Chapter 11: Night Howl

I got home with Lila, the walk from school feeling longer than it should. The house sat quiet when we stepped inside. Ryan wasn’t back yet from work. Lila dropped her bag by the door and stretched.

“Want something to eat?” she asked.

“Maybe later,” I said. “I’m wiped.”

We decided to rest. I went up to my room and crashed on the bed. The ceiling fan spun slowly above me. School had been a lot. New faces, new rules. I closed my eyes for a bit, letting the day settle. Down the hall, Lila’s music played soft through her door.

Ryan came home a couple hours later. The front door clicked open, and his keys hit the table. I headed downstairs with Lila. He looked tired but smiled when he saw us.

“How was the first day?” he asked, kicking off his boots.

“Met a couple people. Biology class wasn’t bad. The halls are crazy busy though.” I said.

Ryan nodded, grabbing a glass of water. “Good. No trouble?”

“None,” Lila said. “I stayed with my group mostly.”

We talked more at the table. After dinner, we cleaned up together. Ryan gave a few more tips on blending in, then headed to bed early.

Later that night, I lay awake in my room. The clock glowed 9:47. I suddenly remembered what Mike told me at school today. That story about a wolf in the school hallways. I tried to shove it off my mind. Nothing real. But it stuck. What if it was something? My wolf side stirred a little at the thought.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. A text from Mike. “Already on my way. Meet at the side gate. Are you coming?”

I stared at the screen. It was just a rumor check. Nothing big. And if it turned out to be true, I was also a wolf. I could handle any little wolf without Mike catching on. He wouldn’t know the difference. I texted back quickly. “On my way.”

I got up from the bed slowly. The floor creaked once under my foot. I froze, listening. Nothing. I eased my door open and checked Lila’s room first. Her light was off. She slept curled up, breathing steady. Good. Next, Ryan’s door. Same thing. Dark and quiet. He needed the rest after work.

I slipped downstairs, avoiding the squeaky step and opened the front door smoothly. Cool night air hit my face. I pulled it shut behind me, hoping I’d be back soon. No one would know.

The walk to school felt different in the dark. Streets empty, streetlights buzzing. My shoes scuffed the sidewalk. Mike waited outside the side gate when I got there, phone light on low.

“What took you so long?” he asked, keeping his voice down.

“Was doing something at home,” I lied. “Had to wait till it was clear.”

He nodded. “Alright. Let’s do this.”

We turned on our phone flashlights. The beams cut through the dark. Mike went first at the fence. I gave him a boost over, then climbed it myself. Metal felt cold under my hands. We dropped down inside. The school grounds looked huge at night. Shadows stretched long from the buildings.

Inside the main hallway, it was dead quiet. Lockers lined both sides like silent soldiers. Our lights bounced off the shiny floors. The air smelled like floor cleaner and old books.

“What now?” I asked Mike.

“We search around,” he said. “We’ll find the wolf if it’s here.”

I stopped walking. “You expecting us to check the whole school? This place is massive.”

Mike grinned a little. “Don’t worry. I know the ins and outs. Been here long enough. Shortcuts, side rooms. It’ll be fine and quick.”

We moved deeper. Our whispers echoed anyway. I started feeling frustrated. This was stupid. Sneaking in for ghost stories.

“This is crazy,” I said after a few minutes. “We could get caught easily.”

Mike shot back. “You scared or something? You came, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but not to wander forever,” I replied. “We check a bit and go.”

He stopped and faced me. “Look, if you want to bail, fine. But I thought you were up for it, we haven't even used up to ten minutes.”

The argument heated up quick. Our voices got louder than they should. “I didn’t sign up for a full tour,” I said.

Mike rolled his eyes. “Then why text back? Go home if you’re that worried.”

We kept at it, words flying back and forth. Then a figure shifted down the hallway. Something big moved fast across the far end. Just a blur in the dark.

Mike froze. “Did you see that?”

I stayed silent. My heart picked up.

We started moving toward it slowly. Flashlights shaking a little in our hands. The hallway stretched ahead. Lockers, doors, all closed.

The figure passed again. Bigger this time. Faster than any normal wolf. It crossed like a shadow with muscle.

“Holy shit,” Mike breathed. His phone dropped to the floor with a clatter.

I was shocked too. Never seen anything that size or that quick. My wolf instincts screamed. I covered Mike’s mouth fast. “Quiet,” I whispered hard.

Then I listened closely. Footsteps came toward us. Heavy and fast.

“Get up,” I told Mike. “It’s coming.”

We ran back toward the door we came through. The creature showed behind us now. Big shape gaining ground.

While running, I suddenly stopped. “Keep going,” I shouted at Mike.

He looked back, eyes wide. “Are you insane? Don’t you see that thing?”

“Go!” I yelled louder.

Mike didn’t wait. He turned and ran hard, disappearing toward the exit.

I faced the hallway alone. My blood pumped hot. I turned around quickly and howled like a wolf. The sound tore out of me. My eyes turned golden in the dark. Then I charged straight at it.

The thing answered with a loud roar that shook the entire lockers. This wasn’t some roar I used to hear. And the night had just gotten a lot more dangerous.