Levi's POV

I see why everyone was worried about this werewolf problem. Not only werewolves in this neighborhood were being killed, but it was also humans around this community. So many innocents died by this werewolf... and I have to find them.

"Hanji," Serena says, and I quickly look back to the entrance, seeing her walk in. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's handled. Can I be left alone with my mate?" I hate it when she keeps saying that when people are around. It makes it sound like we're only a couple just to have children. That's not the case... "We'll go over the evidence and help find the monster responsible for this."

"I was told-."

"I know what you were told," Hanji says with a cold tone, "let me be alone with him. Besides, Levi usually works alone. And because of the rules, he can't be alone. Let me work with him."

Serena sighed, scowling. "He's not leaving this room. I need to check with James."

"Go ahead. I have his permission." Hanji calls after her before Hanji sighed, kissing my cheek. "Are you doing alright?"

"I'm fine. What happened with James?"

"He doesn't trust you. And if you take a step out of line, then he will execute you. Don't worry, I reassured him that I won't let him step out of line. Plus, if he thinks you have, he needs to go through me before he takes any action against you."

My eyes rolled slightly, "Great, so I have to worry about being killed by a werewolf?"

Hanji smiled, kissing my lips. "No, you don't. You got me to protect you."

I returned the kiss, running my hand down her back. Seeing her shiver made me smile. "That's cute, Hanji, but I can handle myself. Back to the case... it's someone from inside his pack."

"How could you tell?"

"The first 3 murders were human. Then about a block away from the third murder, a werewolf from this community was killed. Do you agree with the idea that someone fed on human hearts and someone caught them?"

Hanji nods her head, wrapping her arms around my waist. "James isn't going to like that idea... but I do agree. It makes sense. What's next?"

"As you said, James won't like what I have to suggest... as I'm saying we should look at everyone in this community. Hanji, what would compel a werewolf like you to kill and eat a human's heart?"

"Well... worst-case scenario is when they're hurt and want to live. As I said before, we only heal after eating a human's heart. The majority of my kind would die because we resist the idea of killing someone innocent just so we can live a little longer. My theory is that this is someone that had a reason to live, despite being badly hurt."

"Then we can start from there."

*   *   *

Carl McFoster. After all the investigation we did, he was the right one. James came with us to apprehend him, unable to believe us. When we got to his house, everything was a mess. The walls were scratched with claw marks and splotches of bloodstains on the carpet. A wolf-like whimper came from the dark corner of the living room, revealing the werewolf.

"Carl," James began, feeling his heart shatter at the truth. "What have you done...?"

"I'm sorry..." Carl whimpers, crawling out of his corner, bawling his eyes out. "I-I'm so sorry..."

"Why?"

Carl continued to whimper, pointing to a picture. "I... I didn't want to... but Helen..."

"Helen? Carl, what Helen has cannot be cured-."

"Human hearts can help. It'll heal her... it healed her..."

Behind me, I could feel Hanji's hands gripping mine. She's... disturbed by something. It could've been him covered in blood... or something entirely different. "What happened?" James asked in a stern tone.

"She... went crazy... killing the others... I had to kill her."

"Helen's the first werewolf victim..." Hanji whispers, laying her head on the back of my neck. "He killed his wife..."

"What about the other werewolves? They were our friends-."

"They saw everything... I'm sorry... exile me. Something... I'm sorry I killed them... I'm sorry for making my wife a murderer. Just let me live..."

James looked back at me, shaking his head. "Levi, please... is there a way to give him a merciful death?"

"From what I know... no, there's no such thing as a merciful death. He can either die by a silver knife or a silver bullet. He can choose." Hanji's fingers gripped my shirt before she forced herself to walk out of the room. "Sorry, James, but that's it. Other methods would be torture for him. If you want him to die merciful... those are the only two options."

Carl began to cry once more before making his choice to die by a bullet. As my gun was loaded with a single bullet, James also left the room. I should've said the knife was better... that way he doesn't get haunted by the sound of a bullet.

"What are you waiting for...?" Carl asked, clawing the carpet with his werewolf claws. "End me..."

"You loved your wife, right? Did everything you could to save her."

"Even if it meant for her to know the taste of human... I wanted to save her... she... went rogue... I deserve to be in pain for the rest of my afterlife."

"Even I feel bad for you," I say, letting a silver bullet piece his heart. The sound of it echoed... and I could imagine both Hanji and James covering their ears to not hear that sound.

*   *   *

We were given a place to stay for the night, and Hanji has not uttered another word to me. To break the silence, I tried to ask her what was wrong, though I knew what the answer was. I just needed to hear her voice... just one more time.

"Levi... if good werewolves can eat human hearts like that... what happens if I do that...?"

"Do what?"

"Eat human hearts... do you have the courage to end me?"

"Hanji," I sighed, walking up to her and kissing her neck. My arms wrapped around her waist as I continued to kiss her. "I don't think I could... besides, I won't ever let you eat a human heart. I would die for you to prevent you from doing so."

"What if I ate yours...?" Hanji whimpers as a teardrop slipped down her face and fell onto my hand. "No one could stop me if I killed you first. I don't ever want to become like that... Levi, do you trust me enough to not attack you?"

I nod my head, giving her one more kiss. "Hanji, I trust you with my entire life... just as you trust me with your entire life. I would hate to see you in pain... but I could never give you a heart. If you're hurt badly... I'm not going to let you turn into a rogue one. I rather you die as yourself rather than someone who would kill innocent humans... that's a promise."

"Even if I was suffering, you wouldn't let me eat a human heart?"

"Even if you were suffering, I wouldn't." I reassured her, "Because I love you as this werewolf... and I will always want to know that you were always like this... not eating human hearts."