Connor, Bella, and Tyler walked briskly through the settlement. The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting moving shadows on the path.
"I'm going to take you to my pack and introduce you properly," Connor said without turning. "Even though you've already met some of them, a formal introduction would be good."
Tyler nodded quietly, his mind racing. So this is the pack leader… a mini alpha. His thoughts flashed back to Mr. Benson's home the vampire attack, the chaos. Connor was so strong. He took down that vampire in minutes. I want to be that strong… He clenched his fists, a fire stirring inside him.
A sudden noise disrupted the moment. Voices cruel and loud.
"Get up, you're so weak!" one boy barked.
Around the bend, two boys both around Tyler's age, maybe twenty-two or twenty-three were kicking another boy who lay curled on the ground, trying to shield himself from the blows.
"I said get up, you weakling!" the first boy shouted, grabbing the boy by the shirt and hurling him aside. The young man groaned in pain as he hit the ground.
"You can't do anything right," the second boy sneered. "At this rate, you'll get killed by a vampire without landing a single blow."
They both laughed cruelly. The first boy raised his foot again.
But Tyler was already moving.
He grabbed the boy's wrist mid-swing, his grip firm and furious. "Let go of him," Tyler growled.
The second boy stepped forward. "Hey, who are you? How dare "
"Shut up," Tyler snapped, eyes blazing. "We're supposed to protect each other, not tear each other down."
The first boy yanked his arm free. "He's weak. There's nothing worth protecting about someone like him," he said, pointing to the beaten boy.
"He isn't weak," Tyler said sharply. "Isn't he a wolf? That makes him one of us. You're the one who's weak for attacking your own."
"Heyyyy!" the second boy started again, voice rising.
"Enough!" Connor barked, stepping in. He crouched and helped the beaten boy to his feet. "Max. Josh. If you do this again, I'll report you to your commanders. Now go."
The two bullies muttered curses under their breath as they stormed off.
Bella rushed forward, kneeling beside the injured boy. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.
"Yeah… I'm fine," the boy replied, wincing slightly. He was handsome, with long dark hair tied neatly at the back. His eyes were calm, though slightly bruised. His frame was solid and muscular, the kind that hinted at quiet strength.
"You look strong," Connor said, eyeing him. "Can't believe you let them beat you up."
The boy chuckled faintly. "My name is Jasper," he said, turning to Bella, then to Tyler. "Thanks, man… for standing up for me."
"It was nothing," Tyler replied, his voice low.
They continued walking until they reached an open clearing surrounded by shrubs. It was a makeshift playground with logs and equipment scattered around. Sophia, Alex, Henry, and James were already there.
"Hey guys!" James shouted, running to meet them.
Sophia dropped the book she'd been reading and dashed toward Bella. They hugged tightly.
"Hey, Tyler," she said, smiling and waving. Tyler gave no response.
"Who's the new kid?" Alex asked, eyeing Jasper.
"This is Jasper," Connor said, placing a hand on Jasper's shoulder. "He's new here like Tyler and Bella."
"And he's joining the pack?" Sophia asked.
"I don't know yet," Connor replied. "He was being bullied, so we stepped in."
"Bullied? Seriously?" Henry said with a half-laugh. "Even the protectors of the town have issues, huh?"
"It's fine," Jasper said calmly.
Just then, two boys came running up to the group, panting.
"Connor! We got a problem," one of them said. "Vampires. Spotted at the old school. Two people are already dead."
"What?" James gasped.
"This is weird," Alex said, frowning. "Vampires appearing in daylight staying hidden in dark places? That's unheard of."
"Alex, you're with me," Connor said immediately. "The rest of you stay and train. Henry, Sophia, teach them what they need to know."
"I want to come too," Tyler said, stepping forward.
"No, Tyler. Train with your sister. And Jasper, you've got a lot to learn," Connor ordered as he and Alex dashed off.
A sudden shift hit Bella's senses an odd, bitter smell in the air. Her ears twitched, her breath caught. It was the unmistakable sensation she hated the feeling of death drawing near. A bad omen.
Someone… or people… were about to die.