Chap 5: -A Made its comeback
It's been a month since the photoshoot took place and the issue has already appeared. It was well received, with most readers learning about the werewolf way of life. Of course, that was the main purpose of the theme, but the readers of this magazine would much rather have advice on fashion and luxury than to learn things that can be useful to them. But, they were receptive on this subject and cheered this idea.
The whole pack is happy that this photoshoot went well, but they weren't expecting much. They just have it to help these people and also for fun. Appearing in something so prestigious is always cool, but you have to know the possible repercussions, which can be negative. Luckily, there was nothing negative, and no one is looking for them.
Like every day when the weather is nice, the pack is having a barbecue. Everyone could still see their children circling around the fire, attracted by the smell of meat. They have trained their sense of smell very well and now know how to recognize a smell several kilometers away. They therefore took a malicious pleasure in turning around the meats cooking on the grills, because these smells awaken their hunger and their primal instincts.
When everyone was busy eating, Aria felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She frowned, wondering who had sent them a proposal for a project. She looked at Kurt, who shrugged. He hadn't received anything, but he was still checking his phone, in case the message had taken longer to reach him. Aria nodded, realizing the message was for her, not Kurt. However, when she got up to answer quietly, she saw that she was not the only one to have had this message.
Aria saw Emily, Hanna, and Spencer coming towards her, holding out their phones. They had the same look of fear that they had a few years ago. It was a very clear look, because all four of them knew who the person who sent them this message was. Aria growled in frustration, and turned on her phone. She hurried to her mailbox and was not surprised at what she found there.
Their lifelong enemy, who hid under the alias "-A", is back. As usual, he contented himself with a threatening message, wanting to make his intentions clear. These four years in prison do not seem to have softened him, on the contrary, he even seems more aggressive in his words. He doesn't seem to have liked being in prison, and he had to find a way to escape. Or he has access to a smuggled cell phone. Either way, he's back and ready for revenge.
This guy, or this girl, no one ever knew what his sex was, always held a grudge, not hesitating to use violence when someone thwarted his so perfect plans. He always had moments of absence, but these only lasted a few months. There, if he was absent all this time, it was because he was in prison. Aria is sure of that, because she saw him get arrested, and Kurt can also attest to that, because he saw it too. But, -A always knew how to be resourceful when he wanted to be, finding and making increasingly complicated moves. He must also have a lot of money, because he uses very complex and very expensive systems. And, it is also obvious to think that he does not work alone, because he loves to trap several people at the same time.
Aria looked at her friends, seeing the look of fear and dread cross their eyes. She finally nodded weakly with a sigh, already looking for a way to resolve the situation. She didn't know what to do, because she can't predict what -A was going to do. What she does know, however, is that it is better to warn the whole pack, so that they are all on the alert, and that they can prevent a possible intrusion into the territory.
"Okay, okay...listen, I'll let the pack know. Although they're not targeted, they must know what's going on. I don't think -A is trying anything if he sees that we are ready to defend ourselves. Of course, I know he is able to overcome that, but it is still a protection. We also know that he likes low blows, so... protect the children. They are an easy target and I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to attack them. And... also turn off your phones, in case he has the idea to trace them to find us ».
All nodded and rushed to do the right thing. For her part, Aria went to warn Kurt, and let him know about the whole situation. He only got a brief summary of the harassment -A was doing to them, so he's unaware of what he's actually capable of. To be able to protect the pack properly, he must be aware of what this person is capable of and above all that he likes low blows.
As expected, Kurt was surprised to hear again about the person who stalked them years ago. He thought he was in prison, but he obviously escaped. He doesn't seem to have any particular plan, just a desire to get revenge for his arrest.
"What do you want us to do? I don't know him, but you do. In fact, most of the pack know this person or have heard of him. So...I'm what you tell me to do about it."
"We have to get the kids to safety. This guy likes dirty tricks, so he'll probably try to pick on them. We also have to turn off all our phones. He's a computer pro, he knows how to trace phones to find someone. Besides, I think he's already done that, but there's no way we're leaving the territory. This is our home here, and he won't take it from us. not".
Kurt nodded in agreement with what Aria had just said. -A will not take their territory from them, for they will defend it dearly. A werewolf will always defend its territory, not hesitating to sacrifice itself to protect it and the pack.
When the news circulated throughout the pack, everyone went on the defensive. Most people seemed frustrated at the return of this common enemy, while others wondered who it was and why it is considered so dangerous. Aria gave as much information as she could, but she didn't go into detail. There are a lot of things going through her head, and she can't think straight. She hadn't prepared for this guy's return, because she didn't think it was ever going to happen.
For the next few days, Aria was still in a state of constant nervousness, but luckily she didn't pass it on to the rest of the pack. The threatening messages continued to rain down on his phone and those of others who were affected four years ago. No one knew what to do to fix this problem, because no one knows who is hiding behind this nickname and where his hideout is.
Each new message that was sent made those who received them stress a little more. The grunts of frustration or yelps of surprise, even fear, keep ringing out. They were more threatening than the previous ones and the threat levels keep increasing, instilling fear within the pack. Aria goes to find Kurt, wanting to explain to him where the situation is, although it does not evolve.
"I'm seriously getting fed up with him. He's playing with us, and I'm sure it gives him a more than enjoyable pleasure. He must be hiding somewhere, not far from here, and he must be watching us spin around. He knows that we are afraid, that we fear him and what he is capable of doing. I don't know what to do... is there a way to corner him? Or are we going to have to live with this message-addicted torturer?
"I don't know, I don't know him. I understand you're fed up, but playing his game is counterproductive. By doing that, you're giving him the pleasure he craves so much. But, I'm afraid what he will happen if you don't comply with what he wants. From what you told me, he has already killed someone".
"Oh yes, he has already killed and he will not hesitate to do it again to send a clear message. If it happens, it will be one of us. He is sadistic and loves to play with us. If we don't do this whatever he wants, he will make it clear to us. For example, by blowing up one of our houses, or something equally impactful".
"Okay, okay...I see he's really dangerous. Neither of us knows what to do to stop him or even how to find him. We can contact the police. Maybe they will know what to do. I mean, if they don't tell us to solve it ourselves, since it directly affects our pack".
"Go to the police? No, it's a very bad idea. Who knows what he will do if he finds out that we have reported him to the police? His revenge will be worse than what he is already planning».
"No offense, not reporting him is what you've already done. And look where it got you. He could have killed you, but luckily he didn't. It's just a proposal I'm doing, but...I think it's the right one".
"Yeah, I get what you mean, but...even though I'm a werewolf, an Alpha, I'm still scared of him. He's violent, ready to kill...he almost killed us by the way, and on several occasions. I don't think he really wants to kill us, otherwise he would have done it a long time ago, but... I don't know. We'll see what happens."
Kurt nodded, feeling what Aria is currently feeling. Although she does her best to block the sharing of her emotions and feelings, to avoid putting the whole pack into a total panic, they pass anyway. Anyone in the pack, even an stranger werewolf, can sense that she is stressed and on edge. When a person walks past her, she feels and feels what she feels.
Aria heard her phone ring again, and instantly knew who it was. She took it out of her pocket with a big sigh and read the message in half a second. She handed the phone to Kurt, so he could read what -A just sent him. As usual, this is a threatening message, always carrying mockery to support some of its remarks.
"Look at you, you're running around looking for the big bad wolf that's watching you. But, am I stupid, it's you who is the big bad wolf with the sharp fangs who devours naughty children in their sleep. You one of the heirs to a big bucks and here's how you spend it. I've never seen a phone as expensive as this. A really nice iPhone 14 pro max sporting a really nice red metallic color. You want waste all the pack money paying you for this?"
Kurt was surprised for a few seconds after reading this message. He handed the phone back to Aria, who put it right back in her pocket. Kurt didn't have any particular reactions, because he just didn't know what to say. Aria, too, didn't know what to say, being used to these threats and teasing. But, she still noticed a detail that hadn't been there before.
"See how crazy he is? But, I must say, he had never sent such long messages before. He must have had a lot to say and didn't know how to break it all up into various small messages. But, I think it's stupid to talk about my phone to talk about money. In my opinion, he must be short of imagination".
"Yes, certainly. And yes, I see how crazy he is. He doesn't hesitate to threaten you openly. It makes you wonder if he knows what danger he is exposing himself to."
"Trust me, he doesn't care. He's not afraid of anything, even when he should. All he cares about is showing that he's stronger than us and that he still frightens us. And, on this point, I must say that he is right. We may know that we are protected, but we are still afraid, because he can attack at any time, especially when you least expect it."
"Well, if he's not afraid of anything, you can tell him that we're looking forward to him. We'll see if he's still not afraid, when he sees 25 werewolves enraged by the simple fact of knowing his presence on our territory. I do not believe that he will continue to puff out his chest and be as confident as he is now".
"No, we're not going to, because that would prove him right. All he wants is for us to reveal where we are, although he must surely already know that. We remain on the defensive, until we find a way to get rid of this pest of the worst kind. When we find that, then we can attack and make him understand not to mess with us.
Kurt nodded again, understanding the strategy Aria wanted to develop. She does not want to throw herself into the mouth of the wolf by revealing their position. This guy would have attacked her very quickly and reduced the place to ashes. So far, this -A hasn't attempted anything, other than constantly sending threatening messages. It must surely be a technique to put the whole pack on edge, so that he can attack better afterwards. If so, this person is a real master manipulator.
Weeks passed and no real -A attacks were reported. He continues to confine himself to threatening and mocking messages. He seems to take real pleasure in humiliating them, not hesitating to recall old things that have been done. He also grew more assertive, as he openly attacked and threatened people in the pack who had nothing to do with him. As usual, he digs up old secrets, supposed to be well hidden, and brings them to light. By doing this, he hopes to create discord and arguments within the pack, so that all their cohesion disappears.
However, this does not have the desired effect. The secrets revealed are, for the most part, very old, from the time when they did not yet know each other. In fact, -A has no real scandals to play around with. He is forced to improvise, and he seems to have lost a very large part of his ability to improvise. He must also have less means, because he hasn't physically attacked them yet. He just contented himself with resurrecting very old secrets that could have been outrageous.
Understanding that what he was doing had no real impact, the one who calls himself -A decided to move up a gear. He had prepared this plan during his time in prison. He's thought of every detail, because he knows how risky it is to take on a pack of werewolves, especially as powerful as this one. Of course, he is not immune to his plan failing, but he will do his best to make it succeed.
His plan is very simple in appearance, but it requires a great organization. He intends to kidnap all the children of the pack, to blackmail and continue his game, which he does not consider to be finished. He doesn't want this game to end, because he takes great pleasure in seeing them going around in circles and jumping at the slightest ringing of the telephone. It's one of the only ways he has fun and he doesn't care if it's completely illegal. So, to add more spice to what he initially planned, removing all the children from the pack is the perfect way. This is also a significant bonus, because it will be total panic.
In the evening, the whole pack went to bed, but Aria is not quiet. Her instincts are in full swing, and she knows why. -A must not be far and he must prepare something really machiavellian, to get revenge. He's always had a taste for revenge and he knows how to do it. Kurt, too, wasn't quiet. He senses that something is brewing and knowing that a madman is on the loose doesn't help calm him down.
During the night, the territory lights came on in turn, all triggered by the passage of a strange figure. We can't tell if it's a man or a woman. All we see is that this person is dressed entirely in black, and that his face is hidden by the hood of his sweater. The branches creaked under this person's feet and that did not fail to alert Aria. She couldn't sleep and she was right to stay awake that night. She had heard a door creak, a sign that someone had just entered her house, or had just left.
Aria stormed out of her house at the suspicious noise and roared with rage when she realized what was happening. A large black van was parked in the middle of the central courtyard and a person, dressed all in black, was closing the rear doors. It didn't take more than a microsecond for Aria to pounce on the intruder, roaring even louder than the last time. What she didn't know, what -A had equipped himself for the occasion. He pulled a taser from his pocket and fired it directly at Aria. Although werewolves in this pack are not sensitive to electricity, it can still stun them for a few seconds, due to the sudden pain. And, those few seconds are more than enough for the kidnapper to flee into the forest, with all the children in her van.
Aria's mighty roar alerted the whole pack. All stormed out of their homes, nearly bumping into each other. Ezra went straight to help Aria up, while Kurt picked up the fallen taser. It seems like -A didn't bother to take it back with him. He just wanted to run away as quickly as possible, to avoid being chased. Although he knows that's what's going to happen, he wanted to maximize his chances of escaping the territory, hoping to get a head start.
Aria quickly explained the situation and everyone's first reaction is to go check the kids' rooms. As expected, they are empty, and show no signs of struggle. It's common for werewolf children to be heavy sleepers, but not so heavy that they don't wake up to smell an unfamiliar scent. Kurt and Aria went around the rooms, looking for clues and they found one. A very small burn mark, probably caused by the same taser that was used on Aria. He just stunned them so he could carry them more easily.
Kurt took the taser and tested it. He realized that it does not make noise, which further maximizes discretion. This guy pulled it off by looking and finding things that reduce the noise he can make as much as possible. However, what he hadn't expected was the branches outside, which creaked under his feet. That's what alerted Aria and allowed her to find out what's going on soon enough. If she hadn't woken up, they would have discovered the disappearance of the little ones only the next morning.
An indescribable feeling of rage passed through the whole pack. They were all growling, not bothering to restrain themselves from expressing their anger. Of course, all this noise woke up their families, who very quickly understood what was happening and that they had to be left to manage. Aria circled around, wondering where to start the search. She is so angry, in a state of almost uncontrollable rage, that her veins are pulsing under her skin. It's the same for all the other members of the pack, even those who don't have children.
After a few seconds of deliberation, Kurt set off on the trail of the van, following the tracks left on the mud still fresh from the day. Indeed, it had rained the day before, which made it possible to preserve the tire tracks. Thanks to that, they should be able to follow his tracks for several kilometers. But, as soon as he reaches a paved road, they will have lost track of him and will have to rely on their powerful sense of smell to find him.
Aria followed Kurt closely, following the trail too. The rest of the pack was also following, as it was them that -A attacked. When a pack is attacked, all of its members will defend it, not questioning who was targeted. A pack is like a big family. All members are linked to each other by bonds much stronger than those that unite a family.
To follow the trail left by -A, the entire pack took on their wolf form. This form gives them several very practical advantages, such as speed and agility. In this form, they are much faster and more agile, allowing them to move faster without fear of getting stuck somewhere. Also, their pads prevent them from hurting themselves if they pass over a surface that could hurt them. This form is also very intimidating, which can scare the most fearful people or impress those who are less.
Indeed, in their wolf form, they are much larger than a normal wolf. They can very easily reach 2m at the withers and exceed the hundred kilos. Some common wonder a human can turn into such a big and heavy wolf, but it's in their genes. Their size is defined by their genes and the area in which they excel. For example, Spencer is built for speed, which is reflected in her wolf form, as she is much
thinner than the others. Finn is cut out for the attack. In his wolf form, he is bigger, as his muscles are a little more developed than the others. Only the Alphas do not have any particular specificities, their status allowing them to be completely versatile.
After several hours of running through the forest, Kurt stopped at a waterhole. He noticed that most of the Omegas are tired from running for so long, but their desire to find their children takes precedence over their fatigue. Kurt led by example and went to drink, not even bothering to return to his human form. He will do this if he wants to communicate information, because he cannot speak while being a wolf.
Aria, meanwhile, has strayed from the pack a bit to go hunting. They didn't take any food with them, so they'll have to hunt for food. That's no problem for Kurt and Aria, since they already did it when they were kids. However, all of the other members of the pack have never tasted raw meat, let alone hunted, in their lives. It will be a real discovery for them.
A few minutes later, Aria returns to the pack, dragging behind her two deer, a deer and a moose. It would seem that the hunt was good, given the amount of food she managed to bring back. She saw that everyone had resumed their human form, even Kurt who didn't particularly want it at the time, so she did the same while depositing in the center what she brought back.
As expected, everyone looked at these dead animals in surprise, not seeming to understand what they were going to have to do with them. Kurt was the first to pounce on it, skillfully ripping one of the deer into several pieces. Aria followed, letting her hunger take over a bit, but she was still thinking about her daughter, who is in the hands of a psychopath. The rest of the pack realize that this is the meal of the day and that they will have to settle for raw meat for now. They started to eat, except Rachel, who looked more than disgusted. In her life, she very rarely ate meat. Even after becoming a werewolf, she tried hard to follow her vegetarian diet, although she knows that meat is important for the proper functioning of her body. But now, it just seems like too much for her. She did not expect at all to have to eat raw meat.
Kurt looked at Rachel, who was staring at her piece of meat with a bewildered look. She held it at her fingertips and continued to look around her, looking for a piece of wood. She wanted to make a fire, to cook it, but she knows there is nothing to make one. Kurt went to sit next to her and started encouraging her to eat. After several long minutes of waiting, Rachel managed to overcome her disgust and began to eat. Of course, she didn't like the direct taste of blood at all, but she managed to ignore it. If everyone else managed to eat, then she too can.
For his part, -A, had difficulty managing the children. He hadn't expected him to be so energetic and insufferable. They had realized that they were not at home, with their parents, so they decided to make life hard for whoever had kidnapped them. They kept making pack calls, as they had been taught, to signal their position. However, their so young age does not allow them to make strong enough, so that they are really heard. They realized that too, so they didn't know what else to do. They were just waiting for their parents to pick them up and bring them home, away from that scary person.
When all the members of the pack had finished eating, they resumed their journey. Throughout the forest, howls and roars echoed. Anyone walking around knew they were there and looking for something. They jumped over all the obstacles that stood before them, and did not back down from the possible danger that awaited them. All they want is to find their children and make the one who dared to attack them pay.
After several more hours of running, the whole pack stopped in front of a wooden cabin. She was lost in the middle of a clearing and a vehicle was parked in front. Aria instantly recognized the van she had seen and let out the loudest roar she could. A few seconds later, small roars were heard, a sign that their children were there and that they recognized the call. Aria approached the cabin, followed by the whole pack. The closer they got, the more noticeable the smell of their children became, although deliberately concealed under stronger smells, like pepper.
Aria didn't bother to wait and kicked down the front door with a mighty kick and stepped inside. A person, from behind, was seated on a table. This same person stands up, turns around and drops the mask she has been wearing since she started this game. -A's identity is revealed and it is none other than CeCe Drake who has been hiding behind this nickname since the beginning. She briefly gave an explanation of why she did everything she does, but it's not real reasons, because she doesn't really have any. She seems to have done all of this out of sheer sadism, having confessed that seeing them suffer makes her laugh.
Aria growled louder and louder, as did Emily, Spencer, Hanna and Alison. They finally found who tormented them for so long, and can finally get their revenge. CeCe watched in amusement, then engaged in combat with Aria. She pulled a taser out of her pocket again, more powerful than the previous one, and stunned Aria with it. Then she lunged at Kurt to do the same, obviously wanting to sideline the Alphas to continue her plan smoothly. She seems to think that if the Alphas aren't able to lead the pack, she'll walk away.
However, Kurt intercepted her hand before she touched him. He nodded behind him, showing CeCe that the Betas of the pack, namely Blaine and Ezra, were ready to attack to defend them. The two growled in rage, all of their fangs outstretched, as well as their claws, and their eyes glowing their intense golden color. The Omegas, meanwhile, were in the same position, ready to move on to attack her.
CeCe didn't bother thinking and pulled a gun from her belt. She fired in all directions, luckily avoiding the room where the children were. But, this action only increased the anger of Kurt and Aria, because they understood what she was doing. She wasn't going to let them take them back without trying to kill them. This idea is just unthinkable and a wave of uncontrollable rage passed through them.
Kurt was the first to feel changes in his body. He felt his bones breaking inside him. He felt them grow. He looked at Aria, who felt exactly the same. His spine is visible, even through his clothes. No one knows what's happening to them, even they don't. All they know is that they are on the verge of a transformation they cannot control.
As with all transformations under the influence of an often strong emotion, an adrenaline rush is triggered to help support the transformation. As a result, Kurt and Aria's veins are on full display. However, this is not the only thing to appear. Funny filaments, the color of their fur, follow the path of their veins. It's something really unusual, no one has ever seen it before.
After a few seconds, Kurt realized what was going on. They are so enraged that it triggered their original form. He knew her, Aria too, but they didn't know how to reach her. It would seem that rage is one of the means of reaching it. One of the things to know about this form is that it is communicative.
In general, it is always the Alphas who trigger it first, often unintentionally and it is very rare. Then they can teach it to their pack, as the genes of that form will also be with them. Once this form is triggered for the Alpha, it can be triggered for the pack.
It took several long minutes for the transformation to complete. This form being very rare and very complex, it is normal that it took so long. CeCe looked at them, not having expected this at all. She had prepared herself to defeat a pack of werewolves she thought were normal. She is not at all ready to fight against monsters almost 3 meters high. Their legs are almost as big as its head, if not more.
Eventually CeCe turned pale at the sight of them and hurriedly opened the door to the room where she was holding the children. They rushed out and jumped into their parents' arms. For their part, Kurt and Aria looked at CeCe with murderous eyes. They wanted to kill her, but they know it's against their pack's ethics. So they just pushed her against the wall and yelled at her to make her understand their rage. They then left the hut, having picked up their clothes, which had torn when they were transformed.
Kurt and Aria managed to return to their human form, and didn't leave their children for a single second. They got dressed with the little fabric they had left. They just decided to hide certain parts of their bodies, understanding that some people are modest. They are not, but they respect the choice of others.
The return trip was calmer and therefore longer. As on the way out, they stopped at a waterhole and this time it was Kurt who went hunting. Rachel was still disgusted that she had to eat raw meat again, but she did it anyway. Soon it will be the pack's turn to learn how to hunt, as they need to be able to feed themselves when they are away from home and without food. Children will also learn to hunt.
When the pack returns to its territory, night was beginning to fall. Luckily, they were able to avoid spending another night under the stars. They left for a total of two days, and they had to sleep outside the first night. There, they were finally able to find the comfort of their own home. Their children were finally able to regain their comfort and safety. None were injured, but they were surely traumatized by this experience.
And, that's what happened. All of them had nightmares, having been afraid of waking up in a totally different place from their bedroom. It took several days for them to realize that they are safe and that they no longer fear anything. And, that's normal, because they are still very young. They are still afraid, but it will soon go away.
Now all they need to know is that their parents are there and they are protected. The whole pack keeps an eye on them. No one will come and take them away. So they resumed their characteristic zest for life, starting to play tricks on everyone they meet. The territory has finally been able to resume its lively atmosphere, to the delight of all.