Silverside Academy

His Point of View

The curtains he’d watched his wife fuss over for years closed, and Jared was plunged into a deeper darkness. Not that it mattered.

It might’ve served as a more dramatic backdrop for him duking it out with his past, but his eyes were made to see with or without the moon. A little lightbulb didn’t make much of a difference at all.

The only thing that mattered right now was dealing with this as quickly as he could.

Without his daughter there to watch him, the smile melted from his lips. It was replaced with a chilling, icy stare. His eyes raked over his attackers. He recognized them, and was unimpressed.

His bitter chuckle fell around them like snowfall. He could feel the other wolves’ resolve falter.

“I knew you’d come for me one day.” Even as he said it, an image of his daughter flashed through his mind. “But I have something more to live for than petty revenge.”

Her terrified face flitted through his mind. I might’ve let you off with a warning if you hadn’t scared her. She’s terrified. Then… a terrible idea struck him.

What if that was the last time she saw me?

It was unimaginable. No. He shut the line of thought down.

He refused to let her last memory of him be something so frightening.

When I walk through that door, she’s gonna smile like the sun. The image it brought to his mind warmed him more than any sunny day. Bloody and bruised though he would surely be, things would be okay.

But first… I have to take care of these idiots.

He wasn’t worried about the wolves dangling from him right now. They were just worker bees. Grunts. Nobodies from weak clans. He could smell the real culprits. Their scent clung to the betas.

“Alright, you assholes,” he growled. “Let’s start.”

Despite having a wolf on each of his legs and one on his arm, he was able to stand up fully. The training he’d gone through at his pack was worse than his. Hell, he used to play harder than this when he was a pup.

With strength beyond any human ability, he punched the wolf on his arm. It was enough to knock it silly. For a moment, its teeth dug deeper into his arm, then its jaw went slack. It let out a snarl that became a whimper and fell to the ground.

The wolf attempted to regain its footing, but it had to settle for half-sitting, half-lying on the ground. It shook its head several times, clearly trying to regain its bearings.

But Jared didn’t care. That wolf, these wolves, were just obstacles.

“Be still.” He commanded.

The wolf growled, but it couldn’t make a move against him.

“You, too, you bastard.” He tore off one of the wolves on his legs, letting out a hiss as he felt the flesh of his calf give way. The wolf snapped and lunged at him as he dangled it off the ground. He held it by its scruff, like a helpless pup.

He was completely unbothered by its attempt at viciousness. And undeterred. Not even the painful, itchy feeling of his leg mending itself could pull his attention away from this wretched creature.

He brought it up so that it was eye level with him, then headbutt it with all of his might. There was a devastating c***k-crunch, then the wolf fell to the ground. Limp, but alive.

For now.

I’ll finish these guys off later, he thought.

It was the ugly side of pack wars: you could leave no survivors. Not unless they submitted to you entirely. It was one of the reasons he had hoped to spare Eilidh the life he used to live.

I can’t think about that right now. I have to be fast. I have to finish this now.

He had to get to the mastermind behind the surprise attack.

Look at you. The last of the trio clamped down harder on his leg, yanking his flesh back and forth. The wolf’s voice was raspy with anger as he spit the thought out. You used to be great! But now you live among humans like some lowly pet! Jared could feel a fresh deluge of blood slosh into his shoe. Why are you even fighting, little guard dog? You’re lucky to die with honor; by our hands.

A fresh wave of anger coursed through him for a fraction of a second. All he could think of was Eilidh, and Janet. A guard dog? For them, I guess I am. Always.

“Shut up.” With his opposite foot, he stomped the wolf between the eyes and sent him reeling.

If only that was all. But he knew this was far from over.

They would never send just three wolves after him. And the scent…. It had been years, but he would recognize it no matter how long in between.

How could he forget?

He glanced at the downed wolves, then his home. He wanted nothing more than to go through that door and hold his little girl. To tell his wife that if they left right now, they could be safe for a few more years.

But then this would just happen again and again. In that moment, he saw a future full of pain, fear, and confusion. Besides…

With a stunt this bold, they’re confident. They must’ve sent their best - and a lot of them.

His eyes lingered on the far side of the street. “Where are the rest of you cowards hiding?”

Though he murmured it, the others were happy to answer.

In the distance, a wolf howled. Then another, and another. Others joined until it was a chorus. He knew it was meant to strike fear in his heart.

But it didn’t. Instead, he scoffed.

They were at the far end of the cul de sac, where only the skeletons of new houses stood.

They still got that flair or theatrics. It was their brand of intimidation. Pomp and theming used to set the mood. Like some kind of cheap movie set.

It’s time somebody taught these assholes a thing or two about real strength.

Jared began to run, not away, but towards the howls. Towards the end of this chapter of his life.

As he did, he mused on the situation. He had thought - had hoped - that by living a quiet, peaceful life as a human, they would never find him. They would have no reason to. They’d already taken so much from him, after all.

But his plans of vanishing hadn't worked.

Seems like I was wrong. No matter what… an Alpha sticks out.

His body began to change, a familiar feeling despite years of dormancy.

His clothes melted, becoming fur, and his already tall frame grew even larger. He ran on two powerful legs, and his long arms, already thick with muscle, became even more defined. His face elongated, becoming more like a wolf’s - but not quite.

The transformation didn’t hurt, but felt like gentle prodding and pushing as his body reshaped itself. Like clay in the Creator’s hands.

It was a stark contrast to the painful situation he knew he was walking in on. No matter how good he was, they had the numbers. He wouldn’t get out of this unscathed. But if he was lucky, he’d get out of it alive.

Now that he had changed, shifted, the moon was harder to ignore. He felt its pull like a caress. He looked up, momentarily distracted by its beauty. It was just a sliver, but it was hung low.

Like a noose.

Its fawning wasn’t his only distraction.

Now that his senses were even sharper, the stench of the other wolves burned his nostrils. They smelled of their own markings, allegiances, and fetid hatred.

He could easily decipher from their trails that some had broken off here or there into some of the more finished homes. He had no doubt they were waiting until they were called to join the fray.

But most of the wolves were straight ahead, beyond the center-most house.

Its wooden frame stood like some long-dead thing in the dark.

Jared wasn’t scared, but he wasn’t stupid, either. He wanted to get out of this alive. He needed to be okay for his daughter.

My best bet is open space.

He padded towards the middle of the construction.

Its beams and pillars could act as good sight-breakers, leverage, even weapons if he needed them to. And the unencumbered space meant he could move freely.

As soon as he stepped onto the concrete slab that would be a house in mere weeks, he felt the air around him change. It became heavy; oppressive.

Though he was only down the street from his own home, he felt like he had been transported to somewhere far away. Some other when away.

It was unearthly quiet, and way too dark.

The scent of his enemies grew more pungent. They were getting closer, but keeping to the shadows. His guts twisted with fury and disgust. He recognized them all, either by family - or by name.

Cowards. Pack of pussycats. This is just like last time.

They had banded together then, too, knowing they were too weak to take on him or his pack as one family alone.

Refusing to wait any longer, he pushed his thoughts onto the surrounding wolves.

Come out and fight me like wolves.