Mark howled loudly as his body grew big. He tore his tank top off and his black fur grew across his body. His pants exploded off him as his legs grew tall and muscular. A bladed tail grew out and his head changed into the head of the wolf.

Indeed, Mark told me the truth.

He was the werewolf! A big bad werewolf! And he totally wants me to become like him!

Mark slapped Salina out of his way and charged through the tunnel on all fours. Salina landed on her hands without letting the floor hit her face.

“Are you okay?” Kevin asked, rushing to her aid.

Salina slowly got up. “He should have killed me.”

“How did you find us?”

Salina held up a bluestone. “I use this to track Jessica’s talisman.”

Uoooooooooooh! That was why she gave me the necklace.

Geez! She should have told us before!

“Good!” Kevin turned toward me. “Go get him, girl. He is going to attack the town.”

Stop calling me a girl! I'm not a dog!

Although I felt the urge to growl at him for what he called me, I nodded and sprinted after Mark. Stopping him was more important than kicking Kevin’s butt.

*****

Outside the mill house, I sniffed around, catching Mark’s scent. He might be a mile away, but no matter how far he went, I will catch up to his sorry ass.

I dashed through the woods on all fours, so fast, the air blew through my hair. Just like how I totally ran in P.E.

Over the brush, lights flashed before my eyes, and I totally knew I was close to downtown.

After I jumped over the bush, I landed on the street, close to the town square. And-

Oh, my god!

Did I totally enter a war zone?

The people raced down the street past a few cars crashing as gunshots echoed in the background. I knew Mark was already attacking the town, causing a mass panic.

I totally needed to stop him before he kills too many innocent people.

What a total jerk!

Instead of facing me alone, he just had to bring everyone into our drama! Maybe he thought I was stronger than him, or he thought hurting people around me would make me feel like crap.

Whatever! I’m still going to kick his dumbass from kingdom come!

I ducked behind a hotdog stand, avoiding two couples running past me. If anyone saw me, they would think I was the monster attacking their town. Fighting one werewolf instead of a mob of frightened people sounded better in my opinion.

I might be a monster, but I didn’t want to go full monster on anyone. I won’t become what Mark wanted me to become.

Screw him!

Sniff! Sniff!

The warm scent of hotdogs touched my noses from the stand. I licked my muzzle and opened the lid as the steam escape.

Maybe my wolf belly was hungry, but if I eat something besides humans, I would totally become safe around the people. I grabbed a handful of dogs and stuffed them into my mouth.

Mmmmmmmmmh!!!

With the combination of spice, pork, and beef, the dogs melted across my tongue.

Totally worth it.

“Help!” a voice screamed.

A little boy ran on the other side of the street until he tripped over a half-eaten corpse. Behind him, a tall wolfish shadow approached the boy and grabbed his leg.

He held the boy toward his open mouth, ready to bite the boy’s head off.

Oh, no you don’t, punk!

I charged straight for Mark and pounced on him as he dropped the boy. We crashed into a clothing shop through the window and the boy sprinted off.

I got up with glasses in my fur.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

Well, maybe a few cuts weren’t fatal to me.

I brushed the glasses off and watched the black werewolf rise over a pile of fallen clothes. His red eyes burned toward me, snarling with his white fangs out.

Mark differed completely from how I remembered him when we first met. Strong, confident, and sometimes a complete smartass.

His sharp personality was totally gone now. Only the beast controlled him.

Whatever excuse he had, he totally doesn’t deserve mercy. If anyone was going to put him out of his misery, it might as well be me.

When Mark charged, I jumped out of his way, and he crashed into a mirror. The mirror cracked as he stepped back. Then I tackled him to the floor. I slashed his face until he grabbed my throat.

He lifted me and tossed me out through the other window. I landed hard on the sidewalk and scrambled to my feet.

Mark stepped out. The claw marks on his face vanished.

Because of his damn healing ability, I couldn’t stop him from kicking my ass. And with more muscles than my body, I might as well run off with my tail between my legs.

But only a chicken would do that, and I wasn’t a chicken. If Mark wanted me to become a monster, then he would get his monster!

I dashed straight toward him, but he threw a punch into my face. So fast, he knocked me over the street and into a car.

Major ouchie, but thank god I wasn’t human.

Mark picked up another car and tossed it toward me. I rolled off the hood before the car crashed on top.

On the ground, I crawled toward a stop sign and got up. I pulled the sign out of the ground and held it up, facing Mark.

When the large black werewolf leaped toward me, I swung the sign into his face. He flew to the left and crashed into the park.

He rolled across the grass and jumped onto his feet. I charged and jumped for him.

He grabbed my arms and threw her to the ground. He climbed on top of me and sunk his fangs into my throat.

Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

I barely groan as blood sprayed from my neck. His fangs pulled my vocal cords while burning through my flesh.

Some boyfriend you are!

To escape from his mouth, I thrust my claws into his shoulders, pushing him back. But his fangs still dug through my neck.

Damn, did he lock his jaw on me? If so, he could easily chew off my head! Would that totally kill me for sure?

By luck, two cops approached Mark and shot his back. My evil-ex roared and released my neck before he charged toward them.

I rubbed my half-bitten neck as the flesh closed around my vertebra bone, and I breathed normally. Thank god for that, but the cops were in trouble.

Mark chased after them, ignoring. Big bad mistake!

With a growl, I sprinted after him across the street. Before Mark jumped on one cop, I grabbed him and tossed him into a hardware store through the door.

Inside, he crashed against a self where thin, long silver metal pipes landed next to him.

I stepped inside, spotting Mark picking up one silver pipe like a spear. Although his hand sizzled around it, he tossed the pipe toward me.

I caught the pipe and tossed it back.

The silver pipe impaled through Mark’s chest.

Crap! I didn’t know I would hit him accurately!

He roared in pain until his body shifted back into his nude human form. He lost his black fur and his muscles shrunk.

I shrunk next as my white fur faded off my muscles, turning lean.

My claws, fangs, and tail disappeared next, leaving me in my normal naked human form.

Mark’s tears dripped down his face. “I almost thought you could be the one for me……”

I could watch him suffer, for all the pain he gave me and his victims.

But I kneeled down to him and rubbed his cheek. “I would be….. If you were good."

Mark smiled. “I guess you are right.”

His eyes froze after his last breath left his lips.

He was gone.

Like a total wimp, I hugged him, crying on his corpse. I knew he was a monster. A total asshole with no remorse for anyone.

But deep down inside the dark pit of my heart….. He was still my boyfriend.

Call it poison, dysfunction, or whatever the hell you could call it. Love was love.

I am one of the girls who thought Mark was the one for me. The cute, strong bad boy who could protect any girl in his whole life.

If he wasn't a monster or a good monster-either way, I would become his mate for the rest of my life. Bear his children, let him nurture me, and feel his cozy warm body against mine.

But he had chosen to be a monster, and I just couldn't be with him. Why should I give up my good life for a monster? To live in darkness and fear while treating others like crap?

Hell no!

I know I'm totally better than that!

Still….. Whatever soul he had left….. I will miss him. It's just how I stupidly felt.

Outside, police sirens reached the hardware store. Their red and blue lights flashed against the broken window.

Oh crap!

If my dad was with them, he would totally freak out seeing me naked in front of my dead ex-boyfriend. And that would totally give me a one-way ticket to the mental institute!

I pushed Mark’s eyelids down to cover up his eyes. Then I sprinted through the backdoor to escape.

So long, Mark. If you go to hell, I hope I will be the last thing you remembered during your eternal torment.