"I would have run away from you…" Claude retreated a few steps, slowly growing his body to get to his wolf form, abandoning the bipedal wolfman look. However, his senses grew disoriented. It was as if his rage burned out, and he couldn't use any to fuel his transformation. He said, nonetheless. "But I have already wolfed out. I'm warning you. If you don't leave me alone, I will carve at your face."
"Why don't we sort out matters later?" The bigger wolf seamlessly spoke in a language Claude understood. Its voice was quite deep and soothing, as if Claude had heard it before. However, the werewolf had wolfed out and distorted its voice. Claude couldn't place it anywhere.
The bigger wolf looked up at the sky, feeling the moonlight on its face. "The witch couldn't be too far from its physical body. You must have injured her if she retaliated."
It walked closer to Claude and sniffed as if picking up a scent. However, its brows were visibly furrowed. "Her black magic is odorous… but the kind our noses reject. It doesn't matter now. We could hunt her down just the same. Let's go."
Claude didn't agree or disagree. When the bigger wolf looked at Claude, he hissed and retreated… before getting down on a pouncing stance. He said with a warning tone, "Who are you? What do you want from me? How will I know that you won't attack me? That woman has other friends. Since she's a witch, she's probably part of a community."
"The community failed her… or so she thought. Come now, love. Let's hunt the witch." The bigger wolf ran off as if picking up a track.
"The community failed her?" Claude followed nonetheless. He wanted to know how Reina found out about Gracie. Didn't Len's people hide it well enough? Did one of them sing? Regardless, Claude would seek redress if she pursued her goals for tonight.
…
Streaks of blood drew along her arms. However, they only seeped into her blood-red hands as if her hands were covered in a film to catch her blood. Reina skidded her shoulder against the wall slowly, trudging as she fought her light-headedness. She looked down at her injuries with gritted teeth.
A soft, dragged-out huff came from her lips. Reina then looked ahead. "No wonder Len didn't act against him in an instant. That punk is also an Alpha candidate. Which pack invaded Lunavida? Shouldn't Len deal with it as fast as he showed up? Humph… I completely forgot Len was seducing that punk. Len was aware of Lavallee's nature. Was he recruiting him?"
Reina stopped walking as she arrived at the edge of the alley. The moonlight cast on her bloodied face. She closed her eyes. "Was Gracie the price of letting him in? Should I blame Courtney next?"
"Why don't you let me explain what happened first?"
Reina opened her eyes and heard Claude's voice in the wind. She turned behind her, and a big black wolf landed in the alley without much sound. Claude looked at her before walking closer with caution. She chuckled in defeat.
Claude frowned at the woman. She was back to her normal look, albeit that her hands were soaked in blood for hours. He met her gaze. "Reina, at least let me tell you what led to Gracie's death. I won't deny my crime; I won't regret it either. She chose to torture Eugene, my best friend. I only wanted to take him away, but she shot me. The pain forced me to wolf out. I'm sorry."
"An Alpha candidate like you wolfs out because of pain?" Reina scoffed. "So, a bullet is all it takes to threaten you? You're a powerful werewolf, Lavallee."
"Five." Claude stopped walking. "She shot me five times. It was painful, but that didn't force me. It was the image of her shooting Eugene dead. She had six bullets in that gun."
"And then what?" Reina laughed and slid down to sit on the dirty ground. "You knew you messed up, so you wagged your cozy ass at Len, begging him to help you?"
Claude tilted his head a little. However, his curiosity didn't bleed into his voice. "No, Len came seconds after the encounter. I was going to wait for the police, but Psi Saint Alpha came first. Gracie had her boyfriend and his friends with her. I think they tracked those guys and figured they were up to something. They looked prepared to beat up Eugene."
Reina turned away and dispersed the magic film around her, dousing herself with her own blood. The stench was so strong that Claude had to step back. The witch got to her feet and faced Claude. Slowly, she turned into her wraith form… only that, instead of black, everything else was red.
She laughed. "It doesn't matter. I have already harmed you. I can only die trying to succeed. You think you can kill a girl without facing the wrath of her friends? Come and get me, Lavallee."
"I don't want to hurt you more than this, Rogers." Claude didn't back away. "Just stop and seek the hospital. You're bleeding out."
"What is a little blood?" Reina drew blood claws as if they were her last resort. "You have eaten six people, Lavallee. A little more of me won't hurt!"
She would lunge at Claude, but the bigger wolf dropped to the space behind her. Reina gasped and turned, seeing the blazing red eyes in the dark. The bigger wolf sauntered closer, threatening her with its mere aura.
It said, "Stand down. Don't make me shred you into pieces myself."
Reina fell to the ground in fear. She started pulling herself away, skidding in fear. She couldn't say anything, not when she prepared to die by Claude's teeth and claws. Thinking about him, Reina turned back and glared at the first black wolf on the scene. Her claws dug across the ground, and she lunged toward Claude for a strike.
The black wolf also lunged at her for the kill. It was a race of who got to their targets first. They just didn't realize Claude would join their little game. Claude jumped over the weakened Reina and struck at the bigger wolf instead. The other wolf cancelled its attack and evaded Claude. Even Reina was surprised when Claude moved. She thought he would kill her first.
"What made you think you could come here and kill people?" Claude got onto a fighting stance again. "I remember you now. You're that werewolf I met at the cliffside in Saint Emilien. Have you been following me? How did you know I'm here? More importantly…
"Why should I let you hurt my schoolmate?" Claude lowered his body, ready to pounce. "Give me a reason not to wreck your face open instead."
The bigger wolf retreated.
Reina struggled to get to her feet and see past the big black wolf before her. She then looked at Claude's head. "Lavallee… what…? Why are you challenging him? Over me?"