The Price of Blood

The Arrival at the Station

The streetlights flickered as Brendon dragged Drago through the doors of the police station.

The air was thick with tension. Officers froze mid-conversation, eyes widening as they took in the scene before them.

Brendon's fur was stained with blood—some his own, most belonging to the thugs he had taken down. His shirt was torn at the shoulder, revealing deep scratches that had barely begun to clot. His knuckles were bruised, raw from the brawl.

But it wasn't just his condition that stunned the officers.

It was the man in handcuffs behind him.

Drago.

Leader of the notorious Hunters gang. The one whose name sent chills down the spines of both officers and criminals alike.

Murmurs spread like wildfire.

"Is that…?"

"No way—"

"What the hell happened out there?"

Chief Tyson stormed out of his office, his expression a mix of confusion and alarm. His thick brown fur bristled as he took in the sight of Brendon and his captive.

His voice boomed.

**"Brendon! What the hell is the leader of the Hunters doing here—and more importantly, why is he in handcuffs?"

Brendon smirked, dropping Drago onto the bench near the processing desk. He cracked his neck, feeling the soreness settle into his bones.

"Well, boss," he said, "this guy turned himself in to me. Plus, he tried to bribe me. That's quite a charge, don't you think?"

Drago chuckled, leaning back casually despite the cuffs binding his wrists. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement.

"Yeah, sir," he said smoothly, "I'd like to have a little chat with you."

That sinister smirk sent a chill down Brendon's spine.

Tyson scowled, rubbing his temples. "Son of a— Fine. Get him to my office. Now."

Brendon gave a nod, stretching out his sore limbs. "He's all yours, boss."

As officers led Drago away, Brendon caught one last glimpse of the gang leader. Drago grinned at him. A grin that meant he was up to something.

Brendon didn't like it. Not one bit.

But for now, he had other matters to handle.

---

Meeting Judith

Brendon found Judith Kay in the records room, her gray fur slightly ruffled, hands fidgeting. He was looking for her, as he wanted to know the incident in detail.

She looked nervous.

Brendon knew prey species sometimes had a natural fear of predators, but this felt different. Was it because of his bloodstained condition? Or was there something else?

He softened his tone. "Ms. Kay, calm yourself down, please. What are you afraid of?"

She swallowed, looking away.

Brendon sighed. He had to ease her mind. "Hey, how about I take you for lunch at that nearby café? Might help you relax."

Judith blinked, hesitating before nodding. "Y-yeah. That sounds nice."

---

At the Café

The warm scent of coffee and grilled food filled the air.

Brendon ordered a burger for Judith, then lit a cigarette instead of ordering food for himself.

Judith raised an eyebrow. "Not eating?"

Brendon exhaled a puff of smoke. "Not hungry."

She hesitated at first, but as she ate, she slowly relaxed.

After finishing, she sighed. "I'm sorry, Sheriff. I was just… a little shaken earlier."

Brendon waved it off. "Forget it. Now, tell me what happened yesterday when you and Bronson were on patrol? How did you find Lewis? What actually happened to him? And was there any sign of the attacker around there?"

Judith nodded, voice lowering. "Bronson was the one who found Lewis first."

Brendon frowned. "Bronson?"

She continued. "Lewis was… in a bad state. Whoever attacked him used a sharp knife—his belly was practically slashed open."

Brendon clenched his jaw. That wasn't just an attack. It was meant to kill.

She added, "But the most confusing part is that there was no one around with such object. There was no sign of the attacker. As if he just disappeared into thin air."

Brendon's phone buzzed suddenly.

It is Robert.

"Brendon, I found the package."

Brendon's brows furrowed. "And?"

"It's addressed from Drago… but the recipient's name is missing. Instead, there's some weird symbol."

Brendon's heart pounded. "Describe it."

"A man tied to a wheel, tortured, bones broken."

Brendon exhaled sharply. That wasn't random.

That symbol meant something.

"Bring it back to the station. I'll check it myself."

---

Visit to the Tech Department

Brendon found Sofie hunched over her desk, screens glowing in front of her.

"Got anything on the chat between Bradley and Jacob?"

Sofie sighed. "Still working on it."

Brendon exhaled. "And anything on the Redfur lead?"

Sofie shook her head. "No luck."

Brendon leaned forward. "I have a suggestion."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Brendon lit another cigarette. "Before death, people try to leave clues about their killer. It's always a name or something symbolic."

Sofie nodded. "Go on."

Brendon continued, "Jacob said 'Redfur' before dying. The term 'fur' is important. That means you can exclude humans. Focus only on Anthros and Hybrids who have fur."

Sofie's eyes widened. "That actually helps a lot."

She cracked her knuckles. "I'll filter the results."

Brendon smirked. "Good. One more thing. Did you get the addresses of the other boys?"

Sofie nodded. "Yep. Sending them to you now."

Sofie's text popped up on Brendon's phone as he drove.

Sofie:

Addresses of the boys:

Isaac Backer – 4212 Silverpine Lane, Apartment 5B

James Warrick – 1893 Rustwood Avenue, Unit 3

Brendon narrowed his eyes.

Silverpine Lane was in a quieter part of town, mostly rented apartments and student housing. Seemed like Isaac was either living alone or sharing a place with someone.

Rustwood Avenue, on the other hand, was closer to the industrial district. The area had a rough reputation. If James lived there, he might be in deeper trouble than the others.

Brendon sighed, pulling into the hospital parking lot.

One thing at a time.

Lewis first. Then he'd pay Isaac and James a visit.

---

To the Hospital

Brendon exhaled, rubbing his temple. So much was unfolding at once.

Drago had turned himself in, but for what reason?

The symbol on the package—who was it meant for?

And most importantly—who the hell was Redfur?

As he drove toward the hospital, the pieces slowly began forming a pattern.

And Brendon knew—

He was getting closer to the truth.