“Not now, Max. He’s watching.”

Max pivoted around the room searching for his enemy.

“The chains!” She rattled her arms, bringing his attention back to her.

Max reached above her head, grabbed the links with both hands and with his feet braced against the wall pulled with all his weight. Surprisingly the bolt gave slightly.

“Hurry.”

Max yanked again, bringing small chunks of cement down on her head.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Gorman stood at the top of the stairs with a gun in his hand.

Max stopped and placed his body in front of her. Janet froze.

“Let’s take this outside,” Max suggested.

“And miss the expression on her face when the sun sets? I don’t think so.” Gorman slowly moved down the steps. “I don’t think Miss O’Brien has any clue as to who she’s been sleeping with.”

“What is he talking about?” Janet asked.

Gorman laughed and continued toward them. “This is so much better than I imagined it would be. Thank you for suggesting you join us, Ritter. I look forward to seeing the light in her eyes fade when you turn.”

“She’s mine.” Max backed into her, his hands were at his side. Janet felt the outline of something hard press against her stomach. She remembered the gun he held at her house, and knew he was trying to guide her to his weapon. She renewed her struggle with the chains.

“Back away.” Gorman waved his gun in the air.

Max didn’t move.

“I said, back away.”

“By the time your gun can do me harm, you won’t be able to use it.”

“Ah, but it will work on her.”

Janet searched the eyes of an insane man, at the same time tugging against the chains.

“You’ll have to get through me first.” Max flattened his frame against hers, her view of Gorman cut off.

Suddenly both men glanced out the window above her head. The last rays of the sun melted.

“It looks like you’re going to get your fight after all, Ritter.” Gorman tossed his gun to the floor.

Max wheeled around to her. “Trust me,” he said, before dropping to the ground.

Everything moved in slow motion. Janet stared on in deep horror as both men hit the floor of the basement. Angry sounds of bones popping and clothes tearing filled the room. Unable to look away, Janet gaped as Max’s head changed shape, and hair grew all over his face and hands. His neck shook and ears emerged. His clothes fell away from his half-human form.

She wanted to scream but the sound never came. Snarling, Max emerged from the transformation in less than a minute. Leaping out of the rags which only a moment ago were his clothes, he attacked Gorman who wasn’t completely turned.

Dumbfounded, Janet watched as her lover turned from man to wolf. Rex. Her head started to swirl and her eyes wanted to close. If she hadn’t seen it, she would never have believe it.

Max was a wolf, and he was viciously fighting Gorman who had also changed.

Outside the howls of others filled her with dread. More were coming.

She snapped out of her trance, and with renewed energy heaved and yanked against the wall, this time climbing it with her feet and using every last ounce of strength she had to free herself.

The wall started to give. She screamed in rage and yanked over and over. Blood started to fill her hands as the chain dug into her wrists. With one final shrill, the bolt gave way. She fell to the floor, the chain dangling from her arms.

Ferocious growls came from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder; Max in his silver coat had Gorman pinned to the ground. Gorman yelped, his gaze turned and settled on her.

With one eye on the barking animals, Janet scurried to where Max’s clothes sat in a pile. She shuffled through them until she found the gun.

It was cold and foreign in her unsteady hands. She pointed it toward her enemy, but Max stood over him. Afraid of missing Gorman and hitting Max, she aimed the gun at the ceiling and squeezed the trigger.

The blast landed her on her butt. Parts of the house above her rained down. Both wolves stopped their attack. Max backed up to stand between her and Gorman, his teeth bared, his snarl threatening.

Gorman wasted no time and lunged at them both. With a clear view, Janet leveled the gun again, this time aiming at the enemy.

The shot ran home, catching Gorman in mid air. Janet rolled on the ground to avoid his dead weight.

Shaking, Janet dropped the gun and watched as wolf turned into man. With one final breath, Gorman stared at her with hate in his eyes.

Her hand wiped at her tears, clearing her vision. Howls returned from above. Max nudged her hand with his nose. Janet drew back from his touch.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she cried, pushing Max away.

Max backed up, the barks outside grew louder. He bounded up the steps only to reappear in a few seconds.

He barked in warning and nudged the gun back to her side.

“There are more of you? Aren’t there?”

Max let out another bark in answer.

Janet jumped to her feet, the chain still keeping her hands close together. She took the gun, glanced at the dead man by her side and started to move.

Max hurled himself in front of her. The house was vacant of any furniture, not one light shone to guide her. Max grabbed the dangling chain and led her out of the house.

Outside the moon illuminated the landscape, giving her the light she needed to see where to go. His Ferrari was parked with the engine still running, the driver side door opened.

Barks and howls sang from every direction. Scared, Janet ran toward the safety of the car. As she rounded the hood, another wolf, this one black and larger than Max, stared at her and blocked the way. Without thinking, Janet aimed the gun at the animal and fired.

She missed, but the wolf backed off. She inched closer to the door, never looking away from the red eyes that stared at her.

Standing by the door of the car, she yelled at Max. “Get in!”

Snarls and yelps came from behind her. Max shook his head and stepped back.

“What are you doing? Get in.”

He shook his head again, this time he pushed at her leg with his head.

His blue eyes swirled with grey.

Out of nowhere, the black wolf pounced on Max. Needing no further encouragement Janet jumped into the car and slammed the door.

Another wolf landed on the hood bringing a scream from her throat. Jolting the car into reverse, Janet punched the gas and squealed out of the dirt driveway.

The lights of the car hit Max and his newest enemy. Beyond them through the light of the moon, she saw them all. Black, white, grey and brown, wolves of every imaginable size and shape were everywhere.