I watched as Audrey took her last breath, Lysander’s body finally shedding the prior traits of the Demon Wolf, reverting to his human form. The pack of wolves lingered at a distance, uncertain of what had become of their alpha. The decision to end Lysander’s life now rested solely on my shoulders, a decision I felt it was too much for my heart to bear. As the snow began to fall heavily, I pressed the tip of my sword against his chest, noticing, his skin began to sear.

Suddenly, Lysander gasped sharply, his body convulsing to one side, instinctively deflecting the blade. His eyes opened wide with terror, as his body began the transformation once again.

"Randall?"

I cast my sword aside, dropping to my knees before him, "I'm here, brother."

Snowflakes land on his fevered body, dissolving immediately upon contact. The noise of his bones shifting back into place, accompanied by his wincing in severe agony, wasn't the kind of retribution I had sought.

"You must end me before it consumes me again; I can no longer restrain the beast dwelling inside of me."

His words unveil a harsh reality; a man resigned to his destiny, to be concluded by the hand of his own brother.

"I have faith that you can keep the beast at bay, brother. Together, we can find a way."

He clutches my hand firmly, his eyes mirroring the sheer intensity of his suffering.

"No, you're not getting it—it's too late. You must put an end to this, now!"

Lysander seized the sword, placing it beside my hand. His fingers elongated, his nails sharpening like blades. The rest of his pack lingered in the background, silently observing the outcome of our recent clash.

It dawned on me then, the situation was far more complex than it appeared. Despite the dire circumstances, I found myself unable to fulfill his plea. "I can't do it, brother. I simply can't."

All of a sudden, his body starts shaking violently, the noise of his bones snapping, intertwining with his agonized screams, compelling me to rise and distance myself from him. The metamorphosis is happening, yet there's a distinct variance; his form isn't morphing into a wolf, it's staying human. His stature, fixed in human dimensions, begins to be enveloped in white fur, while his face, although retaining human traits, takes on those of a wolf. This novel incarnation of the Demon Wolf, overtaking the man it once was, stands upright on two legs, exuding an aura of absolute terror.

His eyes filled with an intense red hue, as the Demon Wolf let out a ferocious howl, prompting the rest of the pack to charge towards me.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

From the tower, Phillip's voice rang out with a sense of urgency, "We have to retreat!"

Without hesitation, I sprinted towards the gate, the Demon Wolf towering over the rest of the wolves in pursuit. Phillip was there waiting, his hand on the icy lever, struggling to move it.

"We have to close this gate!"

Together, Phillip and I exerted our strength on the lever that operated the reinforced gate. As it gradually shut, a few of the wolves slipped through, instantly pouncing towards us.

"Your sword? Where is your sword?" Phillip asked.

The memory flashed back to me; I had left the sword Marcus crafted, lying next to Lysander just outside the gate.

"We can't get it back."

Phillip quickly draws his bow, firing arrows with precision to deal with the encroaching wolves that had slipped in before the gate could be fully closed.

"There's only one more weapon at our disposal – the spear inside the smithy."

A monstrous impact shook the gate, rendering it incapable of offering us any more protection. A second blow shattered the lever, and with a third, devastating strike, the gate crashed to the ground.

"Randall, run!"

The Demon Wolf stood imposingly atop the fallen gate, emitting a potent howl that beckoned the remainder of its pack into the town, swarming in like lethal wasps. As I flung open the metal door of the smithy, I caught a glimpse of the Demon Wolf seizing Phillip's leg, hurling him effortlessly over a nearby house.

I slammed the metal door shut, its surface immediately assaulted by the relentless pounding of the Demon Wolf and his pack. "Forgive me, my friend."

In a moment of complete desperation, I closed my eyes and let out a scream, my hands pounding against the door in frustration and fear. Abruptly, the barrage on the door stopped, suggesting an unexpected shift in the situation outside the smithy.

Just as I steadied myself, the Demon Wolf shattered one of the windows, crashing onto the extinguished bloomery, and began to advance towards me. quickly, I dashed into the anvil room, my eyes catching sight of the unfinished spear Marcus had mentioned. Seizing a wooden shield and the spear, I managed to intercept Lysander's ferocious onslaught in the nick of time. The sheer force of his attack was so powerful that it sent me crashing through the wooden wall of the smithy, tumbling onto the ground outside, directly in front of one of Lysander's wolves.

Raising my head, I found myself staring directly into the sharp fangs of the wolf. I braced myself, closing my eyes, anticipating an imminent attack while I lay vulnerable on the ground. However, to my astonishment, the wolf did not attack. It simply stood there, growling menacingly at me, as though it had been commanded not to engage in any confrontation.

Without warning, a strong grip clutched my leg, hoisting me into the air. Then, with a mighty swing, I was hurled through the walls of nearby houses, finally crashing against a chimney. I coughed violently amid the debris, wincing in pain from the brutal attack. A grim realization dawned on me, I had to accept the fight was already over, I never had a fighting chance against the true nature of my brother. Struggling to stand on my feet, I saw the Demon Wolf positioned in the middle of the road. His eyes glinted with an intense bloodlust, foretelling the fury he was about to unleash.

I rose from the rubble; determined to end the Demon Wolf's reign of terror, understanding, that my attempt at killing him would likely fail. I had nothing to lose, everyone that stood by my side was already dead. "You will never take my brother's place! I won't repeat the same mistake twice!"

We charged at each other, colliding in a fierce clash in the middle of the road. I tumbled to the ground, my hand brushing against a handle concealed beneath the snow. As the Demon Wolf leaped towards me, likely to deliver a fatal blow, I grasped the wooden shaft, pulling it from its snowy shroud and positioning it squarely in front of me.