away my worries like nothing. Anticipation of the long hunt ahead began to build; why was I so upset again? As we reached the lip of the valley I glanced back towards Glimmerdale for perhaps the last time, the only home I'd ever know now an eerie empty shell. A surge of grief and uncertainty from deep inside almost overcame the feelings of power and freedom, before fading quickly into a dull sliver of emotion buried behind everything else.