Forests had their mysteries. Even at the sun’s apex, there were secret places never touched by its rays, forever slumbering in shadowy gloom. Here, in a land of ubiquitous rain, the flora thrived on death and decay, the damp and the darkness. And yet despite that, there was an indomitable sense of life. Whisps of lichen hung like tattered drapery from boughs gnarled and rotted, like decrepit rafters in a long-abandoned house. Spongey moss crept up the trunks of trees, reaching desperately for any shaft of light that pierced the canopy. Mushrooms broke underfoot, and spores from the explosive tangles of ferns tinged all within their reach a faint orange.

So unlike the deserts of the south.

Jessica couldn’t decide which she disliked more, the barren, lonely wasteland that stretched to the east as far as her eye could see, or the noisome city at her back, full of highways and traffic jams, and a people trying so desperately to be heard in the throng and yet live their lives with whatever meager comforts they could eke out for themselves, unmolested.

How tirelessly they toiled, day after day, while they sat right on the edge of utter desolation, and yet how chilling it was to consider leaving herself and wandering that vast emptiness, a wilderness that was anything but wild. There were no mysteries there, there was nothing at all. It felt like she was looking out from the edge of the world as she contemplated whether or not she had come to the end of her journey. It disgusted her that she wasn’t even brave enough to keep running.

But that wasn’t entirely true. What kept her heart in and her feet firmly planted on that balcony was the knowledge that the desert wasn’t empty. There were horrors that whispered to her on the Santa Ana winds - nameless primordial fears hinted at in modern urban legends. There were even other Garou out there, with cairns of their own to protect, and they were not friendly to outsiders. No, this was as far as she would go if she wanted to live. Even if she knew she should already be dead.

The door to the balcony opened behind her and Jessica tried to shake herself out of her thoughts, but was too slow to dodge any questions.

“That’s a dark look - what are you thinking about?” Tiffany had a voice full of inflection that commanded Jessica’s attention no matter how insignificant or trivial the comment. Jessica couldn’t deny her anything, not even her thoughts, and she couldn’t entirely attribute it to Tiffany being one of the Fairest.

“Nothing.”

“Is that so? Then can you try to lighten up a bit? It’s too early in the morning for brooding.”

Jessica gave Tiffany a sidelong glance, but did as she was bade, if not without some light grumbling. “Easy for you to say.”

Tiffany caught that, as she was meant to, and she gave Jessica a wane smile from the doorway. “You used to be fun.”

“I used to be a lot of things. Now I’m…”

“I know, I know,” Tiffany sighed, already a little bored of Jessica’s new mood.

“But you’re exactly the same,” Jessica finished with a small smile. This is why she had sought Tiffany out, the one person who didn’t let her take herself so seriously.

“It’s all an act, I promise,” Tiffany laughed. “We’re not like you Prodigals, you know? We exist on a whim, are born from a fancy - a thought, a dream. We have our own battles, sure, but we’re not at odds with humanity like you. How can you fight a war on both fronts? No wonder you’re exhausted. And then when your own kind betrays you…”

“It wasn’t betrayal.”

“When they disappoint you, then. When they let you down. Who’s left for you to depend on?”

“Well, I have you, don’t I?” Jessica asked, coming closer. There was a note of wistfulness in her voice that broke Tiffany’s heart.

“You know, I was going to wait until tonight, but I suppose I might as well tell you now.”

Jessica paused, her softened expression closing up once again. “...Tell me what?”

“It’s harder when you look at me like that,” Tiffany pouted.

“Just tell me.”

Tiffany avoided her piercing gaze. “It’s ending. Can’t you feel it?”

“But I-” Jessica was silenced as Tiffany put a finger against her lips.

“Shh, don’t say anything,” she whispered, withdrawing her hand. “It’s the truth. Autumn’s come - there’s no place for us here anymore.”

“It’s barely June,” Jessica murmured, perplexed. Her heart was thundering in her ears, scared of every word that came out of Tiffany’s mouth. Even in the ubiquitous desert heat, her blood was like ice in her veins. She had felt so comfortable these many weeks, she had felt safe.

“Not that kind of Autumn,” Tiffany laughed as she went herself to the railing to lean out and look at the barren landscape. She hugged herself, letting her head hang she regarded the Garou from an angle. “Don’t make that face. The Courts are leaving - there’s just not enough of us anymore and we need to go somewhere safe, where there’re more of us. This used to be the Land of Dreams, but all humans dream about anymore is power. Do you know what that’s like? What that does to us?” They don’t hope anymore. They cry and rail against reality until they succumb to their bitter fate, and the chill winds of Winter take hold.

“Leaving? So what? I’ll just go with you,” Jessica reasoned.

“You can’t. You wouldn’t be happy - we’re too different.”

Jessica sputtered. “That’s not true! You’re the one who keeps saying we all used to be one-”

“That was a long, long time ago. Us, and the Prodigals,” Tiffany paused as Jessica scoffed. “We can never go back. You took your path, and we must take ours.”

“Don’t lump us in with them! Garou and leeches - we have nothing in common!”

“See?” Tiffany asked as she stood. “Even the Prodigals- vampires and werewolves, or whatever names you give each other, none of us can ever be as we once were. We all drifted too far apart.”

“You think so?” Jessica grumbled. “Some of the leeches seem to think otherwise.” Her lip curled in a snarl at the memories.

“I know. I’ve seen it in your dreams, but I don’t have to tell you how dangerous-”

Jessica’s malice was immediately replaced with shock. “You… looked at my dreams?”

“It’s what we do!” Tiffany defended with an indignant huff. “And that’s also why I know this,” she continued, waving between them both, “is just about over.”

“Why? Why does it have to be over?”

“Too much baggage,” Tiffany smirked. “You’re still fighting your war, and I’ve got my own to worry about. Besides, you left someone back there, didn’t you?”

Jessica briefly considered denying it, but how could she hide when Tiffany had seen her dreams? She allowed herself a quiet, watery, “How can I go back? After what she did?”

“She did it for you, didn’t she? I’m Seelie - I believe ‘love conquers all’,” Tiffany cooed, brushing some of Jessica’s hair out of her face. “Oh, stop pouting. We had fun, right? But it’s time to stop running.”

+++

Krystal couldn’t see anything remarkable about it. By all accounts, it was just a long, rusty nail on a loop of twine. Even the spare nails in her little toolbox under the sink were in better condition than this. And yet she had nearly died because of it.

“Why do you have it?”

Krystal exhaled in surprise at Seulgi’s question but shook her head. “I don’t know… what is it?”

“Uh,” Seulgi faltered, the swirl of the events in the Umbra and the conversations preceding it blurring together. “It’s a spirit ?” She hoped that meant something to Krystal. “Taeyeon had it, then my cousin Daniel stole it, so we went to go find Daniel, and now, somehow… you have it?” Something told her to keep her little jaunt into the Umbra to herself - she didn’t need to bother Krystal with the details.

Krystal wondered at the ‘we’ in Seulgi’s synopsis. Why was she counting herself among the Garou? Why were they bringing her along on one of their dangerous missions? But there was something missing from the story. “Taeyeon? But it feels… familiar somehow,” she mused as she turned it in her fingers. “Cygnus?”

“Why didn’t you give it to Irene?” Seulgi asked.

Krystal held it out to Seulgi, as if asking her to take it. Seulgi carefully did so, wondering if Krystal would react the same way as she had before. “I don’t know. I didn’t… I didn’t mean to. It was like suddenly- I wasn’t me for a second. I didn’t want her to take it, that’s all I know. But now…” she trailed off with a shrug as she simply released the twine thong and let Seulgi take the nail.

“Weird,” Seulgi murmured as she looked over the object herself. “Maybe because you were wearing it?” Seulgi took a breath and quickly pulled the loop over her head before she could chicken out. But there was nothing. She felt perfectly normal. “Huh. Well, try to take it from me,” she told Krystal.

Krystal gave Seulgi a skeptical look before she reached out and touched the nail with her fingers. Nothing happened. She palmed it, then carefully came and pulled it up over Seulgi’s head. No irrational lashing out, no threats… again, nothing. She handed it back to Seulgi after another moment.

“Weird,” Krystal echoed Seulgi.

“What are you guys talking about?” Joy asked quietly from her curled-up position on the couch.

“Hey,” Seulgi greeted as she knelt down beside her. “Did you manage to sleep at all?” It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes even if she had, but Joy shook her head as she sat up, clutching one of the throw pillows to her chest.

“Sorry, even with the stuff you gave me, I don’t think I’ll be able to,” Joy admitted.

“Don’t blame you,” Krystal said. She had been more concerned at the mention of Joy’s ‘Delirium’ taking a toll on her than anything, so she hoped the sleeping pill would at least keep her calm while the Garou were away. “How are you feeling?”

“Worried.”

Seulgi put a hand on her knee. “I’m sure they’ll find your dad and bring him back.”

Joy was too tired to tear up again and nodded dully. The three of them were silent for a long moment before Joy spoke up again. “Yeri seemed alright.”

Seulgi had no idea what to say to that. “Yeah… Irene- they’re taking good care of her.”

“Is it because I’m not like you? Is that why I can’t remember?” Joy asked, almost as if Seulgi hadn’t spoken.

“Can’t remember what?” Seulgi ventured.

“Any of it. That night. What I told you before, that was all I remembered. After Yeri basically ran away from me… it’s all a blank after that.” Krystal and Seulgi shared a look. “I know what she did… but… I don’t remember any of it.”

“The Delirium,” Krystal mentioned. “You’re right, it is because you’re not like us. When Yeri must have… changed, your mind shut down to protect you. Kind of like when you saw… whatever it was you saw at the funeral home.”

“But Yeri remembers, right?” Joy asked heatedly, anger spreading across her features. Seulgi withdrew her hand and stood.

“No, probably not,” Krystal explained quickly. “They say your first change is completely out of your control, you lose yourself and rampage until you’re completely exhausted, then you just like, pass out.”

Joy didn’t seem entirely convinced. “So that’s why she seems perfectly fine with what happened?”

“Joy,” Seulgi broke in.

“Well? How would you feel if you knew you murdered a bunch of us? Huh, Seulgi?”

“Don’t yell at her,” Krystal admonished. “She’s the one who had to sit there and see it all…” Seulgi winced and Krystal changed her approach. “You should ask Yeri how she feels, but it’s not fair to think she wanted any of that to happen.”

Seulgi took a breath and forced herself not to remember it. “I’m sure it bothers her more than she’s letting on. And Krystal’s right, you should try talking to her about it.”

“I can’t even look at her,” Joy murmured. “What if I make her mad? I could end up… God, why did it have to be her?” She let herself fall back onto her side on the couch, curled up with her pillow. “I do remember getting home. My mom and dad were holding me - they said I was hysterical. I knew something bad had happened at that party, Seulgi, and I didn’t know where you were.” Seulgi pointed at herself in surprise. “I didn’t know if you were still alive.”

Seulgi looked away, unsure how she had managed to survive that horrific night. She, out of everyone else who had been there. Krystal stepped over to her and reached out for her hand before the three of them were blinded by a pair of lights flooding in through the living room window. It was a car in the driveway, but it was far too dark to see who.

Krystal motioned for Seulgi to remain with Joy as she quietly stalked over to the door alone to see if she could make out who it was. A figure got out of the car and went over to the passenger’s side door. As Krystal’s eyes adjusted to the beaming headlights, she could make out the figure carrying something large on their shoulders - a body.

“It’s one of them - Irene, I think,” Krystal said in a rush as she yanked open the door and went outside. Seulgi tensed, wanting to rush outside as well, but she was afraid of what she would see. As Joy stood expectantly, Seulgi absently cautioned her with a hand on her shoulder.

Krystal stood on the narrow concrete path that led from her front door to the driveway, transfixed by the sight of Irene carrying the limp body of a full-grown man on her shoulders, the pair of them covered in blood. “... Is he…?”

Irene paused, giving Krystal a hard look. “He’s alive,” she answered curtly, waiting for Krystal to get out of her way.

Krystal led her back into the house and waved Seulgi and Joy away from the couch.

“Oh my god…”

Irene carefully laid the body of Joy’s father out on the couch, revealing the state he was in to the others. Shirtless, they could see that he was covered in bruises and cuts, but one very prominent mark that stood out to them was a brand on his chest, some sort of rune outlined in scar tissue.

Joy was speechless, unable to move at the sight, and Seulgi wasn’t sure whether to let her be, or try to get her to look away. Krystal however had already disappeared into the kitchen to look for anything she could use to start getting him cleaned up.

“What happened to him?” Seulgi glanced over at Irene, and seeing the state the alpha was in, she suddenly asked, “-Are you hurt?” She reached out to begin examining Irene, but Irene withdrew.

“I’m fine. It’s not my blood,” she dismissed. “... Mostly.” The wound on her chest had long since healed over - not even the dull ache remained - but the evidence of her wounds still stained her clothes. “Jisoo got the worst of it,” she continued grimly, though as soon as she said it she frowned. She wasn’t sure why Seulgi needed to know. “I sent them back to the sept to get her the help she needs.”

“So Yeri…?” Seulgi ventured, her gaze taking in Irene’s arm that looked like it had been soaked in blood all the way up to her elbow.

“She’s fine. Daniel was there, like we thought, but… there were others, too. The rest got away.” Irene paused, then finally met Seulgi’s gaze. “Daniel’s dead. I’m sorry.”

That’s right. She should have been upset that a member of her own family had died this night, but Seulgi couldn’t conjure more than a simple nod at the fact. She had learned more about him the past few days than she had ever known about him before. He was as much a stranger to her as this Garou here. So why was she so relieved that it was Irene who had survived the encounter?

“I’m just glad you’re alright,” Seulgi admitted, “But what about…?” she asked as she turned her gaze back to Joy’s father. “What’s this mark?”

“I don’t know,” Irene said simply. “Daniel had one, too, but I’m not sure it’s the same one. Sunmi might know. Seulgi, you can take a picture of it with your phone, and we’ll show her.”

Seulgi obediently dug her phone out of her pocket, but Krystal spoke up as she returned from the kitchen with some rags and a bottle of peroxide. “Wait, you’re taking Seulgi to the Lake? Why?”

Irene looked between the two of them. “You’re both coming. There’s more to this than Daniel, and you’re involved somehow. We’re going to get to the bottom of this and I don’t want you out of my sight until we do.”

Krystal looked like she wanted to argue, but Seulgi gave her a pleading look. After another moment she relented, though she suspected they wouldn’t have had much choice in the matter either way.

“Shouldn’t we take him to a hospital?” Joy was trying to help Krystal, who had begun dabbing at his cuts.

No one answered her at first. Irene and Krystal were used to having to help themselves in situations like these, and though even Seulgi knew it was easier than possibly involving non-Kinfolk, she still found herself asking, “What if he has internal bleeding?” Those bruises looked bad.

“I think… he’ll be fine,” Irene finally ventured. “He’s already healed quite a bit from when I found him.”

“What…” Joy began, drawing their attention. “What did Daniel… what happened to him?” she whispered.

Irene began to cross her arms, but feeling the stickiness of the dried blood on her arm, she thought better of it. “I don’t think Daniel did this. There was another man there, a leech - I think he was exper… er,” Irene hesitated, then sighed irritably. “I think he may have been tortured, and…”

“Please, just say it,” Joy prompted.

“I think he may have been fed blood. Look at his wounds. They’re either all superficial or mostly healed, and that brand - it’s completely healed already. How would that be possible unless-”

“What do you mean he was ‘fed blood’? What does that mean?” Joy couldn’t process what she was hearing. Who would want to do this to her dad? “What does it mean? Why??”

Despite all of her worries, Irene managed a shred of pity for Joy. It didn’t seem like their family had asked for any of this - they were simply caught up in the machinations of some grand scheme, a scheme that was unfolding right under the Garou’s noses. What kind of protectors were they when victims spread beyond their own ilk like this? “Believe it or not, the Garou, we’re not the most dangerous creatures out there,” Irene explained. “There are others, like the Fae, evil spirits, and in this case, vampires. Leeches - vampires - can control others by feeding them their blood, but it also gives them a small piece of the leech’s power.”

“My dad’s a vampire?” Joy choked out, but Irene quickly shook her head.

“I don’t think so - he still smells very human to me, but the blood would have helped him be able to heal so quickly.”

“Must not have been enough, though, right?” Krystal asked as she finished wiping the last of the blood away from the myriad cuts on his torso and arms. “So that’s… good, right?”

Irene nodded. “But he may not be himself for a while. The blood is binding - he may need some time to get over it.”

Joy still didn’t understand why all of this was happening, but all she could do was take Irene’s explanation at face value. At least he was alive. That was all she could hold onto for now.

“We have to get back to the sept,” Irene demanded, looking at Krystal and Seulgi. “I have to check on Jisoo, and you have the Compass.”

Seulgi pulled the Compass out of her shirt, holding it up for Irene to see. “I’ve got it, I can go. Krystal should stay here with Joy-”

“No,” Irene cut in. “I don’t think that leech will come back tonight. Not for one mortal servant. Joy and her father should be safe here, but you two are coming with me,” she repeated.

Krystal could only think of one other reason Irene might think she was somehow involved in whatever it was that was going on, and as usual, it came down to her sister. Put that way, truthfully she was more curious than afraid, and stood up. “Fine. We’ll take my car.”

+++

“Why are you slowing down?” Irene asked. She was riding shotgun in Krystal’s old subaru while Seulgi sat in the back seat, alone in the dark as they wound their way up through the trees to the Lake.

Krystal pressed on the gas once again, turning onto the gravel road that would take them into the heart of the Sept of the Sacred Shore. “Sorry… It’s been a while since I was here last.”

Irene didn’t press the matter. She didn’t mean to take out her worries on Krystal, but she couldn’t help being in a hurry to find out how Jisoo was doing. “Kinfolk aren’t usually allowed up here, but sometimes there are exceptions,” she explained in an attempt to smooth over her previous tone.

“Did you visit because of Jessica?” Seulgi asked, sticking her head between the seats as she sat up.

“Put your seatbelt on. Yeah, sometimes I would come to see her, but usually she was the one who came to see me.” Krystal could feel Seulgi’s eyes on her and a glance in the rearview mirror confirmed her suspicions. It was kind for her to be concerned, but it wasn’t really something Krystal wanted to bother her with.

“Park anywhere,” Irene said, interrupting their thoughts. They had arrived at the cluster of cabins, dark save for the windows running the length of the longhouse. Seulgi wasn’t sure what she had been expecting, but the semi-circle of buildings facing the great black lake seemed a little modest. Maybe she had been nervous for nothing.

Seulgi began to get out of the car, but Irene turned in her seat to look at them both. “Wait, you two should probably wait here until I tell Yeeun.” Seulgi was surprised to see that it was Irene who looked a little nervous. They shared a look before Irene exited the car alone and made her way toward the main lodge.

Predictably, Yeeun was there in the midst of what seemed to be a meeting, though it was sparsely attended. Yubin was at her side, listening with her arms crossed. Yeeun was pinching the bridge of her nose as Hyoyeon gestured and shrugged, and Irene assumed they were talking about Taeyeon, as she was nowhere to be seen. Sunmi was examining the body of a wolf laid out on one of the cafeteria’s tables nearby with Wendy and Yeri waiting anxiously by her side.

“She picks now to wander off? When we discover a leech has set up shop right under our noses? I even called for Yoona to come back, though Gaia knows when she’ll get here.”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Hyoyeon said as she glanced over at Sunmi. “But it seems like Irene’s pack made out just fine, all things considered. Speak of the devil…!”

Yeeun looked up expectantly, but instead of being greeted by the younger alpha, she saw Irene make a beeline for Sunmi and Jisoo. She supposed the debriefing could wait, but not for long. Were they Garou or cats? How hard was it to call a simple emergency meeting?

“How is she?” Irene asked as she searched Jisoo, looking for evidence of her injury. To her relief, Jisoo seemed fine; her breathing was steady, and there was no wound to be seen.

Sunmi looked tired, but smiled down at her regardless. “She’ll be just fine. It was a good idea to come back immediately, though.” She didn’t elaborate, leaving Irene to fill in the blanks herself. Sunmi grabbed her shoulders gave her a friendly shake. “Don’t worry, I’ve seen much worse - it’s nothing Unicorn hasn’t prepared me for.”

“Why didn’t you come back with them?” Yeeun asked as she came to sit on the next table down.

Irene broke away from the others and joined the sept alpha. “I-”

“They said there was a vampire at the funeral home?” Yeeun asked, her usual relaxed mien giving way to something far more serious. “And you stayed back alone?”

Irene hadn’t been prepared for a scolding and could only look at Yeeun agape. After everything that had happened? “We brought back Daniel-”

“They brought Daniel. What were you doing?” Yeeun sighed and ran her hands through her tangle of long, wavy hair. “What would happen to them if you ended up like him, hmm?” she asked quietly, giving a nod to Wendy and Yeri. “Do you think you’re stronger than Daniel was? Do you think you could take a leech all alone? Do you know what that thing did to him?”

“He flew away-”

“And if he’d come back? Irene,” Yeeun persisted. “It was stupid. You got lucky, but you have a responsibility to them, to me, to this sept. I need you to be smarter than this,” she pushed up off the table and held Irene by the shoulders. “I need you. With Taeyeon off doing who knows what and Daniel dead, I need you. Okay?”

What could Irene say to all of that? It hadn’t struck her until Yeeun said it aloud, but their sept had all but completely disintegrated. Two entire packs from the sept had been wiped out, and the patchwork packs that were left were all missing members, all except for hers. The whole sept was only a hollow echo of its former self, a past Irene had only had a fleeting glimpse of before it had been ripped away from them.

She hung her head in Yeeun’s grip. “I’m sorry.”

“No more flying solo. It’s hard, right?” Irene nodded, finally looking up to see a shadow of Yeeun’s light smirk as she was released. “Anyway, good job with Daniel. Wendy said you took him down pretty much by yourself.”

“He was already wounded,” Irene explained, indicating the streaks of blood that had long since dried, peeking here and there from underneath her clothes. “He had some huge mark carved into his chest and it was still fresh- “ She paused suddenly, remembering her guests outside. “Wait, there’s something else.”

Yeeun quirked an eyebrow.

+++

She was late, she knew, but it wasn’t her fault everything seemed to happen whenever she was in the Umbra. As Taeyeon made her way up to the lodge, she paused, spying a familiar car parked out front, just out of reach of the light pouring onto the gravel from the open double doors. But that couldn’t be right. Why would she be here? Unless… no, whatever it was, Taeyeon willed herself to calm down as she turned and approached the vehicle. The thundering in her chest betrayed her, though as she saw two people sitting inside.

Taeyeon knocked on the passenger side window, and as she steeled herself and leaned down to look inside, she sighed. It was just Krystal. And someone else she didn’t recognize. “Get out,” Taeyeon ordered as it looked like Krystal was about to roll down the window. “Both of you.”

“It’s Taeyeon,” Krystal murmured to Seulgi.

“What?” Seulgi gasped. Yeri’s sister? Of all the people to run into - though this was the Lake, so she supposed she shouldn’t be so surprised. As bidden, Krystal and Seulgi got out of the car, though their anxiety was palpable.

“What are you doing here? You know it’s not allowed.”

“Irene brought us,” Krystal answered cautiously, searching Taeyeon’s distant expression.

Taeyeon glanced up at the lodge again, though her gaze soon settled on them again. Seulgi wasn’t sure what to make of her expression - all she knew about Taeyeon was from Yeri’s past, and it didn’t exactly cast her in a favorable light. There was one thing that Seulgi suddenly recalled, however. She reached into her shirt and pulled out the Compass. “We brought this, it’s yours, right?” But the change that overcame Taeyeon told her perhaps that had been a mistake.

“Where did you get that?” Taeyeon growled darkly.

Krystal put a hand on Seulgi’s and the Compass. “I had it, though… I’m not sure how I got it.”

Taeyeon felt like this was some sort of cruel joke. The Compass had returned, but it was Krystal who brought it? She could feel the anger gnawing at her and she tried not to grit her teeth as she glanced back at Krystal. “Did Daniel give it to you?”

Krystal laughed suddenly, and Seulgi looked at her, startled. She could feel Krystal’s hand tightening around her own as she gripped the Compass. “Give it to me? Why, it led him right to me. That poor boy. You do know what it does, yes? I had been hoping it’d be you who came to see me finally, but it seems I had to come see you instead.”

Taeyeon glared at them both, though her expression couldn’t completely mask her confusion. “Who… are you?”

“Oh, I think you know. Aren’t I the one you’ve been looking for all this time?” Krystal pried the Compass from Seulgi’s grip and held it dangling by its string. They both watched as the nail slowly rose until it was pointing directly at Krystal, almost touching the bridge of her nose right between her eyes as she stared back at Taeyeon manically.

“Krystal,” Seulgi whispered hoarsely, “... What are you doing?”

“No… you’re dead.” Taeyeon shook her head slowly, her eyes wide, first with fear, then rage. “You’re DEAD!!!”

Krystal laughed again. “If you really thought that, then why were you making deals with the Wild’s rejects to try and find me?”

Seulgi was beyond confused - she was terrified as she looked between Krystal and Taeyeon.

“Tick? That bastard…” Taeyeon cursed, realization coalescing in an icy pit in her stomach.

“Don’t blame Tick for trying to play both ends,” Krystal admonished. “Though I suppose I have more experience with bloodsuckers than you.”

“I’LL KILL YOU!!!”

It happened in barely the space of a breath, Seulgi only just had time to pull Krystal behind herself, protecting her in a fierce hug as Taeyeon burst into her crinos war form and launched herself at them. Seulgi waited for the rake of Taeyeon’s claws against her back, or the clamp of her jaws on her shoulder, whatever would come, but… there was nothing. She could hear Taeyeon roaring behind her, and as Seulgi dared to glance back, she couldn’t make sense of what she saw.

There, grappling with Taeyeon as she struggled for purchase in the gravel, was a hazy, opaque mass, like a star-studded cloud of midnight blue. As it held Taeyeon’s massive clawed paws in each of its own, Seulgi finally realized what she was seeing: it was a bear. A bear spirit, protecting her.

“Hey!”

“Taeyeon!”

“What the is going on out here?!”

Two more Garou in their crinos forms raced down from the lodge and the struggle increased as they tried to wrestle Taeyeon into submission.

“Seulgi! Seulgi are you okay?”

It was so surreal to see Irene sprinting towards her, dodging out of the way of the three crinos-form Garou caught in an all-out brawl, and though Seulgi would have liked to put on a brave face for the alpha, she couldn’t even manage to get a word out before she fainted and fell heavily to the ground.