Rayne's POV:
I walked into town with my father Lucian after cleaning myself up and putting on clothes- my usual jeans, plain t-shirt, and a leather jacket which could make it quite difficult for people to tell me and my father apart since he wore something similar. In fact, I learned this mode of dressing from him. We were greeted by the warm scent of food coming from the only restaurant in town. The old wooden signage that read 'Joe's Diner' in bold letters welcomed us at the entrance. Despite its small size, the diner seemed to have a cozy and inviting atmosphere. My father and I took a seat at one of the tables, a booth near the window and I took a moment to take in the surroundings before anyone attended to us. The diner was not very large, but every corner was filled with character. The walls were adorned with old pictures and posters, and the tables were decorated with colorful checkered tablecloths. Several customers occupied some tables as they ate, and we picked up the menus that were placed on our own table.
We perused the menu, scanning through the variety of dishes available. 'Joe seemed to have put a lot of effort into making sure there was something for everyone' My father said, while we were still looking over the menu. Then a friendly voice interrupted our conversation. 'Hey Lucian, hey Ray, welcome to my diner. What can I get for you folks?' Joe, a middle-aged man with a warm smile on his face stood before us. He had a slightly weathered look, but it only added to his charm. My father ordered a classic bacon and eggs dish while I decided to try the homemade pancakes as I usually opted for grilled cheese sandwich which was my favorite ever since I was little.
As Joe took our order, my eyes were drawn to Joe's teenage girls who were helping out in the kitchen. Joe had been in Grimswood for over 15 years, and he had opened the diner with his wife. Unfortunately, she had passed away shortly after their twin daughters- Lyra and Vera, were born. Since then, Joe had been running the diner and raising the girls all by himself. As I watched the twins move around the kitchen with ease, I couldn't help but admire their hard work and dedication. They seemed to have inherited their father's warm smile and friendly nature. The diner was more than just a place to eat. It was a symbol of Joe's resilience and love for his daughters. He had put all his energy into making the diner a success and providing for his family. And with the help of his hardworking daughters, Joe had created a place that felt like home for the people in this part of Grimswood- both humans and werewolves alike.
My father and Joe were best of pals, probably because they were both caught up in the same situation- raising their kid all alone. Joe relates peacefully with every wolf-folk, and even though Joe's family are humans, my father protected and cared for them as though they belong in our pack.
Our food arrived moments later, and my taste buds were delighted by the delicious flavors. Joe had put a lot of effort into making a variety of dishes available on the menu, and it showed in the taste. Just before almost finishing our meals, Joe came over to our table with a slice of their famous homemade apple pie. 'On the house,' he said with a smile. My father and I thanked him and dug into the pie. As he turned to leave our table, he noticed the diner's door flung open. Joe's heart sank as he watched Jared swagger into the diner, his son Rick trailing behind him with a group of menacing werewolves. Everything about Jared radiated power and danger, and Joe couldn't help but shiver as his eyes met with the notorious werewolf's. 'Shit, it's Jared,' Joe muttered under his breath.
Jared had long been a thorn in our pack's side, constantly trying to take over as alpha despite his lack of leadership skills. Unable to accept defeat, he had left our pack and taken some of the most aggressive werewolves with him, forming his own pack of bullies and troublemakers. As Jared and his pack approached our table, Joe could already feel the tension rising in the diner. Other patrons quickly finished their meals and fled the scene, not wanting to get caught in the middle of a supernatural turf war. Jared's cold eyes locked onto mine, and my father's, a malicious grin spreading across his face. 'Well, well, well,' he sneered. 'Look who we have here. Last I heard, you two were still runts in the backwoods pack.' My father Lucian clenched his jaw, refusing to give Jared the satisfaction of a response. They may not be the strongest, but they were skilled in tearing places apart, as they were known throughout the town for their violent behavior, destroying properties and extorting businesses, and my father didn't want Joe's diner to go down for it.
But things were about to take a dangerous turn as Jared's gaze shifted to the diner owner, a defenseless human man who had always been kind to everyone. 'You know the deal, Joe,' Jared growled. 'We want your protection money, and we want it now.' My father stepped forward, his voice filled with authority. 'Leave him alone, Jared and watch your tongue! for your next words may be your last.' Jared laughed, the sound sending shivers down Joe's spine. His twin daughters already hid behind the kitchen counter scared. 'Oh, I don't think you have much say in the matter,' Jared said, motioning for his pack to surround us. 'And just to make sure you don't try anything stupid, I've brought along some backup.' 'Then allow me indulge you in taking this outside' My father motioned towards the door as he spoke. 'Now, now, Joe. Don't do anything stupid,' Jared taunted. 'We just want to have a little chat with our former pack members, I'll be back shortly for my money.' My father motioned to me, and we headed outside, followed by Jared, Rick his son, with a cruel smirk on his face, and his 7 man pack following closely behind. I had never taken to liking Jared and his son Rick. Their primitive wolf behaviors were off-putting to me, and I couldn't stand the large sums of bullying, destruction, and menace that seemed to be inherent in them. My father warned me to steer clear off their path, so there was little I could do besides quietly disliking them from a distance. This was the perfect opportunity to serve a lesson to Jared and the gang. They had been causing chaos and mayhem ever since they broke out of our pack, and I had had enough of their selfish and aggressive ways.
As soon as we got outside, Jared and the others quickly surrounded myself and my father. I watched as Jared and Rick strutted around with their chests puffed out, exuding false confidence. But deep down, I knew that they were just nervous, and I could see the flicker of fear in their eyes. We were outnumbered ,but they doubted standing a chance against the almighty Lucian. I midway transformed to my wolf form prepared for a fight, but before anyone could strike, Lucian lunged forward and grabbed Jared and Rick by the neck, and knocked them both to the ground, their pride shattered along with their bones even before they could transform into their wolf forms. I could have gone for the finishing blow, but I knew that wasn't necessary. My father had once again made his point-they were no match. Two of their pack members rushed to assist them from the ground in fleeing away, while the rest scattered and ran into the woods. As we stood victorious over Jared and Rick's humiliation and defeat, We heard a piercing howl echoed through the woods. It was members of our pack calling out to their alpha, my father. He immediately took off his shirt and jacket, then handed it over to me. 'Stay here!' he ordered. Then he ran towards the woods, and by the time he reached the mouth of the forest , he had already transformed into a full wolf and broke into the forest. "what if this was a trap?' I thought to myself. And without hesitating, I ran in the same direction after my father, not daring to transform into my wolf form.