The wind smelled wrong.
Heavy. Metallic. Sweet... but rotten.
Every instinct in my body screamed. Muscles tensed. Vision sharpened. My ears caught things I should've never been able to hear — footsteps... no... paws. Scraping claws. Wet panting breaths.
"They're here." Kael's voice was low. Sharp. His hand already reached inside his jacket, gripping something — silver? Bone? A weapon hidden from mortal eyes.
The Pale Fang stood at the rooftop's edge, his long coat dragging, white eyes glowing faint. "Deathhounds. A pack. Fast response." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Either you're really unlucky, or... someone tipped them off."
The sky shifted. A ripple.
From the edges of the city — rooftops, shadows, cracks between streetlights — they came.
Figures. Hulking. Twisted. Half-wolf, half-shadow. Their bodies were malformed — long limbs ending in hooked claws, spines jagged with bone like knives. Their eyes... not eyes. Burning red coals. Their mouths opened sideways — splitting beyond what should be possible — tongues lashing, teeth serrated.
Seven. Maybe eight. One led. Bigger. Scarred. The Alpha.
"...Sh*t..." I breathed.
The Pale Fang smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Lesson one, fledgling. The Veil doesn't give you time to adjust."
A howl ripped the air — guttural, deep. Vibrating in my ribs.
The pack lunged.
—MOVE!
Kael blurred first — his figure snapped forward, claws dragging from his sleeves — a flash of silver as his arm hooked up, slicing one Deathhound's throat open. Black smoke and crimson ichor sprayed.
Another crashed toward me — faster than my eyes could track. Its jaw split wide — both sideways and vertical — a scream mixed with a roar.
I twisted — instincts taking over — claws extended, tearing up.
SLASH.
Its face split open — but not enough. It barreled into me — its weight throwing me backwards into a rusted vent — metal buckled under the impact.
Pain flared — but not like before. Not human pain. My body... could take more. Could give more.
It lunged again — I ducked under — SNAP — drove my claws into its throat, then ripped sideways.
A wet crunch. Flesh, bone, smoke. The thing spasmed — then dissolved into steaming ash.
Another was on me before the dust settled. I pivoted — too slow.
Claws raked my ribs — fire burned across my side — my blood splattered the concrete, but it wasn't red. It was... darker.
I staggered — No. Get up. GET UP.
It lunged — I caught it mid-air — slammed it down — my knees pinning its chest — both hands driving into its skull — claws piercing.
The thing shrieked — convulsed — then exploded into smoke and ash.
No time. More coming.
Kael danced between them — precise — cutting tendons, throats, snapping bones. Blood sprayed. His jacket was shredded, but his grin was wild.
The Alpha moved now. Huge. Hulking. Its fur was patchy, skin mottled with burn scars and bite marks from old wars. Its mouth opened — not to bite — but to speak.
"...Hybrid... spawn..." Its voice was gurgling, wrong. Layers of voices, echoing. "...The Clans will purge your stain..."
Its claws dragged through the concrete like butter.
It charged.
Faster than the others.
I braced — but it was a freight train.
SLAM.
Its shoulder hit — my ribs cracked — air fled my lungs. I flew — skidding across gravel — smashing into a rooftop vent that exploded in sparks.
Pain. Stars. My body shook.
The Alpha stalked forward — slower now. Confident.
"You don't belong..." Its mouth stretched wide. Drool hit the concrete, sizzling like acid. "...You're a mistake..."
No.
No, I'm not.
The hunger surged. The Core inside me flared — heat, shadow, fire in my veins.
I stood. Staggered. Raised my hands.
Claws slid longer. My spine popped — my muscles tightened — my vision went red.
Predator.
No fear.
The Alpha lunged — claws first.
I ducked — sidestep — spin — raked my claws across its flank — tearing deep — black ichor sprayed.
It roared — spun — its massive paw slammed into my shoulder — bone cracked — but I didn't fall.
I didn't fall.
I grabbed its wrist — twisted — my claws gouged deep into tendons — then SNAP — broke the joint backward.
It howled — staggered — but swung the other paw — caught my jaw — my head snapped sideways — teeth shattered — blood filled my mouth.
Didn't matter.
I lunged — mouth open — BIT.
My fangs drove into its throat — deep — felt the vein — the pulse — ripped.
The taste — heat. Fire. Power.
The Alpha shrieked — its body convulsed — I shoved it down — claws raking — tearing — hacking — until my hands were buried in its ribcage — fingers snapping around something pulsing... glowing...
Its Core.
—RIP—
I tore it free.
The Alpha went still. Its body sagged — then dissolved.
The Core in my hands — a red-black orb — flickered — then shattered into motes of light that surged into my chest.
My body locked.
The pain was instant — fire in every nerve — then a crash of strength.
Bones mended. Skin sealed. The crack in my shoulder snapped back. The blood dried... then vanished into my skin.
I stood there — breathing hard. My hands trembled. Not from weakness. Not anymore.
The last two Deathhounds saw the Alpha fall... and fled. Disappearing into the shadows.
Kael stood, wiping blood from his mouth. His jacket was shredded, but his grin was wide. "...Damn, kid..." He laughed breathlessly. "...You really are a monster now."
I didn't answer. Just stood there... staring at my hands.
My fingers flexed. Claws slowly retracting. My vision slowly calming — colors fading from red back to normal.
But something stayed.
The hunger... quieter now. Not gone. Never gone. But... satisfied. For now.
Kael walked over, clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You survived. You killed. You passed your first hunt." His voice lowered. "But don't get comfortable."
He looked toward the city skyline — the neon lights distant, blinking. Somewhere... out there... others had felt this. Smelled the blood.
Kael's crimson eyes narrowed. "This was just the opening act."
And deep in my chest... the Core pulsed.
Alive. Hungry. Waiting.
This is my life now.