Written by: KariGorsuch

"They said not to come here," I reminded Eve as we stepped onto the gravel lot. The sound of our boots crunching felt absurdly loud in the leavy, still air.

"They said a lot of stuff, and then didn't say anything about these," She pulled her bracelet out of her pocket, letting it dangle from her fingers. The sunlight reflected off the silver, making it shine. "Doesn't mean we have to listen to them. We barely know them."

"Right," I shot back, playing with my own bracelet in my pocket. "Because that's worked out so well for us in the past."

She just laughed, her easy confidence frustratingly contagious. "Come on, Bri. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Oh I don't know- this shit could turn out to be real. And we are woefully unprepared if it is." I retorted, adjusting my jacket around my shoulders.

The Grande's front doors were still intact, but barely. One hung crookedly on its hinges, creaking softly as the wind brushed past. The Grande wasn't just old; it looked like something pulled straight out of a horror movie. Windows boarded up, the paint cracked and peeling, its once- proud sign leaning like it had given up the fight against gravity years ago. The moment we stepped inside, the temperature plummeted. I shoved my hands back into my jacket pockets, fingers running over the silver bracelet as my eyes scanned the dim interior. Dust hung thick in the air, and layed thickly on the floor, undisturbed by time.

"I'll say this much," Eve murmured, her voice low. "This place is creepy as hell."

"No kidding." My eyes drifted to the ornate, but crumbling staircase ahead. The once-grand chandelier above us dangled precariously, one chain rusted through. The faint sound of our footsteps echoed through the vast empty lobby, like we weren't alone. I tried to shake the feeling crawling up my spine.

Eve pulled out her phone, shining the flashlight around. "Let's check it out. Maybe there's something cool left behind."

"Or maybe there's a reason those guys told us to stay away."

She just smirked at me over her shoulder. "You're way too paranoid."

"And you're not paranoid enough." I smiled back at her as we wandered over to the concierge desk. I stayed close, eyes darting to every shadow, every corner. The place felt... wrong. Like the air itself had a pulse, slow and heavy, making it hard to breathe.

Eve reached for a ledger sitting on the desk, its leather cover cracked with age and disuse. Blowing off the dust, she flipped it open. "Whoa... Check this out- it's got names and dates. Like- of the people who stayed here back in the day."

I leaned closer, squinting at the faded ink. The last entry was dated decades ago, but something about it made my stomach turn. A name... One I swore I'd read before.

"Hey," she said suddenly, her voice dropping. "Do you hear that?"

I froze. This distant sound of ... something. A faint, rhythmic tapping, like footsteps on the floor above us. My mouth went dry as I stared at her.

"It's probably just the wind," she whispered, though her voice lacked its usual confidence.

"Wind doesn't sound like that." I shook my head, "Maybe a tree- but definitely not the wind."

The tapping stopped. Silence pressed on around us like a living thing. Eve glanced at me, her grin finally gone. "Okay," she said softly. "Maybe you were right about not listening to those guys."

"Too late now," I muttered, my pulse hammering as the shadows seemed to stretch closer. "We're already inside."

Eve froze beside me, her fingers tightening on the edge of the ledger. The tapping had stopped, but now there was something else- a low guttural growl that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards beneath our feet.

"Tell me you heard that," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I nodded, my hand instinctively gripping the bracelet in my pocket. "Oh, I heard it."

The growl deepened, a menacing sound that made my chest tighten. I could feel the vibrations of it in my ribs, and for a split second I considered grabbing Eve and bolting. But then the growl turned into a sharp crash. Above us, something heavy hit the floor hard enough to send a cloud of dust raining from the ceiling.

"What the hell was that?" Eve breathed, her eyes darting upward.

Before I could answer, the chandelier above us gave an ominous groan, the single rusted chain holding it snapping under the strain. "Move!" I shouted, grabbing her arm and pulling her back just as the massive fixture came crashing down where we had stood moments earlier.

The sound of the chandelier shattering masked another noise at first- a rapid, pounding thud, like something huge running down the staircase. My heart leapt into my throat as I turned to see what was coming.

The wolf. It couldn't be anything else. It was massive, with matted fur and glowing, predatory eyes. Its teeth gleamed as it snarled, saliva dripping onto the warped wooden floor. My mind screamed at me to move, but my legs refused to listen.

"Run!" Eve's voice snapped me out of it. She grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward the back of the lobby, away from the snarling beast.

We didn't make it far. The wolf leapt from the staircase, landing between us and the exit with a crash that splintered the floorboards. Its glowing eyes locked onto us, and a deep, guttural growl rumbled from its throat.

"Any ideas?" Eve asked, her voice trembling, her fist clutching my jacket sleeve.

"Yeah," I replied, fumbling for the bracelet in my pocket. "Kiss our asses goodbye."

The creature lunged just as a deafening shotgun blast echoed through the lobby. The wolf yelped a reeled back, snarling in pain. Eve and I whipped around to see Sam and Dean step into the lobby, armed to the teeth.

Sam cocked his shotgun with practiced ease, the barrel smoking from the recent discharge. "Stay down!" He barked at us.

Dean splashed something from a flask towards the snarling wolf. The creature recoiled, smoke hissing where the liquid touched its fur. "Holy water?" Eve muttered, her voice incredulous.

"No." Dean replied, gripping a revolver with practiced calm. "Liquified silver. Now stay back."

The wolf roared again, shaking off its pain, and its glowing eyes locked onto me. Before I could even process what was happening, it charged, claws outstretched and teeth bared. My feet refused to move, my body frozen in place.

"Move!" someone shouted, but I couldn't. The world slowed as the creature closed in, and I knew I was about to die.

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me to the side with enough force to knock the air from my lungs. The world spun, and suddenly, I was on the floor, the cold hard wood biting against my back as another body shielded me, their weight pressing me down.

The impact sent a shockwave through me, but my senses were consumed by something else entirely- the warmth of Sam, solid and alive, his arm still wrapped protectively around my waist. His scent- canvas, faint traces of gunpowder and leather, and something uniquely him- filled my nose as his chest pressed against mine, his breath hot against my ear.

"Stay down," he growled, his voice a deep rumble that sent a shiver down my spine, even as the chaos raged on around us.

The wolves claws raked the ground where I'd been standing moments ago, the screeching sound making me wince. The gouges it left in the hardwood were a harsh reminder of how close I'd come to being its dinner. But I couldn't focus on that. My pulse thundered in my ears, and my senses were overwhelmed by the reality of Sam's presence- his warmth, his weight, and the sheer force of his determination to keep me safe.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice softer now, yet still charged with urgency. I managed a shaky nod, voice lost in the chaos. His hazel eyes flicked to mine for a fleeting second, their intensity making my heart skip. Just as quickly, his attention snapped back to the wolf, his body a coiled spring ready to launch back into the action with his brother.

The loss of his warmth as he rose from over me was jarring, leaving me feeling vulnerable and cold. I forced myself to stay put, even as my body trembled with adrenaline over what had just happened.

Dean was shouting something, Eve shielded protectively behind him as the wolf roared again, its glowing eyes filled with fury. Eve clutched at his jacket, her eyes wide with disbelief, but Dean didn't falter. His revolver remained trained on the wolf, his every movement deliberate and steady.

The wolf snarled, eyes burning with fury as it looked between the brothers and us as it shifted its stance. Its muscles coiled, ready to pounce, but something seemed to hold it back. Perhaps it sensed it was outmatched since Sam and Dean showed up- or perhaps it was simply biding its time. With a final roar that reverberated through the lobby, the creature turned abruptly and bolted towards one of the hotels unbarricaded windows.

The glass splintered as the wolf leapt through the opening, its hulking form vanishing into the night. The sound of its claws scraping against the wooden frame lingered in the air, a chilling reminder that this wasn't over.

"It's gone," Dean muttered, his voice low and grim as he lowered his weapon, glancing behind him at Eve.

"For now," Sam added, his tone edged with warning as he turned to glance out the broken window. The tension in his broad shoulders didn't ease; instead it seemed to deepen as he scanned the darkness outside.

My chest tightened as I struggled to sit up, the subtle reminder of being yanked to the floor not quite ready to leave my body. Sam moved quickly, his large hand warm and steady as he helped me to my feet. His touch lingered for a moment, grounding me amidst the insanity.

"It'll be back," Dean said, holstering his revolver with a grim finality. His eyes were sharp, scanning the room for any sign that the wolf hadn't truly left.

"Yeah," Sam agreed, his gaze meeting Dean's for a beat before flicking down to me. "You okay?"

I nodded, the motion jerky and unconvincing. My legs felt unsteady beneath me, but I forced myself to stand tall. "I'm fine," I croaked, though my voice betrayed the lingering terror I felt.

"Fine's a stretch," Dean said, his lips quirking into a tight, humorless smile. "That thing doesn't scare easy. We'll need to be ready when it comes back."

Eve stepped out from behind Dean, her expression pale but determined. "What was that thing?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Sam exchanged a look with his brother before answering, his tone grave. "A werewolf."

Dean crossed his arms, his jaw set as he glanced towards the broken window. "And judging by how it acted? It's not just hunting anymore. It's got a vendetta."

"A werewolf?" Eve asked, her curiosity starting to peek through now that the danger was gone. "As in, a human turned werewolf- eating hearts- killed by silver, werewolf?"

"Bingo," Dean replied, giving Eve a sharp look. "But this ones different. It's smart, careful. Most of them act on instinct- this one's planning."

Sam nodded, his brows furrowed in thought. "And it knew we'd be here. That's not random. It's tracking us."

Eve's fingers tightened over her arms, her determination faltering for a moment. "So, what do we do now? Do we just wait for it to come back?"

Dean shook his head. "Hell no. We hunt it first. That's the only way this end in our favor."

"Dean's right," Sam said, though his voice was softer, almost reassuring. "But first, we need to regroup. If it's after us, we can't afford to make a mistake."

"Regroup?" I asked, my voice steadier now, though my hands still trembled. "How do you regroup against something like that?"

Dean glanced at me, his gaze sharp but not unkind. "You stick close, follow our lead, and don't do anything stupid."

"Hey, we don't even know why it's targeting us," Eve pointed out. "Maybe there's a reason, something we can figure out."

Sam gave her a small nod. "Good point. Werewolves don't usually hold grudges unless they've been wronged. We need to dig into its history, find out who it used to be."

Dean smirked, his eyes flicking to Eve. "Guess you've got homework, detective."

Eve rolled her eyes but didn't argue. "Fine. But you better make sure we're armed to the teeth if this thing shows up again."

Dean chuckled, his grin grim. "Oh, sweetheart, we'll be more than ready. Welcome to the Family Business."