Ethan Nicolas crashed through Blackwood Forest, his boots sinking into the muddy earth, the full moon slashing silver light across the tangled trees. His dark hair stuck wet to his forehead, green eyes slicing through the shadows, leather jacket dripping with rain. A low, pained groan pulled him deeper into the jungle—he stumbled into a clearing and froze. The king lay there, old and grizzled, his thick fur matted with dark blood. Deep gashes ripped across his side, claws limp, chest heaving in shallow gasps. Ethan dropped beside him, hands pressing the wounds, blood hot and slick under his fingers.
"King, what happened?" Ethan asked, his voice rough, heart pounding like a drum.
The king's yellow eyes flickered open, dim but fierce, his breath rasping like torn leaves. "Pearies Aliens… from the Blue Moon planet. They ambushed me—claws sharper than steel, fast as shadows. They said their star, Lyra, is dying. It's going to gulp their planet soon—swallow it whole. They need a new place to survive, and they've chosen Earth."
Ethan's gut twisted, claws itching beneath his skin. "They're coming for us first?"
"Yes," the king wheezed, coughing up a splatter of red. "Werewolves—we're their first target. They called us the most powerful creatures on Earth. If they destroy us, the rest falls easy. Then they'll wipe out all the humans—every last one—to take this world for themselves." He gripped Ethan's arm, his claws digging in weakly, voice dropping to a desperate growl. "I saw them—two forms. One's human, blends in anywhere. The other's… shadowy, quick as death. That's what cut me."
"How many?" Ethan pressed, leaning closer, his voice low and urgent.
"Couldn't count—too fast, too dark," the king muttered, his eyes glazing over. "They're here already, hiding… planning. You've got to stop them, Ethan. Lead the pack…" His grip loosened, his head slumped back, and his breathing faded to a faint, uneven whisper. He didn't die—his chest still moved, barely—but he sank into a coma, lost to the fight.
Ethan stood, rain streaming down his face, fists clenched tight. The king's words carved into him—pearies Aliens, Blue Moon, a war to end Earth. His green eyes burned, claws twitching—this wasn't just a hunt; it was survival.
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Ethan crouched in Blackwood Forest, the night thick and heavy around him, moon high and pulling his werewolf blood hard. It was April 8 now, weeks since the king's fall, and the jungle pulsed with tension—trees creaking, wind hissing through leaves, the pack's low growls rumbling in the dark. His dark hair was tangled with sweat, green eyes sharp, leather jacket scuffed from the wild. The flashback burned fresh—the king's blood, the pearies Aliens' threat—and his phone, WolfSnap, hummed in his pocket, its eerie wail ready to flare.
A lean wolf with gray eyes padded up, his fur bristling, claws scraping the dirt. "Hey, Ethan, don't you remember the last full moon night? Our hunt—when the God of Death, Yeman, spoke to us? He said, 'Death's behind you.' Maybe the pearies Aliens are what he was talking about."
Ethan's mind snapped back—king bleeding, Blue Moon's shadow. "Maybe you're right," he said, his voice low, eyes narrowing as he scanned the trees.
The gray-eyed wolf shifted, his tail flicking nervously. "Yeman's the God of Death—he can foresee everything, right? He told you death's approaching. Does that mean our future's set—conquered and killed by the pearies Aliens?"
"Hey, no," Ethan shot back, standing straighter, his tone firm. "If it was locked in, Yeman wouldn't have warned us. Why would he bother warning us about a destiny we can't change? No—we've got something to do with it. That's the whole reason he spoke up."
The wolf's ears twitched, his gray eyes locking on Ethan's, a spark of hope cutting through his unease. "So we can fight them? Push back?"
"Damn right," Ethan said, nodding sharply. "Yeman's giving us a chance—means we can stop this if we're smart."
Their talk broke as Keiva lumbered in—broad, scarred, his growl rumbling like thunder through the jungle. "Hold it—has anyone here ever seen these pearies Aliens?"
The pack muttered, heads shaking. "No," a young wolf said, his voice tight. "Never."
"Only the king saw them—before he went into the coma," the gray-eyed wolf added, glancing at Ethan.
Ethan straightened, his voice cool and steady. "We might have seen them without knowing it. They've got a human form—could be walking around us right now, maybe even someone close." His words hit hard—growls and murmurs rippled through the pack, yellow eyes darting into the shadows.
"What? Like who?" the young wolf yelped, his fur spiking, claws digging into the ground.
"Could be anyone we've met," Keiva snarled, his scarred fists clenching. "That's messed up—hiding right under our noses."
"Hey, don't worry," Ethan said, raising a hand to cut through the rising panic. He pulled his phone from his pocket—WolfSnap wailed, sharp and unearthly, slicing the jungle air. "I'll handle it appropriately. This app helps me—it detects their second soul. The first could be in any human form, but this pins down the second one every time."
The pack stared, tension easing into awe. "You're sure it's solid?" the young wolf asked, his voice still shaky.
"Rock solid," Ethan replied, tapping the phone, the wail dropping to a low hum. "I've got a staffer managing it too—someone I trust. Even if I miss the notification sound, she'll catch it and tell me. She thinks it just beeps when the app crashes—doesn't even know it's working. I'm that strict about keeping it quiet."
"Who's watching it?" Keiva asked, his scarred brow furrowing, his growl softening.
"Doesn't matter," Ethan said, brushing it off with a flick of his hand. "Point is, I've got it locked down. I'll spot them before they get too close."
The gray-eyed wolf nodded, his stance relaxing. "That's sharp—damn sharp thinking."
"Yeah, you'll catch those bastards," Keiva grunted, his tone grudging but impressed. "App's a hell of a move."
Ethan pocketed the phone, his green eyes steady, scanning the jungle. "Everyone needs to watch their own backs, though—stay alert. Right now, I'm their target. The king's down, so they'll come for me next. That might mean you're all safe for a bit."
A twig snapped in the distance—sharp, loud. The pack stiffened, heads whipping toward the sound. WolfSnap's hum spiked, a faint wail creeping back. Ethan's claws flicked out, his pulse kicking up—pearies Aliens, lurking close. "Get ready," he muttered, voice tight. "They're here."
The jungle thrummed, shadows shifting—yellow eyes flashed, then vanished. The pack growled low, claws out, the air thick with fight. WolfSnap's wail grew, but Ethan's grip stayed firm—his war wasn't done.
To be continued...
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