Chapter 12: The Bite

Hearing that creature roar back at me changed everything in a split second. The sound was deep and raw, like it came from something that had lived in darkness for years. It shook the lockers along the walls and made my bones vibrate. My wolf instincts screamed danger, but fear won out. I lost all the agility I thought I had. My legs felt weak. I spun around fast, ready to bolt for the exit, but the creature gained on me.

Claws dug into my shoulders from behind. They were sharp and cold. It lifted me up like I was nothing more than a rag. My feet dangled in the air. For one terrifying moment, I hung there, heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. Then it slammed me down to the ground. My back hit the hard floor with a heavy thud. Pain shot through my spine and ribs. The air rushed out of my lungs. I gasped, trying to catch my breath, but before I could roll away or fight back, its jaws clamped down on my side.

Teeth sank into my ribs. Hot, burning agony exploded there. I felt the bite tear through skin and muscle. Blood flowed warm and sticky. I wanted to scream, but only a weak groan came out. The creature released its grip immediately and burst through the double doors at the end of the hallway. Glass shattered everywhere, pieces raining down on the floor. The sound echoed loud, then everything went quiet again except for my ragged breathing.

I laid there on the cold tiles for a bit. My mind was a mess. Scared in a way that went bone deep. That thing had been so close I could smell its wild scent, like damp earth and old anger. It was stronger than the alpha I faced in the forest back in the woods. Way stronger. The alpha had power, but this creature moved with a different kind of fury. I pressed my hand to the bite mark. Blood seeped between my fingers. The pain throbbed with every heartbeat.

After a few minutes, I pushed myself up slowly. Every movement hurts. I leaned against a locker for support and looked around. The hallway stretched empty in both directions. No Mike. No creature. Nothing. Just broken glass catching the moonlight from outside and my phone flashlight lying a few feet away, still on. I picked it up with a shaky hand. The beam trembled as I pointed it around. Silence pressed in from all sides. I had to get out of there before it came back.

The walk back over the fence was rough. I gripped the metal tight, wincing as I pulled myself up. Dropping to the other side sent another jolt of pain through my side. I held the wound the whole way home, pressing my shirt against it. My shoes scraped on the sidewalk. Sweat mixed with blood on my skin. By the time I reached our house, my legs felt like lead.

Lights were on inside. Ryan and Lila must have heard that roar. It carried farther than I thought. I couldn’t risk the front door. They’d ask too many questions. I went around to the back quietly, staying low. The window to my room was shut but not locked. I grabbed the sill and pulled up the glass, biting my lip to stay silent. My side burned as I swung one leg over. I half fell inside, landing on the floor with a soft thump. Quick as I could, I crawled to the bed and pulled the covers over myself just as my door opened.

Ryan stood there, hair messy from sleep. He looked worried. “Jax? Did you hear that earlier? Sounded like it was right outside town.”

“Yeah, I heard it,” I said, keeping my voice even. I pulled the blanket higher to hide the blood soaking my shirt. “It was powerful. Woke me right up. What do you think it was?”

Ryan stepped inside a bit but didn’t come too close. “Not sure. Didn’t sound like any normal animal. I’ll check with the guild tomorrow morning. See if they’ve got reports.”

“Good idea,” I replied.

He nodded, eyes scanning the room for a second. “You alright? You look pale.”

“Just tired from school,” I lied. “Long day.”

“Get some rest then,” Ryan said. “We’ll talk more in the morning.” He closed the door gently behind him.

I let out a long breath once he was gone. The pain in my ribs kept throbbing. It hurt bad, worse than any fight I remembered. But I told myself it would heal by tomorrow. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I glanced over. Mike’s name showed on the screen. Probably wanting to know what happened. I ignored it. Too tired to explain anything. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

What Jax didn’t know was that the bite would threaten to overwrite his natural wolf spirit. Giving him a monstrous hybrid form unlike either species. It fought against everything that made him who he was. His body twitched under the covers. Sweat covered his forehead. The old artifact he stole from Shadowfang, on the shelf across the room, began to glow with a mysterious light. It pulsed softly in the dark, almost like it sensed the changes happening inside Jax. His breathing grew uneven. The wolf inside him pushed back hard, but the new force pulled stronger. Strange dreams flickered in his mind. Shadows and golden eyes and something darker waiting.

Back at the Shadowfang quarters, Eli made full preparations to move to the city all by himself. The main room was quiet except for the sound of his boots on the floor. He checked the supplies in his bag, and loaded a single truck under the dim lights. No one else was around. He worked methodically, double-checking weapons and fuel.

Then he turned sharp eyes toward the empty hall for a moment, and thought to himself. “Jax we are fated to be together. The city has him now, but I’ll find him. No pack, no alpha, nothing stops that.”

The engine rumbled to life outside as he climbed into the front of the truck. The road ahead led straight to the city. And Eli was determined to claim what was his.

I woke up once in the middle of the night, pain still sharp in my side. The room felt hotter than usual. That artifact on the shelf caught my eye for a second. It looked like it was glowing, but I blinked and it was normal again. Must have been my imagination. I turned over carefully, hoping the morning would bring healing and answers. But deep down, something felt different. Changed. The bite had healed but he still felt deep pain inside.