The Attack
931 Words
Jar POV
I crouched behind a low wall, eyes scanning the street below. I’d been waiting in the mall for some time, keeping a close eye on Cadence. I’d never seen my Alpha so obsessed before. He was anxious, constantly asking for updates through the mind link we shared.
Staying incognito was harder than I’d thought. I’m over six feet tall, blond, and—unfortunately—hard to miss. I’d attracted more than a few lingering glances and even walked away with twelve phone numbers before deciding I needed a breather. There was only so long I could go unnoticed by Cadence.
I had to admit, though—she worked hard and seemed genuinely pleasant. To think the quiet bookworm could be our future Luna still baffled me.
Stepping outside into the car park, I caught the stench before I saw it—the foul, iron-tinged scent that made the hairs on my neck bristle.
A rogue.
It was getting late, the air thick with the chill of autumn. The sun had already surrendered to dusk. The smell was stronger now—it was approaching the mall.
Alpha, rogue, I sent through the mental link.
On my way.
Regan’s immediate response told me everything I needed to know—his mate was in danger.
As Beta, it was my duty to alert him and defend pack territory. Rogues were senseless beasts—wolves who’d surrendered to madness, abandoning their packs for power. Scum of the earth.
As long as Cadence stayed inside, she’d be safe. They rarely entered buildings. Too many witnesses. Even rogues knew not to expose our kind to humans.
But the scent grew thicker, closer. And then I saw it.
It moved like a predator tuned to a rhythm only it could hear—feral, unnatural. It was fast, more powerful than me, but uncoordinated, its rage leaving a path of destruction. Cars screeched, shopping carts flew.
I cursed under my breath. Regan’s order had been clear: watch her. But instinct screamed louder—this rogue wasn’t just a threat. It was death.
I had to stop it before it got near Cadence. Even if it meant leaving her side for a moment.
The rogue seemed fixated on something I couldn’t see, hidden behind the jagged edge of the mall.
Then I saw it—a human, too close.
Before I could move, the rogue pounced.
I froze for half a heartbeat, horror twisting in my gut. The snarl that escaped me was primal. Too late.
Blood splattered across the concrete. The body hit the ground in pieces. The rogue licked its claws—half-shifted, monstrous—before retracting them again.
Then its gaze turned toward the mall.
My stomach dropped. Cadence was inside.
This one wasn’t mindless—it was hunting.
It bolted through a side door. I lunged after it, but I was too slow.
Alpha! I projected, heart pounding. Rogue inside the mall. It’s strong. She’s in there.
Wait outside, Regan ordered sharply. She’s heading your way. I’ll deal with him.
There was no more time for words. The rogue’s stench was everywhere now, the air thick with its madness.
I could hear Cadence’s heartbeat on the other side of the locked door.
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Regan’s POV
I shifted mid-step in my office, the world tilting as my human form dissolved. Fur erupted across my skin, muscles tearing and reforming. My wolf roared, rage consuming me. I could sense the rogue’s every movement before it made them.
The city blurred beneath me as I ran, each leap covering streets in seconds.
Cadence.
Her fear pulsed through the bond like a flare. Don’t let it touch her.
I landed on the mall roof first, crouching to assess. Lights flickered. Alarms wailed. The rogue was already inside, hunting.
My wolf growled low, ready to kill.
But the man within—the Alpha—forced control. The priority was Cadence.
She had to be safe.
I leapt down to the ground floor, every step pounding with fury.
Cadence POV
I could smell it. Metallic. Primal. Wrong.
As I pushed open the door to the parking lot, dread crashed over me—it was close.
My mind raced, a dozen half-formed thoughts flashing by. It didn’t feel real. It couldn’t be real.
Jar stood ahead of me—but something was off. His hands… they weren’t hands anymore. Claws, glinting, fur bristling.
Behind him—God—the body of a person, shredded, blood everywhere. I’d studied crime scene photos in university, but nothing could compare to this. This was savagery.
“Jar…” I whispered.
Before I could say more, a massive wolf exploded from behind me. I screamed, diving for cover, barely avoiding the collision as it lunged.
The gray wolf turned on Jar, snarling. I thought it was over for him.
Then—Bang!—the door slammed open, and a dark blur tore through the air.
Another wolf—larger, black as night—hit the rogue mid-lunge, sending it crashing into the concrete.
The fight was brutal, raw, violent. And then—it was over. The black wolf stood victorious, the rogue’s blood dripping from its muzzle.
My brain couldn’t keep up.
The black wolf lifted its head, locking eyes with me. Instead of fear, a strange calm spread through me, warm and steady.
Jar turned, his hands—human again. Maybe I really had lost it.
“Cadence,” he said softly. “Come here. You’re safe now.”
I took a shaky step forward—then the world tilted.
Darkness swallowed me whole.
- Writer
