about being told that you aren’t good enough to walk through the front door, Malcom?” I asked him.
He flinched and looked around as if afraid to speak his mind, especially to two white men. Both with fading British accents. I could admit, my accent wasn’t as thick as it was when I first came to these shores. I even got used to using America phrasing, slang, and curses. But I digressed, this young black man was starting to fear us and whatever we were going to offer.
“How do you know my name?” he asked.
“I’ve taken an interest in you. So, how about answering my question?”
“I… it won’t always be this way. Times are changing,” he said.
“Indeed, they are. However, how would you like to not fear any human ever again. To know that if they dared to touch you, they would regret it?” I asked him.
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
I tossed a glance at Elliot and he moved in behind the young man, grabbing his arms and holding him against his chest. The man panicked. “Hey! Let me go!”
I palmed his chin, forcing him to keep his mouth shut. “Quiet. Don’t draw attention, we’re not going to hurt you,” I said.
“What do you want with me?” he asked when I loosened my grip.
“For you to pay attention,” I snapped, then I flashed my eyes, letting the golden glow show in my irises.
“Oh, my God,” he gasped as his eyes widened. “What are you?”
“What you can be, a werewolf. I am immortal and powerful and no human is ever a threat to me. I am offering you the chance to join our pack, to be stronger than anything you could imagine.”
I could see the wheels in his mind spinning, he was really thinking about what I was offering. When one lived in fear for their entire lives, a promise of power was always tempting.
“Why me?” he asked. “Why offer this to me?”
I nodded at Elliot and he released the man. I knew he wasn’t going to run.
“Hey, what the hell is going on here?” asked a cop as he flashed his light in our faces. He and his partner approached us and I stop shielding my eyes from the light so he could see who I was. “Oh, Mr. Gables, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I… umm… we’re sorry.”
“Leave,” I snapped.
And both cops nodded and hurried out of the alley. I returned my attention to the young man and his mouth was agape. “How did you do that?”
“Fuck those human cops. They ought to be glad I didn’t rip their throats out. They know that I am a very powerful man. They don’t know that I am a werewolf, but they do know that I will kill them if the mood suits me. And when you’re a part of my pack, they will never dare to harass you again,” I said.
“Does it hurt?” he asked.
Oh yeah, I had him on the hook now. I nodded. “The bite hurts. And you have to be able to survive the transformation, which is why we like to pick humans who are strong enough to have a good chance to pull through. But once you have transformed, you will be untouchable.”
“Can I kill anyone who pisses me off?” he asked, and I liked him already.
I smirked. “To a point. We do need humans to serve us. But if they try to… say… lynch you, which seems to be a sport down south, they would regret that mistake.”
The smile that spread across his face let me know he needed no more convincing. He wanted the power and was willing to take the chance to obtain it. “When?”
“How about tonight?” I began walking away, and Elliot nudged the man forward and the three of us walked back to my very nice Cadillac. He climbed in behind the wheel and we drove to Julie’s mansion. She had married Graham and they lived together with other Beta Capos in her large estate. Even if she had offered me a room in her home, I wouldn’t have taken it. I loved having my own home, I didn’t need her protection. As we drove there, I explained more about the life of a werewolf to Malcom.
“As to why you, well, why not you?” I asked him.
“I’m…”
“Worthy and according to my son, extremely smart. The pack can use someone who has vision like you. The only way we evolve is if we bring in humans who can make our