Summary of last chapter:
Nancy and Bruce struggle to get free of the ropes they are bound with. Meanwhile, Tina Alice continues down a long dark road toward town. On the way, she is ambushed by a mysterious follower and a werewolf.

The story continues:

Tina looked into the face of a being so frightening, he seemed surreal. His eyes were distinctly human, but his face was elongated and covered in rough brown fur. Lips drew back over sharp canine-like teeth, and drool oozed over serrated lips.

He had large ears emerging from the side of his head and sweeping upward to a bristly point. His posture was bent, his thick legs bowed.

"I'm going to die," Tina said. Her breath came fast and shallow, her senses heightened.

She heard the footsteps behind her approaching faster... then stop inches from her back. She felt hot breath on her neck.

The furry creature ahead of her snapped to attention as though in response to an unspoken signal. Tina whirled around and pointed her flashlight in the intruder's eyes. Instead of an expected monster, the light illuminated a disturbingly handsome young man.

"Who are you, and why are you following me?" she asked. Her heart beat so hard she could hear the pulse in her ears.

"My name is Kurt, and my rude companion is Barlow. I'm following you because it's my job to do so."

The tall man swept his arm in front of her in a bowing gesture. He had curly blond hair falling to broad powerful shoulders, and was dressed in fine, loose fitted, clothing.

"I'm sorry we startled you, but let me explain," he said. His voice carried a slight accent that lent mystique to his countenance. "I'm the Captain of the Shadow Guard for this region, and it's up to us to keep watch over this road."

"Do you work for the witches?"

"I do."

"You aren't a werewolf, are you?"

"I am."

"You don't look much like one."

"I'm in man-form right now, but why don't we discuss this at my camp? It's right inside the woods and will get us out of public view."

"'I'd love to, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. You don't have a cell phone I can borrow, do you?"

"No."

A rumbling growl came from Barlow.

"Barlow," Kurt said, "Stand down. I'm taking this girl to my post, and I want you to keep an eye on the road. Report to me directly if you hear or see anyone else coming this way."

"Yes, sir."

Kurt took Tina gently, but firmly, by the arm and led her into the woods to the left of the road. Just as promised, they didn't go far before a small campfire appeared. He sat her down on one log and himself on another.

"I just want to know," Tina said, "am I your hostage? Because I'm really scared right now, and I've had a day you wouldn't believe."

"I wouldn't exactly call you a hostage. Gelada put me in charge of this area of the woods and told me to detain anyone who escaped. "

"And...?"

"And... you're detained."

"And... I'm surrounded by vicious werewolves."

"I'm not sure I would call us vicious. My unit and I are a part of a larger group called Shadow Wolves. We don't belong to the main pack because we refuse to spill innocent blood."

"So, you're semi-vicious werewolves...?"

Kurt hesitated, beautiful blue eyes meeting hers for a long, skin-tingling moment.

"We're just normal people who happen to be part of an ancient, and often misunderstood culture."

"One ruled by four very nasty witches."

"Five... one's in prison, but I know what you mean."

"Why didn't you hurt me when we met on the road?"

"You didn't look dangerous."

"I'm really not. I'm just a little girl who wants to go home. So, if you'll release me, I'll head on down the road and won't bother you any more."

"I can't do that. It's dangerous for little girls to go walking alone on a dark road. Didn't your mother teach you that?"

"Yes, right about the time she told me not to talk to strangers."

"Good advice, but I'm afraid I'll have to hold you here until the witches decide what to do. You understand don't you?"

"Not really. To be honest, I don't understand anything that's happened since werewolves showed up at my school dressed like clowns, and my principal turned into a witch."

"That could be disconcerting."

"Disconcerting? Really? Is that all you have to say, Mr. Captain of the Shadow Guard?"

Her temper spent, Tina decided to take another piece of advice from her mother, and let discretion be the better part of valor. She closed her mouth and hoped she hadn't turned the semi-vicious werewolf into a properly angry one.

Kurt looked at Tina and shrugged his shoulders.

Where she had expected irritation, she found a mixture of compassion and sadness.

Kurt shook his head, the mane of blond hair making him look more lion than wolf.

He paused a moment, piercing eyes sizing up Tina's resolve. He pressed his fingers together in front of his face as though fighting an inner battle. Finally, he spoke.

"I was born a werewolf," he said. "Both of my parents are werewolves, their parents before them, and so on for generations. The witches didn't rule us in the early days, and have little to do with us now unless the need is great. Most of the time we live as normal people."

"You said that before, but those beasts in my school aren't normal people."

"The sad thing is, many are. They're just afraid to stand up to the witches."

"And the rest?"

"Are evil, but it's the nature of their souls, not their skins. The witches have handpicked them for just such times as these."

"That's scary stuff."

"Yes, it is."

"So, what do you do when you aren't guarding the road against terrifying twelve-year old girls?"

"Believe it or not, I'm a medical student. I'm studying to become a doctor like my father. He has a practice in Katy, which is near Houston."

"He saves lives?"

"Yeah, that's the general idea."

"How many Shadow Wolves are there?"

"Hundreds, I suspect."

"If you don't like the witches' behavior, why don't you break away and start your own pack? Live like you said your people did in the early days."

"I wish we could, but the witches are too powerful. Some have tried, but they've gotten caught and cast out of the pack."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Sure, when a werewolf is cast out, he's stripped of all his powers and made to prowl the earth as a common wolf."

"Who can do that to you?"

"The Wolf or Witches' Councils."

"What if you were to band together, all of you, and go for it?"

"Sounds great in theory, but it would take a pretty strong leader."

"Someone like you?"

"Me? Oh please, the Shadow Wolves are considered cowards, and I'm just one of their captains. No one would follow me into a rebellion."

"I think you're suffering from a severe lack of understanding courage. I just learned that lesson a short time ago. It takes strength to stand up for what's right, and, given the chance, you and your friends could find that strength."

"It's not that easy."

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life letting old hags manipulate you? Is that a life?"

"It's the only one we know."

"Well, it sucks, and I think you know that, or you wouldn't have brought me here to talk."

"Well, you've certainly done a lot of that."

"What if I told you I know someone who could put the witches away for good? Would you lead the rebellion then?"

"Who, Emory Settler, the supernatural cop?"

"You've heard of him?"

"Yeah, we all have."

"My teacher, Nancy Jordan, has a lot of faith in him."

"You're asking me to commit treason against my pack."

"What pack? You said they've rejected you and your companions just because you have, what my mother calls, principles. Those creatures are not your friends."

"But some are good people."

"They've all spilled innocent blood just because someone told them it made them brave. You have to make a stand, Kurt, or become like them. You're a doctor, or almost one. Is that what you want to stand for? What about your kids someday, do you want them to say that their daddy had the chance to end it all and didn't?"

"You're just a kid yourself. You wouldn't understand. There's a lot at stake."

"Well, I have a lot at stake, too. My friends are in that school, and they're in grave danger. If you don't want to help rescue them, at least let me go for help."

"I'll compromise with you," Kurt said. He stood up and pulled Tina to her feet. "I'm not about to let you walk down that road alone, and I'm not ready to make a decision on joining your resistance, but I will guard you on your walk to town. I can offer no more at this point."

"I'll take it."

"Good, now turn your back. I have to transform into full wolf form."

"One more question."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, the police officer outside the school asked what weapons the witches and werewolves used. I was sort of stumped, because I didn't really notice any. Why was that?"

"Their real weapon is terror."

"Guns might work better."

"Were they needed?"

"I guess not."

"If you are through interrogating me, would you mind turning around?"

Tina nodded and did as she was told. Soon, she had a large white wolf with clear blue eyes guiding her down the dark and winding road to town. Almost a shadow, he guarded her path until they parted ways at Bob's Quick and Go convenience store about three miles from school.

As she walked inside, Tina turned and waved farewell to her strange companion. He bobbed his head and then trotted into the darkness of the woods.

She was free, but couldn't help thinking about the others left behind. Were they helpless victims, or did they have schemes of their own? In order to keep going with her plan, she had to believe they were using any available resource to stay alive.