The town was in the middle of a shift of its own when we came in. The few cars that were parked on the streets earlier in the day were gone. the sidewalks were barren. Most of the building's lights were off leaving them in dark shadows, closed signs plastered on their doors. It had fully become a skeleton.

Wish I could shift into that every month.

Adam was scanning the town as we parked in front of the one building that was still open. Concern and worry washing over his face.

"Where is everyone?" Adam asked once we got out of the car.

"They left for the day," Gwen explained. "Most of them don't stay when night comes. And when it's a full moon then everyone goes away."

Adam looked back at me. His concern growing deeper.

"They all know how to take care of themselves if we get out of control," I said supportive smile and all.

Adam shrunk back the concern letting his smile show up again. "Okay."

Gwen led Adam to dinner, trying to pep him up and giving me an apologetic look. Well, at least she's getting more aware of how she says things. That's gonna help. Hopefully.

My eyes wandered up to the sky, watching it slowly begin to burn from the setting sun. Shades of orange and red mixing together as clouds rolled through them. In a couple of hours, it would stop burning. Then the night will come flooding in. With it will be the moon.

Another full moon. A full moon only last three day.

That's still three days though.

We made it through the first.

Barely.

Adam drank the tea so that should help a lot. We got this. We got this. We got this.

Do you?

"Hey, Bailey?" Will's voice called out.

I snapped back looking over at Will. His half-smile was deflating the longer he was looking at me.

"Yeah?" I said.

"You're doing a good job, you know."

My mouth twitched to say something else. To object. But I just bit down on my tongue and nodded. Showing off the small worn down smile again. I wonder if Brew talked to Will about me. Or he just knows. He was a pack leader before he came here so he would know if I was doing a good job.

"You're a lot better than I was." Will joked putting on a full smile now.

That smile. Whenever he shows that one smile it stabs my heart. It always looked broken when he put it on, full of gaping holes. Web fractures dancing over his face. Looking brittle as it exposed itself against air. That was something we couldn't fix.

When he first came to Brew and I, Will was hollow. Shut down. He didn't speak or look at us for a couple of months. When he started talking, he sounded empty. Forcing out shallow words that meant nothing. He was pretty much a zombie during that time.

Will had lost his pack to an ambush of hunters. He was the only one that survived.

"Will..." I murmured, trying to find my go-to support words. Don't say that! I bet you were great! You did all that you could! They would've wanted you to live.

But none of them came out. I just stared at him while he packed it away. The half-smile rolling back on like a switch flicked. Back to its sincere and solemn aura. He let out a sigh, straightening up his back. The stitches around his mask was deep and old.

"Come on," Will perked up turning to dinner. "Let's go eat."

I nodded back, following him in. My mouth twitched as we walked in. Wanting to shout back. Wanting to tell him he was wrong. About himself. About me. But I just tightened the clamp on my tongue. I'd be wasting words at this point. We just have to get through one more day and I'll talk to him about that. If I let myself.

Inside the dinner, a wave of coffee and fried grease crashed into my nose. Settling down my brain as the scent numbed my nerves. My teeth letting go of my tongue, throbbing in relief. The dinner was mostly empty but kept clean. The furniture looked new and up to date. The stools near the counter shined against the setting sun. One of them holding up a person in a hoodie. Crouched over their cup of coffee. Keeping their head down and a hand on the mug.

Another one.

Will jabbed an elbow in my stomach, getting my attention again. He pointed over where Gwen and Adam were sitting. A small table near the center of the dinner. Gwen waved at us while Adam kept his eyes at the menu. I waved back putting back on my smile as we walked over to them. Matching Will's broken half-smile.

The cook poked his head out the window behind the counter spotting us. He gave me a real smile as we sat down.

"Hey!" He said over his hissing grill. "I'll be with you in a sec!"

"Thanks," I said looking back at my group.

They looked better than the car ride. Or from last night at least. Adam kept shifting his eyes from the menu to the cook. You'd think he'd run out of energy to worry about stuff. But he always seems to find a way.

Like you.

I swallowed down a tightness forming in my throat. Push it back for now. Wait till later. One, two, three, four.

"He'll be okay," I assured.

Adam's face brightened slightly under his concern. "You sure? What if we...you know."

He just had to get a bit a week before all of this. You really don't deserve this, kiddo.

"All of the building owners have dart guns with wolfsbane and tranqs," I explained. "Brew makes sure they have some each month in case something happens. All they gotta do is point, shoot, and we'll be out for the night."

"Yeah cause no one is gonna get hurt with giant ass needles flying at you." Gwen joked.

Adam did not get the joke. His face only got a second of bliss before the grave concern crushed down on his face again. I shot Gwen an annoyed frown until the wave of realization crashed over her. Will scooted his chair away from the table. Afraid that lightning would strike the table from the dark cold brewing above us. Gwen looked over at Adam seeing how he was sinking his face into the laminated menu then back at me to my stare. Frantic guilt seeping in now.

"I mean-uh-um-it's not that big. I only got shot once and I barely felt it." Gwen stammered, trying to fix the mood quickly. "Shit! Um, dinner's on me guys! Heh-heh..."

I couldn't help but laugh. The release of the sound felt cathartic in my chest. The noise shaking my shoulders. Shaking off the weight. Even when we kick each other down, unknowingly we still try to bring each other up. Aren't we just idiots.

Adam's smile showed again, lifting his head as Gwen quickly tried to build a new conversation. Looking more relaxed as he nodded along what Gwen was trying to say. Will glanced over at me giving me a thumbs up. The wax half-smile looking real now. I nodded back trading my own. My sown smile loosening from its stitches again.

We were finally catching a break for a second. Where we can be just people. Normal People.

But Just for a second. Only for a second. That's how long it lasts. Always. Any longer and the world went out of order.

How else is misery is supposed to survive without the small moments of unaware happiness to chew on?

Adam's face went white as he stared at me. The color evaporated from his cheeks as his eyes grew in horror. Gwen went stiff as she stared at what was hovering behind him. Quickly glancing back at me to see how I was doing. Her hands twitching back impulses to attack or make a move.

Will kept quiet staring down at the table. His half-smile faded away looking over at the two. Keeping calm and quiet. Waiting for the orders.

I slowly breathed in a new set of air. It tasted like stale blood and fear. Sweat coating the inside of my palms. My teeth grinding against each other. The veins in my neck let out a spasm. Trying to send my body into alert. To wake up the monster that was sleeping next to my heart.

The person wearing the hoodie was standing over Adam. Holding a pistol in their right hand against the back of Adam's skull. The harmer already pulled back as the person's finger was primed on the trigger. In their other hand was a bowie knife. The silver blade shined through the fresh coat of blood dripping off of it.

A hunter.

My eyes quickly glanced over to the counter where the cook's body laid across it. Dead.

The grinding against my teeth stopped. Quickly replaced with shakes and pulses around my jaw. My teeth were shaking in their gums. Trying to grow. Sharpening themselves. Salivating with flame. Needing to shift.

How did they find this place? Did they follow us? When? Can't think about that now. Have to get us out of this first.

"Remember me?" The hunter spat keeping their face hidden under the hood. The poison dripping off the words.

Adam went white hearing the voice. His eyes screaming out in panic. He didn't know the voice. None of us knew who it was. There will always be some hunter tracking us. Ready to kill all of us by any means necessary. Just because we can change into those forms. Just because incidents out of our control. Because of idiots making horrible decisions. They do all in their power to wipe us out.

Adam's eyes were bulging out. His whole body vibrating. If he kept it up he was gonna shatter. Break off in tiny jagged pieces and disintegrate into the air.

Showtime, Pack Leader.

"Can I help you?" I said calmly pushing back my growing teeth.

The hunter didn't look up. They kept the hooded gaze and gun locked on Adam. Pushing the gun into the back of Adam's head.

"Give me him and I'll walk away." The hunter hissed. Rage shaking out each of the words forced out.

Gwen and Will looked over at me. Waiting for my response. Why just him? Why not kill all of us? Was it a sick way to kill us? Take one of them away until they find us again?

Gwen was doing her best to match Will's cool expression but she was having a rough time holding it. It was her and Adam's first run-in with a hunter. In a safe town of all places.

I raised one finger and tapped it hard against the table. Leaving a mark against the wooden surface. One.

"No," I replied holding back the monster. It was starting to stir. Growling at the hunter invading its territory.

The hunter raised the knife to Adam's face, hovering it an inch away from his neck. Any closer to contact and his skin would start to burn. Eating through the surface like acid. Adam let out a whimper, flinching away from the blade as much as possible. Gwen flashed her own glare at the hunter. Curling her hands back as she burned holes into the hunter. Will kept his face calm as his lips twitched.

I raised two fingers and tapped them harder into the table. My nails digging deeper into the finish. Cracking slightly against impact.

Two

"I'm not asking." The hunter said their voice teetering to explode.

Adam's eyes looked up at me from the table surface. Face now pinned down from the gun. Wide-eyed and terrified. I could see them burning the sight into his brain. Adding another invisible scar to his body.

The monster was up now. Ramming against its cage. Wanting out. Screaming. Ready for blood. Ready for payment for doing this. Making my heart rush out blood faster into my hands. Releasing adrenaline that burned my skin. My canines were growing, sharpening against each other. Waiting to rip the hunter's throat out. Ready for the monster to give out orders.

I raised three fingers. Staring back at the hunter with an artic smile. "I will never give someone up to monsters like you."

I slammed my fingers into the table. My fingernails growing into claws as they stabbed halfway into it. Making little craters around them as they latched into the wooden structure.

Three.

I pulled the table away from us with my clawed fingers. Will kicked Adam's chair out as soon as the center was empty. Adam crashed to the ground out of harm's way. Gwen rushed out of her chair and charged towards the hunter.

The hunter swiped their knife at Gwen keeping the gun aimed at Adam. Gwen jumped back, barely missing the blade. I launched myself at the hunter's open body. My right hand shooting towards the hunter's throat. Clamping tightly against it and slamming them to the ground. The hunter let out a gasp as I kept my grip on their throat.

My claws dug into the skin. Enough that I could feel their esophagus squirm under the pressure. Will kicked the gun out of the hunter's hand, keeping his foot pinned on their arm. Gwen doing the same with the hand clutching to knife.

The monster screamed. It wanted blood. It wanted the hunter's heart. For doing this to us. For doing this to Adam. My teeth ached as they wanted to be unsheathed. To be bared at its full length. Wanting to show off the primal venom that coated it.

"You okay, Adam?" I called out keeping my grip on the hunter's throat.

"Y--y-yeah." Adam squeaked from behind.

"Let go!" The hunter coughed struggling underneath our pin.

The hunter did their best to thrash their way out. Worming out in any position that would lead to freedom. But it was blocked by the three of us. Glaring down at the thing that called itself human.

For a second the hunter stopped thrashing, their hood coming off their face. Revealing them to the three of us hovering over them. And in one single moment, my heart dropped. Sinking it into my stomach as my blood turned to ice. The face....that face. I know that face.

The face was a girl. Probably no older than eighteen. Covered with scratches and bruises that swelled her rosy cheeks. Blonde strands of hair poked out from under the hood coated with sweat and oil. Ocean blue eyes glared up at me. Boiling over with pure hatred that could be produced. Organic, unadulterated, hate.

She was the girl from last night. The same girl that stumbled into the forest last night. She almost got bit by Adam if Gwen wasn't there in time. I thought she ran away because she was frightened. But did she run away because there were more of us than she thought? No, she would've still tried to kill him regardless. Gwen was the first to show up, only to get hurt by Adam. that would still give her a chance to kill both of them Adam didn't get shot by her. And the only wounds covering her were the ones made by Adam. So that means-no.

Will and Gwen shot me worried looks. Gwen's face was breaking up. Trying to remain calm as anxiety started to contort it. Ripping into her face as it ate away her still expression. Will did his best to keep the fear back but it was breaking out. turning white as the seconds went.

No. No no no. Please no.

I quickly pulled down the sleeves on her sweatshirt. The cold rush in my blood hitting the monster at my heart. Whimpering as the fear shot down its legs. The left sleeve was unscathed. Nothing. Not a scratch in sight. Now her right. Please, let it be free of-

The sight of her right arm disintegrated my stomach. Turning it into a black hole as my heart sunk deeper. On her arm were jagged deep scratches and a red crescent bite mark. They were still fresh. Gaping, bleeding out fresh drops as if they were just cut.

Oh god no.

"Get off!" The hunter screamed her voice ringing in my ears.

Her mouth was already baring out fangs. Newborn fangs gnashing together as they teethed out. In two swift motions, she jerked her hands out from Will and Gwen's grip and flung her elbow into my jaw. The force was hard enough to crack my jaw. The impact rippled throughout my face. Leaving traces of stars fading in and out in my eyes as they looked around. Trying to refocus. My grip around her throat loosened enough for her to get out. The hunter shot up from the ground, sprinting towards Adam.

Adam's face was littered in horror. Facing the zombie from yesterday. Freshly decomposed. But still alive. Still breathing.

Will acted first grabbing ahold of her right leg. The hunter shot back a glare to Will as he jerked her away from reaching Adam. Before she could let out a defiant scream, I launch out my left hand over her face. Gripping tightly around it. Letting my claws dig into her skin.

Even with it covered I could still see her glare through my fingers. The glare eating through my hand, stabbing into my chest. Whittling its small blade through my ribcage. Ready to add another hidden scar onto me.

I bit down on my lip as I drove her head to the ground with force. The back of her skull cracked against the ground twitching a little upon impact. Her body went limp. I slowly pulled my hand back as my body shook. The glare was gone. Her eyes were shut but I could still feel it burning my skin.

I started to shake my arm vigorously to brush off the ice that froze my blood. Trying to stay tall. Trying to remain supportive as Adam stared at the hunter's motionless body. Horror overriding his face. Guilt stabbing his eyes. Will stared at the ground. Unable to form an expression. He had shut down. Gwen's face had shattered. Her anxiety fully free to express what had happened.

Stay strong.

"Di-d-did I..." Adam stammered his voice barely a whisper. "Did I bit her?Bailey?"

I couldn't answer him. Fear clamping down on my throat. Cutting off all air from my lungs. The stitches around my smile falling out showing my own horror. Stay strong. Say strong. Stay strong. One. Two. Three. Four.

What now? Miss pack leader?