The streets bustled with life as Tyler and Sophia walked side by side, the sounds of the city wrapping around them like a living symphony. Children in colorful uniforms skipped past, backpacks bouncing on their shoulders, their laughter sharp and fleeting. Yellow taxis honked impatiently, weaving through narrow spaces, drivers shouting from open windows. Street vendors called out their wares roasted corn, fried snacks, cold drinks while the scent of petrol and grilled meat hung in the air.
Despite the liveliness, a quiet bubble surrounded Tyler and Sophia. Their silence was mutual, not awkward just heavy with unspoken thoughts.
"I know how you feel, Tyler," Sophia said at last, her voice soft but clear as they continued walking along the uneven pavement. "You feel the same fear that I do. What if we go on patrol and don't come back?"
Her words hung in the air, delicate and raw.
"I feel the same way too," she added, her expression sad, distant.
Gosh, Tyler thought, stealing a glance at her. She knew him too well. Or was she a psychic?
"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered, trying to keep his face hard, unreadable.
Sophia rolled her eyes lightly. "Come on, Tyler. Don't pretend. You know exactly what I mean. Every time we go on patrol, I sense it around you fear."
Tyler stopped abruptly, stunned. He turned to her, jaw clenched. "What do you mean?" he asked, voice low and sharp.
"You want Bella to be safe," she replied gently, meeting his gaze. "You worry what might happen to her if we ever come across a dangerous vampire."
Tyler scoffed, resuming his pace. "Of course I'm scared," he said, almost under his breath. "She's my sister. My only family."
They walked a little further until they reached a quiet corner shaded by a wide tree. Beneath it was a rusted bench, chipped paint clinging stubbornly to the iron arms. Tyler sat down with a sigh, and Sophia joined him, the chaos of the street seeming to dull in the background.
"Tyler," she said, her tone shifting, "there are times I feel like I'm not living up to the pack's expectations. Like Connor…"
The name made them both tense. The shadow of Connor's memory was always there strong, wise, reliable. A real alpha.
"Connor was different," Sophia continued. "He was like a big brother. Same with Alex. Under Connor's leadership, we would never have gone to the waterfall at night. That would've been a complete taboo to him. I just " she looked down " I'm not good enough. I still have a lot to learn."
"Don't take this all on yourself," Tyler said after a pause. "I'm a leader too. And I'm also not good enough… not yet. But I'm looking up to you, Sophia."
She turned to look at him, startled.
"And so is the pack," he added, glancing sideways. "So we better not mess it up."
Sophia smiled genuine, warm and reached out, her hand softly resting on Tyler's.
Tyler met her eyes.
"Bella isn't your only family," she whispered. "You have me. You have us."
The woods were a battlefield, the crisp night air shredded by growls, shrieks, and the thud of bodies colliding. Trees swayed violently as the pack clashed with the enemy. Tyler crashed hard against a jagged rock, the impact stealing the breath from his lungs. Nearby, Sophia was locked in combat with a monstrous, overweight vampire whose grotesquely large pupils twitched with each movement. She growled, baring her fangs, as the creature lunged again.
In another part of the clearing, James and Henry faced off with a more dangerous opponent a lean vampire with strange red scars etched across his lips. He was fast, erratic, his blood-stained mouth twisted in a cruel smile.
Bella, alone, battled a smaller vampire deep in the brush. He looked younger barely sixteen or seventeen but his strength was overwhelming. He fought with the reckless brutality of a newborn, relying on raw power instead of precision. Bella, in her brilliant white wolf form, circled and attacked from all sides, but the boy vampire held his ground and drove her back with brute force.
The chaos had erupted moments ago when the pack, on patrol, discovered three vampires dragging lifeless children through the woods. Rage had ignited instantly. They attacked without hesitation. Only Jasper held back, hiding between trees, watching with tense eyes as the scene unfolded.
Tyler recovered quickly, darted forward, and slammed into the vampire. He joined Sophia, who had already sunk her fangs deep into the fat vampire's chest, crushing him under her weight. Tyler followed with a swift, final blow, ending the creature.
Meanwhile, James and Henry circled the red-lipped vampire, their breath heavy, thoughts intertwined.
How do we beat this guy? Henry thought, desperate.
Let's corner him. Finish it fast, James replied through the mind channel.
The scarred vampire hissed, leaping into a tree. But he didn't get far. As he lunged back down, James's massive grey form tackled him mid-air, his powerful jaws snapping one leg with a crack. The vampire shrieked but retaliated, kicking James away.
Henry struck next silent, precise. His red wolf form appeared from the shadows and tore into the vampire's remaining leg. The creature howled in pain.
James recovered, joined by Sophia's sleek purple wolf form. Together, the three of them overwhelmed the crippled vampire, ripping him apart piece by piece.
But deeper in the woods, Bella was in trouble.
Her body flew through the air and crashed against a large rock with a sickening thud. She stood again, panting, bruised, her fur matted. The young vampire across from her was panting too, chest heaving. His youthful face trembled not with fear, but raw energy.
Bella hesitated. He's just a kid.
She didn't want to kill him. She didn't know how to stop him without doing so.
But the vampire gave her no time. With a furious snarl, he charged and drove her into the ground. Bella gasped but responded quickly, summoning her strength to pin him to a tree with all her might. The boy groaned in pain, his body cracking against the bark.
Then came the others.
Tyler, James, Henry they broke through the trees, eyes wide with alarm. The vampire freed himself, spun, and knocked Bella back against a rock once more. In a blur, James and Henry launched forward, shifting mid-air as their wolf forms tore the boy vampire into pieces.
Sophia had already shifted to her human form. She rushed to Bella's side as she collapsed, her body shaking from pain and exhaustion. The boys followed, shifting back to their human forms, faces drawn with concern.
Tyler reached Bella first, pulling her gently into his arms.
"Are you okay?" he asked, voice soft but tight with worry.
"I'm… fine," Bella whispered weakly.
Sophia knelt beside her, brushing strands of hair from Bella's face. "You held back," she said gently. "You felt something for that vampire. He was just a boy. You didn't want to kill him."
Tyler's jaw tightened. "You shouldn't have hesitated, Bella. What if something did happen to you?"
Footsteps rustled the leaves. Jasper emerged from the trees, eyes wide. "Bella!" he shouted, rushing over. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she said again, even quieter.
James stood, brushing his arm. "They didn't have powers like the others," he noted, glancing at the pieces of the slain vampires.
"Maybe they were newborns," Henry replied thoughtfully.
"Or they haven't fed enough to unlock their full strength," Jasper added, his tone grim.
The forest fell quiet again, but the weight of what had just happened pressed down like a storm cloud. The night wasn't over. And danger was only growing.