Ralphie awoke with a start to a low, guttural growl that sent shivers down his spine. His eyes flew open as a lupine snarl echoed through the garage they used as temporary shelter.

“What was that?” he whispered, his heart pounding.

Nigel was already on his feet, his face taut with tension. “Stay here,” he mouthed, creeping towards the door with his gun drawn.

Sally stirred beside Ralphie. “What’s going on?”

Before Nigel could answer, another bone-chilling growl reverberated through the space, louder this time. Ralphie’s breath caught in his throat as Blanka bolted upright, alert.

“Sounds like we have an unwanted visitor,” she murmured, reaching for her weapon.

Nigel cracked open the door, peering out into the dim light of the encampment. Ralphie could see his brother’s silhouette freeze as his eyes landed on something outside.

“Sweet mother of—” Nigel’s curse abruptly ended as a scream tore through the night air.

In a flash, Blanka was at the door, her gun raised. “What is it?”

“Some kind of animal,” Nigel hissed. “Big. Feral.”

Another scream pierced the air, this one closer, and Ralphie’s blood turned to ice. He scrambled to his feet, his heart thundering in his ears.

“We have to do something!” he cried.

Nigel whirled around, his jaw clenched. “Stay here with Sally. Blanka and I will handle this.”

Before Ralphie could protest, his brother and Blanka were out the door, weapons drawn. Ralphie rushed to the opening, peering out into the gloom.

At first, he couldn’t see anything amiss. Then, a blur of movement caught his eye—a massive, shaggy form darting between the buildings. Ralphie’s breath hitched as he realized it was a wolf, its jaws open in a vicious snarl.

“Oh my god,” Sally breathed, joining him at the doorway. “Is that what I think it is?”

A scream echoed between the buildings, this one close. Ralphie’s gaze snapped to the source of the sound—a villager cowering against the wall of a nearby building as the wolf advanced, its lips curled back in a feral growl.

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“No!” Ralphie shouted, his voice drowned out by the staccato burst of gunfire as Nigel and Blanka opened fire on the beast.

The wolf whirled, its yellow eyes glinting with feral rage. It lunged towards Nigel, its massive jaws snapping shut inches from his face. Nigel stumbled back, firing as Blanka circled around to flank the creature.

Ralphie watched in horror, frozen in place, as the battle raged just yards away. The wolf was a blur of fur and fangs, dodging the hail of bullets with almost supernatural agility. It feinted towards Blanka, and she emptied her clip into its heaving flank.

The beast let out a spine-chilling howl of pain and whirled on her, its muzzle twisted in a vicious snarl. Blanka’s eyes widened as it charged, and she backpedaled, her gun clicking empty.

“Blanka, look out!” Nigel roared, raising his weapon.

But he was too late. The wolf slammed into Blanka with the force of a freight train, its jaws clamping down on her shoulder. She screamed, a high, keening wail that cut straight to Ralphie’s core.

“No!” he bellowed, his voice raw with anguish.

Without thinking, he snatched up a nearby pipe and charged towards the fray, his vision tinted red with rage and fear. The wolf was on top of Blanka now, its mighty jaws working as it tried to tear out her throat.

Ralphie swung the pipe with every ounce of strength he possessed, catching the beast in the side of the head with a sickening crunch. It yelped and released Blanka, whirling on Ralphie with a feral snarl.

Time seemed to slow as the wolf tensed, its muscles coiling for the kill. Ralphie could see every hair on its heaving flanks, every glint of saliva on its razor-sharp fangs. He gripped the pipe tighter, his knuckles white, and braced himself for the attack.

The gunshot was deafening in the stillness, a single explosive crack that made Ralphie’s ears ring. The wolf jerked, its yellow eyes going wide with shock and pain. A blossom of red bloomed on its matted fur as it crumpled to the ground, unmoving.

Ralphie whirled to see Nigel lowering his smoking gun, his face grim. Without a word, he rushed to Blanka’s side, cradling her in his arms as she gasped for breath.

“Hang in there, love,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re going to be okay,” he said as tears rolled.

Ralphie dropped the pipe, his legs weak with relief and adrenaline crash. He stumbled over to Nigel and Blanka, his heart still racing.

“Is she…?” he croaked, unable to finish the question.

Nigel looked up, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “She’s alive. But we need to get her medical attention fast.”

As if on cue, the encampment erupted into a flurry of activity, villagers pouring out of their shelters to see what had happened. Ralphie saw Benson pushing his way through the crowd, his face pale and drawn.

“What in the blazes is going on here?” the old man demanded, his gaze falling on the fallen wolf.

Nigel rose to his feet, cradling Blanka against his chest. “Your encampment has a pest problem,” he growled. “Now, are you going to help us or not?”

Benson’s eyes narrowed, but he gave a curt nod. “Bring her to the infirmary before she bleeds out.”

As they hurried after Benson, Ralphie couldn’t help but glance back at the still form of the wolf, its glassy eyes staring into the night. He shuddered, pushing the image from his mind.

How did it get inside the walls?