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Baylee couldn’t move. He’d vaguely noticed Nick taking the dead dog from his hands, but he couldn’t move. It was all over. Everything had failed. He mentally kicked himself over and over. Maybe if they’d been faster?

Maybe if he hadn’t let his father rot in the basement for four days, it would all have been fine? Maybe if he’d never gone to the swamp to transform his father in the first place, they’d never find themselves in this situation.

Nick seemed very pissed, and Dad hadn’t come back.

Baylee wondered if he was full wolf now. Would he still have the same memories? Would he still know who they were? Would he have eaten them if Keeko hadn’t been there?

Baylee felt sick.

He slowly stood upright, seeing the sun peer through the trees perhaps in an attempt to comfort him. He silently picked up his backpack, watching absently as Nick demolished the last of the tent and shoved it into his bag. They shared a look; then Baylee started walking.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Nick questioned, surprised.

Baylee turned around with a sigh, “Back to the car,” he mumbled.

“I’m sorry, I thought we had a lake to visit,” Nick stated, his eyebrows raised.

“It’s no use. He’s gone. He turned,” Baylee said, his voice shaking.

Nick looked at him for a moment, then frowned, “We don’t know that for sure.”

“Come on! You saw him! You’re the one that told him to go!”

“That’s cause he was dangerous in that moment, Baylee,” Nick’s eyes softened, “He didn’t have it under control, but that doesn’t mean he’s gone for sure.”

“Really?” Baylee looked at him, hopeful. Maybe Nick was right? Maybe they still had a chance? Maybe they could still go to the lake?

Maybe he hadn’t lost his father to the freaky curse yet.

“Come on,” Nick said, waving him over. It was still at least a day’s walk, and the blisters on Baylee’s feet were screaming at him to stop. The forest was getting colder the more they walked towards the north and it consisted of pine trees only now. The ground was bare and hard and Baylee kept tripping over the thick tree roots that stuck out everywhere. He tucked his coat a little tighter around his frame and wished his Dad was there. Not the wolf Dad, but his normal, regular Dad.

True, he would have probably made a quick turnaround and got out if he were dropped in the middle of this dark forest, but at least he would have known what to do.

Baylee was glad Nick was there though.

After hours and hours of walking, Baylee finally was able to get a glimpse of the lake in the distance. He laughed in relief and pointed, “We made it!” he exclaimed to Nick, who smiled tiredly at him as well.

They trudged up to the edge of the lake and then stood still.

“And now?” Nick asked, looking at Baylee expectantly.

Oops. Baylee didn’t really have a plan for the next part. Was he supposed to say something? The water was calm and there was no sign that anything was about to happen at all. He bit his lip insecurely, trying to avoid Nick’s incessant stare.

They tried everything; they went into the water, tried to call out to whoever was in charge of this bizarre situation, they went underwater -Nick even caught a fish somehow- but nothing happened. Baylee sat motionless and wet at the edge of the water, staring aimlessly into the distance, not trying to conceal the big tears that were rolling down his cheeks. Was this it? Did he really just lose his father? And why? How? This was never supposed to happen. They were supposed to come here, turn Dad back to normal and go back home and pretend it had never happened.

“Dad!” He screamed suddenly, his voice hoarse and uncoordinated. “Dad! Come back!”

He wiped angrily at the tears on his face and yelled again, “Dad! We need you here!”

Nick turned away from where he was working on setting up the tent and started to run over. The night was falling and the water from the lake had turned a deep black color. Still, a few glinting lights in the dark was visible. “Baylee, don’t move!” he screamed and ran towards the boy.

Baylee turned around and saw them. Four, maybe even five of them. They growled at him, never taking their eyes off of from him. Baylee swallowed thickly, taking a hesitant step back. The dark gray wolf at the front bared its teeth, looking quite hungrily at the boy.

Baylee cursed inwardly for not having anything to defend himself with him. He’d heard the wolves’ howling cries for two nights now, but had never thought he’d actually run into them. They were closer now, crawling agonizingly slowly towards him, only about twenty yards away. They were smaller than his dad had been, but there were definitely five of them, Baylee could see now. Their eyes were glinting in the dark and Baylee felt his heart beating in his throat madly.

Nick looked wildly around him, searching for something that could beat up a pack of wolves. The panic was rising in his mind as he saw the animals approaching the teenager slowly. They were hunting, that much was clear. They would devour the boy.

A violent shock travelled through Baylee’s body when the leading wolf snarled loudly at him. He took another few steps back slowly, keeping his eyes on the pack. He was shaking so badly he wondered briefly if he would even be able to keep standing on his feet at all. The fear was choking him, “Dad,” he whispered, “I need you.”

Baylee covered his head with his arms when he saw the first wolf jump.