Janice!

Letting the wolf out was always a risk. She craved the woods. Freedom. She always wanted to run for the sake of it. Hunt because that was when she truly felt alive. Howl at the moon because her normal singing voice sucked, so why shouldn’t she take advantage of the best way to create music?

Monika didn’t like her wolf. But she was grateful to her. Because the wolf was the only reason Janice went under the bridge that night. The wolf was the one who drew her love’s attention, but it was Monika who captured her heart… After waking up on the table where Janice always prepared her meals.

It was love at first sight, and the wolf tolerated being chained by Janice. Because Janice was the only one who was worthy. But the thought of Janice being harmed broke through the chains. They were as flimsy as Monika's clothes and the lies she told herself. Monika hates the wolf because she is the wolf.

And the only thing that eclipsed her self-hatred was her love for Janice. So, she stopped fighting her instincts and let the change happen. The sounds of cloth tearing, plastic crunching, and humans screaming filled her ears. But an even better sound replaced them. Herself growling as paws tore up the cement and asphalt of sidewalks and roads.

She didn’t need to trust her nose to find her way to Janice’s home, but she used it anyway. Monika’s growling increased as she detected several of her former packmates nearby. How dare they! Monika flew towards the nearest one, a chubby tomboy with a bad haircut who always trash-talked like she was a pro wrestler.

Monika hadn’t spoken to her much but liked her attitude. Building yourself up in a pack controlled by a man-child with an ego was a good idea. But now, the girl was nothing more than meat between Monika’s jaws. Her neck snapped before she could cry out, but it didn’t matter.

The others had seen her. Only two, her former alpha included, had the sense to begin transforming. The others looked at their companion's remains and wisely fled. I guess they were just following orders. No matter… The alpha’s wolf was twice as big as Monika’s, with the same black fur shade as Pugsely’s hair.

He growled at her, backing away as the other wolf finished transforming. Monika didn’t know this one, but her short blonde hair turned into ashy-tan fur. The girl had looked young. Younger than the tomboy. Certainly younger than Monika herself. But, her transformation and refusal to leave made her an obstacle that Monika had to deal with.

Monika growled as she lunged forward, hoping the sudden move would throw the tan wolf off her game. It worked. She heard a yelp as the alpha caught on to her plan at the last second and moved to avoid Monika’s lunge. It partially worked. Monika had been aiming for the alpha’s neck, but his movement gave her his shoulder instead.

His teeth clamped on her neck, causing Monika to yelp as the two began to roll around. Each trying to pin the other and ignore the pain. Monika tried shoving him against a wall, but his larger bulk soon proved too much, and it was all she could do to hang on. A flash of tan was her only warning as the pup finally joined the fight, biting deep into Monika’s exposed back.

Monika releases the alpha’s shoulder and is instantly shoved down by the black wolf. She stares up at him as his teeth tear out her throat.

Janice tsked and shook her head in disappointment. This is what I get for spoiling her… But at least she brought me dinner. She licked her lips as a third werewolf, the one who thought he was good enough for Monika, appeared. His clothes were torn, but he retained his senses to stay in his human form as he collapsed at Monika’s side, shoving the black wolf away as he cradled her against him.

“How could you?! You promised you weren’t going to hurt her. We had a deal!” Janice frowned, not liking that the mutt was touching her puppy. It didn’t matter that she was dead. The only one allowed to touch Monika like that was her! And I’m the only one allowed to kill her… What is this emotion?

The black wolf transformed back into a human and glared at the mutt. “I said I’d try to avoid it, but she killed Stacy. And she tried to kill me. I had to defend myself. And where were you, huh? You were supposed to be claiming her by now. What happened?!”

Pugsley opened his mouth, rage building, turning everything red at the injustice and indifference on his older brother’s face. But before he could say anything, a soft yelp from Emma caused them to turn, and Pugsley felt his heart hit his stomach. The woman Monika had fallen for, the cause of this mess, was standing a few feet away and holding Emma by her throat with one hand.

It shouldn’t have scared him. He knew what she was… or… thought he did. But reading about demons and seeing them in person are two different things. The woman smirked and slowly raised Emma into the air until the tip of her tail barely brushed the ground. Ruby lips that were far too red to be from lipstick pulled back to show off a mouthful of razor-edged fangs.

“Sorry to interrupt your family quarrel. But you’ve ruined my nest and killed my puppy…” Her eyes shifted to Monika, and just for a moment, Pugsley thought he recognized the emotions in her eyes. But then she looked right at him, and he didn’t want to know what she was thinking. Pugsley had always known he was a werewolf.

He’d always assumed it meant he was a predator. Not the top one. That role belonged to his brother, but he never had to worry about being prey… Until now. The being that called itself Janice snapped Emma’s neck like a twig, letting the young wolf slip from her fingers without a glance as if Emma were trash.

But Pugsley didn’t understand. What Janice had done to Emma was an act of mercy. The girl had played a role in Monika’s death and the attempt on Janice, but her role was minor. Meanwhile, Pugsley and his brother had earned a special fate. One that demanded all of Janice’s attention as she approached them calmly.

They tried to connect with their wolves to transform. Pugsley got as far as shifting Monika off his lap before Janice slapped him aside, sending Pugsely crashing into a nearby car while Monika’s body rolled a few feet away. Janice’s voice was devoid of emotion as she looked at Monika’s broken body.

“Keep your hands off my pet.” Pugsley could only whimper, but his brother, Zane, was the alpha. Zane is the strongest werewolf in their pack, if not the strongest in their state. Zane, his hero since childhood and the one who never abandoned him… Zane had other ideas. He didn’t understand why his wolf was cowering at Janice’s presence.

She was just a woman. A demon, sure, but still a woman. No woman should ever be able to frighten Zane, never mind having his inner wolf cowering like a puppy. No one should be able to do that, especially a woman who didn’t understand her place was beneath him. Zane growled, ignoring every instinct that told him to flee as he charged her.

Janice watched him come, face blank as he deliberately stomped on Monika’s tail and leg, smirking as the sharp crack of bone filled his ears. That’s what you get, you stupid- He didn’t see Janice’s eyes turn red. He didn’t see her move. Pugsley didn’t see her move. In the same second, Zane was congratulating himself for stomping on Monika’s body.

The foot he used to do it was neatly sliced off, as if with a scalpel. Zane hit the ground hard, shock and disbelief numbing him to the pain until he noticed his foot lying a few inches away. What the… How’d that get over there?! Janice loomed over him, disdain and rage oozing from her as she glared.

“You must be all bark and no brain. Didn’t you see what happened to the other mutt? Didn’t you hear me say to keep your hands off my puppy? Are you truly so stupid that you needed to be told not to touch her at all?” She picked up Zane, treating his body like Emma’s, but she didn’t squeeze his neck.

She didn’t look bored or tossed him aside to move on to something else. Janice smirked, ripping his shirt away in thin ribbons, leaving scratches that appeared to be paper-thin… Until the front of his chest was covered in blood seconds later before soaking into the unforgiving ground.