The moment the sun began to settle in the sky, the countdown began in the back of my mind. It inched closer with each ticking second, until I found myself standing before thousands of werewolves. 

My heart hammered in my chest as I looked out at the sea of people, thousands of features illuminated from the last shreds of fading sun. Even with the little jitters of panic that raced down my spine, I reminded myself that I wasn’t alone. 

The words of my family and friends circled my mind, chasing away the doubt that lingered at the corners. The hairs along my arms lifted as I dared to look past the sprawling crowd, towards the forest that seemed near pitch black. 

I could see the tendrils of darkness slithering far from the lights reach, merely observing…watching and waiting for blood. 

To my right stood Asher, tall and proud in a long sleeve shirt, darker than the encroaching night sky. He stood tall and confident, like a ki