Chapter 01: Tahluka

Frantically running through an alleyway with only a flickering light at its end, his breathing labored, hand held tightly to a profusely bleeding wound on his stomach, Tahluka tripped, his legs almost giving way, before catching himself, using his free hand to balance against a wall.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck! It won't stop!' He thought, grimacing at the blood pouring from his wound, desperately trying to control his panicked breathing—knowing if he didn't, it would only hasten his demise.

Sliding down the wall and sitting on the pavement, Tahluka took deep breaths and ripped one of his pants legs to stem the bleeding, sighing in relief when he saw, somewhat, the blood flow lessen.

"I love it when they run!!" A woman's voice echoed through the alleyway in sadistic glee, making Tahluka tremble.

He remembers that voice— how could he not?! It belongs to the same person that put the hole in his stomach!

'Shit!'

Shakily standing, wincing through the pain, Tahluka staggered toward the flickering streetlight at the end of the alleyway (attempting to run, at times), hoping that by reaching it, someone would see him in the state he was in and immediately call for help. It was his best bet.

"Hahaha! More, more!"

Hearing the woman's spine-tingling cackle, Tahluka started in a full out sprint, not caring at all about the blood spilling from his stomach and hitting his feet, painting the pavement. He was only focused on the flickering light in front of him. His only salvation.

Tahluka knows even if he makes it to the light, he won't be out of danger— hell, he might not even be saved. But he hopes he does make it. And if he dies, he can at least see who did it.

Just as Tahluka stepped into the light, a smile subconsciously forming on his face, he felt a searing pain on his back, followed by a sensation of weightlessness before crashing violently into a dumpster and then a wall at the end of an adjoining alleyway.

"Gughh!!"

His entire body went numb. He couldn't move his limbs and could only hear from one ear. Fortunately or not, he could still see. Although his vision was blurry, he could still make out the details of the alleyway to a reasonable degree.

"Aww, I thought we could have some more fun." The woman said, sounding genuinely upset, stepping into Tahluka's field of view.

'W-What is that?'

Instead of seeing the woman who wounded him earlier, Tahluka saw a 6-foot gray-haired wolf with feint white patches throughout its coat, piercing yellow eyes, and rounded black pupils staring directly at him, its stained-brown canines showing menacingly in a wide smile.

"No matter, all this playing has gotten me quite famished. It's been fun, human. Know that you have made me, Ferudina Hagar, very pleased." The now-named Ferudina said, Tahluka watching her lick her lips, her open mouth drooling in anticipation.

After that, Tahluka doesn't remember much. All he remembers is Ferudina biting and clawing at him, toying with him, avoiding vitals to ensure he stayed alive until she finished, and pain; so much pain. He tried to focus on something else, anything other than his current situation, except he couldn't; the pain he was experiencing was just too unbearable.

Tahluka doesn't know when or why Ferudina stopped mauling his body, but she did, leaving him a half-conscious and bloody mess, his broken body slumped in a dark corner of the alley.

"Yes, that was lovely. You're the best-tasting human I've had for a while." Ferudina said excitedly, licking her blood-stained maw in satisfaction. "But I've lost interest. It was better when you were screaming." She continued in a bored and dejected tone, morphing from her 6-foot wolf form to a beautiful, pale-skinned woman with black hair, wearing a gray dress that hugged her curvaceous figure and black, open-toed high-heel shoes.

Releasing a sigh, muttering words of displeasure under her breath, Ferudina snapped her fingers and began walking away, loudly humming Miserere by Gregorio Allegri as she faded from Tahluka's sight.

'Finally.' Tahluka internally groaned, closing his eyes, succumbing to the inevitable.

Tahluka has, despite it being a short one, enjoyed his life. Handsome, intelligent, loving family and friends, multiple lovers, the list could go on. Looking back on his 19 years, Tahluka couldn't help but be satisfied.

'It was fun, world.' He thought, weakly smiling, his already slow breathing coming to a crawl before finally stopping.

-

As Masira walked out of a convenience store, about to light her cigarette, it suddenly began to sprinkle, followed by an on-pour of rain.

"I know I said I'll quit. But that doesn't mean today." Masira mumbled, looking toward the sky, taking an umbrella from her purse, and putting the cigarette back in her mouth.

Just as she was about to light her cigarette a second time, her senses picked up something. 'Hmm? Werewolf magic? I thought the pact still stood.'

Curious, Masira began walking toward where she felt the Werewolf magic come from, stopping at a dark alleyway illuminated by a dim, flickering streetlight.

"To think I missed this." She said, holding her elbow in her hand and her finger to her chin.

'A barrier. And it was dispelled not too long ago.' Masira surmised, inspecting the alley. 'No wonder I didn't feel it. If the lingering energy is from who I believe it to be, it makes sense; that line has always been able to duck our senses.'

Walking further into the alley, Masira noticed debris and articles of clothing everywhere.

'What happened here?' She wondered, picking up a shirt with claw-like tears, spotting various puddles of blood on the ground. 'Don't tell me...'

Heading further into the alley and turning a corner, Masira stopped, finding her assumptions correct.

"The Vampires won't like this." She muttered.

Sitting against a splintered wall, missing both arms, sporting deep cuts and bite wounds on his torso and legs, was a young man who looked to be in his late teens or early twenties.

"To think the wolves would have such audacity." Masira said, shaking her head, getting closer to Tahluka, closely examining his wounds.

'I don't like this. I don't know what it is, but something isn't right. The Alphas I know of don't operate like this; they're wolves of their word. To encroach on Vampire territory knowing the consequences— the hierarchy must be changing.' Masira guessed, lightly touching a jagged claw mark across Tahluka's chest, a foreboding feeling washing over her.

'Although his heart stopped, that's not the issue. I could heal him of most of his injuries, even bring him back to life; the problem is the bites...'

Taking a deep breath, displaying a conflicted countenance, Masira made her decision. "I'm sorry, young man; this is all I could do to save your life and get the information I seek. Please, forgive me."

With a wave of her hand, a white magic circle appeared under the two, making both disappear from the alley and reappear inside a candle-lit room with a bed in the middle and a round table with two chairs at its side.

Laying Tahluka on the bed, Masira took off her purse and reached in shoulder-deep, bringing out two herbs and a vile of red-gold liquid.

Using a pestle and mortar to crush the herbs, Masira mixed the liquid with the herb blend, creating a plume of dense, multicolored smoke.

"I hope this is worth it." She murmured, wafting the smoke away before opening Tahluka's mouth, pouring the concoction down his throat, and closing it tight so he didn't spit it back up.

The reaction was instant.

Tahluka began to convulse as if possessed, flipping onto the stubs of his arms and knees; his bones breaking and shifting, reforming his body.

His pained screams turned into low whimpers as his face elongated into a wolf's muzzle, forcing his teeth out of his mouth and replacing them with sharp fangs, each one sawing through his gums.

His eyes dripped with blood, changing color from almond brown to crimson red, and his spine wriggled like a stepped-on centipede, squirming under his skin, slowly protruding out of his back.

His shoulders jerked up and down, and his arms regrew, morphing along with the rest of his body, giving him fore and hind legs.

Black fur sprouted from the tips of his paws, covering his entire body, wisps of black smoke perpetually rolling off him, blending into the shadows.

"AWOOO!" Raising his head, Tahluka let out a loud howl as if announcing himself to the world before falling over and losing consciousness, the black wisps of smoke receding into his body.

"Impossible..." Masira gasped, staring wide-eyed at the 5-foot, pitch-black wolf form of Tahluka. "This appearance. This feeling. But that can't be!"

(AN: Not sure if I will continue this—I just thought I should put it out as it was just sitting there—but if there are people who would like to see more, I can possibly sort something out! CK)