LOGINPOV: Isla ReidLocation: Meg's Flophouse, WhitechapelTime: Two Months Post-BiteI'm stitching up a knife wound on a packless wolf when I hear the screaming. It's coming from the street outside the flophouse. High-pitched, terrified. Young.The wolf I'm working on, a male named Derek, nods toward the window. "Another one. That's the third this week.""Third what?""Newly turned wolf. Probably just survived first transformation. They always end up here eventually." Derek winces as I pull the thread through. "You should stay out of it. Not your problem."I finish the stitches and head downstairs. Meg's already at the door. Outside, a crowd's gathered around someone on the ground. A girl, maybe seventeen, curled in a ball and screaming."Turned wolf," Meg says quietly. "First transformation was probably last night. Body's still adjusting."The girl's covered in blood. Her own blood from where her skin split during transformation. Her clothes are shredded. She's barefoot. And she's scream
POV: Callum BrennanLocation: Supernatural Prison, Week TwoTime: Day TwelveI've been in the Cage for twelve days. My rib's healing wrong. The cuts on my face are infected. I can't sleep because the silver burns constantly. And I've lost at least fifteen pounds because the food makes me sick.But I'm still alive. That counts for something.I'm lying on the metal cot when guards appear outside my cell. Three vampires. They're not the regular patrol. These ones are wearing different uniforms. Black instead of gray."Prisoner 4729. On your feet."I stand slowly. Everything hurts. The movement pulls at partially healed injuries."Where are we going?""Disciplinary review. The warden wants to see you."I haven't broken any rules. Haven't caused problems. Haven't even spoken to other prisoners. But that doesn't matter here. The guards don't need reasons to hurt you.They chain my wrists and ankles. The silver burns where it touches skin. I've got permanent scars now from where the chains r
POV: Callum BrennanLocation: Supernatural Prison (The Cage), North LondonTime: First DayThe jury deliberated for thirty-seven minutes. That's how long it took twelve supernaturals to decide I'm guilty of murder and embezzlement. Thirty-seven minutes to destroy my life.Judge Harborough read the verdict without emotion. "On the charge of murder of a human, we find the defendant guilty. On the charge of embezzlement of pack funds, we find the defendant guilty."The courtroom reacted. Gasps from pack members. Satisfied murmurs from prosecutors. Silence from Cormac, who sat in the front row maintaining his devastated brother performance.Harborough sentenced me immediately. "Six months in supernatural prison, followed by permanent exile from your pack. Packless status for life. You are remanded to custody immediately."No appeals. No delays. Guards dragged me from the courtroom in silver chains while pack members watched. Some looked sympathetic. Most looked relieved the criminal was b
POV: SilasLocation: Warehouse, ShadwellTime: Same Night as Callum's HoldingI'm cataloging bodies when Tom arrives with news. Three corpses on my tables tonight. Two werewolves, one vampire. All died violently. All worth money to the right buyers.The first werewolf's a packless male, maybe thirty, killed in the fighting pits. Bill Bolter sent the body over an hour ago. Clean kill, throat torn out, died fast. The organs are intact. Necromancers will pay well for the heart.The second werewolf's messier. Female, turned wolf, died during transformation. Her body rejected the change. This happens sometimes with turned wolves. The mortality rate's forty percent during first transformation. This one was part of that forty percent.The vampire's unusual. Staked through the heart but not burned. Someone wanted the vampire dead but left the body intact. That suggests professional hit, not personal vendetta. I'll have to investigate who ordered it.I photograph each body from multiple angles
POV: Callum BrennanLocation: Holding Cell, Supernatural Enforcement FacilityTime: After TestimonyThe guards throw me back in holding after the day's testimony ends. The cell's small, concrete, smells like blood and despair. I'm not alone. There are three other wolves in here waiting for their own trials or sentencing.I collapse on the metal bench that serves as a bed. My hands are shaking. I can't stop seeing Cormac's eyes. That moment when the mask dropped and I saw the truth. My brother feels nothing. The person I trusted most in the world destroyed me and feels satisfied about it."First time in the system?" One of the other wolves asks. Male, maybe forty, scarred and rough-looking. "You've got that shell-shocked look. Like you can't believe this is happening to you."I don't answer. Can't find words."That was quite a show in court today," another wolf says. This one's younger, maybe mid-twenties. "Your own brother testifying against you. That's brutal.""He lied," I say quiet
POV: Callum BrennanLocation: Supernatural CourtroomTime: Trial Day Three, ContinuedCourt reconvenes after a brief recess. I've spent the last twenty minutes in holding trying to process Cormac's initial testimony. The tears. The heartbreak. The way he said he still doesn't want to believe I'm guilty.It felt real. That's what's making me doubt myself. If Cormac's acting, he's better at it than anyone I've ever seen.Judge Harborough calls the court to order. "Prosecution, do you have additional witnesses?"Victoria Cross stands. "Your Honor, I'd like to recall Alpha Cormac Brennan to the stand. There are aspects of his relationship with the defendant we need to explore in more detail."Murmurs through the courtroom. Recalling a witness is unusual. Thomas starts to object, then stops. He's got no grounds to block it.Cormac returns to the witness stand. He's composed now, the crying from earlier mostly under control. He sits and waits.Victoria approaches. "Alpha Brennan, thank you







