Kenneth stood at the edge of a deserted alley, gripping a stolen burner phone tightly in his hand. The full moon still hung high in the sky, its glow reflecting off his crimson eyes. He inhaled sharply, forcing his heartbeat to slow. He needed to focus.
With a quick tap, he dialed Frank's number. The phone rang twice before a groggy, irritated voice answered.
"Kenneth?" Frank's voice was thick with sleep. "Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I—"
"No time for that," Kenneth interrupted. "I need your help."
Frank was silent for a moment, but when he spoke again, his tone was alert. "What happened?"
"I escaped," Kenneth said. "And I know where Max is. But I need backup."
Frank hesitated. "Kenneth, you just got out. Shouldn't we—"
"They have Max," Kenneth snapped. "I don't have time to wait."
Frank exhaled sharply. "Where are you?"
Kenneth glanced around. "Near the old train station. But listen, I don't need you to fight. I need intel. If I go in blind, we might both get killed."
Frank muttered a curse. "Alright. Give me five minutes. Stay put."
--
Kenneth paced while waiting, his body thrumming with excess energy. The full moon had supercharged him, but it also made it harder to stay still. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to breathe evenly. Max is waiting. You need to be smart.
Frank called back quicker than expected. "Okay. I pulled up some old blueprints on the abandoned church. It's big, three floors, and there's only one main entrance. But—"
Kenneth sighed. "There's always a but."
"There's a high chance they've reinforced it," Frank continued. "And if Max is still alive, they'll have him deep inside, probably underground."
Kenneth's jaw tightened. "That means I need to move fast."
"I also hacked into some surveillance feeds. There's at least a dozen guards on patrol. Plus, if they captured Max, they have weapons meant for werewolves."
Kenneth smirked. "Won't work on me."
Frank hesitated. "Right. About that… Kenneth, we need to talk about what's happening to you."
"Later," Kenneth said firmly. "Right now, I just need you to tell me the best way in."
Frank sighed. "Alright. There's an old maintenance tunnel that leads into the basement. It's risky, but it'll get you inside unnoticed. Once you're in, you'll need to move fast before they realize you're there."
Kenneth grinned. "That's all I needed to hear."
"Kenneth—"
"Yeah?"
"Don't die," Frank muttered. "I still need someone to make fun of."
Kenneth chuckled. "I'll try my best."
--
The abandoned church loomed in the darkness, its crumbling stone walls bathed in the moon's glow. Kenneth crouched near the tunnel entrance, inhaling deeply. He could smell them—guards, sweat, and the sharp metallic tang of silver. His enhanced senses picked up the faint murmurs of conversation inside, the click of weapons being loaded. They were ready for a fight.
Good. So was he.
Slipping into the tunnel, Kenneth moved swiftly, his steps silent. The underground passage reeked of damp earth and rot, but he ignored it. His pulse was steady, his mind focused. He had one goal—get Max out, no matter what. As he emerged into the basement, he pressed against the shadows, listening.
A faint noise—breathing. Labored, weak.
Max.
Kenneth moved quickly, following the scent of blood. He found Max chained to a chair, his body battered and bruised. His breathing was shallow, but his eyes flickered open as Kenneth approached.
"Kenneth?" Max rasped. "What are you doing here?"
Kenneth smirked. "Saving you. We are one and the same."
Max's lips curled into a weak grin. "Right."
Kenneth made quick work of the restraints, snapping the chains like they were nothing. The silver that had once burned him didn't even leave a mark. Max noticed.
Max groaned as he tried to stand, but Kenneth caught him before he could fall. "You good?"
Max exhaled sharply. "I've been worse." Then, his gaze locked onto Kenneth's eyes. He froze.
"…Your eyes," he whispered.
Kenneth furrowed his brows. "What about them?"
Max inhaled sharply. "They're red. Fully red."
Kenneth tensed. He hadn't seen his reflection, but this wasn't the first time someone had pointed it out. Before he could question Max, footsteps pounded down the hall.
--
The door burst open. Guards. Four of them, rifles raised.
"There he is!" one of them shouted. "Take him down!"
Kenneth barely had time to react before silver bullets tore through the air. Instinctively, he shielded Max. The bullets struck him—his chest, his shoulder, his arm.
Then… nothing.
Kenneth blinked, looking down at his wounds. The bullets hadn't embedded in his flesh. They had barely scratched the surface before falling uselessly to the floor.
Max's eyes widened. "Kenneth…"
Kenneth looked back up, the realization clicking into place. Silver no longer hurts me.
The guards hesitated. "That's—That's not possible."
Kenneth grinned. "Oh, it is."
Before they could react, he moved—a blur of motion. He was on the first guard in an instant, yanking the rifle from his hands and slamming him into the wall with enough force to crack the plaster. The second tried to fire, but Kenneth was faster, grabbing the barrel and bending it with his bare hands. The third raised a baton, swinging for Kenneth's head, but Kenneth caught it mid-air, the silver plating doing nothing to him.
Max, still weak, watched the fight unfold with a mix of awe and horror. He had known Kenneth was strong—but this? This was something else. Something more.
Kenneth took down the last guard with a brutal kick to the ribs, sending him skidding across the floor. The hallway fell silent except for their ragged breathing.
--
They pushed forward, moving through the corridors. More guards waited for them—Kenneth tore through them like a force of nature. Some tried to fight, others tried to flee. None succeeded.
By the time they reached the exit, alarms blared, red lights flashing overhead. The remaining hunters gathered outside, blocking their only escape route.
Max cursed. "There's too many."
Kenneth's smirk returned. "Not for me."
Before Max could protest, Kenneth charged forward. The hunters unleashed everything they had—bullets, blades, even silver gas canisters. None of it worked. Kenneth tore through their defenses, knocking them aside as if they were nothing.
Finally, they reached the cover of the trees. The church faded into the distance.
--
Max stopped, yanking Kenneth back. "Your eyes. Your strength. The silver. That shouldn't be possible."
Kenneth exhaled. "You know what's happening to me?"
Max nodded. "Yeah. According to legend, you're a core-wolf. But this isn't the time to explain."
Kenneth's eyes glowed brighter. "They won't stop coming."
Max sighed. "Then we hit them first."
Kenneth grinned. "Now you're speaking my language."
As the full moon shone overhead, two wolves vanished into the night.