Katelyn's POV
Stephanie and Andrew sit in the backseat with me as a driver takes us back home. "This is cool! Jason never told me you guys had the tech to fix glasses, or even make them for that matter!"
Stephanie smiles softly. "I'm glad you like them, dear."
I adjust the glasses on my face, marveling at how clear everything looks again. The world seems sharp and vibrant. I had gotten so used to not needing glasses while I was being a werewolf. Now wearing glasses again is starting to feeling weird.
"I didn't think... well, I didn't think anyone could make glasses like this," I admit, smiling at Andrew and Stephanie.
Andrew's icy blue eyes twinkle with amusement. "We've got all kinds of interesting things in the Orian pack. Not just the usual pack tech, but things that help... make life easier for those who need it."
Stephanie gestures to me, her elegant hand fanning gently in the air. "Not all of us are gifted in the way of sight or strength, so we make do with what we can."
I nod, glancing out the window as the familiar sights of my hometown city in California—what was left of it at least—start to appear.
"I'm glad Jason had people like you looking out for him," I say quietly, almost to myself.
Stephanie's expression softens. "Jason's always been a bit... wild, unpredictable. But he's also someone who doesn't give up on the people he cares about." She pauses, her fan flicking open as she seems to contemplate her next words. "I hope you don't make him regret it."
The rest of ride is silent. Even more silent as we arrive into the city.
The streets were littered with rubble and debris. But something feels off...I just don't know what it is...
I step out of the car, my boots crunching against the cracked pavement. The air smells like dust and smoke, and the buildings—once familiar—are barely standing. Some have crumbled entirely. Cars are abandoned, some flipped over or burned out.
"He's had his revenge now. I hope he's satisfied," I murmured.
Jason's POV
Meanwhile...
I stand on the top floor of one of the wrecked buildings, the wind howling through the broken buildings like a ghost mourning the dead. The scent of smoke clings to the air, mixing with the metallic tang of blood long since dried. This was what I wanted, wasn't it? Justice for my pack. For my family. For every werewolf who suffered at the hands of these humans.
So why does it feel so... empty?
I clench my fists, my claws still extended. My tail twitches, my ears flicking at every distant sound. There's no cheering, no victorious howl. Just silence.
The city is in ruins because of me.
I thought destroying the ones who wronged my pack would fix everything. That it would heal the gaping hole in my chest where my family used to be. But it didn't.
Because they're still gone.
I grit my teeth and close my eyes, inhaling deeply. The rage, the fire that once kept me moving, is flickering. Burning out.
And worst of all... Katelyn isn't here.
She left.
She chose to leave.
I scoff, but it's hollow. What did I expect? That she'd stay? That she'd accept the monster I've become?
I glance at my reflection in a shattered window. Red eyes. Bared fangs. A beast.
Wait a minute...that smell...
Katelyn's POV
Meanwhile...
Andrew and Stephanie began growling. But without my wolf senses, I can't tell what they're growling at.
Suddenly, pale people began to appear from different areas of crumbled buildings.
"IT'S THE APOCALYPSE!" I shriek.
"Vampires...." Andrew growls darkly.
Vampires. Of course it had to be vampires.
I press myself closer to Andrew and Stephanie, my hands clenching into fists. Even without my wolf senses, I can feel the tension crackling in the air like a storm waiting to break.
The pale figures step closer, moving with unnatural grace, their glowing eyes fixed on us like predators sizing up prey.
"Stay behind us," Stephanie murmurs, her voice calm but firm.
"Yeah, no problem," I whisper back, my heart pounding.
The tallest vampire steps forward, his lips curling into a sharp-toothed grin. "Well, well... what do we have here? The mighty Orian wolves, escorting a human?" His gaze lands on me. "How... interesting."
Andrew doesn't flinch. "Stand down, Bryan," he growls, his deep voice like a warning thunderclap. "We have no quarrel with you."
Bryan? When did he become a vampire?
Bryan chuckles. "Oh, but we might have one soon enough." His eyes flick back to me. "Well, well, Katelyn. I didn't think you'd survive those wild werewolves."
"I lasted longer than I would have if I stayed with you," I growled.
Bryan's smirk widens. "Oh, Katelyn," he purrs, stepping closer. "You always did have a sharp tongue. I see that hasn't changed."
My fists clench at my sides. Even after all this time, just hearing his voice makes my skin crawl.
Andrew shifts slightly, placing himself more firmly between me and Bryan. "I won't warn you again," he growls. "Stand. Down."
Bryan chuckles, but his eyes flash with something dangerous. "Or what? You'll rip me apart like your little pet did to this city?" His gaze flicks upward, scanning the destruction around us. "Quite the mess he made."
Jason.
I swallow hard.
Stephanie steps forward now, her laced fan snapping shut with a sharp click. "Unlike Jason, we know how to clean up our messes." Her voice is smooth, but there's an edge of steel beneath it. "And we never leave loose ends."
Bryan's grin falters, just slightly.
Then, in a blur of movement, he lunges.