Trust

"Mama," Dodie Rae said, unease shredding her voice, as she pointed toward the Brothers Four, now in human form, still towering over her driveway like Roman Gods guarding an empire.

"I see them," Bay Lynn said, scanning the men individually, searching for Will. "But I can't tell them apart, Cher."

"Me either," Dodie Rae said, her eyes widening.

Each man's ethereal, god-like presence sent an unmistakable shiver through her. All four of them had their hands clasped together at the waists, which, with their synchronous movements, gave them a most unnatural demeanor as if they were one entity divided into four equal parts. Even now, she could see them blinking in unison and breathing together in a cadence that matched the pulse of the night air.

Bay Lynn could hear the Alpha's whisper but could not identify the head of this pack.

Will stepped forward finally, followed at once by the other three brothers. Their posture was rigid and unyielding, and their air was one of military precision.

Dodie Rae instinctively slipped the gearshift into reverse and set her senses on high alert.

"Wait, Cher," Bay Lynn said, noticing the men's faces gathering moonlight as if they were guardians of secrets best left buried. "Let's see what they want," she said, turning her attention to her granddaughter.

"Do you trust them, Mama?" Dodie Rae asked.

"I think we should, Cher," she said, touching her granddaughter's hand to solidify her trust.

"Okay, Mama," she said, placing the gearshift back into the park. "Let's see what they have to offer."

Once they stepped outside, the Brothers moved as one toward them, their faces void of all emotion. Each feature is identical perfection at its finest. My god, they are beautiful, Dodie Rae thought. At once, all four men's eyes shifted to her.

"What do you want?" Bay Lynn asked, and all eyes shifted back to her.

"We need to talk," Will said, his voice low and steady. "Riley is on his way as we speak."

His words hung between them like an electrical force field, snapping with deadly currents, all ready to ignite.

"Riley?" Bay Lynn repeated, unsure if she wanted to hear more.

"Yes," Will continued. "As we speak, Riley is at the diner fathering a pack of his own. His undeniable thirst for power has put you two in grave danger. We see his movements, and they are deliberate and austere. Time may still be on our side, as we believe his new family has not yet become like him."

Dodie Rae hurried to her grandmother's side, her heart pounding like ceremonial war drums. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I think it means he's making a new breed of werewolves, but they haven't changed just yet, Cher," said Bay Lynn.

"Riley has yet to speak to you of his intentions. But he needs you to join him." Will said, glancing at his brothers, who nodded in agreement. "If you decide to join him, we will all be consumed by his obsession."

"And if we don't?" Bay Lynn asked.

"You both will die," Will said. "Join us, and let us bring this madness to an end."

The Brothers Four were a mystery, their intentions now clear. But without knowing their reputation, Bay Lynn wondered if she could trust any of them, even Will. "What's in it for you?" Bay Lynn demanded, now clearly out of patience.

"Freedom and survival. There's a lot at stake," Will responded, his voice clear and steady. "Riley has his sights on you, and if he succeeds..."

"Then what?" Dodie Rae interrupted, her voice rising. "What happens to us?"

Will hesitated before answering. "If he gets what he desires, he'll take everything from you, and everyone will lose their freedom. Riley's mind is no longer stable, and he wishes to create an army that will eventually invade and take over the world. We can not allow this to happen."

A plan started taking shape in Bay Lynn's mind, but she needed more than vague warnings. She had to understand what they were up against. "If he can't hurt us as long as we're with you, then we have nothing to fear. It seems like the only recourse that makes sense is for us to fight alongside you and your brothers."

"Bravery isn't enough." One of the other brothers spoke up, stepping forward, his eyes red and angry. "You need to get your shit together and join us now!"

It became clear to Bay Lynn that this was Henry speaking, as his mannerisms matched those at the diner. "How do we do that, Henry?" she asked, her voice steadying as she embraced what was to come.

Will glanced towards the edge of the forest bordering their property and said, "We'll gather intel and show you how to locate and track his movements, then attack his newly formed pack and remove the opposition. But we must move quickly before he expands his family."

"Remove the opposition?" Bay Lynn asked. "You mean we kill the innocents Riley has bitten before they turn?"

"Yes," Will said.

"Is it possible to get them to join us?" she asked empathetically.

"I'm afraid not. Riley's blood already links them."

"And he is linked to mine," Bay Lynn said. "Is there a way I can control Riley?"

"Yes!" Will said. "I believe this is a possibility, and my brothers and I hope this will be his Achilles heel. He thinks of you as his maker, his mother even. He also believes himself to be the father of his new pack.

Dodie Rae shuddered at the prospect of facing Riley. The situation felt so suddenly impossible. "Can't we stay here and fortify our surroundings?"

"Shhh!" Bay Lynn hissed, turning her focus toward the trees. Immediately, Will moved ahead of Bay Lynn and her granddaughter, followed by his brothers.

A muffled growl eased into the night. The Brothers Four hardened, their eyes sharpening as they focused beyond the tree line.

"Get in the car!" one of the other brothers howled as he began to transform. "We have to go...now!"

Before Bay Lynn could open her door, a man's laughter rustled through the darkness, eerily familiar. "Why so hasty?" Riley's voice drifted toward them, smooth and taunting as if he were standing beside them instead of lurking somewhere in the dark. "I thought we might reunite, Mother."

Bay Lynn's breaths halted as terror forced its way into her core. A massive figure emerged from the darkness, commanding attention and embracing the moon's glow, illuminating his sinister, razor-sharp grin.

"Hello, Riley," she said, steadying her gaze as she pushed through the front of her protectors.

He raised his hands, palms facing her in a gesture of supplication and innocence. But she had caught the reflected glint of something that registered as sharp and metallic in her mind as it flashed in the moonlight. Could he be hiding a weapon on his back? A deadly silver spear?

"We have much to discuss, Mother," he said with a menacing undertow.

Dodie Rae quickly joined her grandmother, grasping her hand, and said, "Let's go, Mama."

"Stay back," Will ordered, his voice urgent and clear. "Make no sudden movements, and do not engage." Tension wrapped around Bay Lynn's throat like a noose as she fought to stabilize her breathing. Riley was now a force of chaos. Did they dare gamble everything on a desperate play now? Bay Lynn thought.

"There is no need to be scared," Riley called out. This lie was downright insulting. "Let's finalize our little arrangement. Or should I say… your fate?"

A flash of movement caught Bay Lynn's eye. Something was approaching at lightning speed, bringing its reality into focus so instantly that Bay Lynn hardly had time to process what was happening.

"RUN!" Will shouted as Riley lunged forward. His maniacal laughter reverberated against the walls of the night. Suddenly, his presence materialized into a blaring siren of proximate danger.

Bay Lynn and Dodie Rae fled toward the car, with the remnants of Riley's malevolent words still ringing in their ears. They were uncertain if they would escape the storm that was Riley or fall prey to the realities of Will's prediction.