Big Bad

Shot in the Dark

"Where are we going?" Kit asked as he and Damien ran through the forest hand in hand.

"I don't know," Damien admitted, red faced with fear and brandishing his father's gun at every passing squirrel. "Somewhere safe."

Kit frowned sadly knowing that Damien was probably already lost and Elijah would have a hell of a time finding him. Still they pressed deeper and deeper into the forest, taking strange turns and moving in random directions.

"I've got you, Chris," Damien assured, squeezing the boy's hand. "Don't you worry about anything."

This was the Damien that Kit had once known, before Damien became something of a bully he had been a kind boy, a friend of Kit's, someone that Kit trusted, and very much like Mr. McDermott. Time had changed Damien, but in the moment he felt just like his old self again.

They were so deep in the forest that the paths had all but disappeared and Damien was trying hard not to let his panic show on his face, but he was not succeeding.

There was rustling in the trees not far from them. Loud rustling, large rustling. Kit recognized it from the other times he had seen wolves in that same forest and his mind filled with dread. Had the wolf from town tracked them, and caught up with them? They hadn't exactly been making good time and wolves were so much faster than humans.

Damien pushed Kit behind him and aimed the gun at the trees. As the rustling grew louder, he cocked the trigger, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

A large brown wolf jumped from the underbrush before them, it was quickly followed by a black wolf and a mangy looking spotted wolf.

Before Damien even had a chance to shoot, the brown wolf shifted into Elijah, who stood up with a look of great relief on his face.

Kit rushed past Damien and pulled Elijah into a hug, tugging the tall boy closer to his face. Elijah took the opportunity to kiss the boy right there in front of everyone and held him like a prized possession. They hadn't been separated for long, but the danger made it feel like years.

For the first time, Kit saw Elijah smile as the alpha wolf stared into his eyes.

"I hoped you'd find us!" Kit exclaimed. Daniel and Anna shifted two, both enveloping Kit in a large group hug. Elijah growled slightly when they touched his mate but allowed them to embrace anyway.

"You needn't worry about anything else, Kit," Daniel said. "The wolves are taken care of."

"Yes, we—-"

"Step away from him or I'll shoot!" Damien's frenzied voice broke their reunion and Anna and Daniel stepped aside to reveal Damien still pointing the gun right at Elijah's heart. "You let Kit come back over to me, you hear?"

Damien's eyes were crazed. He had just witnessed three wolves transform into real human people for the first time in his life and adrenaline was coursing through his veins. It was as if he wasn't really himself.

"Damien, Elijah isn't going to harm us," Kit explained.

"He's one of them!" Damien shouted, not listening to reason. "I just... I— I saw him... transform!"

"He's a nice werewolf!" Kit insisted.

"He's fooled you!" Damien shouted. "Get away from him.... Or I swear... I'll shoot!"

Damien wasn't threatening as his voice and arms shook rigidly in his fear. He couldn't manage to steady himself and the gun slipped slightly in his sweaty hands.

"Damien, put down the gun. We don't want any trouble," Came Elijah's brunt voice.

"Bull."

"Damien, don't make me do something I'll regret." Elijah stepped forward and Damien pointed the gun more feverishly at him.