On the freeway, unwitting skinwalkers transformed, tearing through their vehicles and leaping off the over pass in terror while other drivers swerved or crashed in debris creating a multi-car pile up in each direction on the highway. Sheriff Mills was boxed inside her Ford Taurus with cars all around her. She grabbed her intercom to make a speech over the loud speaker attached to the lights on her hood when a giant wolf leapt on the hood of her car. Sherriff Mills was startled until the wolf used his paw to make the “roll down your window gesture, she complied.
SHERIFF MILLS
Yes?
GIANT WOLF
Sheriff Mills, its ME, Mitchel!
SHERIFF MILLS
Good gravy!
MITCHEL
Yeah, it’s a trip but we don’t have enough time. I need to get to Candice Bloodgoode; you have any idea where she is?
SHERIFF MILLS
Yes, Kevin just called me about a massacre at the Donnarco mansion; she’s there with him.
MITCHEL
Righty, tighty lets get out of here!
SHERIFF MILLS
Do you see this traffic?
MITCHEL
Do you see me!? I’m a giant wolf with mad speed and madder hops, climb aboard!
SHERIFF MILLS
You’re joking.
MITCHEL
Hey, if you want to be stuck in bumper to bumper that’s-
SHERIFF MILLS
Alright fine.
She got out through the window to her car, Mitchel leaned down so she could climb on his neck.
SHERIFF MILLS
You owe me an explanation for all of this.
MITCHEL
And I’ll be happy to give it on the ride there. You’re gonna wanna grip real tight though, cause it’d totally suck if you fell off my back. Ready?
SHERIFF MILLS
As I’ll ever-
Mitchel leapt into the air flying one thousand feet.
SHERIFF MILLS
\BEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
At Donnarco’s mansion they were just recovering from the attack by the Moon Dust Golem, when the skinwalkers who made up the remaining, dealers and wait staff turned into giant wolves and burst out the mansion, destroying what remained of the entrance and every car parked up the steep hill. Silas stood next to Guiseppe Donnarco who could see that his car was one of the few left intact.
SILAS
Well Giuseppe, you throw one hell of a party.
The Don’s mouth was agape as tears rolled down his face.
GIUSEPPE DONNARCO
Gratzi.
Kevin ran in excitedly.
KEVIN
It’s happening everywhere, you should see this.
Candice, Ray and the remaining members of the Donnarco & Guastini families huddled around the giant screen TV in the living room as Kevin came in leading the other two. The TV was tuned into the news, black and white images showed the horror of every skinwalker in Aldrania violently shifting into their giant wolf form. Reporter Connie Rourke, a Pierce, stood in front of the house of fallen wolf, being seen by four paramedics.
REPORTER
This bizarre epidemic amongst the skinwalkers, changing into their true Earth forms, rages on. Many of the skinwalker’s native to the moon are having counter reactions; children have gone into shock due to the stress on their bodies while many others such as this Lovell Estates resident behind me have gone into cardiac arrest. The death total has claimed over twenty two-
RAY
Madness, utter madness.
MITCHEL
You’re telling me.
The room turned to see the giant wolf that seemed to appear out of thin air.
SILAS
How did you get in here without us hearing or seeing anything?
MITCHEL
I am, super fast in this form.
Sheriff Mills jumped off Mitchel’s back and ran into Kevin’s arms, the two kissed passionately before stopping abruptly after noticing everyone else in the room.
KEVIN
Apologies, for the unprofessionalism everyone.
SHERIFF MILLS
Yes, sincerest at that.
KEVIN
The Sheriff and I have actually been in a relationship for quite some time.
CANDICE
Yeah we know.
KEVIN
Really?
RAY
Indubitably.
SHERIFF MILLS
All of you?
SILAS
Let’s take a head count, Guiseppe?
GIUSEPPE DONNARCO
Si.
SILAS
Amichi?
RAY
He’s dead.
SILAS
I’ll vouch for him, we had a break up pool and a proposal pool going.
CANDICE
Mitchel you’re here to fill us in on this cluster cuss right?
MITCHEL
Long story short, a cult of skinwalkers lead by the first skinwalker, set you up so you could sire Jesse during the alignment on Earth creating the Megawolf and siphon his intense energy to force change all the skinwalkers into their true forms.
SILAS
That old chestnut?
CANDICE
Siphon his energy, is Jesse dead?
MITCHEL
No, he’s still hooked up to the siphon device though, and I need you to get him out of. I’d do it but I’m lacking in the opposable thumbs department.
CANDICE
Let’s go!
Candice pounced on Mitchel’s back; he jumped through the hole in the ceiling leaving the others behind.
SILAS
What a night.
RAY
Avert your eyes to the tellie dear brother-in law, things are ramping up.
Magdalyn was on the screen, marching through main street Aldrinia with three large, black wolves that were the transformed Specter Sisters.
MAGDALYN
This domed city is ours and soon the rest of every providence on the Moon will fall to our might. This is the recompense for years of servitude!
RAY
I am sure these are not the opinions of every skinwalker. just a radical fringe group-
GIUSEPPE DONNARCO
I say we get down there and do something.
KEVIN
Hold on, the police have this covered.
Kevin side glanced at Sheriff Mills.
SHERIFF MILLS
Not in the slightest, it is total chaos out there.
SILAS
Hold on Giuseppe you don’t have the manpower.
GIUSEPPE DONNARCO
There are over thirty of my men left standing, the remaining Guastini’s make up another twenty, that seems decent enough to me. AYE FELLAS!!!
DONNARCO/GUASTINI SOLDIERS
AYE BOSS!
GIUSEPPE DONNARCO
Now let’s show these four legged freaks who’s boss!
He picked up and cocked his triple barrel Nitrogen Tommy Gun.
GIUSEPPE DONNARCO
Irsah-friggin-mott!
Mitchel and Candice had made it to the castle fortress of the Kind Heart Collective, climbing through the crater in the side of the mountain Mitchel created when he left to find help. Candice still rode his back until they reached the laboratory, she watched in horror as Jesse in his pierce form had withered away with that grotesque helmet around his head. She ran to him before a familiar voice called out.
DR. HUMPHRIS
Wait, you need me to guide you, otherwise you will burn his brain from the inside out.
Candice turned to see Humphris, in her place was a giant gray and white wolf with piercing blue eyes perched at the other end of the lab. Her eyes glowed red with rage, her claws sharpened as she strided to the changed doctor.
CANDICE
Humphris! I oughtta-
DR. HUMPHRIS
Please stop, there is nothing you cannot do to me that this experiment hasn’t already. Pay close attention.
Candice stopped; her eyes were focused on Humphris then took in her body growing wide in horror at the sight of her malformed hind legs with bone sticking through her skin.
DR. HUMPHRIS
Not all of us were meant for our true form.
Yanny sauntered into the room upon hearing his sons return.
MITCHEL
Dad! How’s Mom?
MR. REDBONE
She’s asleep now the seizures have stopped for now.
Mitchel turned to Candice.
MITCHEL
Things are bad, please save Jesse and end this.
CANDICE
Tell me what to do Doc!
Dr. Humphris directed Candice to the control panel of the siphon, directing her, the wires in the ceiling disconnected from the helmet, sending it falling from Jesse’s head on to the ground with a THUD!
MITCHEL
Alright! When do we start changing back Humphris.
DR. HUMPHRIS
If this machine was the cause of the transformation it would be instantaneous.
MITCHEL
It wasn’t?
DR. HUMPHRIS
I had my suspicions but they were not confirmed until I saw Candice here in her Pierce form. If the Siphon machine truly contaminated the air then every other race would have reverted back to their human form.
CANDICE
But we didn’t.
DR. HUMPHRIS
So Magdalyn just needed the Megawolf energy to jumpstart her own transformation.
MITCHEL
You’re saying that she’s forced all of us skinwalkers to transform, with what, her mind?
DR. HUMPHRIS
She is the first skinwalker, her powers may be beyond comprehension.
MITCHEL
Well this sucks!
CANDICE
I know what I have to do.
Candice bit her wrist, opened a vein and put it in front of Jesse’s mouth.
CANDICE
I’m his sire, my blood can heal him.
DR. HUMPHRIS
Are you mad, he’s a Megawaolf, he can drain you dry!
CANDICE
I got him into this, whether I wanted to or not. Fair is fair.
Jesse’s energy returned, his eyes glowed as he sucked away with no thought until Candice grew pale and collapsed, the sound of her body hitting floor snapped Jesse out of his fuge state, seeing her unconscious on the ground then connecting her bloody wrist with the blood all over his moth and clothes sent him in a rage, immediately turning into the Megawolf.
MITCHEL
HEY!
Megawolf Jesse turned to the giant wolf snarling.
MITCHEL
I know this looks bad but if you go postal right now then she died for nothing. We need you to go after the big bad wolf, understand.
The Megawolf turned up his head, howling into the night.
The Drewniverse 44 