Page 127[]
Malaya: It's quiet... Something's missing.
Malaya: Vincent's car isn't here. He's not home yet?
Page 128[]
Malaya: No texts.
Malaya: He said he was coming right home...
Malaya: Why am I so worried? Vincent's twenty years old. He's an adult. Maybe he crashed at a friend's place... or maybe he ended up hooking up with someone.
Malaya: Um, no... that's pretty unlikely...
Malaya: Also, ew.
Malaya: Maybe I'm just a weirdo talking to herself for no reason. Something just feels wrong, though.
Page 129[]
Malaya: Whatever. I'll take a jog into town.
Malaya: If I find Vincent, then that's cool, and if not...
Malaya: Then I get to run faster than normal and no one will be awake to see me and freak out.
Page 130[]
Malaya: It's so strange. After the full moon, I feel like I can smell everything.
Malaya: If I concentrate I can pick out specific scents. Mom. Dad. Vincent. Even Elias...
Malaya: I really need practice...
Malaya: He's this way. Somewhere.
Page 131[]
Malaya: Wow, I'm not even out of breath.
Malaya: I've never been to this part of town on my own before... Only when someone is driving me somewhere.
Malaya: The quiet is calming. I don't feel out of control or anxious.
Malaya: I just feel powerful.
Malaya: Oh my god. People leave the house at 4am? A werewolf caught off guard... that's just depressing.
Malaya: You're okay. You're in control, just focus. Find Vincent and go home...
Page 132[]
Malaya: Focus...
Malaya: He was here.
Malaya: Vincent's car...
Malaya: Fuck, this does not look good. The trail keeps going... but his scent is different, like he was stressed out.
Page 133[]
Malaya: The creepy house from yesterday...
Page 134[]
Malaya: He's here. They took him.
Malaya: I don't know what to do.
Malaya: I want to rush in and save him, but I know that could get us both killed.
Malaya: But waiting... What if I wait and they hurt him?
Malaya: I need help.
Page 135[]
Maria: I feel like we should call the police...
Elliot: I know, honey, but Mal's friend told us that with the amount of magic guarding the house, the police would never find it anyway.
Elliot: At least they can't force her to joiin their pack.
Elliot: What was this kid's name? Eli or something?
Maria: Yeah.
Elliot: Well they can't hurt Vince or they'll have no bargaining chip...
Maria: God, this is terrifying.
Malaya: I'm sorry. If I hadn't been bitten... If I wasn't like this... He'd be safe and we'd be normal.
Page 136[]
Elliot: That's not how this works, kid. We don't blame you for being a werewolf, or anything that comes along with it.
Maria: Because we love you, occasional fur and all. We'll find him and he'll be safe. Your friend is talking to his mom now. I'm sure he'll find a way to help us.
Page 137[]
Elias: Mom...
Elias: Yeah, I know but...
Elias: Mom, just... help me! Help me get him back.
Elias: There are only five wolves, they don't know what they're doing, we can take them!
Sara: Elias...
Sara: I'm an alpha, and that comes with responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is diplomacy. I can take the issue to the wolf council of Michigan and work out how to get your friend's brother back through the proper channels...
Sara: But I can't just storm the house of a random, small, and unregistered pack, no matter what they've done. Our pack would look like lawless bullies just causing trouble!
Page 138[]
Elias: We don't have time for diplomacy! What if they hurt him? They're probably responsible for the deaths in this town that you sent me to look into. What if they try and turn him and fail?
Sara: Honey, I have to use the proper channels that's my job as an alpha. Our pack can't just show up in another pack's territory and beat the shit out of them, if we haven't tried tried to negotiate with them first. I know it seems useless but these laws exist for a reason.
Sara: Werewolves can't afford to turn our backs on the established order that keeps us from straight up destroying each other.
Sara: For a show of that kind of aggression without proper clearance, we'd be forced by the local council to disband entirely. That's families, Elias. Many families. I can't have over fifty adult werewolves, their partners, and however many kids thrown into chaos.
Elias: You don't know that! Wouldn't the council make an exception for an emergency? This pack has killed people! They've kidnapped someone!
Page 139[]
Sara: We haven't proven that this pack killed anyone yet. We haven't even proven that they kidnapped your friend. I believe you, but things have to be looked into.
Sara: It's not like I'm okay with this situation, kid. It's fucked up! But I'm a landscaper, not a cop or a judge. Alphas make these decisions as a group for a reason.
Elias: I don't know what to do... Mal's family is scared, Mom, and I just need your help... not just as an alpha... It's like the council always comes first... or Maggie, Ezra, and Patty...
Sara: I think that's a bigger conversation than we have time for right now...
Elias: What if I just go? I can take Marin and Malaya and we'll get him back ourselves. The council doesn't have to be involved!
Sara: I can't... Elias if you do that. It'll look like I'm going behind the council's back and the breaking the law. I'll have to disavow your actions publicly.
Page 140[]
Elias: What will that mean, Mom?
Sara: It'll mean you're not part of the pack for a while, honey. At least until there's been an investigation into the whole situation. And that would go for Marin, too.
Elias: Oh.
Sara: My hands are tied, Elias. I'm sorry, but I've gotta do this by the book... Just do your best and keep everyone calm. I don't know how long this will take...
Elias: Okay. I'll talk to you later, Mom.
Sara: I love you, honey. I'll keep you posted.
Page 141[]
Elias:Hey!
Marin: Are you okay?
Elias: Yeah, so... what did you guys learn?\
Marisa: Well, the wards around the house and property are done. This place shoudl be protected from anyone who's hostile.
Marin: I searched the area, but htere's no strange tracks around the house or woods. I mean, this pack's scents are undetectable with the spell that's on them, but I don't think they've been here.
Malaya: Hey.
Marin: You holding up okay?
Malaya: Not really.
Page 142[]
Malaya: Hey Charlene, come on in.
Charlene: Mal, how's it going?
Malaya: Bad.
Malaya: Did you find anything?
Charlene: Um, magic is out, I'm afraid.
Charlene: Inside the tree line, the spell totally dissipated... Like the spell energy got sucked away and didn't come back to me. It felt really weird.
Page 143[]
Marisa: Eli, what'd your mom say?
Elias: Um... Well...
Elias: So, Mom kind of... can't help. Yet.
Malaya: What?
Page 144[]
Elliot: The council has to be called to decide the best course of action before she can gather reinforcements and help us.
Elliot: Mom's not sure how long that could take.
Marin: We can go... just the three of us against five, bad-at-this werewolves.
Marin: I'm sure we can get him back on our own.
Elias: Yeah, um... Mom said you and I will be kicked out of the pack if we try that.
Marin: Oh.
Elias: I can't ask you to defy my mother, Marin.
Maria: I think... I'm going to lie down.
Maria: Let us know if you hear anything, kids.
Page 145[]
Marisa: You okay?
Marin: No, I just feel so useless...
Malaya: Screw this!
Malaya: I'm getting my brother back! I'll take on as many freaking werewolves as I have to!
Page 146[]
Marisa: By yourself?
Marin: The council will come after you, though...
Malaya: I don't even know what that is, but they should stay out of my business if they aren't going to help me.
Elias: You can't go on your own! I haven't been able to teach you hardley anything yet. Even if they're bad at this, they'll still tear you apart!
Malaya: Elias, I'm not letting my brother get hurt, while we're waiting around for some strangers to decide if they can help him or not!
Elias: I'll go! I can sneak in, sniff Vincent out, and get him out of there. Stealth is the thing I've always been the best at. You wouldn't be in this situation to begin with if I hadn't followed you on that full moon last month, so it's only fair I get you out of it.
Charlene: That is a dumb ass plan.
Page 147[]
Elias: I mean, yeah. I'm not gonna argue that it's not a shitty plan... but what's the alternative?
Charlene: I have a spell that'll help keep you concealed... It might not work closer to the house, but it'll help on your way there.
Marin: I'm going to track you on your phone, and you'd better text the minute you need help.
Malaya: Uh...
Elias: Awesome! We're gonna make this work, guys. I can do this.
Page 148[]
Elias: Ugh!
Elias: Ack!
Elias: Ow.
Page 149[]
Vincent: Elias?
Elias: Hey, Vince! I found you.
Vincent: Um, yeah. I guess you did. Good job.
Elias: Thanks.
Vincent: Are you okay?
Elias: I will be...
Elias: ...after I rest a bit.
Elias: Ow! I fucked up a couple of 'em pretty good,
Elias: Ow! ...but the squirrely hunchback guy got in a lucky kick to my head...
Elias: Ow! ...and knocked me out.
Page 150[]
Vincent: Aconite?
Elias: Oh! Yeah, it's wolfsbane. I'm unable to shiift at all when I'm this close to it. The silver chains will burn the shit out of me if I try and get werewolfy.
Vincent: Is that... clear tape?
Elias: Um... yes.
Elias: I can picture them around a table upstairs, trying to figure out how to put this together.
Vincent: ...like a bondage-themed werewolf craft party from hell.
Page 151[]
Vincent: Why are you making that face? Stop making that face.
Elias: Heeheeheeheeee! Werewolf craft party!
Vincent: Oh my god, it wasn't that funny.
Elias: Haaaa, it was! You do have a sense of humor!
Vincent: I deny everything.
Elias: Ah!
Vincent: Are you sure you're okay?
Page 152[]
Elias: I just need time to heal a bit more... A little internal bleeding never killed anyone.
Vincent: Um, it totally has...
Elias: Oh, well they weren't werewolves probably.
Elias: How'd you recognize wolfsbane, anyway?
Vincent: I'm majoring in biology with a focus in botany and agriculture.
Elias: So... you like plants?
Vincent: Um, yes. I like plants.
Vincent: My parents started a vegetable garden behind the house when Mal and I were little, and my family would spend summer evenings taking care of the plants together. When I got older, I pretty much took over the garden and started experimenting with growing heirloom varieties from seed.
Vincent: I grew a really big cabbage once.
Elias: Neat!
Page 153[]
Elias: I wish I'd done the whole college thing...
Vincent: Well... you still can?
Elias: My mom had enough money saved that my youngest sister and I could both go to a school in state, but my sister had her heart set on studying marine biology in Florida. So... I told her she could go, and I'd pass for now..
Vincent: That was good of you...
Elias: Maybe. Mom's been grooming me to take over as our pack's alpha since I was a kid, I mean, technically, I wouldn't have had time for school anyway.
Elias: I always tried really hard to get mom's approval when I was growing up, so while my brother and sisters made plans and had hobbies and got degrees and had kids or whatever...
Elias: I just focused on doing whatever she needed, and tried to be a really good werewolf. Granted, Mom totally put all her eggs in the wrong basket.
Elias: I can barely lead myself without getting in trouble, let alone a whole pack of people.
Vincent: Did those other werewolves... damage your self-esteem before throwing you down the stairs?
Page 154[]
Elias: Nah, it's nothing they did. Or said.
Elias: Just... pack drama I have to deal with once we get out of here.
Vincent: Well... assuming our captors upstairs can hear everything we say... It's a good thing your achilles' heel isn't poor self-worth...
Elias: They can't hear us.
Vincent: Uh...?
Elias: There's asoundproofing spell on the interior of this house. My house has one too. ...Pretty standard stuff for werewolf families, actually. I can't hear anything outside this room, which would go the same for them.
Vincent: We can just... leave? They won't be able to hear us?
Elias: Sure? I'll need to heal a bit longer so I can protect us while we escape, though. And they might still see us...
Vincent: That gives us time to get these chains off, at least.
Page 155[]
Vincent: Are we making this out to be too simple?
Elias: Maybe? This isn't the movies. There's no laser beams to tiptoe through, no snipers on the roof, no last minute saves...
Elias: What do we really have to work with here as far as a plan goes?
Vincent: Well, get the chains off.
Elias: Yep, totally.
Vincent: We can just... leave? They won't be able to hear us?
Elias: Next... leave through that little window over there.
Elias: Once the chains are off, I can break the bars.
Vincent: Then...
Vincent: Run like hell?
Elias: Yes.
Page 156[]
Elias: I messed up the other werewolves way worse than they got me, so we'll have that advantage.
Elias: They're gonna see us either way, but you know... I'll keep them away from you.
Vincent: This... is not a great situation. I want to get out of here... ...but facing them again, all five of them...
Elias: Well... getting stolen from a parking lot and manhandled by a pack of werewolves would freak out anybody...
Elias: I'm sorry, I rushed through all of this. I should've waited for my mom to come save you. It would've been safer for you...
Vincent: How long was that gonna to take?
Elias: Um... there's no telling. Hours? Days?
Vincent: I'm glad you didn't leave me in a basement for days.
Elias: Well... You're welcome, I guess?
Elias: It's still all my fault your family is in danger like this... If I hadn't figured out your sister was a werewolf...
Vincent: Hey!
Page 157[]
Vincent: You can beat yourself up all you want, but I don't blame you for any of this.
Vincent: My sister's been terrified of hurting someone, myself or my family or anyone else, since I was born.
Vincent: Malaya hasn't lived a normal life. She goes to work and comes home, because those are the only two places she feels okay. She can't drive or go to school.
Vincent: She's my big sister, and I'm proud of her for dealing with the werewolf thing on her own...
Vincent: But after meeting you, my sister voluntarily left the house and went somewhere that wasn't work, or home. I'll be kidnapped a thousand times for that.
Vincent: I'm glad you didn't leave me in a basement for days.
Elias: Really?
Vincent: Um... I don't prefer it, but sure.
Page 158[]
Elias: Thank you.
Vincent: No problem.
Page 159[]
Marcus: We stole a dude. I didn't sign up to steal people.
Harvey: Like Marcus, I also didn't sign up to become a kidnapper,
Harvey: ...But I would like to add that I never signed up to live in a dilapidated nightmare house either. Where's my palatial mansion?
Ginger: Wait... why are we in my room? Did we have a choice not to steal that guy? What does "dilapidated" mean?
Harvey: Ginger, we're in your room because it's big and Mama won't go this far into the house. "Dilapidated" means we live in a terrifying shit hole. As for choices, you'll have to ask Aubrey.
Aubrey: We. Had. No. Choice!
Aubrey: It's not like this was my plan, I'm just following orders.
Page 160[]
Marcus: We do have a choice! We can choose to get the hell away from here.
Aubrey: That's not an option and we all know it. If we get too far away, our pack bond with her will weaken, and Connie won't have the power to keep herself alive.
Harvey: Oh my god, then let her die! Connie has spent two decades emotionally torturing all of us... Except Ginger sometimes. Why does she get to just suck us dry for her own sake?
Aubrey: Because...
Aubrey: She'll drag us down with her. Mama's never made threats she didn't keep. If we try to leave, she'll fight until her last breath to destroy us before we pass the city limits.
Page 161[]
Aubrey: We have to get that werewolf here, and we have to get her to agree to join our pack through any means necessary. Our best option is her brother, and, I guess... her weird friend.
Marcus: We're screwed. We are so screwed. It took all five of us to take that dude down, and most of that was Tim.
Ginger: Which is why we left Tim to guard the basement!
Aubrey: If we don't pull this off... I don't really know what we're going to do.
Page 162[]
Elliot: You have to eat something, honey.
Page 163[]
Malaya: Marin?
Marin: I was just... waiting for them.
Malaya: I think... I think I'm going to go help them.
Marin: You're sure?
Page 164[]
Malaya: I know I'm inexperienced, and maybe there's nothing I can do, but I can't just sit around anymore.
Marin: I can understand that... waiting here feels like it's killing me.
Malaya: You could come with?
Marin: I can't. I feel like a coward, but I can't. I owe Sara... Elias's mom... I owe her everything. I ower her my life. I can't even begin to explain everything...
Malaya: Hey, it's okay. I don't get it, but there's a lot about this werewolf stuff I don't understand. I'm not going to hold loyalty to your alpha or whatever against you.
Marin: You're good people, Malaya. If you ever decide to lead your own pack, they'll follow you to the ends of the earth.
Page 165[]
Elias: Hey, I think it's time to bust out of this joint... I should be healed enough by now. If you can get the rest of the wolfsbane off my chains, I might be able to break them...
Vincent: Aconite is too poisonous for humans to handle safely..
Elias: Oh.
Elias: Hmmmmm...
Elias: Do you know how to pick a lock?
Vincent: Um, no. Do you?
Elias: Nope. It's not as easy as TV makes it seem.
Vincent: I have an idea that I saw on the internet a while ago... I'm not sure if it'll actually work, though.
Page 166[]
Elias: Wow, I didn't realize it was so easy to break a padlock open.
Vincent: I need to buy something stronger to chain my bike up with once we're out of here.
Elias: Totally.
Elias: You ready?
Vincent: Sure.
Elias: Good, because I'm gonna fuck up that window, and then we're gonna run like hell.
Page 167[]
Malaya: The house...
Page 168[]
Malaya: Okay...
Malaya: Focus.
Malaya: Focus!
Page 169[]
Malaya: Focussss...
Malaya: Sigh.
Malaya: Nothing. Not even claws.
Malaya: Fuck! I have to help them! Why is this so hard?!
Page 170[]
Malaya: Come on...
Malaya: No, no, no, no, no...
Malaya: These thoughts aren't helping...
Page 171[]
Malaya: Okay! Let's do this!
Malaya: Damn it, my heart won't stop racing...
Malaya: Come on, Malaya... Calm down, calm down, calm down...
Page 172[]
Malaya: I've spent my whole life avoiding this...
Malaya: Like being a werewolf can just be willed away...
Malaya: But... if I stopped holding back?
Malaya: I might hurt someone again.
Malaya: I don't think I have a choice.
Page 173[]
Malaya: I can't help them if I'm afraid.
Malaya: I can't help them in this human body...
Malaya: Even though I might hurt someone...
Malaya: Even though transforming feels like all my bones are breaking simultaneously...
Malaya: There's a terrifying beast inside me somewhere, and I need to find it.
Page 174[]
Elias: Argh!
Vincent: You okay?
Elias: The wolfsbane... It doesn't matter, we need to run...
Page 176[]
Aubrey: You're not leaving!
Elias: Think about what you're doing... You don't know what you're getting yourselves into.
Harvey: We don't have a choice!
Elias: You do! If you let us leave now, the werewolf council will probably let this all blow over...
Marcus: This isn't about werewolf politics. We're just trying to survive, and we need your other werewolf friend to do that.
Page 177[]
Vincent: Why?! My sister has nothing to do with you or your problems!
Aubrey: Your sister is already connected to this pack. She's one of us. This mess all could've been avoided if she'd agreed to help us sooner.
Aubrey: But she didn't. So you're gonna stay here until she joins us.
Elias: Ueah, I don't htink so.
Elias: We're leaving.
Page 178[]
Elias: I don't want to hurt you...
Aubrey: You're outnumbered.
Vincent: Hey!
Page 180[]
Harvey: Wah!
Page 181[]
Elias: Vince, stay close to me. I'm not as fast as I should be...
Vincent: Uh... Sure.
Elias: Ah!
Elias: And I'm about to go non-verbal.
Page 186[]
Elias: Aarrghh!
Page 187[]
Aubrey: Ah! Damn it.
Connie: They're using too much energy to heal... These are the weakest werewolves on the planet...
Connie: And it's your damn fault!
Connie: Ginger...
Page 188[]
Vincent: Shit.
Page 189[]
Malaya: Okay... What did Elias say?
Elias: You don't learn to control the transformation, you give in to the transformation. You get in touch with the wolf part of yourself and it all just... flows. There's no thought to it.
Malaya: Just give in.
Malaya: Give in.
Page 190[]
Malaya: Just give in.
Malaya: Just give in.
Page 191[]
Vincent: Huh?
Vincent: Ah!
Page 193[]
Vincent: Malaya?
Vincent: <Hey, I'll be fine.> <Kind of.> <Go help Elias so we can get out of here.>
Page 194[]
Vincent: This has been the weirdest fucking day of my life.
Vincent: Shock's wearing off. Ow.
Vincent: You're a dick...
Page 195[]
Ginger: Maybe we could call a truce? Guys?
Marcus: Ginger!
Page 198[]
Elias: Come on!
Elias: All the energy is getting sucked out of this place! We need to go now or we're next!
Page 199[]
Elias: Holy shit.
Elias: We don't have time to worry about them! We gotta get Vincent back to your house!
Page 200[]
Connie: It's not enough... It's not enough...
Connie: Save me...
Connie: Just one more time... I could be great again...
Connie: You should have left me to die...
Page 202[]
Marisa: Okay, you're all set!
Vincent: I feel like I've been hit by a bus. A bus that likes to bite people.
Maria: Is he... going to be a werewolf now, too?
Marisa: That's actually the coolest part! These scratches protected him.
Page 203[]
Elias: A scratch like that can actually inoculate humans against being turned later on. Scratching's a pretty drastic measure, but it happened a lot back when werewolves were more... ...warlike... ... to protect a pack's humans.
Marisa: Transforming requires magic. That squirrely werewolf could've infected him, but without enough magic seeding the initial transformation, Vincent wouldn't have changed into anything..
Marisa: Eventually, the infection would turn septic and just kill you. You could've died!
Vincent: Awesome.
Charlene: You saved his life, Mal.
Page 204[]
Malaya: I'm really glad you're okay, Vince. I would hug you, but you're not wearing a shirt and you smell bad.
Vincent: Thanks for rescuing me, Mal. You don't smell good either.
Page 205[]
Malaya: Um, Mami, do we still have leftovers from dinner the other night? Because I think we're gonna need to eat... all of them. Or like a pizza place that delivers at 5am?
Maria: I'm sure we have enough food to help you two recover, sweetheart. I'll fix you something.
Marin: We're going to head home. Elias, why don't you stay here for a bit? In case they decide to come back and stir up more trouble?
Maria: Oh! That's a good idea. Vincent can get you some PJs, we can all eat and then go back to bed for a few hours.
Vincent: Yep, come with me.
Elias: Uh... Okay?
Malaya: I need to change clothes, too...
Page 206[]
Charlene: I should probably get going, too. I'm supposed to open the cafe this morning.
Elliot: Oh, don't worry about it, I'll go in! I won't be able to sleep, anyway.
Charlene: You sure?
Elliot: Yep! I could use your help for the lunch rush, though.
Charlene: Deal.
Elliot: Um, so... Thanks for the magic, Charlene.
Charlene: Oh, yeah. You're welcome! Anything for Mal and you guys.
Elliot: So, you're a witch, then?
Charlene: Yep!
Elliot: So many things aren't... not real.
Charlene: Well put.
Elliot: Like werewolves. And witches.
Charlene: Yep!
Charlene: You sure you don't need sleep?
Elliot: I'll be fine until I pass out around noon.
Charlene: Have fun then!
Page 207[]
Malaya: Hey, Elias.
Malaya: I just wanted to say... ...you put yourself in danger to save my brother, to keep my family safe...
Elias: Mal, it's cool. I was glad to do it.
Malaya: Still... Thanks.
Malaya: You're gonna teach me everything you know, right? About moon cycles and mythology, and hand-to-hand combat...
Elias: Hahaha... Yeah, whatever you don't figure out on your own, sure!
Malaya: Well, as far as I'm concerned, you're the best damn teacher a werewolf could ask for.
Elias: I'll try my best.
Page 208[]
Elias: Disappointing.
Vincent: Huh?
Elias: Nothing...
Vincent: These should fit okay. You're taller than me...
Elias: Um, thanks...
Elias: You like baseball?
Vincent: I play baseball...
Elias: Oh! Neat.
Elias: I played baseball in school, too. It was the only sport where my mother wasn't afraid I'd break the other children by accident.
Vincent: You should, um... Our season starts up again in the spring... You could come watch our games, if you want. Or whatever.
Elias: I would like that.
Page 209[]
Elias: You're taking all of this pretty well, considering you spent the night in a dirty basement and then nearly died in the middle of a werewolf battle.
Vincent: Yeah, I guess.
Vincent: I'll probably have some weird dreams. It takes me awhile to process things sometimes, and I've never been kidnapped and bitten by anyone before.
Elias: Well, if you need someone to talk to... and, um... sorry.
Elias: Sorry I couldn't protect you from all of this.
Vincent: It's fine.
Vincent: Thanks for, um... saving my life. And keeping me company in the creepy basement.
Elias: Um, yeah... No problem! That's what I'm here for...
Page 210[]
Elias: I guess I'm not used to getting thanked this much, especially for something I kind of fucked up repeatedly...
Elias: Star Trek pajamas... Maybe I wasn't too far off with my Mr. Spock comparison. Star Trek, baseball, and plants... What an interesting guy...
Elias: I can pretend rushing in to save him won't have consequences...
Elias: ...but I don't have that luxury for much longer. I have to call mom and update her.
Elias: And I need to shave.
Page 211[]
Elias: This is going to suck, the consequences are going to be awful, but you did the right thing and you'll get through this.
Elias: It'll be fine.
Elias: Probably. It'll probably be fine.
Elias: Food first, difficult conversations later...
Elias: I am so screwed.