Core Wolf

The first light of dawn crept over the horizon as Kenneth and Max made their way through the city's quieter streets. The full moon had finally released its hold on them, and for the first time in hours, Kenneth felt a sense of calm. The wild energy that had surged through him all night was fading, but the lingering effects of his transformation were undeniable. He was different now, and he needed answers.

Frank was waiting for them in an empty parking lot near an old diner. His arms were crossed, his expression a mix of frustration and relief as he spotted the two approaching figures.

"You guys look like hell," Frank muttered as they got closer. "And you—" He pointed at Kenneth. "You better start talking."

Kenneth smirked. "Good to see you too."

Frank sighed, rubbing his temples. "Just tell me what's going on. I've been stuck piecing together whatever I could while you two played 'Escape from the Hunters.'"

Max leaned against a rusted lamppost, exhaling slowly. "We should talk inside."

The three of them entered the diner, taking a booth near the back. The place was nearly empty, save for a tired waitress pouring coffee for the only other patron. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed with fried food, grounding Kenneth back into reality after the chaos of the night.

--

Max stirred the coffee in front of him but didn't drink it. "Alright. You want answers?" He glanced at Kenneth. "What happened to you last night—it wasn't normal."

Frank leaned forward. "No kidding. His eyes are still red."

Kenneth tensed, but Max nodded. "That's because he's not just a werewolf. He's something more."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

Max sighed, choosing his words carefully. "There's an old legend about wolves who don't just transform under the full moon—they evolve past it. They call them Core Wolves. Beings that exist beyond the limits of normal lycanthropy. They're stronger, faster, and silver doesn't affect them."

Kenneth frowned. "That sounds exactly like what happened to me."

Max nodded. "Because it is. You've awakened something rare, something almost unheard of. And the fact that you didn't even know about it means this wasn't just some random mutation. Someone—something—made you this way."

Frank tapped the table. "So, what? Kenneth's some kind of ultimate werewolf?"

"It's not that simple," Max replied. "A Core Wolf isn't just powerful. They're a disruption. Every pack, every hunter, every creature that knows about werewolves is going to be watching him now."

Kenneth exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Just what I needed."

Frank shook his head. "Well, what do we do now?"

Max leaned back in the booth. "For now? Nothing. We lay low. They'll come looking for us, but we can't fight an army—not yet."

Kenneth sighed, the weight of the night finally settling on his shoulders. "Then I'm going home. I need sleep, real food, and maybe a day where I'm not being shot at."

Frank chuckled. "Yeah, same."

Max nodded. "Get some rest. But be ready. This isn't over."

--

Kenneth trudged back to his apartment, feeling the exhaustion finally catch up with him. The night had been long, filled with blood, revelations, and battles he hadn't asked for. As he collapsed onto his bed, he let out a deep breath, staring at the ceiling.

His phone buzzed. A message from Frank.

Frank: You still alive?

Kenneth: Barely. But yeah.

Frank: Good. Because if you die, I'm taking all your stuff.

Kenneth chuckled, setting the phone down. It was good to have something normal, even for a second. But deep down, he knew that normal wasn't something he could afford anymore.

--

Meanwhile, in the campus cafeteria, Jessa, Jason, Mariah, Reddric, and Lena sat around their usual table, but the mood was different. The energy was tense, clouded by an unspoken worry that no one wanted to voice first. Kenneth had been missing for too long, and Frank was acting off—distant, secretive. And that silence was starting to crack.

Mariah tapped her foot impatiently, arms crossed tightly. "Something's wrong," she said, her voice strained. "I know something's wrong."

Jason sighed. "Mariah, you've been saying that for days. I mean, yeah, it's weird, but maybe Kenneth's just—"

"He hasn't answered me, Jason," Mariah snapped, slamming her hands onto the table. Her frustration bubbled over into anger, but beneath that, there was something deeper—fear. "Not one text, not one call. Kenneth would never just disappear like this."

Jessa leaned in, her expression serious. "And Frank?"

Mariah shook her head. "He's hiding something. Every time I try to ask about Kenneth, he shuts me down or makes up some excuse."

Lena adjusted her glasses. "Maybe he's just protecting him. If Kenneth's in trouble, Frank might not be able to say anything."

Reddric frowned. "That's not an excuse to leave us in the dark. We're their friends too."

Mariah's voice wavered slightly. "What if Kenneth isn't okay? What if something happened to him?"

Jason exchanged a glance with Jessa. "Then we find out what," he said firmly. "If Frank won't talk, we'll follow him. He has to slip up eventually."

Mariah nodded, but the unease in her stomach didn't fade. Something was wrong. And she was going to find out what.

--

Meanwhile, deep in the headquarters of the Silver Cross Order, a group of hunters gathered in a dimly lit chamber. Screens displayed security footage from the failed capture, showing Kenneth tearing through their forces like a force of nature.

Donovan, the field leader, stood with his arms crossed. "We underestimated him."

A woman in a long black coat stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "No. We underestimated what he is."

Another hunter hesitated. "If he's a Core Wolf, we need to act fast. He could become unstoppable."

The woman smirked. "Then we break him before that happens."

Donovan turned to her. "What do you suggest?"

She met his gaze with cold certainty. "We take everything from him. Friends, family—his sense of security. We make him fear us."

A younger hunter at the table hesitated. "But if we push too hard, won't we just make him more dangerous?"

The woman's smirk widened. "That's the idea."

The room fell silent.

Then Donovan nodded. "Send the orders. We hunt at dawn."