The pack moved silently through the nearly deserted downtown street. It was a cold night one of those eerie, brooding evenings where the moon hid behind heavy clouds, and the air smelled faintly of rain and electricity. Streetlights flickered inconsistently, casting long shadows that danced along cracked pavements. The silence was deep, thick enough to suffocate any stray sound, broken only by the occasional rustle of wind brushing through the trees and the steady rhythm of their footsteps.
Bella and Sophia walked side by side, their boots crunching against scattered gravel. Just behind them, Jasper kept close to Tyler, while Henry and James moved in sync to their left. A gentle drizzle began to mist the air, cooling their skin and adding weight to the atmosphere.
"What a silent night for a vampire to strike," James muttered, cracking his knuckles with a grin.
"Keep your eyes open," Tyler replied without turning. "Anything might happen."
Bella glanced sideways. "Jasper, you look nervous."
"Yes, Jasper. I noticed it too," Sophia chimed in, her tone light but observant.
Jasper blinked, slightly startled. "What? No I'm not," he said, too quickly. "Just… tense, that's all."
Henry smirked. "Must be your first night out."
"Don't worry, bro. We got your back," James added, giving Jasper a light punch on the shoulder.
"Thanks, guys," Jasper muttered, his lips twitching with a half-smile.
James stretched and looked up at the clouded sky. "So while we're out here risking our tails, why don't we talk about ourselves? You know, get to know each other better? And maybe figure out why we're in a wolves' shelter instead of high school like normal kids?"
Tyler glanced at him and thought, James never shuts up. But he also never let them drift apart. Always the one talking, always the one laughing, always keeping the group together. He should've been second-in-command, Tyler thought bitterly. Not me.
Henry exhaled deeply. "My parents freaked out when I first changed. I didn't know what was happening. I ran away. Connor found me"
A shadow flickered over his face.
"he took me in like a brother. That's how I met James."
James bumped him playfully. "You were skinny and confused. Like a puppy."
"Sorry, Henry," Bella said softly. Her voice held genuine sympathy.
The others nodded or smiled quietly, each carrying their own hidden past.
Suddenly, a scream pierced the stillness loud, sharp, and desperate.
The pack froze.
A house just up the road flickered violently with light, as though its wiring was being torn apart. No hesitation. The pack bolted toward it, their footsteps pounding against the wet pavement, instinct taking over.
Something had gone wrong.
And the night had just begun.
A woman's scream sliced through the darkness as the pack reached her doorstep. She stood trembling at the edge of her pavement, tears streaking down her cheeks. "My neighbors… they were taken," she cried, pointing a shaky finger toward the nearby forest. "Two people I couldn't see their faces. It happened so fast."
"What is it?" Sophia asked, stepping forward first.
"We'll get them," Sophia said with calm conviction, before sprinting toward the forest. The others followed without hesitation.
"I can smell vampires," Tyler growled, his voice low and strained. His body tensed and in the blink of an eye, he shifted. Bella followed, her white fur gleaming under the dark sky. One by one, James, Henry, and Sophia transformed, their forms melting into sleek, powerful wolves.
Jasper lagged behind. His breath caught in his throat as he stared into the dark woods. Then, quietly, he turned back toward the woman's house.
I can't… I can't do it, he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. I'm too scared.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, the pack raced through the undergrowth, their paws barely making a sound. They stopped abruptly.
Two bodies lay motionless on the forest floor, pale and lifeless. Blood soaked the grass beneath them.
Sophia stepped forward first, crouching to examine the corpses. Her clawed fingers brushed against a cold wrist. Tyler came to her side and knelt, his snout close to their necks.
"Dead," he muttered. "Large bites neck and wrists. They were drained."
The pack pressed forward, their senses alert. They entered a wide, eerie clearing, shrouded in mist. The moment their paws touched the center, a blur of motion crashed into Henry sending him sprawling.
A vampire.
Sophia snarled and lunged at him.
Before the others could react, a second vampire struck. Tyler and James were flung through the air, crashing into trees with a thunderous crack.
Bella's growl echoed like thunder as she launched herself, her white wolf form slamming into the second vampire. Sophia and the first vampire collided again in a vicious flurry.
Both vampires broke free, landing gracefully on trees above the pack.
"This is so fun," the first one sneered, licking blood from his lips. "Had a full meal… now I get to kill some wolves."
"So… who's dying first?" the second one added, slamming a hand into the tree trunk beside him, shaking its leaves to the ground.
Sophia narrowed her eyes, fury blazing.
James, Henry, and Tyler rose quickly. The pack split. Tyler and Sophia dove at the first vampire. Bella, James, and Henry charged the second.
It was chaos.
The first vampire landed a crushing blow on Sophia, sending her flying through the trees. Tyler battled fiercely, but the vampire raised a hand and clenched it Tyler's body lifted and crashed into Sophia mid-air.
The second vampire tore James from his neck grip and hurled him away. Bella sank her teeth into the vampire's ribs, drawing a howl of pain. Henry sprang forward, sinking his claws into the vampire's leg and tearing it apart.
Tyler staggered back into the fight. This time, the first vampire hoisted him into the air again, slamming him hard into the ground. But Sophia surged forward, her massive tail whipping the vampire across the clearing.
"Is that all you've got?" the vampire spat, wiping blood from his face.
Suddenly, Tyler came from behind jaw snapping down, breaking the vampire's face. Sophia joined him, snapping the vampire's neck. Together, they tore him apart, piece by piece.
Meanwhile, the second vampire groaned and staggered to his feet only to be met by a fully recovered James, who delivered a brutal blow, smashing him into a boulder.
Silence fell.
The vampires were dead.
Sophia and Bella shifted back to human form first, their bodies vanishing into the forest shadows. One by one, the boys followed.
"Where's Jasper?" James asked, his voice rough and winded.
"I hope he's okay," Bella added quietly.
"Vampires with powers…" Tyler muttered, shaking his head. "That's a first."
"They only gain abilities after years of feeding on human blood," Sophia said, her expression twisted with disgust.
"Great teamwork, guys," she added with a small smile.
"Yeah, nice ripping, Tyler. I saw that," Henry teased, grinning.
Tyler rolled his eyes. "They were strong. It took five of us to beat just two. We need to get stronger."
The pack nodded in agreement.
"I hope Jasper is fine," Bella said again, her voice soft with concern.
And the wind blew gently through the clearing carrying the scent of blood, burnt leaves, and something else.
Fear.