Lupine

1.

"Remains of another two bodies were found just outside of Detroit. This brings the total suspected murders to thirty-two persons since September..."

The television of the small cafe flickered in the corner if the room as the volume slid to zero. Oleda looked up from her book to see the barista toss the remote beside the register with an irate huff.

"Not a fan of the news?" she quipped.

The other girl shot her a glare and shook her head quickly, neon blue hair swinging about. "You mean hearing about those damn animal attacks or murders or whatever they're calling it now? Yeah, no."

"Upset they can't seem to decide who or what's doing it Blue?"

The other girls glare became more severe. "It wouldn't be so frustrating if they were making progress y'know. Not that you care Ollie."

And until recently, that was true. Oleda couldn't remember the last time she was interested in human affairs enough to track who the most recent president was, let alone talk about them with someone. She'd been stopping by Thump Coffee for a few years and Blue was more than aware of this fact-but this was different, because she was increasingly certain it wasn't human affairs at all. So many strangers on the street whispered about the attacks that it was impossible to miss what was going on.

She set aside her now forgotten book and picked up a spoon to stir the cold coffee.

All the victims had been reported to have animal bites, often found in pieces miles from town. A few witnesses even said they'd seen wolves taking them from the street which the media was quick to dismiss. Wolves in the Midwest? Especially inside the city? Codswhollop.

Oleda couldn't dismiss it however, and she doubted other werewolves would either. Still... she wasn't pack.

She stood quietly and slung her backpack onto her shoulder, draining the coffee quickly. Blue barely bothered to acknowledge her when she spoke, too annoyed to care about Oleda's sudden departure.

"You're right. I don't care."

***

Winter was in full swing in the mountains. Lodgepole pines were coated in snow and streams had long since frozen solid. The spring thaw was months away leaving the packs safely secluded from prying eyes for another season.

A hush rested over the hills and Anders was well at peace as he hiked through the woods. Patrol in December was always like this and the reason why most of the other guardians were willing to let him take their rounds. Perhaps it would have been easier if he shifted, but the silence was a blessing. Well, maybe it'd be nice to not have snow seeping over the tops of his boots.

The branches of the trees shook slightly in the wind, but seems too tense to do much more. Everything had been tense since the fall. The snow had nothing on the chill that washed over Anders at the memory.

It was the night of the first snow. The town had been asleep when waves if magic swept through like a tide, drowning every creature in its path. It had ripped him from his sleep calling on the fear deep inside. Anders sprinted to his door, taken by the need to do... the thought was right there, so close. He'd practically fallen out the door.

Shifters all through the town were stumbling into the street with eyes cast to the sky. The stars held know answers to call, but they raised they returned it as one.

And there, as the Alpha joined the pack they found a word for it.

Fear.

Anders was ripped from his pondering as new howls rose in the distance. He paused only a moment to listen to the keening cry before ripping off his jacket. Stripping to nothing, he let the magic overtake his body.

It started at his core, heat seeping through every fiber of his body before fur burst through his skin and his bones reshaped until man became wolf. The snow still brushed the under side of his stomach and slowly claimed his discarded clothes. There would be time to return for those later. Thoughts and emotions pressed against his consciousness, too far to be heard clearly but concerned. Not an attack. He bounded in the direction of town with a long stride, grey fur turning dark as he got wet.

What would disturb the pack in the dead of winter though? In the middle of town too?

He broke the tree line to find a few other guardians arriving as they slowed to avoid running into others while weaving through the streets. Lev bumped it head against him side before tossing it toward the community house in the center square. With a nod, Anders followed the other guardians into the open lobby before letting the change return him to a man without a hitch in his step. The change back would always be easier.

The Alpha was holding court in the main lobby with a box of clothes at his feet. The building had already been cleared of lower pack members and only the guardians needed to dress before settling around the room. The last member in was his wife Marnie, shutting the door gently behind her.

"Welcome family," he started, casting his gaze to each person. "I know the call was unexpected so I thank each of you for returning."

"As you all know, things have been tense this winter. Earlier today we received a from the packs in the east. Over the past several month there have been repeated murders that even the humans have started to notice and it's increasing by the day."

Beta Aniel growled lowly. "What does human crime have to do with us?"

"Because the murderer is a shifter."

Everyone shifted uneasily at the words. A shifter killing humans was rare, save a rogue or two but enough murders to draw the notice of humans?

So Anders asked, "How many?"

"Over two-hundred confirmed between fifteen states and that's only based on the remains found by human police. Most showed signed of being bitten by an animal which they've mostly written off as post-death feeding. They're especially ready to accept it as most are only.... partially recovered."

Marnie covered her mouth and pushed into the Alpha's side. "Do you mean cannibalism?"

He nodded. "We don't know much yet, but it appears so. The Appalachian Pack was able to access some of the remains and they smelled of freshly turned wolves."

"But you can only turn a potential mate." Aniel spit the words like they were sour.

"Yes, but if the creature doing this has been for a while then perhaps he's acclimated the ability to change more. The fact of the matter is that we just don't know how or why. What we do know is that the murders are more frequent and drawing further west every day."

The Alpha once again looked at every member in the room. There weren't many people, but everyone wore matching somber expressions-the two dozen guardians, Luna, Beta, and Alpha.

No one wanted to say what this could mean and Anders was held silent by the realization. If this wasn't resolved soon, it would mean war.