Welcome to Adams Town

Her words took me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what had happened to me last night, but it felt like I was on the verge of discovering it.

"There’s no simple way to explain it," Mel said. "The evidence is inside of you. Most people would call you a moon beast, or a werewolf, as the ancient books refer to it." She gently took my hands in hers. "But last night, you saved my life."

I found myself lost in her mesmerizing blue eyes, their intensity forcing me to nervously look away. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, enhancing her undeniable beauty. There was something about the way she spoke, a sincerity that resonated deeply with me as if we shared an unspoken bond.

"You are telling me I can become one of those beasts? The same as the ones who tried to kill me?"

"I say that you are different," she said, her fingers gently brushing back the hair on my forehead. "Even the patch of white hair suits you well."

I frowned, puzzled by her comment. "White hair?"

A playful smile widened on Mel's face as her eyes glanced at me, a curious stare I instinctively tried to avoid. "You’re lucky I can be as girly as I want."

She reached into her backpack and pulled out a small round mirror, holding it up in front of my face. As I hesitantly glanced at the reflection, I was surprised by what I saw—an unmistakable patch of white hair now stood out on the left side of my head.

"My medicine. I need to take my medicine." I said, startled by the sight of white hair covering my forehead.

Mel glanced at me curiously. "Medicine for what?" She asked.

"I have a deficiency in melanin, it’s why my hair turns white early. I’ve been on treatment for a long time."

A soft laugh escaped her lips, but there was something darker behind it. "Is that what they’ve been telling you all these years? You’re not deficient, Tobias. You have primal blood running through your veins. That's why your hair turns white, and it's the reason you were hunted last night by an enemy pack. Werewolves don’t share their territory; they kill for dominance."

Mel's revelation throws me into a whirlwind of emotions, causing anger to ignite furiously inside of me. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, my breathing quickening with each passing moment. Everything I thought I knew about myself felt like a lie, and now... I wasn’t sure where the truth ended, and the nightmare began.

"You have to calm down."

She reached out and gently caressed my hands again, trying to bring me back from the edge. Her touch had a calming effect, grounding me as I took deep, steadying breaths, trying to control the fury rising inside.

"What happens if I lose control?"

"According to the information given to us at the Academy, if a man changes into a wolf and loses control of his emotions, he will become a killing monster. You will also lose the capability of turning back into a human. That's when the special task force will come for you."

"Meaning that you will be forced to hunt me down?"

"I'm not part of the special task force yet. I have two more months before I graduate from the academy. But if you’re looking for a straight answer... the moment you engage with any Enforcer, they will take you down."

Mel carries a hint of uncertainty, but her determination shines through. I could see the conflict in her eyes as she spoke, hinting at a future she wasn’t sure would come to pass.

"Well, can you help me?"

"I'll do what I can. But first, I want you to check this video with me."

She pulled out her phone, placing it in front of us before pressing play. The screen showed nothing but darkness at first, as the video seemed to be shot in the dead of night.

"You filmed this?" I asked, my eyes bouncing between the screen and her, distracted by her presence.

"Um, yep! Keep your eyes on the screen, puppy. The good stuff it's about to start."

The terrifying howl echoed through the darkness on the screen, followed by the unmistakable sounds of wolves cautiously closing in. Suddenly, a massive impact shattered the metal door from where Mel had been hiding. Out came an intimidating white wolf—unlike anything I had ever seen. The creature quickly engaged the approaching intruders, savagely defending its territory with terrifying force.

"By the way, thanks for not eating me," Mel said with a smirk.

As I watched the white beast tear into its attackers, I felt a knot form in my stomach. The raw power, the savage rage—It was relentless, brutal, and terrifying to witness.

"Are you saying this white wolf is… me?"

"Hold on," Mel said, increasing the volume on her phone. "This is the best part."

The video showed the white beast charging up the stairs, Mel closely trailing behind. As they reached the receiving room, they encountered a massive grey wolf. Without hesitation, the white wolf lunged at its foe, its jaws clamping down on the grey wolf's neck with deadly precision. A pitiful whimper escaped the grey wolf as its body reverted to human form, collapsing lifelessly.

"Yikes! That really got to hurt," Mel said.

The battle didn't end there. Two more wolves leaped from the top of the stairs, trying to overpower the white beast. With a savage bite, the white wolf tore the jaw off one of the wolves, sending its body crashing to the floor. The white beast grabbed the wolf again and swung it toward the other wolf, knocking it off balance, and causing it to stumble. Terrified, the remaining wolves fled, unwilling to face the indomitable force of the white beast.

"You don't have an idea, that was freaking awesome!" Mel screamed with excitement. "I knew you could fight. I just needed to work my magic to pull it out of you," she said, winking at me.

I was speechless, both awed and horrified by what I had just seen.

The white wolf cautiously approaches Mel, his eyes fixed on her. As she extended her hand, she whispered, 'Tobias, it's me...Mel." The beast pauses for a moment, sniffing her hand, before allowing Mel to touch his nose.

The video continued with the white wolf cautiously approaching Mel, its intense eyes glancing at her. She extended her hand, whispering, "Tobias, it's me... Mel." The beast paused, sniffing her hand before allowing her to gently touch its nose. The white wolf stood tall, nearly eye-to-eye with her, its fur stained with the blood of its enemies. It let out a powerful, triumphant howl, marking its dominance over the defeated wolves.

"You ran off into the forest after that. That's when I decided to follow you," Mel said, tucking her phone back into her pocket.

"And you think I should be ok with this?"

"Believe it or not, this is what werewolves do. If you look at it from my point of view, Adams Town has fewer thieves to worry about. There is a lot that needs to be explained, and we might not have enough time before we have trackers looking for us."

"You called them thieves... is that how I’m going to be treated from now on?"

Mel took a deep breath, then gently took my hand. "No, Tobias. You don't have to embrace their ways. Yes, you're a werewolf, and nothing can change that. But being one doesn’t mean you have to follow the same path as those who attacked you. You can choose a different way to live your life."

My body returns to a more serene state, thanks to Mel's help. However, the fever still lingers, and my muscles continue to ache.

"There's got to be a reason why they wanted me dead."

"You really don't know anything about the Reinhart family?"

"I only learned about that name, yesterday."

She smiled, holding my hand a little tighter. "Alright, get ready for a history lesson—in less than five minutes."

Enforcer Tyler's cryptic warnings were starting to make sense now. He had tried to hint at the dangers surrounding me, urging caution and awareness of the hidden truths tied to the Reinhart family.

I remained silent, memories of home flooding my mind—specifically, those moments when my father taught me how to handle high school challenges and avoid getting bullied. His advice echoed in my head, reminding me of the importance of adapting to unexpected situations and standing up for myself when the time came.

"I'm ready, Mel. I want to know everything you have to tell me about the Reinhart family. Let’s just hope your teaching can keep me awake."

"Smart puppy," Mel said, as a smile widened on her face. "Most women will consider that sexy."

We sat down together, ready for the promised lesson in history. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing sound rang in my right ear. I instinctively turned my head, and my eyes widened in shock as I saw a bolt hurtling toward me, aimed directly at my head.

My reflexes kicked in with inhuman speed as I snatched the bolt right out of the air. The tip began to scorch my palm, forcing me to drop it to the ground. Before I could fully process what had happened, three more bolts were launched toward me. Instinctively, I shoved Mel aside, propelling her out of harm’s way. A surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins, amplifying my anger. The pain in my hands became unbearable as my nails elongated into sharp claws. My bones cracked and shifted, transforming at an alarming rate.

"Utica, stop!" Mel screamed, standing between me and the three trackers.

The female tracker halted her advance, at the sight of Mel standing resolutely before me. "Mel, get the hell out of the way!"

"Mel," I said, my voice sounding strange, as if it were mixed with another, deeper tone. "Who are these people?"

"They're friends. I promise they won't hurt you."

I forced myself to breathe, feeling the rage inside me begin to subside, watching Mel handling the situation better than I possibly could. Her bright blue eyes pierced through the anger and chaos inside of me, bringing me back to a state of serenity, momentarily halting the transformation overtaking my body.

"He is innocent!" Mel Yelled.

"He violated the accords by killing in sanctuary land!" Utica shouted with righteous anger. "You know the penalty for violating our accords is death!"

"He was forced to kill! I saw it with my own eyes. He had no choice."

Mel raised her arms, showing her phone as she walked toward the trackers, playing the video. Utica’s eyes widened as she watched the footage of the white-haired beast tearing through the other werewolves, recognizing several of them.

"Those men inside the house—they’re Dylan’s goons. When did you record this?" Utica asked.

"Last night. I’ll explain everything later. The truth is, I was there when Dylan’s pack attacked the Reinhart estate."

Utica's expression softened further, her grip on the bow relaxing. She quickly assesses the situation and lowers her weapon, signaling her squad to stand down.

"And what's up with you being lovey-dovey with the mutt?" Utica asked, her voice laced with jealousy.

Mel rolled her eyes, still holding her phone up. "It's called building trust, Utica. Something you might want to try instead of shooting first."

Utica scoffed, crossing her arms as her squad lowered their weapons and stepped back. "Trust, huh? Or is it more than that?"

I remained quiet, sensing the tension between the two. Mel shot Utica a warning look before turning back to me. "Ignore her, Tobias. She’s just being dramatic."

Utica huffed. "Dramatic, am I? I have to be, considering the Reinhart heir just wiped out half a pack in one night. Leon, Garth, lower your weapons. Check the perimeter on a one-mile radius, leave no stone unturned. I want Dylan and his goons to answer the call of the Lord Inquisitor."

Her squad members nodded in acknowledgment and quickly disappeared into the thick forest. Utica took a step forward scrutinizing my appearance.

"Utica, be nice. He saved my life."

Utica gave a reluctant nod. "Fine, but don’t think this makes you innocent just yet, Reinhart. The council will want to see this evidence and make their own decision." She paused, eyeing me warily. "And if you step out of line again, no amount of puppy love will save you."