The wolf among us

The Party

As we neared the grand mansion, half expecting the welcome party to jump out at us and sa-my eyes flitting about my surroundings despite my best efforts-I tugged anxiously on my gown and startled at long shadows stretching away from high spiky towers dotting the twilight. Beside me, my husband Jack walked, his own affable smile taut about the edges. He'd changed after that camping trip last summer. Distant, almost. And the scar, a twist of a reminder on his leg that he would never talk about.

He said, "Oh don't worry about it," when I had pushed him. "It's not that bad."

But I did worry. How could I not? Now more than ever with all the recent stories about individuals missing from our city.

We entered the ballroom, the music and buzz of voices momentarily filling the air and making my anxiety as if it was loosening slightly. The celebration was in full swing, the gold of the decorations glittering against the light. Yet, my eyes kept drifting to Jack, his face illuminated by the glow, but his eyes seemed darker, more guarded.

The Incident

As the hours passed, I tried to distract myself from thoughts of Jack and allow myself to enjoy the festivites. Then, out of nowhere the lights turned off. An audible gasp filled the room, and confusion spread with a flurry of whispers. My heart pounded in terror as I stumbled around the dark.

Almost as suddenly as they had gone out, the lights snapped back on just in time to illuminate a grisly sight — a corpse has fallen to the floor of the room. Through the air was terror and disbelief before pandemonium broke out everyone shouted and screamed. One by one, the guests had begun to disappear, their absence almost unreal beneath all the chaos.

The Search

In all the confusion, I tried to make my way back to where I thought Jack was but couldn’t find him. I began to panic. “Jack!” I shouted, elbowing my through the frantic crowd. My mind was racing with terrible possibilities: Where was he? Was he hurt?

I wandered through the house while every room seemed to be filled with wails and screams for help. My vision was so blurred from the faces that rushed past me and fear grabbed at my throat whenever the sound grew nearer. So that once great party was now a terrifying labyrinth of shadows.

The Revelation

As I searched, it became clear that the police were powerless to help us. The mansion's security was too tight, trapping us inside with whatever horror lurked in the darkness. The guests continued to disappear until, finally, I was alone.

And then, I saw it—the beast, emerging from the shadows. Its sharp teeth glinted under the dim lights, and it moved with a predatory grace. But it was the watch on its wrist that caught my eye, a familiar timepiece gleaming dully. My breath caught in my throat.

It was Jack's watch.

Understanding crashed over me like a wave. The scar, the camping trip, the disappearances—it had been him all along. My beloved husband had become this monster, this werewolf.

The Confrontation

I stood frozen with fear as the beast advanced, its eyes filled with an evil intent I had never seen in Jack's before. My mind screamed at me to run, to hide, but my body refused to obey. The creature, my husband, towered over me, a terrifying mix of the familiar and the monstrous.

"Jack," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Please..."

But there was no recognition in those eyes, no hint of the man I loved. The beast snarled, a low, menacing sound that sent shivers down my spine.

In that moment, as it prepared to strike, I realized the truth—there was no saving him. Jack was gone, replaced by this nightmare. And there was no escaping it.