That night, Max couldn't sleep. There was just something about that guy that didn't feel right.

He studied the sleeping silhouette.

Why did Valerian refer us to HIM? He's a creep!

Slowly he got up and crept over to the wolf. The moment he placed his nose on the beast, Shadow snapped at him.

Max yapped.

"BACK OFF!" Shadow snarled.

"Okay! Okay!" Max could feel his tail tuck between his legs.

Zack stirred. "What's going on?"

"Whoah, did he just talk?" Matthew teased.

Shadow whipped his head at Matthew. "SHUT UP!" He whips his head back at Max. "What... the FUCK ...were you doing?"

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Max could swear that the deep voice sliced through his skin forming a chill to the bone. He fought the courage to defend himself. "I was examining you. Making sure YOU weren't a threat!"

Shadow tilted his head. "Why would you think that? I'm not fucked up enough to hurt kids like you!" He snarled.

Matthew scoffed. "You're like.......literally the same age as us!" Shadow growled, slowly turning his gaze to Matthew's. The small wolf whined.

Shadow's attention turned back to Max.

"You've been acting strange with us since we've met, so of course Max is going to check you." Zack chimed in.

Shadow sighed.

..........................................................

"So, you need the blade." Shadow concluded after the boys told him their story.

"My brother's still out there..." Max mentioned. Shadow looked at him. "You said your brother was the first one cursed?" Max nodded.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if Scarlett has him as part of her army..."

"Wait, what army?" Matthew asked.

"Scarlett keeps the ones she's cursed and imprisons them. Some cursed ones escape from her grasp, some fall further into her control, causing them to lose their memories of the human lives they had. If she tells a cursed to kill a loved one, they will do so without hesitation."

Matthew gulped.

Max felt like his stomach flopped at the thought of Ben's fate. No....not Ben. Please not Ben!