Night had fallen over the forest like a black shroud. The moon hung in the misty sky like a faint silver medallion. The silence was broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. Jack walked along the path with his hands in his pockets.
Three shadows emerged from between the trees and blocked his way. Then, two more figures slipped out of the darkness. There were five of them. Their eyes gleamed like those of starving wolves, and malice was etched clearly across their faces.
One of them spoke with a filthy grin:
"Hey buddy, wandering alone around here at this hour could end badly for you."
"If you don't want to get hurt… hand over your money."
Jack tilted his head slightly, eyeing them without a single trace of fear in his gaze. Then his voice rose, laced with mockery:
"You made a mistake. You picked the wrong guy to mess with, gentlemen."
Another one from the group stepped forward, his voice full of ridicule:
"Oh yeah? Looks to me like the mistake was yours—roaming the forest alone at midnight."
A third man approached Jackie, trying to intimidate him. His voice was menacing and vile:
"We said hand over the money if you don't want to get hurt. Are you deaf or something? What are you waiting for? You wanna die?"
Jack turned toward him with a slight bow of his head. A provocative smile formed at the corners of his lips.
"Ah… so, that's how it's gonna be. Well, I did warn you."
With a cracking sound, Jack's arms began to transform. His fingers stretched, nails sharpened into black claws. Muscles stirred beneath his skin. He looked at the five men with a devilish grin.
But then, the first man paused—and suddenly opened his arms wide. His nails grew into claws as his face began to twist, fangs jutting from his lengthening jaw. The veins on his face bulged, and his eyes turned a glowing yellow.
"So, you're a werewolf too," he growled. "But you smell like an Omega. Think you can take on five Betas, freak?"
Jack couldn't hold back his smile. He looked up at the sky and let out a mocking smile. Then his eyes darkened. His skin trembled, and his face shifted into a half-wolf form; his eyes were as black as the night.
"Did you say five Betas? Only five?"
The group was stunned. Jack's aura suddenly surged. The pressure in the air changed. They had to hold onto each other to keep from collapsing to their knees.
A trembling voice broke through the silence:
"H-he's an Alpha! An Alpha wolf!"
Another shouted in terror:
"Run! Get out of here!"
They scrambled away in panic. Some stumbled, others crawled, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.
Jack didn't move. He slowly lowered his claws. The moonlight gleamed in his eyes.
"Told you... you picked the wrong guy."
He continued walking through the forest, silent as the wind. His claws retracted, the darkness faded from his eyes. As the shadows slid off his skin, his human form fully returned. The moonlight cast a pale glow on his face—his smirk still in place.
After about ten minutes of walking, an unexpected structure emerged between the trees: a modern, luxurious villa.
Jack tilted his head slightly and curled his lips.
"Who builds a villa in the middle of a forest? No vision at all…"
The villa was surrounded by tall walls. Its gate was made of black metal, casting a dull gleam under the moonlight. Two guards stood in front, wearing uniforms with crests on their shoulders—this was clearly no ordinary estate.
When the figure slipped out of the darkness, the guards flinched. Jack's calm stride and confident gaze made them uneasy.
"Evening, boys," Jack said casually, as if stopping by to visit some friends.
But the guards neither greeted him nor replied. They simply scanned him from head to toe, unmoving.
Jack paused for a moment. Then looked at both of them in turn. His eyes narrowed slightly, his voice laced with a condescending smile:
"You must be new. Julian still hasn't kicked the habit of replacing people every three months, I see."
He reached into the inner pocket of his coat and pulled out a card between his fingers. It looked like a playing card, but was far more refined. A black-eyed wolf was depicted on it, framed in silver, surrounded by black roses. The card held a dark elegance that matched the night—and carried a disturbing kind of class.
One of the guards stepped forward involuntarily and took the card. After glancing at Jack one more time out of the corner of his eye, he scanned the card against the lock system on the gate.
Click.
The gate opened with a heavy sound. The guard handed the card back to Jack and bowed his head slightly as he spoke:
"Welcome, sir."
Jack took the card and slipped it back into his coat. Without saying a word, he stepped into the villa's courtyard.
Though hidden behind tall walls and seemingly ordinary from the outside, this villa belonged to a completely different world within.
A stone-paved path wound its way through meticulously trimmed green grass. On either side of the garden were elegantly placed statues, rare species of flowers, and softly glowing lamps casting a dim light. Jack walked slowly, paying no attention to the extravagance around him, heading straight for the door.
When he reached door, he stopped. On the panel to his right, he pressed a button. As the doorbell echoed inside, a small camera at the top of the door turned toward him with a mechanical click. Jack lifted his head slightly, unfazed. Then he smirked and gave the camera a cheerful wave.
After about five minutes of waiting, the door gave a soft creak. The heavy door slowly opened. From inside, a young girl appeared. She looked around seventeen or eighteen years old. Her wavy black hair flowed over her shoulders, and her eyes lit up the moment they saw Jack.
In the blink of an eye, she threw herself at him and wrapped him in a tight hug.
"Uncle Jack!" she shouted with joy. Her voice carried the excitement of a long-suppressed longing.
Jack staggered slightly but smiled. He returned the hug. For a moment, all that threatening aura, the wild gaze, and Alpha dominance melted away. In its place came a gentle warmth.
"Will I ever see the day you learn to greet me without trying to crush me?" Jack said in a teasing but affectionate tone.
The girl looked up, still smiling.
"It's been three years! I missed you so much!"
Jack ran his hand through her hair.
"I missed you too… princess."
From behind the door, a dim light spilled into the courtyard. The house was filled with memories from the past. But in that moment, Jack stood still in the warmth of the young girl's embrace—because he knew that once he stepped inside, that warmth would soon give way to something else entirely.