"Well, well, well. Would you look at what we have here?" Kierson was all grin. He stood at his front door, arms crossed, eyebrows raised. "Atlas Langdon. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Atlas knew his clan were waiting for any word that he needed backup. But he stood alone with Brody, a sign that he was appearing to be nonchalant about the whole thing. "Kierson, I figured since you're practically in my city, I would at least come visit. See what you're up to."

Atlas looked around the clan base. It was only a little impressive, for a base that wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. "It's my understanding that you've spoken with Bloom. An interesting alliance."

Kierson's face paled at the mention of Bloom. "So what if I have?"

"I've decided that you've spent far too long here. And I think it's time you went back home. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. It's up to you."

Kierson's grin dropped immediately. "Excuse me?"

"Either I kill you and your clan, or you leave. Up to you."

Kierson barked out a laugh. "Kill me?" He shook his head in disbelief. "You think you can kill me?"

"I think you made a mistake coming here in the first place. Our clans don't get along, and it's obvious you're here to spy. Do you think I wouldn't notice that you have humans planted in my city, watching my every move? I've let them stay, of course, but that's all ending. My spymaster has taken care of every last one of them. And you're next."

Kierson took a step back. Atlas watched as the woman next to him, his mate perhaps, reached out to touch his arm reassuringly. Kierson shook her off, red hot anger passing over his face. "What the fuck? You've murdered them?"

"And their families. Can't have any traitors in my city, Kierson. You know that."

"You've murdered innocents?" Kierson's mate gasped. A hand went to her delicate throat.

"Unfortunately, your mate criminalized them. As soon as he employed their spouses, they became collateral. It's just the business." Atlas shrugged, then aimed a look at Kierson. "Doesn't feel so good now, does it? To be involved in shady business like that?"

Atlas could see the moment it happened. Kierson's eyes flashed, his body trembled, his teeth snarled at him. But he was ready, and by the time they both shifted into wolves, both shot forward with teeth ready to snap. Atlas drew blood first, his teeth latching onto the tender skin of Kierson's neck. The bite alone was enough to push the other alpha down, forcing Kierson to lay and thrash.

"Now. Back up needed now." Atlas was quick to utter down the pack link, calling forth the rest of his clan. It was foolish, really, to assume that Atlas wouldn't have his full pack at his disposal, while Kierson only had a few select wolves at the ready.

Kierson wormed his way out from underneath Atlas. He retreated a few steps, then lowered himself in a defensive stance. Atlas stood proud, watching Kierson like a hawk. The rest of his pack fanned out around him, ready to fight anyone else that wanted to join in.

Brody was still human. "Ready to leave, Kierson? Or do you still want more?"

Kierson shot forward, snapping down at Atlas, trying to find purchase. But Atlas was faster, stronger, more prepared. He leapt back, a toothy grin stretching across his muzzle, and then he launched himself at Kierson.

This spurred on other wolves. Members of Kierson's pack rushed forward, shifting and beginning to attack. But Atlas's pack was ready, meeting them all halfway. It was a bloodshed. Atlas couldn't really tell who was winning, only that Kierson was showcasing more stamina than expected. He was covered in his own blood, head to toe, and it matted in his fur. It ran down his face and into his eyes. And as grotesque as it looked, Kierson still pushed on. It was as if the blood didn't bother him, nor his wounds.

But Atlas could tell the pain was wearing on Kierson. It showed in his sluggish movements, his snarls of frustration when he limped on his injured leg. There was a wild, desperate look in Kierson's eyes that made Atlas think the battle was at least halfway over.

"How are we holding up?" he asked down the packlink. He didn't dare take his attention off of a panting Kierson, who came back at him again and again, each time a little more ruthless than the last.

"We're almost finished up with these pups," came the response of a pack member. "We're wiping the floor with them," came another.

Atlas prowled in a circle around Kierson. He didn't have the pleasure of being able to talk to him via the packlink, but Atlas liked to think Kierson could understand the underlying message: are you finished yet?

Kierson shook his head with a low growl, his haunches raised. But it was his mate that called from the doorway that got his attention. "Leon! Just call it. Please don't do this to yourself!" Her voice was panicked, clearly laden with tears. She was shaking against the doorframe, hand to her throat. "Let's just leave, please!"

Because she knew either Kierson was leaving, or he was dying.

Kierson offered her a long winded howl. It sounded tortured and desperate. He limped forward a step, then backed up another when he eyed Atlas. Whatever he said to his mate had her sobbing, body sagging against the door. "Please," she screamed out. "Just end it!"

She wasn't speaking to Atlas, but he took her words as a plea for him. Atlas leaped forward, and in one sudden movement, killed Leon Kierson.

* * *

Ruby woke up feeling groggy. She didn't know how else to explain the way her head swam and her vision blurred. She felt disoriented, confused, and sudden despair filled her chest. She had the distinct notion that if she didn't escape now, she would die.

She tried to sit up, but her body wouldn't listen. She realized, a little bit too late, that it was due to being tied down to the bed. Her arms and legs strained against the constraints, but there was absolutely no give. Her wrists and ankles felt raw, and she was half afraid she was bleeding through them.

There was a mild burning in her chest that almost felt like heartburn, and Ruby felt the first sparks of panic burst in her mind. What had they done to her? She tried to regulate her breathing, but she could feel herself falling on the edge of hyperventilating.

"Uh, uh, uh. Not so fast."

The voice made Ruby freeze. She couldn't see him, but she knew Blake stood in her room. The man terrified her on many levels, but knowing he was in there just out of direct line of sight made Ruby's chest clench. She felt dread snake its way into her gut.

"Ruby, great to see you finally awake. Do you know how many days have passed?" She could hear Blake walking closer. She wanted so badly to look at him, but she couldn't do more than turn her head to the side. She had no clue how long she'd been trapped in that room.

When she didn't respond, she felt the weight of Blake on the edge at the end of the bed. She could feel one of his hands come to rest on her chin, and Ruby flinched. Goosebumps raced down her bare arms. "It's been days. Nearly a week. Are you hungry?"

She was nauseous, and rightfully so. She bit her tongue, refusing to answer this man, refusing to give him any insight into how she was doing at all.

That was until his grip on her calf tightened, and she could feel his claws puncturing her skin. She let out a sudden yelp, jerking away from him the best she could, but she couldn't move very far. "I'm not hungry," she blurted into the silent room.

"Odd. All the others were ravenous. But never mind that, let's go for a walk, shall we?"

Ruby had no clue what Blake meant by all the others. How many other humans had her father kidnapped and injected? How many others had laid in this bed, terrified beyond belief, wondering if they would die from the injection or be killed by Bloom?

Blake unfastened her ankles first, and then he leaned into view to free her wrists. He caught Ruby staring at her, and his responding grin was slimy. He knew she was terrified, and he didn't give a single shit about it.

When she was finally freed, Ruby brought her raw wrists to her chest, rubbing at them, scooting away from Blake. He kept his posture casual, but Ruby knew there was something sinister about the way he crowded her.

"Your mother has prepared some sort of lunch. Are you interested?"

The word mother clanged around in Ruby's head as she stood from the bed. She didn't dare flinch at the casual way he used that word, or the fact that Ruby's mother was not in that house at all. Step mother, sure. There was a difference.

"Does she always cook?" Ruby made her voice small. She wondered if she made no fuss, would they forget about her? Would they keep her unharmed? She couldn't get a read on Blake or her father, and that wasn't helping.

Blake led her down the hall and down the stairs. He was humming something to himself, some sort of cheerful tune, and he kept smiling at Ruby. The way his eyes trailed from top to bottom made her squirm. He was a complete and utter creep.

By the time Blake led her into the dining room, her father was already there at the head of the table. His wife, Ruby's step mother, was also there. She wasn't smiling, not like Blake was. Her own expression was dark, a scowl taking up most of her features.

"Not ravenous, you're right." Her father commented. "How unusual. Ruby, how do you feel?"

Ruby could read the hopeful expression plain as day on her father's face. He wanted this injection to work, to do something, to fix her up. She didn't feel any less broken than before. She teetered between giving him false hope and giving him the truth.

"I feel fine." Groggy, like she'd taken sleeping pills the night before, but nothing unusual. The burning in her chest was dull enough that she was half hoping it was just heartburn. "My chest is a little sore." She rubbed at the center, right beneath her sternum.

"Perfect!" Her father chirped. "A little burning never hurt anybody."

Dread filled her lungs. She hadn't mentioned burning, and yet he'd known what she was talking about. It meant whatever was changing inside of her was actually happening. She rubbed again at her chest, willing it to go away. Willing herself to wake up from this dream, because that's what it had to be, right? A dream?

"It won't be long, now. I give it a few hours until the first signs start appearing. Oh, how wonderful Ruby. It won't be too bad, the first time you shift. A little painful, but nothing my heir shouldn't be able to handle."

Ruby could hear the echoes of Atlas's bones breaking and cracking and realigning themselves. The sound had been horrifying to hear. She shuddered, picturing herself on the ground, fur exploding from her skin, her screams of pain loud in the quiet of her father's house.

She didn't want that. She didn't want that.

Her inner struggle was obvious to Hannah. She wore a sly smirk as she winked at Ruby. "Oh, c'mon Rodrick. Don't downplay the pain of the first shift. It's quite nasty. I was bedridden for days."

"My child should be able to withstand the pain." Rodrick wasn't feeding into Hannah's comments.

"Ruby, dear, do you want me to hold your hand while it happens?" Hannah was still goading her. "Wipe your tears for you?"

"Enough." Rodrick thumped his fist on the table. "We spoke about this. Ruby may not be your child by birth, but she is your child now. You will treat my heir with respect."

Hannah's face dropped into a frown. She bowed her head to her husband, suddenly submissive. "Yes sir," she answered in a low tone. She didn't look at Ruby for the rest of the meal, her anger radiating off of her in waves. She was angry, and rightfully so; Rodrick had just put her in her place in front of Ruby and Blake.

Blake hadn't taken his eyes off of Ruby. She made the mistake of glancing at him, and he had the gall to wink at her, his smile devious. Ruby absolutely did not want him in her bedroom alone ever again, just based on the way he smiled at her.

She moved to pick up her fork, but at that exact moment, pain flared in her stomach so suddenly, it had her doubling over, nearly falling from her chair. She gasped, grabbing at her skin, feeling the burn eat her alive.

"It's happening!" Her father leapt up from his chair, giddy and excited. "Finally! Hannah, go grab a pail of hot water and a rag. Now. Blake, help me move her."

Ruby flinched away from her father and Blake as they surrounded her like vultures. The pain had swarmed her stomach, flowing down her limbs, causing her to feel paralyzed. She slid from the chair to the floor in a puddle, her body convulsing.

She could barely feel her father grabbing her and lifting her from the floor. Could barely feel the way he slung her over his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes. Her body went hot, then cold, and the pain was enough to make her nauseous. The light in the hallway suddenly felt too bright.

Rodrick carried her up the stairs. He brought her to the bedroom she'd woken up in. He tossed her down on the bed as if she wasn't convulsing in pain. Ruby curled up on her side, holding her stomach, moaning into the blankets.

This was so much worse than having monthly cramps. Her body ached, as if she were having growing pains in every limb. She let out a whimper, another long moan, and felt her body tense. Sweat dotted her forehead and gathered at the back of her neck.

"You should have gone through this years ago. This should have happened on your fourteenth birthday."

Ruby closed her eyes, trying to shut a door on those wretched memories. Instead, she focused on the things she could control. She focused on her breathing, trying to make it even instead of holding it, like she was prone to do when in pain. She tried to remember what Atlas had done when he had shifted. It had happened so suddenly, not at all like this.

Ruby didn't notice when Hannah slipped in with a bucket of warm water. Her step mother dropped it on the floor, letting the water spill over. "There. For your lovely daughter."

"Any minute now. Any minute now, and she'll begin her transformation." Rodrick's voice was eager, and he rested his hand on Ruby's head. "Finally, I'm getting what I deserve."