Faster, faster, I have to run faster, damned wolves being able to change at will so long as the moon is full! I always have to wait for midnight, it isn’t fair! There’s still three hours before magick hour! I thought bitterly to my self as I ran through the deserted city streets. A full pack of angry Werewolves were hot on my tail, and they’d probably catch me long before midnight. Oh, I’m sorry allow me to introduce myself, my name is Aleca Moonchild, I am a Werecat with a death wish or so I’ve been told on many occasions by my brethren, which would be why they always use me on difficult assignments that they know will piss off the Werewolves. Shit! A dead end! I skidded to a stop at the end of the alleyway.

“Cat! You’ve got no where to go, no where to hide, and it’s only nine-thirty,” One of my pursuers taunted as he changed back into human form, even though he stood a good twenty feet away from me I could still hear his bones crack and snap as they moved and shifted back.

“Filthy Mutt, you underestimate me…” I said with a sly smile as I turned to face him; however I was hopelessly outnumbered fifteen to one. “What do you want dog?”

“Only what you’ve got cat. You stole it from us and we want it back, not to mention a little snack.” The werewolf closest to me snapped his jaws suggestively.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about dog. I have nothing, I stole nothing, and I am much too gamey for your tastes,” I spat. For once, I actually hadn’t stolen anything.

“The nose doesn’t lie pretty kitty. You got it in your pack, I can smell it.” He said tapping the side of his nose a finger.

My pack? I’m not even wearing a pack…wait a second…, “Tell me dog, how many fingers am I holding up?” I held up my hand with all five fingers outstretched.

“What does this have to do with anything?”

“Humour me.”

“Six?”

“I thought so… tell me dog, who put you in charge of this adventure?”

“The alpha of course,” he sneered.

“I see, did he tell you which cat you were hunting?”

“Yeah, you.” His yellow teeth dripped with drool as he started to transform back into the wolf, again his bones cracked unpleasantly as they changed, and mangy hair erupted all across his body. As soon as he was a wolf again he and his companions started to advance on me, forcing me to back up until my back was pressed firmly against the alley wall.

Damn it midnight hurry up! I quickly glanced at my loose watch, quarter to ten, Damn it! “Wait, wait, wait! Hold on a sec; let’s not be too hasty on killing the cat now. What would your alpha say if I could get him back what was stolen from you, given that you tell me what it is?”

The wolves stopped advancing on me and most of them looked to the talkative mastermind their alpha had left in charge. Since I couldn’t go any where at that moment, they decided to discuss the matter, in a series of grunts, growls and yelps. This took quite some time because dogs over analyze everything. It was eleven by the time they came up with a question to ask me. The blind genius changed back mostly human to ask it, a wolf body with an ugly human head still covered in that nasty mange hair, not a pretty sight trust me. “The alpha wants to know what’s in it for you.”

I knew he was here. I thought smugly. Just an hour left… “Well let’s see there’s my life, but of course, a guarantee that no hound will hound me while I search for the stolen object and a year of free street roaming.”

The wolves discussed it again, paused as if thinking collectively then started with the growling again. They did this at least six more times, but when they finally turned back to me, all they found were my shredded clothes laying on the ground where I had been standing. Midnight had finally come.
________________________________________
Leave it to a bunch of dogs to underestimate me again. Figures. I thought as I ran, jumping from roof to roof. I had to leave this part of town fast; it wouldn’t take long for the wolves to snap out of their shock and take after me. Gods, they could smell it on me? I knew what had been stolen from the wolves; in fact I saw it only moments before my night-time run-in with the stupid beasts. It was a serum of sorts, a way of canceling out our ability to change at midnight on the full moon. My brethren decided to steal it so they could turn it against the wolves; personally I think it’s a cure. How long have some of us been looking for a cure to this curse? I mean all it takes to make a Werecat is to get scratched by one and boom! You now belong to the happy race of felines. Do you know how annoying that can be? Mind you being a cat does have some advantages. Wait… oh right I was talking about the Serum. Needless to say that if I had stolen it from the wolves they wouldn’t know it was gone. My brethren decided to send some amateur after it. That’s loyalty for you.

I had just jumped across the roof of an old warehouse when the wolves caught up with me, and if they had been angry before, they were bloodthirsty now. I found an extra burst of speed from my reserves before I would give up the chase; I took them down to the street. Running past the window of a late night Café, I tried to lose them by dropping down into the open sewer behind the Café, but they followed me down there too. After running through the gross, nasty, filthy sewer for twenty minutes I could run no longer, so I turned around, got in pouncing position and let loose a deep growl in warning.

The wolves stopped chasing me. Their hot smelly breath filled the small cavern we had just come to. One of their numbers slowly approached me, and my eyes widened as he transformed back into a human. This was not the idiot I had dealt with back in the alley, oh no, this male was far better looking.

“Leave us.” He commanded. The Werewolves obediently backed out of the sewer cavern, and probably the sewer system. Before me stood the new Alpha male of the McConi Clan Werewolves, Tobias McConi. “If you would care to transform we can discuss your current situation as civil human esq. beings.” He said tossing a large, black tunic on the ground before me.

I sniffed it tentatively, then slipped my head into the garment and transformed. He looked a little surprised to see me, not nearly as surprised as I was to see him though. “Tobias, long time no see.”

“Aleca? What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing Tobias. I mean, after all, the last I heard your dad was head of the clan and you were still in Ireland. Fancy meeting you here in London.” I told him with a sly grin.

“I came back after my father died. What about you? Last I heard you were being arrested for theft in Paris.”

“I came back by request after I was turned loose due to a lack of evidence.” I purred. “Now about my situation? As I mentioned earlier I have nothing, I stole nothing and,” I gave him a chuckle laced purr, “I’m not to your tastes.”

“You’ve stolen from the other clans before Aleca, why should I believe that you didn’t steal the Serum from us? It’s not like your track record is exactly clean.” He narrowed his ice-blue eyes; the smallest trace of his natural Scottish accent was still audible in his strong voice…

“True, however your goon mentioned my pack, was I wearing a pack Tobias? No, no I wasn’t.” I said shaking my head, “Otherwise you would have found it when I transformed. Did you?”

“No.”

“Then there you have it. I have yet to steal anything from your clan, and besides if I had stolen the Cure then wouldn’t I have used it already? On my self by chance? You know me well enough to figure that one out.” I said darkly, crossing my arms.

“If I find out you’re lying to me Aleca…”

“I swear on my honour as a thief and a Cat. I did not steal the cure. So nice to know trust still exists between us.” I told him rolling my eyes at his idle threat. “Is this because you told me about it all those years ago?”

“No Aleca, it’s because you’re a thief and a Cat. Even if the latter was not by choice. The Clan leaders are not happy about the missing Serum. They don’t see it as you do, they believe it is a weapon, you think it’s a miracle cure.”

“And what about you Wolf? What do you think it is?”

“Dangerous. Aleca, I know how much this Serum could mean to you, but you must promise me that you won’t take any. I’ve seen what it does to your kind, it’s not pretty.”

“Ahh Tobias, you almost sound concerned about my well being. Just after I thought you sent a pack of dogs for my blood! How silly of me to believe such a thing!” I laughed sarcastically as I tried to walk past him.

He grabbed my wrist as I walked past and pulled me to his chest, “Aleca, what happened between us was not either of our faults. Some times bloodlines aren’t meant to be mixed. I am sorry that it had to happen that way, I never wanted it to.”

I had to look away from him, furious with my self for the tears burning behind my eyes, “Neither did I, but your father had other plans didn’t he? If we’re done here, I have more important things to do tonight.” I said trying to wriggle free of his vice like grip.

“Aleca, look at me.” Reluctantly I complied, “Promise me.”

I sighed. Damn his eyes. “Alright, I won’t take any of the cure. Do you still want it back?”

“Please. Aleca, I can grant you two of your three requests to a certain extent. I can give you your life, and promise that none of my clan will be following you, but I can not grant the last request. The other Alpha’s won’t agree to let you run unchecked through their territories, no matter what’s at stake. Be safe and smart Aleca. Don’t let me regret this decision.” And almost as an after thought he leaned down and pressed his soft lips to mine. It wasn’t a long kiss, but gods it was more then enough. “Now go before your people wonder where you are.”

“Goodbye Tobias, it was good seeing you again.” I smiled before I changed back to a cat and took off with a hell of a lot more on my mind.