Legend of the Wolf People

Washington, 1985

Melissa Devereaux-Dubois was turning 25 today. And on this milestone, what had she done? She tagged a bear, set an eagle's wing, and helped deliver a litter of wolf pups. She was a wildlife vet at an animal clinic in Washington. Her husband was a wildlife photographer on assignment in Canada. They met on a research trip about the wolves at the Grouse Mountain Wildlife Refuge. They both share a love affair with wolves.

"Remy, would've enjoyed the wolf puppies," She muttered. Checking the time, it's almost 2. "Alright, Sheila. It's Marjorie's birthday today. I gotta go."

"How old is little Maddie?" Sheila, Melissa's best friend and assistant at the animal clinic, asked her voice thick with Irish.

"She's five," Melissa's eyes teared up. "Ma petite princesse fêté ses cinq ans aujourd'hui." (My little princess turned five today)

"Melissa. You're speaking in tongues again, luv." Sheila murmured.

"It's French, Sheila. You know that," Melissa laughed.

"Aye, I know." Sheila laughed. "And where's Remy this fine evening?"

"On assignment on Vancouver Island, photographing wolves." Melissa sighed. "He couldn't catch a plane home."

"Shame he's missing his wife and daughter's birthday." Sheila checks the time. "You best hurry. You have just enough time to go home and clean the clinic off of you."

"Thanks, Sheila." Melissa headed home.

"Happy birthday to you and little Maddie, lass."

Melissa unlocked the front door to her home. Something was off though. The whole house was dark, but she thought she heard Marjorie giggle. She walked into the living room and saw a shadow quickly duck down.

"I'd better hurry if I'm gunna pick up ma petite princesse." Melissa tossed her keys on the counter and listened for her daughter's quiet giggle. She heard it and that only meant one thing: her husband was home.

She turned the light on to her living room and saw the Happy Birthday banner they made for when they brought Marjorie home. She couldn't believe it was five years old today.

Her husband and daughter jumped from behind the couch screaming, "Happy Birthday!"

She smiled and gathered up Marjorie who had run to embrace her.

"Joyeux anniversaire, maman!" Marjorie giggled, hugging her mother tightly. "Happy birthday, mommy!"

"Joyeux anniversaire, ma petite princesse. Happy birthday, my little princess. How was your day?" She kissed her daughter's head and beamed lovingly at her husband.

"Daddy came and got me from school!"

"He did! Oh! Remy Dubois, I should skin your Cajun butt alive! Making me believe you were going to miss our princess's birthday."

"Awe, hush chère. I know better than to miss my girls' birthdays. Most important day of the year. Followed closely by our anniversary and the day we met of course." He wrapped his arms around his girls and kissed his wife. "It's good to be home."

Melissa put Marjorie down and watched as her daughter ran to the kitchen. "Careful, baby."

"How was your trip?" She kissed Remy and played with his pony tail.

"There was hardly any wildlife. I don't what it is but it's been like this the last few trips. We weren't even as far out as we normally go. The wolves have been acting very strangely."

"DADDY!" Marjorie screamed from the kitchen. Melissa and Remy ran to their daughter, but stop at the kitchen door.

There was glass scattered across the floor. The back door was broken in. In the middle of the kitchen was the biggest, blackest wolf Melissa and Remy had ever seen and it had their daughter huddled in the corner, sobbing.

"Mommy. Daddy." She whined.

"It's alright, darling." Remy reassured. "Everything will be alright."

The wolf yipped. Was it laughing at them? It bared its teeth in a grisly smile. It eyed Remy trying to inch closer with blood red eyes. It snap at Marjorie's dress. She sobbed and curled up tighter in the corner.

"Melly, what kind of wolf is that?" Remy whispered. "It's too big to be from around here."

"It's smart, Remy. Be careful." Remy looked at Melissa and noticed her eyeballing a knife on the counter. He squeezed her hand, regaining her focus.

There was a howl, long and low, the Alpha. The black beast in the kitchen yelped, telling the pack where he was.

"There are more coming." Remy muttered, horrified.

The wolf's fur bristled. It reared up on its hind legs. Its' bone crunched as it started changing shape.

Marjorie scuttled to her parents. Melissa swooped her up and ran to the front door. Remy followed, grabbing the family rifle off the wall and shot at the thing in their kitchen. Marjorie screamed.

"Still opposing guns, honey?" Remy asked, cocking the weapon. They heard the creature still in the kitchen and went for the front door. Melissa was soothing her daughter and sharing alarmed looks with her husband. Both of them thinking, 'What was that thing?'

Melissa opened the door to a little girl on the porch. She looked up and had the same red eyes as the monster in their kitchen.

"Little pig, little pig," she said, smiling menacingly. Her teeth looked canine. "Let me in."

She took a step toward Melissa and Marjorie. They backed away. Remy pointed the gun at the little girl. All she did was laugh.

"Not by the hair on your chinny-chin-chin?" She snatched the gun out of Remy's hand and broke it in half. "Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in," she sneered.

There was various howls, barks, yips, and yelps coming from outside the house.

The Dubois huddled together as Hellhounds descended on their home, destroying everything in their path.

Melissa was the only survivor. She managed to escape without being infected. The only thing that remained of her family, her home, her life before, was a bracelet. There was a locket with a picture of her husband and daughter in a charm Remy's mother gave her. She had it engraved with the symbol of her people.

She remembered the stories her parents used to tell her about the Skinwalkers, the history of her tribe. The same stories she used to tell her daughter. Her husband used to think they were old wives tales. He was wrong.