Dragon 1 Chapter 28 (Patreon)

Scarlett’s bike slowed down as we got off the highway. We had spoken little during the drive; I made a mental note to get us bluetooth ear pieces if we made it a regular thing.

We had traveled into the suburbs, the very same ones that I grew up in. Things were nostalgically familiar as we drove. I spotted a shop that was still around on old, familiar roads.

Memories flooded back. Happy ones, that included my foster parents, my heart aching with the reminder of what I’d lost.

I breathed deeply, trying to push them aside to focus on the job we needed to do.

Scarlett rolled to a stop at a light, and I fished out my phone. Morgana had already texted from her location. Everything was quiet on her side, and I replied ours was the same. No sign of a rampaging werewolf pack. After Nicetown, that was something I wanted to prevent.

The loss of life had been unacceptable. And it would be regardless of where we were, but something about being back in my hometown made it extra powerful. I wouldn’t let Chad rip this town apart.

I stuck my phone back in my pocket as the light turned green, wrapping my arms around Scarlett as we continued through the streets, scanning for any signs of trouble.

The area became more and more familiar as we got closer to the neighborhood where I’d grown up. A chill was creeping up my spine as I wondered if it was all just a big coincidence.

Knowing the area, I called out, “Take a right here Scarlett.”

She trusted me, instantly turning down the less direct route. “You know this area?” She shouted back.

“Yeah, I grew up in a house on this street.” We rolled on by the house, which looked similar to how I’d remembered it, although a few changes had been made.

It was sitting quietly, the residents already asleep tonight. A blue sedan sat parked in the driveway near a plastic basketball hoop. A discarded children’s bike sat off to the side, tipped over in the grass. It was a young family’s home now.

Memories welled up, threatening to overwhelm me, but I squeezed Scarlett’s side, indicating to keep moving, and she did it without question. The house moved past behind me, and I let out the breath I had been holding.

Scarlett continued following her directions, pulling up to one of the larger houses in the back of the neighborhood. Mr. Ziggler had lived here, if I remembered correctly. His property butted up against the woods that served as a buffer between the neighborhood addition and the highway. He had been known for often throwing enormous parties at this house, and it seemed like tonight might be another one. The street was lined with cars.

I took off the stuffy helmet and hung it on Scarlett’s handlebars. “Let me go first. I might know these guys.”

“And you never knew they were wolves, huh?” She said, taking off her own helmet. “Strange how small the world is sometimes.”

“Yeah.” I said absently, going up the steps and ringing the doorbell. We waited a few minutes, but there was no answer. I tried again, but still got no answer.

“Let’s look around back and see if there’s even anyone home.” The lights were on and music played, but it didn’t seem like anyone was actually in the house.

The woods loomed off in his backyard, and I wondered about them. I’d played in those woods as a kid. Could they have been hiding a wolf pack the entire time without me knowing? I feel like I would have spotted them at some point.

We stepped around back, and someone came out of the woods. “What are you doing? Get off my property.”

I squinted, peering through the moonlight and spotting Mr. Ziggler. “Hi Mr. Ziggler, you probably don’t remember me, but I’m Zach Pendragon. I used to live with the Richards.”

“I remember you.” Mr. Ziggler squinted. “Why are you sneaking around my house?”

I decided to go straight to being direct. “Are you a werewolf?”

He laughed good-naturedly. “Oh, that’s a good one. But it’s late. Go mess with somebody else; I’m too tired for games.”

“We are on business from the council. There has been trouble with the packs lately. Brent is dead.” I clarified.

That brought Mr. Ziggler up short. “Brent? He was a powerful alpha.”

“A new drug went through his pack, and they all succumbed to rage after it. They ran as werewolves through the city and were hunted down.” Everything I said was true, but I purposefully left out Chad had taken that his pack. I worried the wolf would just see it as a simple challenge and underestimate Chad. Or worse, and it could rile up the pack can cause another incident.

“This drug what… uh, what is it like?” It was hard to see his face in the moonlight, half of it cast in shadow, but from what I could tell, Mr. Ziggler was worried.

“White powder.” I said, feeling unhelpful. “In addition to the side effects directly felt, it messes with pack magic.” I shifted my eye, taking in Mr. Ziggler’s magic. It had the same oily taint as the wolves of Brent’s pack.

But what surprised me was that his bond flowed off to an alpha. I’d assumed with his big parties, he would be the alpha of the woods. But based on the connection spreading into the woods, that person was somewhere behind him.

“There’s something wrong with your pack, isn’t there?” Scarlett spoke for the first time; she must not have needed the confirmation I had.

“No. Things are fine,” He began, but was cut off as a howl split the night behind him, joined by several more. “Shit, they aren’t supposed to howl out there.”

“Why not?”

“Because that sounds like a great way to get someone calling animal control or somebody saying there are wolves out in the woods. We run in them; some of the pack lives in the old fort. It’s best to keep it all on the down-low.”

I remembered the old fort; it was a popular play spot for the neighborhood kids. “It's just an old ruined building.”

Mr. Ziggler gave me a loot that made me rethink that. “Exactly what we wanted all the kids like you to think. There’s a bunker under it. The pack used to own all this land, but we sold most of it off to developers in the 40s.”

I nodded, realizing that while Mr. Ziggler looked in his late fifties, he must be a hundred years old as a werewolf.

“Take us to your alpha. We need to talk and prepare. The council can bring potions to help with the side effects of the drug and fix your pack magic. The bigger concern is the ones spreading the drug. We think they are coming here tonight to mount an attack while you are weak.” I pointedly didn’t tell him that it was to take over the pack; I remembered the woman’s reaction when I’d told her.

Right now, I had to keep Mr. Ziggler focused and hope the council’s forces would be right behind us to help us deal with Chad and his warped pack when they arrived.

“Come on. I’ll show you.” Mr. Ziggler waved over his shoulder, turning around. “Sorry about what happened to your parents.”

“It’s been a few years. The time and the distance have helped.” I admitted.

“They were good people, normals though. I would have never guessed you were para. Must have been a shock.” He made conversation as we picked through the woods.

I was half listening at that point, keeping my eyes up and looking through the woods. My shifted eye was able to see in the dark far better than my human one. “It was a shock, a recent one too.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. I thought your biological parents would have reached out and told you.”

I missed a step. “Excuse me?”

“You didn’t know? They came around once in a while when you were young, maybe just out of diapers. They made a big stink, and the Richards called the cops on them; your parents really rattled them, apparently. I only know because we pay attention when the police show up this close to the pack.”

It felt like a hole in the ground threatened to yawn open and devour me, but Scarlett was there at my side, holding me from falling in. “We can check it out later.” She promised in a whisper.

“Do you remember anything else?” I asked him.

“No, but you might still be able to get the police report from back then.”

Scarlett nodded quickly. “My father can get you that. I’ll make sure it happens.”

Pushing all the emotions that began welling up inside of me to the side, I peered through the dark towards the old fort. “There it is; where’s the door to the bunker?” I couldn’t believe I hadn’t found it when I was playing with my friends.

“Past it. No one ever wants to climb down into the sewers. Plus, it makes a great bottleneck.”

I nodded, remembering that there was an old, exposed sewer pipe out there. Dammit. We used to use that as a meetup point.

“I can see it on your face; you feel stupid for not knowing. But how could you? We spend quite a bit of effort hiding the pack out here.” More howls in the distance rose up. It sounded like arguing. “That’s almost the entire pack.” Mr. Ziggler’s brow furrowed.

“We need to hurry.” I ran through the woods, roughly remembering where the old sewer hole cover was. Sure enough, the rusted metal jutted a few feet out of the ground and the cover was tossed aside haphazardly. Not the best hiding.

Above the access hole, Scarlett stopped and her fox ears twitched. “There’s plenty of people down there. I think we might have company.”

“Company?” Mr. Ziggler said, more and more howls joining the night until it sounded like an entire army was there. It was far more than just his small pack.

“You said this entrance makes a good choke point? I think you’ll need it tonight. They are coming for you and your pack.”

Mr. Ziggler’s nostrils flared, and he squared his shoulders. “I dare them.”

“Get down there, and fight smart. If I’m right, there’s nearly two hundred wolves out there.” I grabbed the older man and physically lifted him into the sewer hole.

His eyes popped out of his head as he wriggled in my grasp, not happy about the sudden change in dynamics. Scarlett wasn’t having any of this. “Go, get your pack ready. We’ll be right behind you.”

“What are we going to do?” I asked, seeing Scarlett summon two illusions and run them into the night.

“Calling for backup.” She had her phone out, texting rapidly.

“Get in the bunker. We’ll fight with them down alongside Mr. Ziggler’s pack.” I pushed her towards the entrance. She finished her text, jumping in.

The howling was getting closer, and I knew that if Chad was there, he’d be able to sense the pack under ground. He’d be coming for them, and we had little time to prepare.

The access hole led into a long concrete shaft barely wide enough for a single person, equipped with a metal ladder that went to the bottom.

Scarlett slid down the ladder, and I followed her example, burning my hands and squeezing with my feet to maintain a steady speed until my feet hit the ground and I was surrounded by a dozen shifted wolves. Their magic was inky with the corruption from the drug.

“Not much time. A wild pack is about to come attack you. They’ve already killed another pack’s alpha. Do not underestimate them. The council should be on their way, but we need to hold out. Where’s your alpha?”

There were looks between the wolves before Mr. Ziggler spoke up. “That’s Zach, the boy the Richards adopted. And his heartbeat says he’s telling the truth. Prepare for the other pack. I’ll bring him to Stewart.”

The wolves parted, and I got a better look at the room we were in. It was like a blast from the past. Thick colorful shag carpeting blanketed the floor, and the bright colors clashed in that style that was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. “Your interior decorating could use an update.” I commented as we moved through the rooms.

Mr. Ziggler was not amused. “Can it.” He growled, pushing through a set of curtains. We entered a room that smelled like a hospital, the scent of harsh cleaners hitting my nose. In the middle of the room was a dying man, hooked up to several machines. It didn't seem like he could be the alpha, but with my dragon’s eye, I could see all the other wolves connected to him. But his system was only slightly darkened by the drug.

“Did you really give this man the drug?” I looked at Mr. Ziggler accusingly. It didn’t look like his condition was recent; my guess was the disease had confined him to the bed for a while.

Mr. Ziggler held up his hands in his defense. “I was against it, but some of the pack tried it and said it made their abilities stronger. We wanted to see if we couldn’t spark his regeneration abilities. He’s been battling cancer for a decade. Even with his healing, it’s just too much now.”

I nodded. Disappointed we didn’t have a heavy hitting alpha to take on the other wolf pack, but I was also glad that we didn’t have to deal with another raging alpha.

I turned back to Mr. Ziggler, who now seemed like my best bet to organize the pack. “Their target is Stewart, and the alpha coming for him is powerful.”

“Not a fucking chance.” Mr. Ziggler growled. “We have almost fifty in the pack, and they can only get through one at a time.”

His words were answered with the grating and groaning of metal being torn back the way we had come.

“You just had to put those words out into the universe, didn’t you?” Scarlett sighed. “Sounds like you are about to be proven wrong.”

I hurried back to the entrance of the bunker. Wolves were gathered and growing in number at the top of the concrete tube. Chad was there in his massive, grotesque werewolf form. His hands were more like backhoes as he tore apart the top of the entrance.

“Holy shit. What happened to him?” Scarlett was seeing his warped alpha werewolf for the first time.

“I’d like to know that too.” I muttered. It was more than just the drug. That ritual dagger he’d used to cut Brent’s heart seemed off. It wasn’t something that fit with his personality.

Chad’s hulking werewolf form moved back from view, leaving room for smaller werewolves to jump down one by one. They landed with a crunch of broken legs: it wasn’t a small drop. Without using the ladder to control our descent, we could have ended up in a very similar position.

Mr. Ziggler’s pack didn’t need any encouragement. They rushed forward to try to take out the newly arrived werewolves.

But in doing so, they created a new problem. Chad’s pack was still jumping down, and now they were using the bodies of the werewolves clashing at the bottom to soften their landing, keeping their legs intact.

Soon the bottom of the shaft became a dog pile, although wolf pile was probably more accurate. The packs fought viciously, sometimes not knowing the difference between friend and foe in a gruesome display of sheer savagery.

Scarlett and I stood back, watching the display, unable to participate. “Any ideas?” I asked. My own gun would hit friendly as likely as the enemy, and I wasn’t about to join that dog pile.

Before she could reply, one of the grotesque wolves pulled itself from the dogpile, its injuries healing as it lumbered forward like it already had Scarlett cornered.

I went to move to protect her, but my badass kitsune surprised it, jerking left with an illusion while the real Scarlett came in from the right.

The wolf went cross-eyed for a second before swiping at the wrong target. I was there by then, grabbing its big paws while Scarlett pulled out a military knife and punched it into the wolf’s skull repeatedly. The wolf sagged, probably from the lack of brain matter as Scarlett finished it, severing its head as it shrank back to a forty-year-old man.

“Damn. I’ll make sure not to piss you off.”

“Kind of cathartic in its own way.” Scarlett blew a raspberry at me. It would have been more innocent looking if she hadn’t been holding a bloody knife and looking deadly.

We fought alongside each other at the edge of the mass of wolves, working to contain them from being able to spread throughout the bunker. I used my strength to hold them while Scarlett went to work like a butcher.

“So. About earlier.” Scarlett started as she finished another wolf.

“Is now really the time to talk about this?” I couldn’t believe she was bringing it up then.

She shrugged after she dropped the dead wolf. “Maybe it’s because my blood is pumping, or maybe it’s because it might not matter now that it’s easier to talk about it.”

I grabbed another wolf coming out of the pile and held him still as Scarlett jumped on his back and went to work on his spine. “You know, talking about our relationship while you dismember someone is a little scary.”

“Good.” She punctuated that with a stab to the base of the wolf’s skull, dropping it like a sack of potatoes. “So, as you could tell, I got a little upset. But I think I’m mostly upset that she’s already coming for you. I just got you.”

Chad roared up above, apparently done sending down his little minions. He began to dig out the rest of the shaft.

“See, he agrees.” Scarlett joked, and I couldn’t help but wish she’d take it all a little more seriously. We were holding our own, but at some point we’d be overrun.

She just continued on, though. “I know that you’ll have other women eventually, you’re a ‘you know what’. Is it too much for me to have some time alone with you?”

Not wanting to get too deep into it, and being okay with it despite a part of me not wanting to commit, I replied. “Deal.”

“Wait, really?”

“Sure. I really like you, Scarlett. My beast won’t hold out forever, but I think it can live with it being a little further out. You’re worth that.”

She hopped over the dead wolf in front of her and grabbed my head, getting blood on me as she pulled me in for a quick, passionate kiss. “Thank you. I know it won’t last forever.”

Nodding, I turned her back towards the battle. “Now focus.” I smacked her ass playfully, but my attention was solely focused behind her. Chad’s massive frame tore through the ground at a remarkable speed.