Chapter 8: The Wolves Laugh

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The werewolf bore down upon her. Amber looked around for something, anything, she could use to protect herself. She found nothing. The werewolf lunged. And in response, Amber lashed out with her nails. As she did so, her nails lengthened into claws and her hand grew in size and strength. Her new claws tore fissures into the werewolf’s face and the monster stumbled in its charge. 


Amber flung herself to the left, out of the way of the now stumbling charge. She landed hard on her side, and scrambled to her feet.


The werewolf clutched its face and turned to stare at Amber. Then it began to laugh, a ragged horrible laugh.


“You are one of us now.” The werewolf said. “You may as well give up and join us. We can teach you to control yourself. Otherwise you will just be one more feral werewolf to be put down by monster hunters.”


“I’ll never join you.” Amber said, and she spat for added effect.


“You don’t have a choice.” The werewolf said. “The only thing you get to choose is whether or not you will learn to control your new body.”


“I’ll die first.”


“I don’t smell any silver on your body. Do you think your bodyguard could bring herself to kill her charge? I don’t. I smelled her love and devotion for you. She will not have the nerve to do the deed.”


Amber’s heart skipped a beat at the word: love. 


“Then I’ll do it myself.” Amber heard her voice hitch, faltering a little as she spoke.


She wasn’t certain that she could kill herself. She didn’t want to die. What she wanted, what she needed, was a purification potion. And she needed it fast, or else she would fully transform.”


Howls sounded from the top of the hill. 


“And how will you do that?” The werewolf asked. “I can hear my pack mates. We have captured your bodyguard. Surrender yourself and we won’t kill her.”


“Why do you care what happens to me?”


“We must maintain our pack. Your bodyguard has killed four of us now. Our numbers thin. And most we injure do not transform. You are a valuable commodity.”


Amber considered. The werewolves might have potions back at their camp. Possibly even a purification potion. Such potions would cleanse a werewolf of silver poisoning. And if Theresa were captured, Amber couldn’t leave her to the werewolves.


She nodded.


“Fine. I surrender. Take me to your leader.” 


Read Chapter 9


Read more in "Daughters of the Digital Empire," Available soon! Check me out on AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddwardiswriting Check me out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ddwardiswriting

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