Under my feet I could feel the kids panicking and hear them screaming.
“We’ve got to get out of here!” yelled Big Rick, starting a stampede for the door. “They’re going to get us!”
“No!” shouted Paul at the front of the bus, blocking the door. “Remember what Gruff said. He said to stay on the bus and now we know we should have listened to him, right? So let’s stay together. We’ll be safe here. If we go running into the night these creatures will just pick us off one by one.” He turned to Kim as Rick backed away. “At least Gruff is safe locked in Mr. Clawson’s car. Nothing could get to him there.”
Grunting, I tossed another werewolf over the side and then had to fight off two, coming at me from opposite directions. I got them to charge and then ducked so their extended claws sank into each others faces. But more creatures were coming at me.
How long could I keep this up? My muscles hummed and sizzled with the excitement of the fight but I could feel myself getting tired. I bared my teeth as I jumped into the air to hit a charging monster in the stomach with both feet. I’d just have to keep going—all night if that’s what it took.
But suddenly I heard the sound of shattering glass. A triumphant howl went up from the crowd of werewolves.
They had smashed the windshield of the bus!
I ran across the roof to the front of the bus. Already werewolves were swarming over the hood toward the broken window. Their snaky tongues hung over glistening fangs and their red eyes blazed with glee, like neon blood.
The bus wasn’t enough to keep the children safe. And I was only one, while they were many.
I’d fight to the end but I knew the end was near.
I threw back my head and let out a long, mournful, lonesome howl of defeat.
“AOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Chapter 44
“AAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAA-AAAOOOOOOOO!”
My ears pricked up at a howl in the distance. An answering howl. It was a beautiful, round, night-filling sound, nothing like the howls of werewolves.
Could it be? I stood high on my hind legs, nose quivering.
“AAAOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Yes! The wonderful howling came again, closer this time, and I knew. It was a wolf, a real wolf. And not just any wolf—it was Wolfmother!
The werewolves on the hood of the bus slid off to the ground. The creatures banging at the windows of the bus let their hands fall to their sides. The monsters stood waiting, glowing eyes turned to the swamp.
Again, Wolfmother howled that she was coming.
Could the werewolves understand as I could? One or two looked around uncertainly. The rest stood without moving as if riveted in place, staring into the dark.
Inside the bus, the kids stopped screaming. Their wondering faces appeared in the windows.
Everyone was waiting. Waiting to see what would happen.
Chapter 45
The night grew very still. The werewolves stirred uneasily. A sound, like wind rushing through the trees, came toward the clearing.
Blood dripped down my shoulder and I scarcely noticed. Bruises and wounds stung and ached but all I was aware of was the thrill of excitement that ran up and down my spine. Wolfmother was coming!
And suddenly she was there. Silently, without warning, the wolves burst into the clearing. Real wolves! Magnificent wolves!
It was a huge pack, with Wolfmother in the lead. I had never seen so many wolves before. Every one of them was big, beautiful and silver in the moonlight.
The werewolves shrieked and huddled together as the wolves overflowed the clearing. Still silent, the wolves ringed the clearing, eyeing the hideous monsters. Then Wolfmother tossed her head and the wolves attacked without warning.
Werewolves shrieked and scattered. Jaws snapping, the wolves tore into the monsters, ducking under their claws. Fur flew. Howls filled the air. For a few seconds werewolves and real wolves were just a blur of motion.
Anxiously I searched the tangle of ferocious animals for Wolfmother. Was she all right? Was she hurt?
But I couldn’t find her. The wolves were strong and there were a lot of them but they didn’t have supernatural powers. I was afraid the werewolves would destroy them. I had to try to help Wolfmother.
But I couldn’t see a good spot to jump in.
Suddenly the tangle of bodies broke apart. I saw Wolfmother! She was snapping at the heels of a fleeing werewolf.
I stared, amazed. All of the werewolves were fleeing! Running and leaping as fast as they could go, the werewolves were escaping into the swamp in all directions. They were shrieking in terror!
The werewolves were afraid of the wolves!
But as I stared, feeling joy swell in my chest, a voice ripped into my head. “Traitor!” it screamed.
Ripper! His fury shook my mind like a handful of marbles. I moaned and fell to my knees.
“We’ll get you for this!” hissed Ripper, venom dripping from every word. “I’ll get you!”
Chapter 46
The shrieks of the werewolves faded away into the swamp. Ripper’s voice vanished from my head but the pain and shock made me feel fuzzy. I got clumsily to my feet, shaking my head to clear it.
Down below, the wolves were running around the edge of the clearing, tails high, nostrils flaring.
Inside the bus, the kids broke into a riot of cheers.
“Yea, wolves!” they yelled, clapping their hands. “Way to go!”
“Get those ugly monsters, wolves! Sic ’em!”
They whistled and laughed and hooted for joy but the wolves paid no attention whatsoever.
My legs suddenly felt wobbly with relief. I moved across the roof to jump down and go to Wolfmother. But then I hesitated. Real wolves did not like werewolves. Wolfmother had brought the pack to help the children but that did not mean she wanted to see me—not when I was a monster like the others.
I searched the crowd of wolves, looking for her. But as I showed my face several of the wolves began to growl, their neck fur rising threateningly.
Then one of the wolves shot out
