“Calm down pup. It doesn't matter anyway. Bad, good, they're all just meat. Your obsession with evil is amusing but insignificant.” He stopped in front of me and casually adjusted his jacket. "I understand, you're young. You do not know yet, what it means to be a wolf. Once again that is my fault. But now I’m here pup.” Lazar smiled and licked his lower lip. Disgusted, I shuddered and took a slight step back.

"Aren’t you just cute?" He smiled and patted me on the cheek until it stung. I swallowed the growl because it was obvious to me now that if he attacked me I was dead. Especially since the Beast inside was still hiding somewhere. At this point, I would give anything for its company.

Lazar just laughed softly and continued walking. I followed him cautiously. "You know Andrew, I've been hunting in this world for over two hundred years," he started in a serious voice and I almost stumbled on the gravel. Immortality. Nobody told me about immortality! "I have never transformed anyone. It never even occurred to me... All humans are just stupid prey. But you... You recognized something in me in that awful bar, didn't you? You felt something.” He turned to me in anticipation but did not stop walking. "Call it evil, if you like, but you saw something in me. Oh and then how you heroically ran into the forest to save that woman!” He shook his head with a laugh. "Stupid, it was very stupid. However, you fought well, and even on the edge of death, you stubbornly held on to that little piece of life you had left. You refused to die, it was fascinating, so I let you live.”

So that was why I was still here? Because I amused a monster? And in that second rage bubbled up inside me with so much force I had never experienced before. ”You turned me into a monster because you found my resistance amusing?” I growled at him, really growled, and felt my fangs lengthen. We both stopped.

Lazar looked around with his hands in his pockets, looking only slightly irritated. The world blurred for a second, then re-focused, but everything was sharper and the colors bleaker. "You disgusting sonofabitch! You! You are evil! You deserve to die!” I swung my fist but Lazar dodged me with minimal effort. He smacked his lips disapprovingly and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Really pup? I give you all the power you could ever want and this is how you thank me?" Right now, I would really appreciate the company of the Beast inside me... Maybe he would tell me how to attack or perhaps he would make me realize how stupid it was to go against someone so much stronger than me. But the Beast wasn't here... I released my fist and stretched my fingers, finding claws shining at my fingertips. This time, when I attacked I left my hand open. I also put more speed into it. I managed to scratch Lazar’s forearm with one claw before he jumped back. Lazar looked at his ruined jacket in surprise. Pay attention asshole! I kicked out and hit him in the thigh. Lazar grunted and his fist met my jaw before I could even see him raise his hand.

The force of the impact turned my head to the side, my jaw igniting with pain. Before I could straighten up, Lazar hit me in the stomach with his knee. I thought I was going to throw up from the pain. He wasn’t done though. He kicked at my legs and then threw me down on my back, making all air leave my lungs in a painful huff.

I gasped for breath, not sure if I could ever breathe again. Lazar’s hands suddenly wrapped around my throat and squeezed. I panicked, really panicked. I jerked and thrashed under his grip, but I didn't stand a chance. I dug my claws into his hands, but Lazar just hissed at me and said something in French. He then grabbed both my wrists in one hand and pinned them over my head. His grip on my throat eased slightly though and I gasped for breath. Still, it wasn’t enough to fully stop the darkness from creeping into my vision. Shit. Shit. What now?

Lazar leaned forward and I could feel his hot breath on my cheek. It smelled of blood… "Never forget, who is your Maker, Andrew," he said sounding almost bored. He sighed. "Dale must have told you a lot of lies, but believe me, he's far from your friend. He is using you, little pup.” He laughed very close to my face. "Do you really think he's interested in you? He’s just using you to get close to me and make you do his dirty work. He’s been trying to kill me for years, stupid boy. He has never come even close to succeeding. Ah but now he found a little desperate pup who will do anything to please him.”

No. Dale wasn’t using me. He was helping me. He was a friend. How could he be using me when he had the same goal? Killing Lazar. "Oh Andy, you're so naive... he doesn’t care about you one bit. He will make you kill me - well try to kill me - and then he will throw you away like a used toy. He has his own family back home. Wolves like him do not care about street mutts like us!” he growled angrily.

No. Dale wouldn’t leave me. He was mine. Mine! But that morning phone call... Maybe... No! I shook my head stubbornly. Lazar was just trying to poison my mind. He had no idea what he was talking about.

"Think about it, pup,” he said, his lips practically touching my ear. And then his weight and the tight grip disappeared. I coughed, gasping for breath. I saw his blurry outline leaving the cemetery calmly. And I couldn't do anything about it.