Daymond
Daymond would have laughed if he had seen this scene play out in a video game or movie. Why would a werewolf be afraid of something howling in the darkness? It should howl back and declare its dominance like a real wolf. That’s what I would do. He wanted to laugh if only to help ease the tension he could smell from his fellow werewolves.
The much older, more experienced werewolves that were supposed to protect him and Camille. Yet he didn’t want to let out a whimper. He couldn’t tell where the howl originated but knew hiding was out of the question. The rougarou was here, and it was out for blood.
Daymond was determined to make sure it wouldn’t have his or his sister’s. Images from their encounter flooded the young wolf’s mind, making him clench his fists in frustration. He wanted to be brave, to feel flesh rend and tear beneath his claws. Sure, the rougarou was strong, but it wasn’t the strongest thing he and his siblings had faced since learning about their werewolf heritage.
But he also had his brothers and sister with him during those fights. He’d fought alongside Longnose’s pack and knew they wouldn’t just stand there while he was being threatened despite what happened between them. But he couldn’t help looking in the direction where Antione had parked his car.
It would be at least an hour’s drive through the fog, and he still hadn’t heard anything. Daymond couldn’t count on his brothers showing up in the nick of time. He had to rely on Longnose’s pack to help keep Camille safe. The thought didn’t sit well with his inner wolf.
The beast was scared, too. He could feel it. But Longnose’s pack wasn’t his pack, and their Alpha wasn’t here to reassure everyone and keep them safe. Daymond’s eyes widened as the truth of the matter hit him like a ton of bricks. Alphas are meant to protect and guide their packs.
And he was the only Alpha present. It made his heart race. I’m just a kid. How am I supposed to…? As if sensing his distress, Luna was suddenly there, placing herself between the tent’s entrance and the outside while Crescent shifted so she could reach the entrance at any moment as they scanned the darkness.
“It’ll be okay, Daymond,” Luna said, eyes changing to a bright gold as Crescent nodded.
“We’ve got this. You should wait inside with Camille.”
Daymond wanted to argue. How could he do that? How could he hide while they risked their lives?
It wasn’t right. He was just as much a werewolf as they were, and he’d already encountered the rougarou once. He could fight! But another howl came, sounding almost directly in front of the fire, making him back up instinctively as everyone watched the rougarou emerge.
The leg Daymond had ripped off was back. The rougarou didn’t have a single scratch on him, and as the monster sniffed the air. Then he turned to face the tent and let out a triumphant howl.
“Shit,” Luna cursed under her breath, risking a look at Daymond and sighed. “How fast can you transform?”
Not fast enough. The rougarou didn’t wait. He leaped through the flames, claws raised to tear out his throat, but a tan werewolf came out of nowhere, leaping over the tent and slammed into the rougarou’s side, knocking it off course, but the rougarou didn’t go down.
He spun on the attacker, and the two locked hands, each trying to push the other to their knees. Daymond felt more than heard Luna and Crescent transform. Luna’s fur appeared white in the dim lighting, but her eyes were bright and angry as she shouted. “Get down, Steven!”
The tan werewolf didn’t need to be told twice. He dropped to his knees, pulling the rougarou slightly forward, yet unable or unwilling to release his grip as Luna pointed at the flames and sent a stream of fire to wrap around their foe. Daymond whooped, grinning as the rougarou howled while the air filled with the stench of burnt flesh.
But, just like when the siblings fought against it, the rougarou proved to be on a different level. He snarled in rage and pain, clawed fingers digging into Steven’s hands as he pulled the unfortunate werewolf up, using his body as a shield while backing away from Luna.
“I’m alright. Keep going!” Steven yelled, but he needn’t have worried. In the time it took the rougarou to retreat toward the edge of the forest, Daymond found himself surrounded by fully transformed werewolves. Each equal to or standing slightly taller than the monster. He couldn’t use Steven to block all of them, and Daymond knew the werewolf’s healing ability would take care of his hands as soon as he was released.
Everything will be fine as long as the monster doesn’t bite him… right? But the rougarou wasn’t a mindless monster. He proved that during their last encounter and proved it again now. Luna bit her lip, dropping the flames and giving the creature a chance to jump away… only he didn’t.
The rougarou lowered his head underneath Steven’s shoulder and charged. Steven yelped and tried to dig in his feet, but the creature continued to rush ahead, using the werewolf’s body as a battering ram against anything in his way. The other werewolves attempted to flank it, but the creature was surprisingly quick.
Daymond couldn’t tell how the beast knew when to dodge, yet somehow, he never slowed, even when he shoved Steven into the flames, forcing Luna to jump back to avoid a swing of his claws… and revealing a stunned Daymond who still hadn’t transformed in the creature’s path.
The rougarou snarled, drool dripping from exposed fangs as he reached for him, but two of the other werewolves had caught up. They leaped onto his back, tearing into his neck as they pinned him to the ground. Daymond curled up, the whimper he was too afraid to release earlier now escaping without his consent as three more werewolves helped pin the monster down while several others helped Steven put out the flames on his body.
Luna was at Daymond’s side instantly, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as she quickly pulled him away from the still-struggling rougarou… and the tent Camille was in. Daymond couldn’t take his eyes off the creature. He could hear several sharp cracks fill the air as the werewolves broke his arms and legs.
But the rougarou didn’t show any signs of feeling pain. He continued to snarl defiantly and tried to wiggle away. It didn’t make any sense. He was in pain when I tore his leg off. How can he stand to… Daymond’s eyes widened in horror as he spun away from Luna and back to the tent.
“Daymond?” Luna cried, but he ignored her as another howl reached his ears. Why did we assume there was only one? It was another thing that would have had him screaming, “called it,” in another lifetime. But he didn’t let himself dwell on it. Not this time. This time, Camille was in danger, and he was to blame.
He left her alone. Antione and Bernard trusted him to look after her and he couldn’t even do that right. Tears pricked his eyes as the scene he dreaded came into view. A hole had been torn through the tent’s fabric like a knife through hot butter. Another rougarou was leaning over his sister’s leg, teeth bared as he prepared to bite down. Daymond didn’t know how he failed to hear or smell the creature, but he refused to give him a chance to finish what he started.
“Get away from her!” he bellowed, jumping onto the monster’s back as he finally transformed and dug his claws into the creature’s eyes. The beast howled, rearing up instinctively. Daymond hadn’t bothered to check to see what condition he was in, but his ability to stand was all he needed to know.
The rougarou’s healing ability rivaled a werewolf’s, but that mattered very little to Daymond. These things came after his sister. He refused to let him go so he could try again. Let’s see how you like this! Daymond wasn’t as tall as the monster, so he wrapped his legs around the creature’s waist and bit deep into his neck.
Hot blood squirted into his mouth. The rougarou howled again, grabbing his wrists hard enough for Daymond to hear them snap seconds before he was yanked off and thrown through the air, tearing a second hole in the tent and making it useless. He tried to land on his feet, but the angle was wrong, and crashed face-first into the ground, making him groan.
Luckily, his wrists were already starting to tingle as the damage was slowly being repaired. But the rougarou wasn’t interested in giving him time to heal. Daymond’s only warning came as a growl, and he rolled just in time to avoid getting a foot slammed into his back, but the beast was ready.
He kicked the young werewolf hard enough to make Daymond scream as he was once again driven through the air. This time, he wasn’t able to do anything to block his fall. His head slammed against a wall, almost causing him to black out as a terrifying chill settled into his body.
I can’t move. Why can’t I move?! An amused chuckle reached his ears as the rougarou towered over him. Daymond glared, but this only made the creature laugh like a hyena, and he couldn’t blame it. He was pathetic, and they both knew it. But Daymond refused to just lie there and let this monster hurt his sister again.
Please. Please! He tried to feel the prickling sensation that accompanied his blasts, but nothing happened. The rougarou tilted his head to the side to watch him, but no matter what he did, Daymond couldn’t do anything. His body twitched, but he was healing too slowly, and his power refused to work.
He was going to die a few feet from one of the only people who had truly been there for him his entire life, and Daymond couldn’t do anything about it. The feelings of helplessness and shame weren’t new for the teen, but this was the first time it hit so thoroughly.
He twitched his fingers, managing to make them bend, but the rougarou had enough of waiting for the young werewolf to put up a fight. He pinned the boy to the ground with one leg and raised an arm to strike. Daymond couldn’t tell if he should be grateful that he couldn’t feel the monster’s weight.
He tried to turn his head, not wanting the last thing he saw to be a monster, but even this small gesture was denied as his neck only throbbed in response. A drop of drool hit the back of his neck, and Daymond closed his eyes, waiting for the final blow… Only to hear the rougarou howl in rage moments later.
What?
“Daymand, are you alright? Hang on. We’ve got him!” Crescent called, using her ability to raise the monster into the air. Luna and Steven ran to Daymond’s side and growled when they saw the damage.
It almost made him laugh. “What took you so long?”
“Hush,” Luna said. “We’ll get the bastard away from you. But your wounds…”
Steven scowled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, pup. We might have to rebreak your bones in a minute. How long has it been since you could move?”
He winced, his hand curled into a fist, making the other two smile as Crescent maneuvered the monster farther away. The beast howled, and much to Daymond’s horror, another howl answered it. “You didn’t kill the first one?” Why didn’t they finish it off when they had the chance?!