Wolf Among Us

27 Home

Seven frail, thin werewolves, some haven’t seen the sun in months if not years. It was as much for them to handle as it was for Avery and Sawyer. The younger ones were pretty hostile, and Claire was less than kind when their behavior was not all that gratuitous. Avery had to intervene several times, and Sawyer had to intervene a few more when the wolves lashed out and tried to take her head off.

But it was understandable. These people were kept as prisoners, cattle for Castle to milk and drain.

It took a few days for everyone to get their heads together, to make a plan. In those few days it was enough for the group to splinter off.

First was Claire.

She was surprisingly calm and poised, normal when she wasn’t being a total nightmare. She sometimes slipped off to make a few calls, and Avery didn’t press.

Then one day Claire nodded her head and Avery walked over, her skin not crawling but her heart still pounding whenever she neared the other woman.

“It seems you have your hands full with this lot.”

Avery glanced over her shoulder and watched the crowd. Most of Reece’s shifters weren’t all that social with the werewolves, but they were of strong willed. Adam was having a hoot, playing a game of soccer with Sawyer and three other wolves, Reece calmly standing back and watching. Reece had his brooding face on, thinking hard.

“I’m still adjusting,” Avery answered truthfully.

Claire nodded. “You know what you’re going to do with them?”

She shook her head.

“Well, if I can give you some advice, take them home. The old hunting grounds still stand, and I might know of one or three wolves that survived the purge that killed your family.”

Avery stilled, her head reeling. “In New Orleans?”

“It might give you the answers you’re looking for. So if you do, come find me and we’ll talk.”

And that’s how she left, as dramatic as she came. But knowing Avery could find out the truth, put the last piece of the puzzle in the frame sat with her for weeks.

Even during the full moon, which was the second most scariest thing she had ever seen.

A few days before, they all packed up and moved further north, trying to loose themselves in the woods before the full moon. Sawyer wanted Avery to stay in town while it all happened but she wouldn’t leave him. After everything that happened, she wouldn’t leave him for one night.

And after everything, nearly killing, Avery needed to see it for herself.

So the shifters helped chain everyone down, deep in the forests. No one else was around for miles. There was fear all around. The shifters and Avery for what they were about to witness, Sawyer for where Avery and his brother stood in the middle of this, and the rest of the wolves being restless as this was the first time in a long time when they could just be themselves.

When the moon reached its peak, the first bone broke. It was like a bad special effect. The vertebrae under their skin pushed and lengthened and rippled. Their shoulders rolled until they were screaming face first in the dirt. Their legs snapped in half. Skin broke around their growing fingernails. For Sawyer it took just under an hour. For some it took up to three hours of their bodies breaking before they were animals.

They broke through every chain like it was nothing. A few of the trees that they were bound to snapped like twigs under the force. The wolves were snarling, wild and savage. With their new senses locking in, they picked up on the human, on Avery and leaped forward to attack.