Amidst the crimson-stained sunset that mirrored Antonio’s body. He stood alone in the brightly lit skyscraper, his gaze fixed on the sprawling city below. The werewolf apocalypse painted a grim tapestry with the howls of werewolves, distant echoes of destruction, and the fiery glow of chaos. The city was falling, succumbing to the relentless tide of infectious ferals.

As the city crumbled, the heavy door swung open, and Supatra’s voice shattered the silence. “Great view you got here, Antonio. Really soaking in the ambiance of humanity’s impending doom?”

Antonio turned to face her, his usually warm brown eyes flickering with something deeper – grief, perhaps, for fallen comrades or the weight of ages he bore alone. “Supatra. Jason. You’re here.”

Supatra sauntered in, and Jason followed with a charming grin, his voice reflecting their deep friendship. “Yeah, we’re here, King. Sups insisted on checking in on our favorite werewolf overlord.”

“Supatra,” Antonio acknowledged, “I appreciate your presence and perspective. Were the two of you able to bring our long-lost friend?”

Supatra raised an eyebrow with a hint of sarcasm. “Oh, how heartwarming. A werewolf and her unique perspective. It’s rare, but we do see things in the light.”

Jason chimed in, “We’ve been out there, Antonio. The city’s a mess, and our furry friends are having a blast tearing it apart.” Not far, a cry sounds like bones cracking.

Antonio faced the window, the chaos below reflected in his somber gaze. Heavy tension sat on his shoulders. Lángrén came behind Jason, and the reunion crackled with both anticipation and unease. Candace observed, her eyes flickering between the three werewolves, smiling toward Lángrén.

Smokey gray mashed with orange and red colors refracted through the floor to ceiling windows.

Lángrén crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. “What do you need from me that you couldn’t handle with your brooding and rabid ferals?”

Antonio sighed, his gaze returning to the city. “The werewolves are acting out of a sense of retribution.”

Lángrén rolled her eyes, but her tone softened ever so slightly. “And you think I have all the answers? I’ve been busy trying to keep my own pack safe. You’ve endangered them.”

Supatra’s stern expression softened slightly by Jason’s playful grin. They had succeeded in finding Lángrén, and she made valid points to their king.

Jason, always the peacemaker, added, “We’re here to help, Antonio. Whatever you need.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Antonio nodded appreciatively. “Lángrén, I allowed you to leave the pack, to have a life with humans. I value the choice you made. I will not rescind it.”

Lángrén smirked, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. “Yeah, well, I appreciate the chance to be a soccer mom with fangs. It’s been a thrilling ride.”

Antonio turned back to the window. “The world is at stake. We need to find a way to end this madness.”

Lángrén, reluctant and outspoken, couldn’t deny the gravity of the situation. “Fine, Antonio. We’ll play it your way, for now. But if this is another one of your power struggles, I won’t hesitate to remind you where I stand.”

The elevator signaled Nia and Marisol's entrance. Smoke stained the sunset, mirroring gashes from fallen helicopters. “Uncle, there is an ungodly stench out there, like rot and putrescence. The humans have begun setting up a crucible downstairs.” Nia sat beside Candace.

Jason spoke, overlooking the city, “A lot has changed in the past week. This is the last that remains of them... of the human population in this city itself.”

Supatra stared out, eyes welling with tears. “This is humanity’s last stand...”

Nia spotted new ferals, not much bigger than possums. The more common ferals looked like wolves, but were twice as tall. Their fur hid a layer of stretched blackened skin that flaked off. Thousands surged against human defense, turning the city into a burnt wasteland. The werewolves were more numerous than feared. Luckily for humans, the ferals lacked high intelligence and speech.

First hundreds, then thousands of ferals surged against the human defense. A Chinook helicopter gained altitude, and the survivors saw the werewolves were more numerous than they feared. The exponential speed of the infection has become an uncontrolled wildfire pandemic.

Creatures of the apocalypse joined a vast, seemingly endless army. This storm cloud of fangs and claws was pressing against the walls of the fragile fortress.

Marisol stood with Nia, looking out the window, whispered “¿Ellos lo saben? (Do they know?)”

“Not yet. But they will.” Nia gritted her teeth. “How could he have kept this from me?”

Outside, TVs and computers played out the events. Among snippets of disbelief, the pack exchanged glances.

“Fake news. Gotta be CGI.”

“Photoshop anything these days.”

“My kid can make a better costume.”

“Bunch of crazies.”

“The media says anything. You can’t believe it.”

“Some sicko posting to Insta and XTwitter.”

Amidst the chatter of disbelief and criticism, the pack exchanged knowing glances.The public’s trust in media had taken a hit. Nia wrinkled her eyes at the absurdity of ignorance. “Faced with the truth, they would rather believe fiction over reality.”

Ambulances blared, but no one paid attention. Marisol noticed frightened staffers huddling.

Marisol noticed frightened staffers huddling by a nest of cables that snaked to the floor. The hum of servers and cooling fans provided a constant background noise.

“Hola Ms. Marisol. Gracias por estar con nosotros. (Thank you for being with us.)” Antonio’s eyes, never leaving Lángrén, echoed centuries of authority. “Lángrén, it has been far too long.”

Lángrén, reluctant to meet Antonio’s gaze, nodded stiffly. “Indeed, Antonio. I didn't expect to be summoned after all these years.”

Antonio’s eyes eased as he stepped closer. “You were always free to live your life, to have a family with humans. I allowed you that choice.”

Lángrén's gaze softened as memories of a life apart from the pack flooded her mind. “I appreciate that, Antonio. But now, things are different. Werewolves are attacking humans, and your message has reached far and wide.”

Antonio nodded solemnly. “It was necessary to reveal the truth, to show humanity the consequences of their actions.”