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Series 2 Episode 8
"Infiltration"
It felt good to stretch her legs in the Crystalshaw forest. She had been stuck in a hospital bed all weekend, and she still ached badly, but Yasmin was thrilled to be up and moving once again.
Her feet were bare, now coated in a fine dusting of mud and dirt. It felt almost naughty to walk around with no shoes on, but liberating at the same time.
The forest was dark and the trees around her whispered in the otherwise silent night. She kept on walking, stepping on twigs and hearing them crack underneath her bare skin.
Where she was going was a secret even to her. Yasmin wasn’t sure if she enjoyed the spontaneity; she was more used to planning every detail meticulously, but not now. This was different.
Then she realised – she didn’t remember leaving the hospital. How long had she been walking for? It was a total mystery. All she knew was that she had to keep walking.
She reached a clearing in the woods, circular and a few metres in diameter. Right in the centre was the most gruesome sight she had seen. A partially shifted werewolf girl, claws on show, had been impaled by a metal pole. Her throat had been slashed and she’d been left there as blood continued to drip out of her lifeless body. It was the hunters, it had to be.
She needed to call Dylan, and quickly.
Her feet were bare, now coated in a fine dusting of mud and dirt. It felt almost naughty to walk around with no shoes on, but liberating at the same time.
The forest was dark and the trees around her whispered in the otherwise silent night. She kept on walking, stepping on twigs and hearing them crack underneath her bare skin.
Where she was going was a secret even to her. Yasmin wasn’t sure if she enjoyed the spontaneity; she was more used to planning every detail meticulously, but not now. This was different.
Then she realised – she didn’t remember leaving the hospital. How long had she been walking for? It was a total mystery. All she knew was that she had to keep walking.
She reached a clearing in the woods, circular and a few metres in diameter. Right in the centre was the most gruesome sight she had seen. A partially shifted werewolf girl, claws on show, had been impaled by a metal pole. Her throat had been slashed and she’d been left there as blood continued to drip out of her lifeless body. It was the hunters, it had to be.
She needed to call Dylan, and quickly.
Dylan was exhausted. He hadn’t slept a wink all night, for various reasons. Watching his phone. Checking for updates on Drew and Lily. Looking around all of Crystalshaw to find even the slightest trace. None of that proved fruitful, so it was a long, sleepless night where Dylan felt beyond tired, yet unable to sleep. His mind was too busy.
Now he was sat in the sheriff station, waiting for Sheriff Taylor to conclude his interview with Yasmin. The body she had found in the forest looked horrible, but Dylan knew she wouldn’t be telling the Sheriff everything. She couldn’t. He couldn’t know about werewolves – it would risk everyone finding out. She was too smart to do that.
Dylan couldn’t deny that he was worried about her though. Wandering off in the middle of the night just two days after she got shot was extremely dangerous and unlike her – it must be the nix part of her, seeking out dead bodies.
Nevertheless, before the Sheriff took her for her interview, she had asked Dylan to call Freddie, so he did just that. Freddie seemed just as concerned, sat fidgeting next to him. His leg was tapping incessantly.
“How long has she been there?” Freddie queried impatiently.
“About twenty minutes,” Dylan sighed. He was sick of the waiting around. He was forming a to-do list in his mind:
It was rough and not remotely fine-tuned. He needed Yasmin’s touch; the plan couldn’t get going until she was on board. He and Freddie had their werewolf senses, while Jono had the instinct and Yasmin had the ideas. Together, they had a great shot at succeeding.
Dylan immediately looked up as he heard the sound of the office door handle clicking into action. Yasmin skulked out, still looking weak. The Sheriff followed, looking exhausted. It was still the early hours of the morning, after all, and Dylan was dreading having to cope with school amongst everything else.
“Morning boys,” Sheriff Taylor greeted in a friendly fashion, “We need to get this young lady back to the hospital.”
“I can drive,” Freddie immediately offered. Well, Dylan couldn’t drive so he didn’t have much choice.
“Oh, and Dylan,” the Sheriff called him back while Freddie escorted Yasmin to the car. He always felt nervous talking to the Sheriff even if he had become a close family friend. Heck, he had even been round to dinner recently.
“Could you pass this on to your mom, please?” the Sheriff handed him a small box, looking very stylish and gold in colour.
“What is it?” Dylan wondered. It intrigued him a lot.
“Just a little thank you for dinner,” the Sheriff smiled. Dylan nodded, before running off to join Freddie and Yasmin. It was time to devise the plan.
“Let us out!” Lily yelled as she banged her hands violently against the metal door. It was no use though. She and Drew were locked away in the grottiest cell Lily could imagine. It smelt of damp, was incredibly cold and not even slightly comfortable with stone walls and floor.
“Save your voice,” Drew suggested. He was sat on the floor opposite the door, not having moved all night. He had a point. Shouting obviously wasn’t going to work. Lily gave up and slid down next to him. The floor made her uncomfortable but she had nowhere else to sit.
“I’m sorry. For last night,” Lily spoke softly and sincerely. The night before had been playing over and over in her mind. She hated having to press that button. Seeing the sparks of electricity flooding through Drew was horrible, and at her own hands too.
“It wasn’t your fault. It’s all good,” Drew calmly replied. He was very good at straight talking. Lily always knew where she stood with him. It put her at ease a little.
Suddenly, the heavy door clanked open. Someone was on their way in. As the door creaked open, Drew and Lily watched in anticipation. Surely it was Mr. Forsyth, Lily predicted. Time for another cruel experiment like the night before. It was inhumane, and it terrified Lily more than anything. However, despite her confidence, it was Clara on the other side of the door.
“What are you doing here?” Lily wondered. The night before remained a blur before she arrived at wherever this grotty place was. How she got there was a blind spot in her mind, but somehow, seeing Clara didn’t inspire good vibes. Like her subconscious was telling her something.
She looked at Drew. For the first time ever, he looked scared. Visibly trembling. That’s when she realised. The ear-piercing BANG noise in the bunker, ricocheting off the stone walls. The black blood dripping from Drew’s chest.
“You brought us here,” Lily realised, staring straight at Clara’s smug smile, “You’re on their side.”
“The penny drops,” Clara remarked, smirking.
Circling around Yasmin’s bed, Dylan and Freddie had called Jono to the hospital, and he’d brought Josh with him too. Dylan was unsure whether or not to trust him still, but so far, so good since his return. Strength in numbers, after all. He’d been recovering at Jono’s house after his seizures, stubbornly refusing help, but Dylan thought there was more than meets the eye. Now was not the time to inquire though. They had to figure out where Drew and Lily were, who had taken them, and what happened to the girl in the woods. Time to brainstorm.
“What did you tell Sheriff Taylor?” Dylan queried.
“Nothing. He wouldn’t believe a word I said,” Yasmin noted, “No clues at the bunker?”
“Nothing,” Dylan answered, “We went there first. Clara and Shania had been there but nothing else. I think that tells us all we need to know though.”
“So not the hunters?” Freddie contemplated.
“I wouldn’t put anything past my dad,” Yasmin noted.
“So we’ve got two problems,” Jono mentioned, “We should split up.”
“Good idea. Jono, you take Josh and check out my dad’s work. He’s got a weapon store down town. Any clues you can find will be helpful,” Yasmin commanded. Dylan was thrilled to see Yasmin back in action, bossing people about while speaking so much sense.
“A hunter owning a weapon store. Why am I even more scared?” Josh sighed.
“Dylan and Freddie, check through the woods, near where the body was found. Use your noses,” Yasmin continued.
“Got it,” Dylan nodded.
“Will you be okay?” Freddie looked concerned over Yasmin. Something was obviously going on between them. Dylan would have to use his investigative skills to find out while they were in the woods.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve got the nurses. You need to go,” Yasmin encouraged. Dylan watched their hands meet, and Freddie’s regretfully slip back away.
“Come on,” Dylan urged, ready for action. He couldn’t wait for this entire event to be over, but there was a lot of work to do first.
Familiar territory. Lily was sat in that same uncomfortable restrained chair, facing a wet Drew chained up to metal railings. She knew what was about to happen, although she was struggling to see the purpose. Sure, Mr. Forsyth was a hunter, but he would surely rather see Drew dead. If he was still alive, he and Clara obviously wanted something. The same something, if they were willing to work together.
Appearing from the shadows by the doorway, Mr. Forsyth came to stand side-by-side with Clara. A sight for sore eyes.
“What do you want?” Lily questioned impatiently.
“We ask the questions around here,” Mr. Forsyth reminded, speaking as condescendingly as possible, “But seeing as you’re here, we need your help.”
“Why didn’t you just fucking ask?” Drew sighed.
“We’re not stupid you moron. We knew you wouldn’t help us willingly,” Clara rolled her eyes, “We need you to tell us where Josh is.
“What do you want with Josh?” Lily wondered. She knew full well where he had been staying, but she wasn’t willing to give the information out that easily.
“Let’s just say it’s mutually beneficial,” Mr. Forsyth grinned slyly. Lily sighed. It was like squeezing blood out of a stone. She didn’t have the upper hand, and they were loving every second.
“So,” Clara smirked, picking Lily’s hand up softly and placing it on the same button as the night before. Her heart was beating like crazy. She hated herself for what was about to happen. Drew said he didn’t care, but nobody would really be so chill about being electrocuted, “Where is Josh?”
“I don’t know,” Lily answered casually Clara forced Lily’s index finger down a millimetre, enough for the system to spark into action. Drew yelled in agony as visible sparks of electricity vaulted through his body. Tears fell out of Lily’s eyes, even though she was doing her best to prevent them. Clara loosened her grip and the button was resorted to resting position.
“I will ask you again. Where is Josh?” Clara queried. Lily looked at Drew. He widened his eyes, warning her not to confess. That was all she needed to keep going.
“I’ll tell you again. I don’t know,” Lily replied more confidently. Neither of them were giving in that easily.
Parking up outside the weapon storage facility, Jono was feeling anxious. There was no easy way to get into such a building – it was highly guarded, as you would expect from a place that stores guns, with a tall metal security gate around the edges.
Jono looked at his watch – ten o’clock. The huge metal gates were the only thing separating them and the building.
“We could climb it,” Josh suggested.
“Easy for you to say, werewolf,” Jono sighed, “It’s too high for me. Even if I make it that high, they’d see me a mile off.”
“I could jump it and open it from the keypad on the other side,” Josh suggested.
“Or we just wait half an hour for their delivery. Yasmin says it comes at ten-thirty every day,” Jono sensibly replied, “We can sneak through then.” He had to keep realistic.
“We don’t have time to waste,” Josh reminded. He wasn’t wrong. Jono quickly weighed up the situation. Was it worth the risk? He listened to his gut – it was never wrong.
“Okay then,” he found himself saying. Dylan would kill him if this went wrong, but they had no other choice.
Josh prepared himself for the leap. Much to Jono’s amazement, Josh sprang up almost to the very top of the gate, as if he had performed the most amazing trampoline trick. He then flung himself over the top and landed on all fours on the ground. Jono had no words. He almost wished he could do it too, but the hassle of being a werewolf outweighed the pros.
He pressed a couple of buttons on the keypad on the other side of the gate, trying to guess the combination.
“Careful, you might lock us out. Let me call Yasmin,” Jono suggested. He looked up her name on his smartphone and pressed call as fast as he could. They could still be caught at any moment.
“Hey, is everything alright?” Yasmin sounded polite yet worried.
“Yeah, do you know the code for the main gate?” Jono queried. He crossed his fingers while hoping she would deliver good news.
“Err, no, but I could possibly guess,” Yasmin thought, “Try my birthday. Zero-five-nineteen.” Jono repeated the numbers to Josh, who keyed it in. He got a frown in response. No luck.
“Nope,” Jono relayed to Yasmin.
“Oh, of course. It’ll be his own birthday. Try ten-twenty-five,” she suggested dishearteningly. Once again, Jono repeated and Josh typed. The huge gates began to shift. Success.
“Got it, thanks,” Jono said before hanging up. Now for the hard part – getting inside the building.
Dylan hated the forests of Crystalshaw. He lived right on the edge of it, and sure, he adored his house. However, he almost couldn’t bear to look outside at night, for fear of what he may or may not see. He would never forget the night he got bitten, just metres away from that house. The terror he felt was second to none. Although he had learnt to appreciate who he was, that feeling still existed in his gut.
On the bright side, he had Freddie by his side. At least he wasn’t alone.
“How far now?” Freddie pondered, ducking below a low-hanging branch.
“Not much further,” Dylan answered. They hadn’t spoken much on their way, but he had some questions to ask. No time like the present, “Hey, what’s the deal with you and Yasmin?”
“Me and Yasmin?" Freddie avoided eye contact, looking sheepish.
“I’m not judging, I’m just nosey. You’re cute together,” Dylan laughed. Yasmin was his best friend. He was always supportive of her. Freddie blushed.
“Thanks. I really like her. It all happened kinda quick but I guess she needs someone by her side,” Freddie considered.
“I’m glad it’s you,” Dylan confessed, “I suppose I should give you my approval, as her best friend.” They both laughed. It was the first time Dylan had properly laughed in a few days. It felt good to forget his concerns for a second.
“Hey, is this it?” Freddie stepped into a clearing in the woods. Dylan followed into the circular area, surrounded by trees blocking the sunlight. His nose was convinced – the scent of the poor girl’s blood was intense. The crime scene had been cleared, but remnants of blood remained soaked into the leaves, twigs and mud.
“This is definitely it,” Dylan confirmed, recalling the horrific sight of her body that night. Another innocent life lost.
“Why are we here again?” Freddie wondered, “Like, isn’t it obvious who did it?”
“We need proof. Maybe something that can confirm it to Sheriff Taylor without mentioning werewolves,” Dylan reasoned. Any little clue could be helpful.
He looked to the ground, checking for clues. He felt like he was solving a Mystery Inc. case. In the corner of his eye, he saw a tiny movement. A few leaves rustled at the same time. Red alert.
“Freddie, stay still. I think we’re being watched,” Dylan froze, speaking quietly and calmly.
“Hunters?” Freddie queried.
“They don’t know about us, remember,” Dylan added, “It’s someone else.” Then, suddenly, the figure shot off, sprinting back in the direction Dylan and Freddie came from.
“Wait!” Dylan called out, immediately following the visibly female figure, putting all of his energy into running his fast as he could. Dylan’s legs were almost blurring in motion.
The head start she had was closing. She was limping, looking very uncomfortable and slowing down. Dylan reached out a hand as he jumped over a fallen tree trunk. As he made contact with her shoulder, he yanked her down harshly. Together, they slid to the ground. Dylan fell awkwardly onto his side, twisting his ankle, but he didn’t mind. He would heal anyway and he’d succeeded in his plan – the girl had collapsed in front of him.
He looked at her as she sat up. It was a face he immediately recognised.
“Shania,” Dylan identified, her ashamed eyes avoiding contact with Dylan’s.
Back in the cell, Drew ached all over, even worse than he did last night. He was fed up and incredibly angry at the entire situation. However, it was necessary. He was doing everything he could to stifle Mr. Forsyth and Clara, although he knew their combined efforts would be deadly.
He glanced at Lily. She looked broken. He had tried to soften the blow, offering his approval and support while chained up, but the effect it was having on her could be detrimental. He admired her determination, though he worried it wouldn’t last much longer at this rate. They had to escape before it broke both of them.
“How fast can you run?” Drew queried.
“Err, sorta fast. Why?” Lily was confused.
“I think we could take them out,” Drew whispered. He had to be careful he wasn’t overheard. Even the slightest leak could jeopardise this.
“How? There are guards everywhere. Mr. Forsyth literally owns a weapon facility. We’ve got no chance,” Lily reasoned.
“Roll with it,” Drew tried to earn her trust. He couldn’t risk explaining every detail, he just had to lead by example. He banged deafeningly on the door, yelling out, “Help! It’s urgent. She’s collapsed. I don’t think she’s breathing.” He winked at Lily. She instantly understood the signal and laid down on the floor, playing dead.
The bolts on the door slammed open as the guard chauffeured a male medic in.
“She just collapsed. I don’t know why,” Drew kept up the pretence, employing his best acting skills. The medic crouched down over Lily, while the guard stood in the doorway, just in front of Drew.
This was it. Without thinking twice, Drew thwacked the guard over the head. He knew exactly where to hit to secure a successful blow. The guard collapsed, and the medic immediately looked up, confused and terrified.
Drew watched as Lily’s left leg shot directly up, landing harshly in the medic’s groin region. He winced over in pain, and Drew whacked him too, knocking him out stone cold.
“Quick, get changed,” Drew commanded. He began stripping the guard of his armour, weapons included. Step one was complete. Now they needed the clean sweep.
Breaking the lock on the fire exit door, Josh led Jono into the warehouse. Jono was amazed by the size of it. The building itself was both tall and wide, and plain in colour. Jono prayed that the size of the building would make it more difficult to bump into a member of security.
“Keep your ears out for anyone approaching,” Jono commanded to Josh. His superior hearing was extremely useful in these situations. Jono kept a keen ear too. If they bumped into a guard, they were toast. He knew he couldn’t be too careful.
“Where are we going,”,” Josh impatiently queried. It was a fair question. Jono wasn’t sure himself.
“Can you hear anything?” Jono wondered, hoping a clue from Josh’s senses would inspire directions.
“An alarm,” Josh revealed, “It’s faint. Sounds like it’s coming from below. Obviously not meant to be heard on the upper levels.”
“They’re hiding something,” Jono figured. If the alarm wasn’t sounding in the main part of the building, it was clearly something they didn’t want everyone to hear.
Jono led the way to the stairwell, following the signs laid out. It was clearly intended for staff members only, which simply reinforced his theory. The double-doors to the stairwell had a large sign reading “no unauthorised personnel,”. Jono loved the rebellious feel of ignoring such signs. It gave him such an adrenaline kick.
Jono pushed the reasonably heavy doors open with a heave and immediately noticed the alarm, albeit relatively faintly. The doors were so thick that they blocked the sound.
The stairwell wound downwards – there were no further stories to the building between the ground floor and this basement area. Jono noticed it felt neglected. Lighting was dim, spiderwebs decorated the walls and the handrail had a fine layer of dust coating it.
Finally, they made it to the bottom. They had reached a corridor that ventured off both left and right.
“Which way?” Jono wondered aloud.
“Wait, I can smell their scents. Drew and Lily,” Josh revealed, “They’re down here.” He led the way left as Jono’s heart began to speed up. He now felt exceptionally determined for this mission to succeed.
Sitting down on a knocked-down tree trunk next to Shania, Dylan had plenty of questions to ask. Freddie had caught up to them both and sat on the other side of Shania. Whether she could be trusted was another matter, but she was surrounded by others of her kind, both of whom were capable of outrunning her. Dylan felt secure, all of that considered.
“Why are you out here?” Dylan began the interrogation.
“It’s not like I’ve got a home. The woods are somewhere I don’t feel exposed. Somewhere she won’t find me so easily,” Shania revealed.
“She?” Freddie chimed in.
“Clara. You might think we’re friends, but she’s anything but,” Shania confessed, “She treated me like her servant, Oli was the golden boy.”
“You’re lying,” Freddie accused. Dylan wasn’t so sure. He was very trusting in his nature, and something rang true in Shania’s words.
“Listen to my heartbeat. Both of you,” she commanded, “Listen to the pace. That will tell you.” Dylan focused. She was right – her heart pumped at a regular pace.
“We believe you. Keep going,” Dylan urged with a kind smile.
“She’s working with Mr. Forsyth. She shot me to lure Drew into a trap,” Shania revealed the bullet wound. A purple gas trickled out of it, confusing Dylan, “She’s taken him as a hostage. Lily’s collateral damage.”
“Why would she team up with someone who wanted her dead?” Dylan tried to compute.
“They both share the same goal – to capture Josh,” Shania detailed.
“Josh? What’s so special about him?” Freddie questioned.
“He’s still the alpha, sort of. Nobody took the power from him. It’s causing his seizures and blackouts. His body can’t cope with the dormant power. Clara wants to take it from him, then she’ll hand him over to Mr. Forsyth to kill. Win win,” Shania clarified. As Dylan tried to piece everything together in his head, he was startled by a voice from behind.
“Well picked up on, little girl,” it was Mr. Forsyth, “I see the wolfsbane bullet is working nicely.”
Wolfsbane? Dylan thought. He hadn’t heard of that before.
“You won’t succeed,” Shania snarled. She looked disgusted at the sight of Mr. Forsyth – a sentiment Dylan shared.
Ruthlessly, Mr. Forsyth pulled out a gun and shot Shania in the stomach there and then. She collapsed to the floor with a thud. Then she was still. Dylan’s heart shot through his chest. How horrible could someone be? However, he now found the gun pointing directly at him, so perhaps he was about to find out.
Terrified at each corner, Lily was using her adrenaline to keep going. The clothes she was wearing, from the medic, were oversized, but she had to make it work. The average guard may not think twice about a guard and a medic speed-walking through the corridors.
“Are we going the right way?” Lily wondered, trying not to panic. An alarm was ringing, so they had obviously noticed the empty cell by now. It was a race against time.
“Yeah. I can smell the fresh air,” Drew explained. Thank god for his senses. As they turned another corner, Lily jumped back in fright as she bumped into someone. She was about to run until she saw who they were, just as startled as he was. It was Jono and Josh.
Instantly, Jono pulled her in for a hug. She felt so relieved. A hug had never felt so warm and comforting.
“What are you doing here?” Lily asked him.
“Coming to find you!” Jono grinned, “Come on, let’s go.” They all continued round the corner that Josh and Jono came from, but ground to an immediate halt. Clara was stood in the middle of the corridor, with an armed guard either side to block their way.
“Ah, brilliant,” she grinned. Lily realised her eyes were focused directly in Josh’s vicinity. He had walked right into her trap.
Staring down the barrel of a gun was not something Dylan wanted to experience, but here he was. Looking at the loaded end of Mr. Forsyth’s deadly weapon. It already had a death toll of at least one, and the sight of Shania’s empty body did nothing for Dylan’s nerves either.
“Please don’t shoot,” Dylan begged. His legs were weak and he wanted to shrink into a ball and hide. However, he knew he had to present a strong exterior.
“Surely the question is – why am I holding a gun to you, Dylan?” Mr. Forsyth pressured. Shit. He must have known. Dylan continued to present a calm front, but inside, he was desperately trying to prepare his response.
“Go on then. Tell me,” Dylan tried not to stutter.
“One of my fellow hunters, a good friend of mine for many years. He told me that there was another beta at the party. He had shaggy hair and healed much faster than any human,” Mr. Forsyth detailed. Darn. Dylan had forgotten the hunter that cut his wrist at his party.
“How do you know it’s not me?” Freddie stepped in.
“Freddie, stop,” Dylan harshly whispered.
“Ah, the lad who has my daughter’s heart. You’d be even more stupid than I thought to date a werewolf hunter’s daughter, if that were true,” Mr. Forsyth had no filter. He didn’t care that he was speaking to teenagers, being cruel and callous in his words. He had a mission, and it obviously came before manners.
“Dylan is Yasmin’s best friend. That’s not exactly much better,” Freddie continued. Dylan was amazed by how calm and collected he sounded. His words seemed to be working – Mr. Forsyth was beginning to look flustered, struggling to find the right words.
“Well there’s only one way to find out. I’ll shoot you both and see who heals,” Mr. Forsyth definitely seemed to be panicking, but it still didn’t feel like good news for Dylan.
“Like you killed Shania and Oli? The girl who got impaled right over there, too,” Freddie pointed to the centre of the clearing.
“That was necessary. They were vermin,” Mr. Forsyth attempted to justify.
All of a sudden, a tiny ball rolled into the clearing, and smoke began to pour out of it. A smoke-bomb. Dylan grabbed Freddie’s arm and ran, knowing they were out of sight from Mr. Forsyth. They ran back in the way they came, and much to Dylan’s surprise, George was running behind them. Dylan and Freddie both slowed down a little to match George’s regular human pace.
“What are you doing here?” Dylan queried.
“Saving your ass,” George replied, “Under Yasmin’s instructions.” Dylan laughed. She still had the smart ideas, even from her hospital bed, “Where now?”
“The Sheriff,” Freddie answered as they reached George’s car. They all jumped in – George driving, Dylan in the passenger seat and Freddie in the back.
“Why? We’ve got no proof of anything,” Dylan sighed. The car sped off as fast as it could go.
“You think?” Freddie held up his phone, “I’ve got a full confession of the murders, but there’s an issue.”
“We’d have to tell the Sheriff everything,” Dylan realised. He had a dilemma on his hands, and not long to think of a solution.
Petrified, Jono tried to struggle. His arms were restricted and he could barely move, but he was determined to struggle his way out. Next to him was a control panel on a desk, and a switched-off, small, ancient television screen. In front of him was Josh, chained up to metal railings. He looked like he was terrified, and like he knew exactly what was happening.
All of a sudden, the TV screen switched on. It was showing CCTV footage. Specifically, Lily and Drew in a cell. Held at gunpoint.
“What happens next depends on your compliance,” a voice came from behind. It was undoubtedly Clara – her voice sent shivers down Jono’s spine, “Press the button, or your sister and friend will be shot. It’s perfectly simple.” Jono was shaking in fear. He had no idea what the button did, but he couldn’t risk Lily’s life.
“Sorry,” Jono’s voice wobbled as he apologised deeply to Josh. He knew he had no other choice.
Without another thought, Jono slammed his hand down on the button. Sparks of electricity shot through Josh’s body instantly. He shrieked out in pain, struggling with the sensation. Jono hated it, but he wasn’t looking anyway. He kept his eyes fixated on the TV screen, ensuring Clara upheld her deal with him about Lily. Either way, as soon as he was unchained, he’d make sure there was hell to pay.
Dylan couldn’t believe what he was doing, but it had reached crisis point. Jono and Josh weren’t answering their phones. There was still no news on Drew or Lily. Mr. Forsyth seemed to know about both his and Freddie’s secrets.
Desperate times called for desperate measures, and he had found himself in Sheriff Taylor’s office. He was surrounded by Freddie, George and Yasmin, and they knew it was time to come clean. Dylan’s nerves were at an all-time high. He hadn’t even told his mum yet. He wasn’t sure he had the courage to. Yet there he was, preparing to tell the Sheriff all about werewolves.
“What can I help you with, kids?” Sheriff Taylor greeted them kindly and warmly as always.
“It’s about my dad,” Yasmin led the way. She was so good with words, always forming the most immaculate sentences. It made perfect sense for her to lead the discussion, “We have a confession for three murders, but first, we need to give you some context.” Dylan nodded at Freddie. Together, they glowed their bright yellow eyes. The Sheriff’s eyes, in turn, almost bulged out of their sockets.
“What are you?” he asked, gobsmacked.
“Werewolves,” Dylan replied. He was so sure of who he was, he just had to hope the Sheriff would understand.
Now he was sat in the sheriff station, waiting for Sheriff Taylor to conclude his interview with Yasmin. The body she had found in the forest looked horrible, but Dylan knew she wouldn’t be telling the Sheriff everything. She couldn’t. He couldn’t know about werewolves – it would risk everyone finding out. She was too smart to do that.
Dylan couldn’t deny that he was worried about her though. Wandering off in the middle of the night just two days after she got shot was extremely dangerous and unlike her – it must be the nix part of her, seeking out dead bodies.
Nevertheless, before the Sheriff took her for her interview, she had asked Dylan to call Freddie, so he did just that. Freddie seemed just as concerned, sat fidgeting next to him. His leg was tapping incessantly.
“How long has she been there?” Freddie queried impatiently.
“About twenty minutes,” Dylan sighed. He was sick of the waiting around. He was forming a to-do list in his mind:
- Find Drew and Lily.
- Find the hunters that killed the girl in the woods.
- Solve all of their problems.
It was rough and not remotely fine-tuned. He needed Yasmin’s touch; the plan couldn’t get going until she was on board. He and Freddie had their werewolf senses, while Jono had the instinct and Yasmin had the ideas. Together, they had a great shot at succeeding.
Dylan immediately looked up as he heard the sound of the office door handle clicking into action. Yasmin skulked out, still looking weak. The Sheriff followed, looking exhausted. It was still the early hours of the morning, after all, and Dylan was dreading having to cope with school amongst everything else.
“Morning boys,” Sheriff Taylor greeted in a friendly fashion, “We need to get this young lady back to the hospital.”
“I can drive,” Freddie immediately offered. Well, Dylan couldn’t drive so he didn’t have much choice.
“Oh, and Dylan,” the Sheriff called him back while Freddie escorted Yasmin to the car. He always felt nervous talking to the Sheriff even if he had become a close family friend. Heck, he had even been round to dinner recently.
“Could you pass this on to your mom, please?” the Sheriff handed him a small box, looking very stylish and gold in colour.
“What is it?” Dylan wondered. It intrigued him a lot.
“Just a little thank you for dinner,” the Sheriff smiled. Dylan nodded, before running off to join Freddie and Yasmin. It was time to devise the plan.
“Let us out!” Lily yelled as she banged her hands violently against the metal door. It was no use though. She and Drew were locked away in the grottiest cell Lily could imagine. It smelt of damp, was incredibly cold and not even slightly comfortable with stone walls and floor.
“Save your voice,” Drew suggested. He was sat on the floor opposite the door, not having moved all night. He had a point. Shouting obviously wasn’t going to work. Lily gave up and slid down next to him. The floor made her uncomfortable but she had nowhere else to sit.
“I’m sorry. For last night,” Lily spoke softly and sincerely. The night before had been playing over and over in her mind. She hated having to press that button. Seeing the sparks of electricity flooding through Drew was horrible, and at her own hands too.
“It wasn’t your fault. It’s all good,” Drew calmly replied. He was very good at straight talking. Lily always knew where she stood with him. It put her at ease a little.
Suddenly, the heavy door clanked open. Someone was on their way in. As the door creaked open, Drew and Lily watched in anticipation. Surely it was Mr. Forsyth, Lily predicted. Time for another cruel experiment like the night before. It was inhumane, and it terrified Lily more than anything. However, despite her confidence, it was Clara on the other side of the door.
“What are you doing here?” Lily wondered. The night before remained a blur before she arrived at wherever this grotty place was. How she got there was a blind spot in her mind, but somehow, seeing Clara didn’t inspire good vibes. Like her subconscious was telling her something.
She looked at Drew. For the first time ever, he looked scared. Visibly trembling. That’s when she realised. The ear-piercing BANG noise in the bunker, ricocheting off the stone walls. The black blood dripping from Drew’s chest.
“You brought us here,” Lily realised, staring straight at Clara’s smug smile, “You’re on their side.”
“The penny drops,” Clara remarked, smirking.
Circling around Yasmin’s bed, Dylan and Freddie had called Jono to the hospital, and he’d brought Josh with him too. Dylan was unsure whether or not to trust him still, but so far, so good since his return. Strength in numbers, after all. He’d been recovering at Jono’s house after his seizures, stubbornly refusing help, but Dylan thought there was more than meets the eye. Now was not the time to inquire though. They had to figure out where Drew and Lily were, who had taken them, and what happened to the girl in the woods. Time to brainstorm.
“What did you tell Sheriff Taylor?” Dylan queried.
“Nothing. He wouldn’t believe a word I said,” Yasmin noted, “No clues at the bunker?”
“Nothing,” Dylan answered, “We went there first. Clara and Shania had been there but nothing else. I think that tells us all we need to know though.”
“So not the hunters?” Freddie contemplated.
“I wouldn’t put anything past my dad,” Yasmin noted.
“So we’ve got two problems,” Jono mentioned, “We should split up.”
“Good idea. Jono, you take Josh and check out my dad’s work. He’s got a weapon store down town. Any clues you can find will be helpful,” Yasmin commanded. Dylan was thrilled to see Yasmin back in action, bossing people about while speaking so much sense.
“A hunter owning a weapon store. Why am I even more scared?” Josh sighed.
“Dylan and Freddie, check through the woods, near where the body was found. Use your noses,” Yasmin continued.
“Got it,” Dylan nodded.
“Will you be okay?” Freddie looked concerned over Yasmin. Something was obviously going on between them. Dylan would have to use his investigative skills to find out while they were in the woods.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve got the nurses. You need to go,” Yasmin encouraged. Dylan watched their hands meet, and Freddie’s regretfully slip back away.
“Come on,” Dylan urged, ready for action. He couldn’t wait for this entire event to be over, but there was a lot of work to do first.
Familiar territory. Lily was sat in that same uncomfortable restrained chair, facing a wet Drew chained up to metal railings. She knew what was about to happen, although she was struggling to see the purpose. Sure, Mr. Forsyth was a hunter, but he would surely rather see Drew dead. If he was still alive, he and Clara obviously wanted something. The same something, if they were willing to work together.
Appearing from the shadows by the doorway, Mr. Forsyth came to stand side-by-side with Clara. A sight for sore eyes.
“What do you want?” Lily questioned impatiently.
“We ask the questions around here,” Mr. Forsyth reminded, speaking as condescendingly as possible, “But seeing as you’re here, we need your help.”
“Why didn’t you just fucking ask?” Drew sighed.
“We’re not stupid you moron. We knew you wouldn’t help us willingly,” Clara rolled her eyes, “We need you to tell us where Josh is.
“What do you want with Josh?” Lily wondered. She knew full well where he had been staying, but she wasn’t willing to give the information out that easily.
“Let’s just say it’s mutually beneficial,” Mr. Forsyth grinned slyly. Lily sighed. It was like squeezing blood out of a stone. She didn’t have the upper hand, and they were loving every second.
“So,” Clara smirked, picking Lily’s hand up softly and placing it on the same button as the night before. Her heart was beating like crazy. She hated herself for what was about to happen. Drew said he didn’t care, but nobody would really be so chill about being electrocuted, “Where is Josh?”
“I don’t know,” Lily answered casually Clara forced Lily’s index finger down a millimetre, enough for the system to spark into action. Drew yelled in agony as visible sparks of electricity vaulted through his body. Tears fell out of Lily’s eyes, even though she was doing her best to prevent them. Clara loosened her grip and the button was resorted to resting position.
“I will ask you again. Where is Josh?” Clara queried. Lily looked at Drew. He widened his eyes, warning her not to confess. That was all she needed to keep going.
“I’ll tell you again. I don’t know,” Lily replied more confidently. Neither of them were giving in that easily.
Parking up outside the weapon storage facility, Jono was feeling anxious. There was no easy way to get into such a building – it was highly guarded, as you would expect from a place that stores guns, with a tall metal security gate around the edges.
Jono looked at his watch – ten o’clock. The huge metal gates were the only thing separating them and the building.
“We could climb it,” Josh suggested.
“Easy for you to say, werewolf,” Jono sighed, “It’s too high for me. Even if I make it that high, they’d see me a mile off.”
“I could jump it and open it from the keypad on the other side,” Josh suggested.
“Or we just wait half an hour for their delivery. Yasmin says it comes at ten-thirty every day,” Jono sensibly replied, “We can sneak through then.” He had to keep realistic.
“We don’t have time to waste,” Josh reminded. He wasn’t wrong. Jono quickly weighed up the situation. Was it worth the risk? He listened to his gut – it was never wrong.
“Okay then,” he found himself saying. Dylan would kill him if this went wrong, but they had no other choice.
Josh prepared himself for the leap. Much to Jono’s amazement, Josh sprang up almost to the very top of the gate, as if he had performed the most amazing trampoline trick. He then flung himself over the top and landed on all fours on the ground. Jono had no words. He almost wished he could do it too, but the hassle of being a werewolf outweighed the pros.
He pressed a couple of buttons on the keypad on the other side of the gate, trying to guess the combination.
“Careful, you might lock us out. Let me call Yasmin,” Jono suggested. He looked up her name on his smartphone and pressed call as fast as he could. They could still be caught at any moment.
“Hey, is everything alright?” Yasmin sounded polite yet worried.
“Yeah, do you know the code for the main gate?” Jono queried. He crossed his fingers while hoping she would deliver good news.
“Err, no, but I could possibly guess,” Yasmin thought, “Try my birthday. Zero-five-nineteen.” Jono repeated the numbers to Josh, who keyed it in. He got a frown in response. No luck.
“Nope,” Jono relayed to Yasmin.
“Oh, of course. It’ll be his own birthday. Try ten-twenty-five,” she suggested dishearteningly. Once again, Jono repeated and Josh typed. The huge gates began to shift. Success.
“Got it, thanks,” Jono said before hanging up. Now for the hard part – getting inside the building.
Dylan hated the forests of Crystalshaw. He lived right on the edge of it, and sure, he adored his house. However, he almost couldn’t bear to look outside at night, for fear of what he may or may not see. He would never forget the night he got bitten, just metres away from that house. The terror he felt was second to none. Although he had learnt to appreciate who he was, that feeling still existed in his gut.
On the bright side, he had Freddie by his side. At least he wasn’t alone.
“How far now?” Freddie pondered, ducking below a low-hanging branch.
“Not much further,” Dylan answered. They hadn’t spoken much on their way, but he had some questions to ask. No time like the present, “Hey, what’s the deal with you and Yasmin?”
“Me and Yasmin?" Freddie avoided eye contact, looking sheepish.
“I’m not judging, I’m just nosey. You’re cute together,” Dylan laughed. Yasmin was his best friend. He was always supportive of her. Freddie blushed.
“Thanks. I really like her. It all happened kinda quick but I guess she needs someone by her side,” Freddie considered.
“I’m glad it’s you,” Dylan confessed, “I suppose I should give you my approval, as her best friend.” They both laughed. It was the first time Dylan had properly laughed in a few days. It felt good to forget his concerns for a second.
“Hey, is this it?” Freddie stepped into a clearing in the woods. Dylan followed into the circular area, surrounded by trees blocking the sunlight. His nose was convinced – the scent of the poor girl’s blood was intense. The crime scene had been cleared, but remnants of blood remained soaked into the leaves, twigs and mud.
“This is definitely it,” Dylan confirmed, recalling the horrific sight of her body that night. Another innocent life lost.
“Why are we here again?” Freddie wondered, “Like, isn’t it obvious who did it?”
“We need proof. Maybe something that can confirm it to Sheriff Taylor without mentioning werewolves,” Dylan reasoned. Any little clue could be helpful.
He looked to the ground, checking for clues. He felt like he was solving a Mystery Inc. case. In the corner of his eye, he saw a tiny movement. A few leaves rustled at the same time. Red alert.
“Freddie, stay still. I think we’re being watched,” Dylan froze, speaking quietly and calmly.
“Hunters?” Freddie queried.
“They don’t know about us, remember,” Dylan added, “It’s someone else.” Then, suddenly, the figure shot off, sprinting back in the direction Dylan and Freddie came from.
“Wait!” Dylan called out, immediately following the visibly female figure, putting all of his energy into running his fast as he could. Dylan’s legs were almost blurring in motion.
The head start she had was closing. She was limping, looking very uncomfortable and slowing down. Dylan reached out a hand as he jumped over a fallen tree trunk. As he made contact with her shoulder, he yanked her down harshly. Together, they slid to the ground. Dylan fell awkwardly onto his side, twisting his ankle, but he didn’t mind. He would heal anyway and he’d succeeded in his plan – the girl had collapsed in front of him.
He looked at her as she sat up. It was a face he immediately recognised.
“Shania,” Dylan identified, her ashamed eyes avoiding contact with Dylan’s.
Back in the cell, Drew ached all over, even worse than he did last night. He was fed up and incredibly angry at the entire situation. However, it was necessary. He was doing everything he could to stifle Mr. Forsyth and Clara, although he knew their combined efforts would be deadly.
He glanced at Lily. She looked broken. He had tried to soften the blow, offering his approval and support while chained up, but the effect it was having on her could be detrimental. He admired her determination, though he worried it wouldn’t last much longer at this rate. They had to escape before it broke both of them.
“How fast can you run?” Drew queried.
“Err, sorta fast. Why?” Lily was confused.
“I think we could take them out,” Drew whispered. He had to be careful he wasn’t overheard. Even the slightest leak could jeopardise this.
“How? There are guards everywhere. Mr. Forsyth literally owns a weapon facility. We’ve got no chance,” Lily reasoned.
“Roll with it,” Drew tried to earn her trust. He couldn’t risk explaining every detail, he just had to lead by example. He banged deafeningly on the door, yelling out, “Help! It’s urgent. She’s collapsed. I don’t think she’s breathing.” He winked at Lily. She instantly understood the signal and laid down on the floor, playing dead.
The bolts on the door slammed open as the guard chauffeured a male medic in.
“She just collapsed. I don’t know why,” Drew kept up the pretence, employing his best acting skills. The medic crouched down over Lily, while the guard stood in the doorway, just in front of Drew.
This was it. Without thinking twice, Drew thwacked the guard over the head. He knew exactly where to hit to secure a successful blow. The guard collapsed, and the medic immediately looked up, confused and terrified.
Drew watched as Lily’s left leg shot directly up, landing harshly in the medic’s groin region. He winced over in pain, and Drew whacked him too, knocking him out stone cold.
“Quick, get changed,” Drew commanded. He began stripping the guard of his armour, weapons included. Step one was complete. Now they needed the clean sweep.
Breaking the lock on the fire exit door, Josh led Jono into the warehouse. Jono was amazed by the size of it. The building itself was both tall and wide, and plain in colour. Jono prayed that the size of the building would make it more difficult to bump into a member of security.
“Keep your ears out for anyone approaching,” Jono commanded to Josh. His superior hearing was extremely useful in these situations. Jono kept a keen ear too. If they bumped into a guard, they were toast. He knew he couldn’t be too careful.
“Where are we going,”,” Josh impatiently queried. It was a fair question. Jono wasn’t sure himself.
“Can you hear anything?” Jono wondered, hoping a clue from Josh’s senses would inspire directions.
“An alarm,” Josh revealed, “It’s faint. Sounds like it’s coming from below. Obviously not meant to be heard on the upper levels.”
“They’re hiding something,” Jono figured. If the alarm wasn’t sounding in the main part of the building, it was clearly something they didn’t want everyone to hear.
Jono led the way to the stairwell, following the signs laid out. It was clearly intended for staff members only, which simply reinforced his theory. The double-doors to the stairwell had a large sign reading “no unauthorised personnel,”. Jono loved the rebellious feel of ignoring such signs. It gave him such an adrenaline kick.
Jono pushed the reasonably heavy doors open with a heave and immediately noticed the alarm, albeit relatively faintly. The doors were so thick that they blocked the sound.
The stairwell wound downwards – there were no further stories to the building between the ground floor and this basement area. Jono noticed it felt neglected. Lighting was dim, spiderwebs decorated the walls and the handrail had a fine layer of dust coating it.
Finally, they made it to the bottom. They had reached a corridor that ventured off both left and right.
“Which way?” Jono wondered aloud.
“Wait, I can smell their scents. Drew and Lily,” Josh revealed, “They’re down here.” He led the way left as Jono’s heart began to speed up. He now felt exceptionally determined for this mission to succeed.
Sitting down on a knocked-down tree trunk next to Shania, Dylan had plenty of questions to ask. Freddie had caught up to them both and sat on the other side of Shania. Whether she could be trusted was another matter, but she was surrounded by others of her kind, both of whom were capable of outrunning her. Dylan felt secure, all of that considered.
“Why are you out here?” Dylan began the interrogation.
“It’s not like I’ve got a home. The woods are somewhere I don’t feel exposed. Somewhere she won’t find me so easily,” Shania revealed.
“She?” Freddie chimed in.
“Clara. You might think we’re friends, but she’s anything but,” Shania confessed, “She treated me like her servant, Oli was the golden boy.”
“You’re lying,” Freddie accused. Dylan wasn’t so sure. He was very trusting in his nature, and something rang true in Shania’s words.
“Listen to my heartbeat. Both of you,” she commanded, “Listen to the pace. That will tell you.” Dylan focused. She was right – her heart pumped at a regular pace.
“We believe you. Keep going,” Dylan urged with a kind smile.
“She’s working with Mr. Forsyth. She shot me to lure Drew into a trap,” Shania revealed the bullet wound. A purple gas trickled out of it, confusing Dylan, “She’s taken him as a hostage. Lily’s collateral damage.”
“Why would she team up with someone who wanted her dead?” Dylan tried to compute.
“They both share the same goal – to capture Josh,” Shania detailed.
“Josh? What’s so special about him?” Freddie questioned.
“He’s still the alpha, sort of. Nobody took the power from him. It’s causing his seizures and blackouts. His body can’t cope with the dormant power. Clara wants to take it from him, then she’ll hand him over to Mr. Forsyth to kill. Win win,” Shania clarified. As Dylan tried to piece everything together in his head, he was startled by a voice from behind.
“Well picked up on, little girl,” it was Mr. Forsyth, “I see the wolfsbane bullet is working nicely.”
Wolfsbane? Dylan thought. He hadn’t heard of that before.
“You won’t succeed,” Shania snarled. She looked disgusted at the sight of Mr. Forsyth – a sentiment Dylan shared.
Ruthlessly, Mr. Forsyth pulled out a gun and shot Shania in the stomach there and then. She collapsed to the floor with a thud. Then she was still. Dylan’s heart shot through his chest. How horrible could someone be? However, he now found the gun pointing directly at him, so perhaps he was about to find out.
Terrified at each corner, Lily was using her adrenaline to keep going. The clothes she was wearing, from the medic, were oversized, but she had to make it work. The average guard may not think twice about a guard and a medic speed-walking through the corridors.
“Are we going the right way?” Lily wondered, trying not to panic. An alarm was ringing, so they had obviously noticed the empty cell by now. It was a race against time.
“Yeah. I can smell the fresh air,” Drew explained. Thank god for his senses. As they turned another corner, Lily jumped back in fright as she bumped into someone. She was about to run until she saw who they were, just as startled as he was. It was Jono and Josh.
Instantly, Jono pulled her in for a hug. She felt so relieved. A hug had never felt so warm and comforting.
“What are you doing here?” Lily asked him.
“Coming to find you!” Jono grinned, “Come on, let’s go.” They all continued round the corner that Josh and Jono came from, but ground to an immediate halt. Clara was stood in the middle of the corridor, with an armed guard either side to block their way.
“Ah, brilliant,” she grinned. Lily realised her eyes were focused directly in Josh’s vicinity. He had walked right into her trap.
Staring down the barrel of a gun was not something Dylan wanted to experience, but here he was. Looking at the loaded end of Mr. Forsyth’s deadly weapon. It already had a death toll of at least one, and the sight of Shania’s empty body did nothing for Dylan’s nerves either.
“Please don’t shoot,” Dylan begged. His legs were weak and he wanted to shrink into a ball and hide. However, he knew he had to present a strong exterior.
“Surely the question is – why am I holding a gun to you, Dylan?” Mr. Forsyth pressured. Shit. He must have known. Dylan continued to present a calm front, but inside, he was desperately trying to prepare his response.
“Go on then. Tell me,” Dylan tried not to stutter.
“One of my fellow hunters, a good friend of mine for many years. He told me that there was another beta at the party. He had shaggy hair and healed much faster than any human,” Mr. Forsyth detailed. Darn. Dylan had forgotten the hunter that cut his wrist at his party.
“How do you know it’s not me?” Freddie stepped in.
“Freddie, stop,” Dylan harshly whispered.
“Ah, the lad who has my daughter’s heart. You’d be even more stupid than I thought to date a werewolf hunter’s daughter, if that were true,” Mr. Forsyth had no filter. He didn’t care that he was speaking to teenagers, being cruel and callous in his words. He had a mission, and it obviously came before manners.
“Dylan is Yasmin’s best friend. That’s not exactly much better,” Freddie continued. Dylan was amazed by how calm and collected he sounded. His words seemed to be working – Mr. Forsyth was beginning to look flustered, struggling to find the right words.
“Well there’s only one way to find out. I’ll shoot you both and see who heals,” Mr. Forsyth definitely seemed to be panicking, but it still didn’t feel like good news for Dylan.
“Like you killed Shania and Oli? The girl who got impaled right over there, too,” Freddie pointed to the centre of the clearing.
“That was necessary. They were vermin,” Mr. Forsyth attempted to justify.
All of a sudden, a tiny ball rolled into the clearing, and smoke began to pour out of it. A smoke-bomb. Dylan grabbed Freddie’s arm and ran, knowing they were out of sight from Mr. Forsyth. They ran back in the way they came, and much to Dylan’s surprise, George was running behind them. Dylan and Freddie both slowed down a little to match George’s regular human pace.
“What are you doing here?” Dylan queried.
“Saving your ass,” George replied, “Under Yasmin’s instructions.” Dylan laughed. She still had the smart ideas, even from her hospital bed, “Where now?”
“The Sheriff,” Freddie answered as they reached George’s car. They all jumped in – George driving, Dylan in the passenger seat and Freddie in the back.
“Why? We’ve got no proof of anything,” Dylan sighed. The car sped off as fast as it could go.
“You think?” Freddie held up his phone, “I’ve got a full confession of the murders, but there’s an issue.”
“We’d have to tell the Sheriff everything,” Dylan realised. He had a dilemma on his hands, and not long to think of a solution.
Petrified, Jono tried to struggle. His arms were restricted and he could barely move, but he was determined to struggle his way out. Next to him was a control panel on a desk, and a switched-off, small, ancient television screen. In front of him was Josh, chained up to metal railings. He looked like he was terrified, and like he knew exactly what was happening.
All of a sudden, the TV screen switched on. It was showing CCTV footage. Specifically, Lily and Drew in a cell. Held at gunpoint.
“What happens next depends on your compliance,” a voice came from behind. It was undoubtedly Clara – her voice sent shivers down Jono’s spine, “Press the button, or your sister and friend will be shot. It’s perfectly simple.” Jono was shaking in fear. He had no idea what the button did, but he couldn’t risk Lily’s life.
“Sorry,” Jono’s voice wobbled as he apologised deeply to Josh. He knew he had no other choice.
Without another thought, Jono slammed his hand down on the button. Sparks of electricity shot through Josh’s body instantly. He shrieked out in pain, struggling with the sensation. Jono hated it, but he wasn’t looking anyway. He kept his eyes fixated on the TV screen, ensuring Clara upheld her deal with him about Lily. Either way, as soon as he was unchained, he’d make sure there was hell to pay.
Dylan couldn’t believe what he was doing, but it had reached crisis point. Jono and Josh weren’t answering their phones. There was still no news on Drew or Lily. Mr. Forsyth seemed to know about both his and Freddie’s secrets.
Desperate times called for desperate measures, and he had found himself in Sheriff Taylor’s office. He was surrounded by Freddie, George and Yasmin, and they knew it was time to come clean. Dylan’s nerves were at an all-time high. He hadn’t even told his mum yet. He wasn’t sure he had the courage to. Yet there he was, preparing to tell the Sheriff all about werewolves.
“What can I help you with, kids?” Sheriff Taylor greeted them kindly and warmly as always.
“It’s about my dad,” Yasmin led the way. She was so good with words, always forming the most immaculate sentences. It made perfect sense for her to lead the discussion, “We have a confession for three murders, but first, we need to give you some context.” Dylan nodded at Freddie. Together, they glowed their bright yellow eyes. The Sheriff’s eyes, in turn, almost bulged out of their sockets.
“What are you?” he asked, gobsmacked.
“Werewolves,” Dylan replied. He was so sure of who he was, he just had to hope the Sheriff would understand.
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