Image: The Lighting Of Candles (royalty free photo)

Soundtrack: The End of the World by Audiomachine

***

I'm awakened in the early hours with a gentle shake. Moaning, I rub the sleep from my weary eyes. It's still pitch-black outside the tent.

I blink a few times, attempting to make out the face of my awakener. My human eyesight isn't up to par in this dim light. I sit up too quickly; the blood rushes from my brain and dizziness ensues. Low blood pressure; it was the apparent cause of my blackouts. Before I found out what they really meant.

"David? I'm so glad you finally—"

"Shh. The kids are asleep," my uncle whispers. I gratefully accept his outstretched hand and he pulls me out of the tent. "We'll talk later. Follow me."

The clouds overhead don't hesitate to share their sorrow with us. A light rainfall patters against the roof of my tent and onto my bare arms, forcing me to shiver at the icy droplets' touch. It's more of a tickle than a chill, but I still wrap my blanket more tightly around my shoulders.

The moon illuminates David's features, but other than that, there's nothing much to see out here. Midnight is concealing the world from my prying eyes. David nods his head toward Lauren's tent and starts off.

"Wait," I whisper. "What's happening?"

There is no answer. At the entrance to Lauren's tent, my uncle ducks, slinking carefully into the structure. I hastily follow. The spherical tent is fairly large, and Lauren has moved all of her possessions outside despite the light rainfall.

Only the oldest members of our clan are summoned to the Alpha's "den" at this late hour. And me. Two candles rest in small bowls in the centre of the tent, and their light bathes the seven Lycans' sombre faces, revealing every crevice and hollow. Most are dressed in old, worn clothing, but I catch a glimpse of a beaded garment – its owner looks to be an old woman with hazel skin and long, dark hair woven into two neat braids across her chest.

"Welcome," Lauren says without feeling, dipping her head towards me in greeting. Before I can answer, she turns away, speaking to those nearest her. The candlelight bathes her face in a soft glow, causing her features to appear even more ghostly than usual.

The elders of our clan sit cross-legged in a semi-circle. Lauren has placed herself at the head of the group, resting elegantly beside the beta, Mr. Adolphus. I catch the eye of my great uncle, and he gives me a warm smile, though his expression quickly returns to one of sombre anticipation. It mirrors that of the Lycans around him.

"Is everything okay, David?" I ask the Lycan beside me. "Where's Margo?"

He places a hand on my shoulder for reassurance. "Your aunt's got a meeting today so she couldn't join us."

My eyes dart back towards the alpha. I can tell that Lauren spends much of her time in wolf form; she always has a wild look in her eyes. The only connection to a human heritage is her clothing; while the others wear tattered shirts and pants, Lauren wears well-cared-for dresses. For all I know, she could've been a successful businesswoman; I could have seen her walking on the street in a wealthy area of town and not given it a second thought. Somehow, though, I get the feeling she's been living away from the rest of humanity for quite a while.

After what seems like an eternity, Lauren turns and addresses us as a whole, her forehead creased with worry.

"Since the First Ritual, and since the time of our first alpha, Mac Tíre, we have stood alongside the humans. We have hidden among them for years, living as they have lived. But not all of us were safe."

Lauren tilts her head towards Mr. Adolphus. The caramel-skinned gentleman begins where Lauren had left off.

"The Earth's Covenant, our greatest enemy, is becoming more and more powerful as we speak. For centuries, they've hunted us, and we have bested them. We've hidden well. But there are those that have risked exposing us."

"As you know, Todd Matthews wanted to bring about change," Lauren adds quietly. I jump at my dad's name, staring at the alpha intently. "He asked me to take his place, as your alpha, as he tended to other matters."

"Other matters?" I blurt. Lauren glances at me but ignores my question.

"We wait patiently for the day when we can rise against this Earth's Covenant." The alpha spits out its name, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "They have brought our race to near-extinction. They have tracked down and assassinated our Ferals. We live out here, far away from the Covenant's reach, all the while growing stronger and stronger."

The others pretend to be interested in her story even though they've heard it countless times. I, however, am enthralled. My eyes grow wide with unyielding curiosity. The elders regard me with interest, sizing me up. Of course they are; I'm the daughter of their alpha.

"And this is where we're left," Lauren says with a sigh. "We're one of the last Lycan clans on Earth." The elders lower their eyes, sorrowful at the direction the conversation is heading. "The Covenant has resurfaced and it's more powerful than ever before. It's homing in on all cities, aiming to bring us to extinction. And yet we still sit idly by. But no more. Tonight we plan to strike back."

Tonight? My eyes are drawn toward the minute tea lights in the tent, their wavering flames flicking to and fro, innocent and small against the great wide world. Their light could get snuffed out in an instant if we are not careful.

Some of the Lycans grunt and shake their heads in disapproval. It's obvious that every last one of them feels the utmost hatred towards this...Covenant. I don't know much about it except that it's the reason I'm here right now. It's the reason my dad left us.

Lauren clears her throat and I'm startled to attention, hastily withdrawing my eyes from the soft glow of candlelight that had been dancing through my thoughts.

"Time is running out for the captives; David says the Covenant has no more use of them. We will enact this rescue mission and see to it that our race remains strong and fierce. Everyone knows their roles?" The Lycans nod silently, full attention on their alpha. "Good. This is where David and Skye are going." Lauren displays a worn map, jabbing a claw-like finger at it. "Right into the Covenant's headquarters."

"What?" I bite my lip, trying not to meet the eyes of the other Lycans. They're all staring at me now.

Lauren gives me a venomous glance and then meets eyes with David. Bile rises in my throat and I struggle to focus as my cheeks burn crimson. What are they thinking? Me?

My uncle gulps as he tears his gaze from Lauren's to focus on me. "I don't—"

One of the elders speaks up, raking his eyes over my body. "She's newly-Changed. Far too early to take such a risk."

"David," Lauren prompts, ignoring him, "the plan."

He clears his throat, clearly uncomfortable under the unwavering stares of the others. "There are two of them, and if we don't make our move soon, the oldest will be euthanized; they're done with him now. We'll release them both and I'll print out the intel."

I stifle a shiver. Done with him. So that's it. Those are the captives my uncle and Lauren had been discussing, way before I knew who Lauren was.

The pale woman continues enthusiastically, prodding the map again with her fingernail. "Three of you will wait at the rendezvous point while David and Skye free the captives—"

"Actually, it'll just be me entering the building. Skye will wait in the truck," David says softly.

"I second that," the elder who'd spoken previously interjects. "The fewer who enter, the better."

"It's not up for debate. The Covenant trusts you, David; they think you're human. You need someone to go with you, and none of us looks or sounds the part."

I scan the faces of the other Lycans. It's true; each of them betrays a rough, wild appearance, akin to a hermit or a madman. Even Lauren, with her lavish apparel, could be suspected of lycanthropy.

"You'll both be in and out ASAP. Skye can easily pose as your relative, and the captives are more likely to follow her lead rather than yours, due to your role in the experimentation performed on them."

David winces, sweat beading on his brow. "I know. But I can't risk it. I don't want her in harm's way—"

"Adolphus, Sejka, and Margo have been chosen for this," Lauren continues, turning first towards Margo's father and then to the old woman with the beaded clothing and long braids. "You'll stay hidden at the edge of the park until David pulls up with the others."

"But—"

"Understood?" Lauren barks. Her word has a sharp grunt to it, like that of a growl of indignation at a small animal who has narrowly escaped her snapping jaws. I glance up to see the seven elders gazing at me, thoughtful looks on their faces. It takes me a moment to fully process what Lauren had said.

We'll be marching right into our enemy's lair.

I avert my eyes. Some of the elders look stern and doubtful; others, like Lauren and Mr. Adolphus, regard me with interest and concern.

We exit the tent in silence, and I debate whether or not to ask one of the many questions that flutter though my head. The Lycans who'll be accompanying us pack their belongings and we make our way out of the campsite by the light of the waning moon.

"David..." I gulp, dragging my toe across the powdered snow. "I don't want to do this. I'm not a good choice—"

"You won't be coming in. You'll be waiting outside like I said."

I gape at him. "But Lauren said—"

"I know."

I grab his hand as if I'm eleven again, staring on as the caskets of my mom and dad are lowered into the ground, side by side.

"How did he fake his death?" I ask my uncle softly.

David licks his lips, glancing around at the other Lycans who are gathering to say goodbye to us. Tears well up at the corners of my eyes and I turn away, brushing them off with a sleeve.

"When your mother died, he was heartbroken. But mostly, he was angry."

I swallow, blinking back the rapidly-forming tears. "It wasn't a hiking accident, was it?"

"It was no accident. Your mother was killed by the Covenant, Skye. When some of their soldiers confronted your parents alone on a mountain trail, your father told your mother to run—"

"She didn't listen."

David sighs, staring at the slush beneath his bare feet. "That's right," he croaks. "The Covenant shot her first, injuring her because they knew that it would break Todd's resolve. He fought hard to save her, but there were too many soldiers. Then they dealt the fatal blow..."

"Don't," I whisper, hanging my head. Tears stream down my face and I feel a hand upon my shoulder.

"That's enough," Mr. Adolphus says softly. I glance up into his kind chestnut eyes.

David clears his throat, starting off into the woods. He calls out over his shoulder, "Your father jumped from a cliff to escape the soldiers. He didn't expect to survive the fall, but he returned to us days later. Broken and bruised, but alive. A Lycan's resolve is unmatched.

"To the Covenant, he'd disappeared from the face of the earth. The Lycans still know he's alive, but to the rest of the world, Todd Matthews is deceased. The Covenant set things up so it looked like an accident."

I shiver, grasping my great uncle's hand even tighter. "David. What about you and Margo? Wouldn't they target you, too?"

David stops in his tracks, allowing Mr. Adolphus and me to catch up with him. "Your father ensured that we got rid of all ties to the Matthews family."

"Hobbes," I breathe.

David smiles sadly. "This is the last day I'll have to utilize that surname. This mission will mean the end of my work with the Covenant, and we'll have to move again to avoid being tracked by their soldiers. I assume you don't want to go back to your human life...?" He raises his eyebrows at me.

I shake my head vigorously. Of course not. How could I, even if I wanted to? I have to see my dad again. And, I realize, I want to be a shapeshifter. I'm ready to follow the path of my ancestors and accept my fate as a member of the Lycan race. Having spent most of my life drawing and painting wolves, how could I dismiss the chance to become one?

Although, a suicide mission isn't the greatest way to start things out.

"Alright, let's get back to sleep. We leave in a few hours. And don't worry; we'll get through it unscathed."

I nod, struggling to keep my voice from shaking. "I hope you're right."