บท 6: The Rise of Logan

Months had passed since Laura and her pack had settled in Whitehaven. Their presence had become a normal part of the town.

James and Laura had developed a close relationship, often exchanging flirtatious banter whenever they had time.

James had invited Laura and Selene to join him on a business trip for a few days, and they had eagerly accepted. Laura was excited to accompany James, and Selene took on the role of his secretary during the trip.

One evening, as they prepared for a business trip, James caught Laura's gaze with a playful smirk. "I have to say, I'm quite looking forward to having you by my side on this trip. You always manage to make things more... interesting."

Laura returned his smile with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Interesting, huh? Are you sure it's not just my company you enjoy?"

"Maybe it's a bit of both," James replied, leaning closer. "But I have to admit, I find myself looking forward to these little moments with you."

Laura laughed softly, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Well, I guess I'll have to keep you entertained then. Wouldn't want you getting bored."

As they boarded the train, Laura and Selene joined James in his compartment. Laura took a seat next to him, and their knees occasionally brushed, creating a charged atmosphere.

Selene, sensing their moment, decided to give them some space. "I'll be in the next compartment if you two need any more privacy," she said with a wink before heading to the other end of the train.

-----

Outside Whitehaven, seven shadowy figures moved stealthily through the forest, their intentions dark and ominous.

"Are you sure this is the place for the ritual?" one figure whispered.

"Yes, it is," another replied. "Three days from now will be the time for the ritual. It will bring Dracula back to life."

"How many lives are needed?" a third figure asked.

"All of them," was the chilling response from the figure.

-----

**Three days later**

Onboard the train, James, Laura, and Selene traveled comfortably. James and Laura were now officially a couple as James asked her out during the trip and she agreed and their interactions were filled with flirtatious undertones.

Laura playfully nudged James as they sat together. "You know, Jimmy," she said with a mischievous grin, "I think you're trying to win me over with these trips."

James chuckled, leaning closer to her. "Oh, is that so? And here I thought it was my charming personality."

Laura raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Charming, huh? I'd say it's more your persistence. You've been working on me ever since I arrived in Whitehaven."

James pretended to look hurt. "Working on you? I thought we were just two people who liked each other."

Laura laughed softly, resting her head on his shoulder. "I do love you, Jimmy."

They both smiled as she left and enjoyed the company of eachother.

-----

As the train neared the outskirts of Whitehaven, James's senses were suddenly jolted by a strong scent of human blood. His face hardened with concern.

"I smell blood," he said, his voice tense. "Something's happening in town."

Laura, though not as adept at scent tracking, looked worried. "What's going on?"

"I don't know yet," James replied, "but we need to get back to town. Laura, follow behind me. Get Selene as well."

Without hesitation, James jumped from the train window and ran toward Whitehaven with inhuman speed.

Laura and Selene who came from the other compartment followed, Laura leaping with agility while Selene flew above them.

As they neared the town, the scene that greeted them was one of chaos and devastation. Blood stained the streets, and the once peaceful town was now a scene of horror. James's heart pounded as he rushed to his home.

The sight that met him was horrific. The werewolf pack's residence was a massacre site. Most of the werewolves lay dead, with only two surviving but critically injured. The once vibrant home was now a scene of death and despair.

Laura's rage was overwhelming. James is also in the same state, His eyes glowed with a fierce red light as he surveyed the damage. He knelt beside the surviving werewolves, trying to assess their condition.

"What happened here?" he growled, his voice is filled with anger.

One of the injured wolves weakly spoke. "Vampires... they came... they were led by someone... powerful... they took many lives."

Laura clenched her fists, her heart burning with vengeance. James saw this and held the hand of Laura. He could feel her grief and anger.

Laura said in deadly tone. "We need to find out who did this and let them pay."

Selene healed them and got clear details form them.

Selene, hovering nearby, added in a serious tone, "The vampires are performing a sacrifice ritual," she said grimly. "We need to stop them."

Together they followed the scent of the vampires.

James also find the scent of Hank and his parents coming from the center and moved there in seconds.

The once-bustling streets were now eerily silent. The heavy scent of blood hung in the air, thick and overpowering.

They regrouped at the ritual site, where a building was surrounded by a shimmering magical circle.

Inside, James could see the townspeople huddled in fear, their faces pressed against the windows. He can also smell blood coming from it meaning many died inside.

The vampires were chanting, their dark energy radiating from the altar at the center of the circle.

Selene, arriving with Laura, took a quick assessment of the situation. "It's a powerful sacrifice ritual meant to bring someone—or something—back," she explained. "I'll try to disrupt the sorcerer controlling the ritual, but you two need to handle the vampires."

James nodded, his eyes narrowing as he observed the vampires. "Laura, let's clear a path."

Laura began her transformation into her hybrid form.

Her eyes, which had been a soft brown, flared with a luminous yellow as her inner power surged. Her body shifted and elongated, her muscles expanding and rippling beneath her skin. Dark fur sprouted across her arms and legs, merging seamlessly with her human skin.

The upper clothes are rippled apart and was covered by black fur.

As the transformation progressed, her face took on a more predatory visage—her eyes glowing fiercely, her features sharper, and her canines extending into fierce, elongated fangs.

James didn't transform but extended his bone claws with a snikt.

With swift movement, James approached the vampires.

His claws slashed through the air with deadly efficiency. He lunged forward, his bone claws cutting through the thick vampire flesh like butter. Each swing of his claws was decisive, beheading the vampires with chilling ease. His strikes were powerful and relentless, leaving no room for the vampires to counterattack.

Laura fought beside him, her hybrid form an imposing figure of strength and agility. Her bone claws glinted with each swipe, tearing through the vampires' defenses. She leaped and slashed, her movements a fluid dance of ferocity and precision. The vampires, caught off guard by the sudden assault, struggled to keep up with their combined onslaught.

Within seconds, the battle was over. The vampires, once confident in their ritual, were now killed rapidly as James and Laura cut through them with ease.

Selene, still working on dismantling the magical barrier around the building, looked up with a relieved expression. "It's done. The barrier is down."

James nodded to Laura and Selene, acknowledging the job done.

-----

As the last of the vampires fell, the townspeople, who had been cowering inside the building, began to emerge. Their faces were a mix of relief and apprehension as they surveyed the scene of destruction and the powerful beings standing among the fallen enemies.

The sight of James, Laura, and Selene was both awe-inspiring and intimidating. Despite the fear, there was an undeniable sense of gratitude in their eyes.

Hank, who had been inside, finally burst out into the open. Seeing James and Laura standing amidst the carnage, he ran towards them, his face a mix of worry and relief.

"James! Laura!" Hank called out, rushing to their side. "I knew you'd come. I didn't expect you are werewolfs.... the fight is awesome, Thanks for saving us."

James nodded at Hank with a smile. "Everything is fine now, Hank."

Hank looked at Laura, his expression softened. "I didn't know you had such power, Laura. But it doesn't change anything. You're still you. You'll always been my friend."

Laura, still in her hybrid form but reverting to a more approachable posture, looked at Hank with gratitude. "Thank you, Hank. It means a lot to hear that."

Hank's parents, Henry and Mary McCoy, joined them. Henry placed a reassuring hand on Hank's shoulder. "We've seen a lot over the years, but knowing that you have friends like James and Laura makes a world of difference. We're grateful for your help James, you too Laura."

Selene came to them with a smile " Don't forgot about me."

Mary nodded to Selene. "Yes, thank you, Selene we are grateful for you."

Hank then remembered something. "Wait I forgot my glasses somewhere." he left for the building.

Town people also saw this, some accepted this while some have doubts regarding their true self. But most of them accepted them as they know James and trusted him through the years he spent here.

James, touched by the sentiment, gave a small, appreciative smile. "We'll make sure this town is safe."

Laura, now more relaxed, added, "We'll help you rebuild and ensure that nothing like this happens again."

But just as it is turning into a happy ending, the Sorcerer who came with the vampires, who had his tongue cut off by Selene moved towards hank who just got his glasses and cut his throat with a glass nearby in a sec.

James seeing this immediately cut the head of the Sorcerer.

James found Hank collapsing on the ground, his face contorted in pain. Without hesitation, James rushed to his friend's side, cradling him gently in his arms.

Henry and Mary McCoy were beside themselves with grief, their cries echoing through the streets as they witnessed their son's suffering. The sight of Hank's bloodied form, coupled with the helplessness of his parents, added a weight of despair to the already heavy atmosphere.

"James, please," Mary cried out, her voice breaking as she clung to her husband. "Is there anything you can do?"

James looked at Hank's lifeless body, his own heart pounding with desperation. He turned to Selene, his expression a mix of urgency and hope. "Selene, can't you do something? There must be a way to save him."

Selene, moved to heal him but soon shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, James. His injuries are too severe. I can't heal him—his life is slipping away too fast."

James's eyes widened with fear. "Then what can we do?"

Selene took a deep breath, her eyes meeting James's with a mixture of regret and determination. "There is one way, it's the only chance. As an Alpha Werewolf, you have the power to turn others into werewolves. If you bite him, the injury might heal by itself."

James hesitated, his eyes flickering between Selene, Hank, and his grieving parents. "You mean... I can save him by turning him into a werewolf?"

"Yes," Selene confirmed. "But it's not without consequences. Hank will become a werewolf, and he will have to live with that change. It's a difficult choice, but it might be the only way to save him."

He looked at Henry and Mary, their faces etched with sorrow, and then at Hank, who was dying slowly.

"I don't want to lose him," James said, his voice choked with emotion. "He's my friend. I need to save him."

He gently lifted Hank's head and positioned him so that his own arm was accessible.

With a deep breath, James extended his fangs and bit down on Hank's arm.

Hank's body convulsed as the transformation began. The wound on his throat started to close up rapidly, and his skin healed with a swift, unnatural speed. The transformation into a werewolf began, the change overtaking his human form in a matter of moments.

Henry and Mary watched in stunned silence as their son's body healed, their grief replaced by shock and awe. Tears streamed down their faces as they witnessed the miraculous recovery.

As the transformation completed, Hank's eyes fluttered open, revealing a mixture of confusion and recognition. His breathing was steady, and the previously fatal wound was now nothing more than a healed scar.

James, relieved but exhausted, held Hank's hand. "You're going to be okay, Hank. It was a tough choice, but you're alive."

Hank looked at James, his eyes full of gratitude and confusion. "James... what happened? Why do I feel different?"

Selene approached cautiously. "Hank, you've been saved, but you've undergone a transformation. You're now a werewolf. This is the result of James's decision to save you."

Hank, still processing the change, glanced at his parents.

Henry and Mary, though still shaken, embraced Hank, their relief evident. "We're just glad you're alive," Henry said, his voice filled with emotion. "We'll support you no matter what."

As the incident was over, James felt a mixture of relief and sadness.

Selene is smiling watching all this, Laura approached her with a knowing look. But she just smiled.

Months had passed since the night of chaos and transformation. The town of Whitehaven had begun to adapt to the new reality, with its residents slowly accepting the presence of werewolves and the changes they brought. The initial fear had given way to a tentative acceptance as the town adjusted to its new normal.

Hank, now a werewolf, was diligently working on controlling his powers under James's guidance. James had taken him into the forest for training sessions, helping him manage his new abilities and understand his role within their community.

One afternoon, as the sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows through the trees, James called for a meeting. Laura, Selene, Hank, and the remaining two werewolves gathered in a clearing, their faces a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

James stood before them, his expression serious but determined. He had been contemplating his next steps and the future of their kind for some time. Now, it was time to share his decision with those he had come to rely on.

"Everyone, thank you for coming," James began, his voice steady. "I've been thinking about our future and the role I need to play."

Laura, Selene, and the werewolves listened intently. Hank, still adjusting to his new life, stood beside James, his eyes reflecting both hope and uncertainty.

James continued, "After everything we've been through, I've realized that I need to take up the mantle as the Alpha. This isn't just about leading; it's about ensuring the survival and prosperity of our kind. I've seen what happens when we're scattered and without direction."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "From now on, I will take the role of Alpha, and with it, I'll adopt a name that reflects this new chapter of my life and a name to the pack."

Laura's eyes widened slightly, sensing the significance of the moment. "What name will you take?"

James then turned his eyes red "From now on, I will be known as Logan, the Alpha of the Crescent pack."

Selene nodded approvingly. Laura smiled happily and the two werewolfs also felt happy.

Hank doesn't know this but still smiled.