"You know there are two types of werewolves?"
Cora leaned back on the couch like she owned the whole building. Her legs were crossed. One arm stretched across the backrest. She had that look on her face. The one that said I know something you don't, and I'm going to enjoy telling you.
Mason was sitting in an armchair across from her. He had a book open on his lap but he wasn't reading it. His eyes were half closed.
"Why would there be two?" His voice was flat. Bored. "Werewolves are creatures that transform into wolves during the full moon. That's the whole thing. So which other type is there?"
Cora smirked.
"That's where you're wrong. And honestly? That's where most people are wrong. But I'm not most people."
Sera was on the floor, leaning against the couch. Her phone was in her hands. She wasn't looking up. But she was listening. You could tell by the way her thumbs stopped moving.
Derek sat on the other end of the couch from Cora. He had his staff across his lap. His eyes kept darting to the empty space beside him. Dr. Blackwood was there. Probably saying something annoying.
Lucian sat in a chair near the window. He wasn't doing anything. Just watching. Listening.
Cora continued.
"There are lycae and there are beastkin werewolves. The beastkin? They're not really werewolves. More like evolved animals. You know how beastkin come from that other realm? The one they call the Wild Hunt Realm?"
Mason turned a page he wasn't reading.
"Lame name," he said.
"Exactly." Cora pointed at him. "Thank you. Someone gets it. I don't know who named it, but they need to be fired. Or retired. Or both."
"The Feral Realm would have made more sense," Lucian said from the window.
Cora snapped her fingers.
"Yes. See? Lucian gets it. The Feral Realm. That's actually good. Has a ring to it. But no. Some old fogey centuries ago decided on Wild Hunt Realm and everyone just went along with it. No debate. No vote. Just... acceptance."
Sera finally looked up from her phone.
"You care a lot about a name."
"I care about accuracy," Cora said. "There's a difference."
Derek spoke up. His voice was quiet. "Dr. Blackwood says the Wild Hunt is an old legend. A ghostly procession across the sky. He says the name isn't random."
Cora waved her hand.
"Yeah, well, Dr. Blackwood is a ghost from the Victorian era. No offense to him, but his information might be a little outdated."
Dr. Blackwood's voice came through the air. Thin. Dry.
"I am never outdated. I am merely... classical."
Derek translated. "He says he's classical, not outdated."
"Same thing," Cora said.
"It is decidedly not the same thing."
Derek sighed. "He's offended."
Cora shrugged. "He'll get over it."
Mason closed his book.
"So what's the difference? Between lycae and beastkin. If they're both wolf things."
Cora sat up straighter. This was her moment.
"Beastkin are hybrids. Human and animal. They were born from... well, no one really knows. Some say humans interbred with supernatural animals. Some say they were cursed. Either way, they're common. You see them everywhere. Drivers. Maids. Bodyguards. They're strong, but not that strong."
She held up a finger.
"Lycae? Different story. Lycae are pure. They're Old Blood. One of the ancient races. They were created by... something. An Elohim, maybe. Or the world itself. They're guardians of the wild. They have three forms. Human. Wolf. And hybrid. And the hybrid form? Terrifying. Like, run-away-and-pray terrifying."
Mason raised an eyebrow.
"You've seen one?"
Cora's smirk faltered for just a second.
"No. But I've read about them."
Sera put her phone down completely.
"So they're like... super werewolves."
"Basically," Cora said. "They have pack links. Telepathy. They're stronger under the moon. Full moon makes them nearly invincible. And silver? It hurts them, but it won't kill them easily. You need pure silver. Or star-steel."
Derek looked uncomfortable.
"And the beastkin?"
Cora shrugged again.
"Beastkin? Silver kills them. Normal weapons kill them. They're tough, but not legendary. They don't have pack links. They don't have three forms. They're just... animal people."
Sera snorted.
"Animal people. That's the technical term?"
"For now," Cora said. "I'll work on a better one."
Mason rubbed his eyes.
"So why are we talking about werewolves?"
Cora opened her mouth to answer.
Then Lucian stood up.
Not slowly. Not casually. He was on his feet before anyone realized he had moved.
His head turned toward the window. His eyes weren't looking at anything in the room. They were looking through the glass. Through the campus. Through the evening light.
The room went quiet.
Cora's smirk disappeared.
"What?"
Lucian didn't answer.
His system was pinging. Soft. Insistent.
[NOTICE] Unfamiliar supernatural signatures detected. Campus grounds. Three beings. High concealment. Moving toward the east wing.
His jaw tightened.
The east wing.
Margie's dorm.
He was already walking toward the door.
"Lucian?" Derek's voice was nervous. "What's going on?"
Lucian didn't stop.
"Stay here."
Cora stood up.
"Like hell I'm staying here. What did you sense?"
"This is a family matter. Don't get involved."
Lucian grabbed his twin blade from where it leaned against the wall. Then he walked to the window. Not the door. The window.
He pushed it open and jumped.
Three floors down. He landed like it was nothing. Didn't even bend his knees. Just kept running.
Cora stared at the open window for half a second.
Then her face twisted.
"No. You don't get to tell me what to do. Never."
She grabbed her short sword from the table and ran to the window. She looked down. Lucian was already disappearing around a corner.
"Idiot," she muttered.
Then she jumped.
She landed harder than him. Rolled once. Cursed. Got up and ran.
Back in the room, Mason let out a long, slow sigh.
He looked at Sera. She was already on her feet. Her crossbow was in her hand. Her phone was abandoned on the floor.
"He said family matter," Mason said.
Sera shrugged.
"Since when do we listen?"
Derek stood up. His staff shook in his grip. Dr. Blackwood's voice came through, calm and dry.
"You're going to regret this."
"We always do," Derek whispered.
Mason walked to the window. He looked down. The drop was nothing to him. He jumped.
Sera followed. Her landing was silent. Catlike.
Derek hesitated at the window. His face was pale.
"After you," Dr. Blackwood said.
"I hate you," Derek said.
Then he jumped.
He landed badly. His ankle twisted. He bit back a scream and limped after the others.
Lucian was already at the east wing. He could see the three signatures on his system map. They were close. Too close.
He rounded a corner.
Cora caught up to him. Breathing hard.
"Family matter? What family? You barely have one."
Lucian didn't answer.
Mason appeared behind them. Then Sera. Then Derek, limping.
"Nice of you to wait," Derek said.
Lucian looked at all of them.
"I told you to stay."
"And I told you," Cora said, "I don't take orders."
Mason cracked his knuckles.
"We're a team. Even if you keep forgetting that."
Sera loaded a bolt into her crossbow.
"Where are they?"