by Raquel Paiva
“Confidence looks good on you, sir, but not that good. Believe me, I know what these creatures are capable of. They aren’t just normal wolves, they are extremely powerful and will not hesitate to slaughter us. Even if we exceed them in number, we must all be prepared for the worst.”
“What is the defence plan then?” the same man asked with a sigh.
“Well, in two night’s time all women and children will take refuge in the church, together with Father Antero. It is the only place where they will be safe. We will have to provide them with as many torches as possible.” Captain Nogueira said. “Twenty of us will stay outside guarding the church. The others will patrol the village in groups of ten. You will all be armed with swords, knives, daggers, arrows and silver bullets. No exceptions. With torches too. Fire can also kill these creatures. But be careful, lest you set the village ablaze.”
The most obedient soldiers nodded in agreement. The most sceptical grunted under their breath, not yet convinced that a great danger was approaching.
That night Pedro watched the moon. Two more days and it would be completely full, bringing the danger from the depths of the forest. He wanted to take all those people and flee to Lisbon. There they would be protected. However, the huge wolves would come after them and catch them long before they reached the capital. In the village, at least they were in familiar territory and could defend themselves better. Not to mention that they had to try their best to destroy those creatures lest they attacked other villages in the area.
The next two days were spent in apparent calm. Although no one spoke about the imminent attack, everyone knew that on that day, at four in the afternoon, they should take their posts. The women were already busy packing some belongings to take to the church, while some children watched them curious and frightened. A four-year-old girl cried after her mother told her that they would not sleep at home that night. Pedro was sitting on a tree stump watching the scene around him. He thought that the next day he might no longer be alive and, suddenly, it was as if things took on a different meaning. He watched the small marigolds growing in a tuft of grass near him. It was incredible how, in the face of death, the smallest and most unnoticed things took on such profound significance and beauty. He had never really paid attention to marigolds. Their existence simply passed him by, so busy he was always thinking about his daily tasks. However, in that moment, he not only admired their beauty but envied them. Those marigolds would make it to the next day and the next and the next. Would he? He was not a coward, he knew he would fight until his last breath, but suddenly he felt that, now that Lúcia was giving him a meaning to his life, he was not ready to go yet. He was not an old man who had already lived his life and was ready to give his soul to God. To God... Since Amélia's death Pedro had forgotten about God, as if to punish God for having forgotten about him. During the time he spent at the convent, he had attended mass and prayed more out of courtesy towards the monks than devotion. The religious men instilled that habit in him, but Pedro always felt empty inside every time he prayed. There was no feeling or faith. At that precise moment he was thinking about death. He thought that if he perished that night, there was nothing left for him but to be devoured by those creatures. He would disappear forever. Maybe he didn’t even have a soul. And even if he did, he was certain that the Creator would reject it as He would not tolerate the soul of a non-believer in His divine kingdom. He thought of Lúcia then. Saving her from the fangs of those monsters would be his ultimate mission. He had asked her to marry him after all was over, but would they survive the night? It was such cruelty of fate that the same kind of creature that had taken his first wife, was now sharpening its claws and teeth to try to take his new bride. Every time he loved, those werewolves crossed his path. He went back home. He felt an enormous need to see her. He found her by her bedroom window. She had not packed anything. He stopped by the door and watched her. Lúcia didn't notice him straight away. She was looking at the clear sky, where some clouds were forming in the distance. Was she also thinking about death?
Lúcia was thinking about Luvinus. She thought of all the moments when they had been together which, despite scarce, had made her feel very fond of the accursed werewolf. She had never been afraid of him, not even the first time she saw him. Luvinus had been sent to protect her perhaps by God himself. Although the Full Moon could bring out his most vicious and animalistic side, Lúcia knew that Luvinus still had a human heart within him and she believed that he would succeed in making it speak louder than his beastly nature. Sometimes divine will was incomprehensible for ordinary mortals. A huge, vicious-looking wolf would be deemed as a demonic creature, but Lúcia believed that, if there was indeed a God, it would have been Him sending Luvinus to protect her from the other werewolves. What about those? Their beastly nature would always come out. Could they also be God's creatures? Why would God create such a hideous creature to torment humans?
The sun finally started to set in the horizon. The time was coming.
“We have to go, Lúcia.”
She turned and looked at her beloved human. It was then that she realized that her heart was divided. She felt melancholy break in her chest. She loved Pedro. Pedro, whom she had taken such tender care of, and who would give his life to protect her. Pedro who had suffered so much because of the werewolves, one of which she also loved. Both Pedro and Luvinus would try to protect her that night. And Luvinus would have to face the greatest battle: a battle against himself. How would they all survive the coming storm?
Pedro believed her distressed look was due to fear and doubt.
“Everything will be fine.” he said, trying to make his voice sound more confident than he felt.
Lúcia smiled wistfully and looked at Pedro in the eyes. Pedro would not hesitate to stab or shoot Luvinus if the big wolf put her life in danger, even if unaware. Would she still be able to love him if he put an end to the life of her beloved wolf man?
“I feel strange.” she admitted. “I'm looking at you and I know you'll do everything to protect me but...” she swallowed hard. "Would you really be able to kill Luvinus if he attacked me?"
“I would do it without hesitating for a moment.” was the peremptory answer.
“Why?”
“Because I love you. I will not allow these monsters to take another woman from me. He even said...”
“Would you be able to see behind the gray fur? Would you really be able to understand that under this wolf skin, a human heart beats?”
Pedro looked down, frowning. He suddenly understood everything.
“You love his human side.” he said, lifting his head to look at her.
Lúcia did not answer, but kept staring at him. Then she took a small bag with some belongings and prepared to leave the room, when he blocked her way, taking something out of his own bag.
“Here.” he said, as he held out a gun with silver bullets inside. “You may need it.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll have my sword, don’t worry.”
Lúcia took the gun from his hand and put it in her own bag. She went downstairs and joined Adélia, who was waiting for them just outside the door. The poor old woman, pale and with graying hair, was shivering and looked at both, in extreme agitation.
They left the house and headed towards the church of São Pedro de Penaferrim, where Father Antero was already blessing all the entrances. Women jostled while walking in, along with the children and some elderly men who were unable to fight. The religious man had tried to persuade Captain Nogueira that they should all hide in the church's basement, but the military man disagreed, saying that if any of those creatures managed to get into the church, it would easily corner them down there. It would be preferable to stay on the upper level, in order to escape if need be.
Captain Nogueira was standing next to the priest, shouting the latest orders. His furrowed brow highlighted a vein that throbbed rhythmically. He had faced many enemies before, but nothing could compare to the dange
r coming that night. He didn't know if he would survive. He just knew that he was willing to die trying to protect those poor people. He would lose his life or lose his honour.
“Stay away from the entrances. Don't come out before we tell you it’s safe. Keep the torches lit and use them as weapons, if you need. But be careful, don’t set the church ablaze by accident.”
His tone admitted no reply.
“Captain.” Pedro called, approaching the military leader. “I need to talk to you.”
Lúcia walked into the church without saying goodbye to Pedro. She looked at him from behind her shoulder, in a mixture of love, anger and sadness. Pedro looked at her too and swallowed hard. He was suddenly invaded by a strange weight in his stomach, a weight that threatened to spread through his body just thinking that she could die that night at the mercy of such a creature.
“Say it, soldier.”
“These werewolves are cunning, but don’t forget they are after Lúcia before anyone else.”
“Men will be fighting around the whole church. Let's all get ready now. The sun is falling into the horizon and soon the moon will shine full in the sky.”
After everyone walked in, Father Antero followed and locked the door from the inside.
“May God protect us all tonight.” he said, blessing himself.
Pedro still managed to get a glimpse of Lúcia, who looked at him for a fleeting moment. He realized that she loved him but that she did not forgive him for not being able to see the real Luvinus. Ludovico.
Night had fallen. Luvinus was hiding inside a cave, feeling the influence of the moon slowly taking over his body. He snarled and growled, his predatory instincts overcoming his human nature. He bit his own tail trying in vain to calm himself but the taste of his own blood only sharpened his instincts. Outside, his brothers howled. The moon was ascending into the black blanket of the night, round and in a beautiful almost transparent white. It had been a mistake to stay, but now there was nothing he could do. He felt the fear and tension of the soldiers and the inhabitants of Sintra, still far away, but close enough for his keen wolf senses to detect them. He felt delight. Human fear was making him feel an inexplicable, sadistic pleasure and an enormous desire to attack and sink his teeth into those masses of flesh and blood. His brothers kept howling and the moon rose in the sky. Shorath was the biggest and most fearsome of all. He felt, like the omega, fear spreading in the air like an intoxicating miasma. Shorath also detected something else in the air. An immaculate smell, of pure innocence. A smell that made him want to release him wild instincts, to fall on that innocence and desecrate it.
“She is mine.” Shorath snarled. “You can kill everyone else, but that girl is mine.”
“No, she’s mine.” Luvinus thought, dazed by the trance. “I will devour her.”
However, in the immediate moment, a small voice, almost inaudible, but perceptible enough for him not to ignore it, implored: “No, leave her. You love Lúcia. Don't hurt her.”
He looked at Shorath, who seemed to have grown in size with the prospect of taking possession of that young, innocent female body. They howled one last time and the six launched themselves towards the village, in an unrestrained run.
“She's mine, don't touch her.” ordered Shorath once again. He ran with bared teeth and bristly black fur, his red eyes sparkling wildly in the night. If there were still any doubts left as to why he was the alpha of that unusual pack, they had just disappeared. Even Luvinus himself, at that moment, could not question his authority and ferocity. He stayed behind though, trying to fight himself.
XIV
The men were agitated and started buzzing as soon as they heard the first howls in the dark night. The village was the scene of the most ghostly of scenarios. It was dark, the wind pushing the clouds, covering and uncovering the moon. They wielded their swords and shotguns, some men boldly preparing for danger, others letting fear take over them. There was no more laughter about the “little wolves”. All the pores in Pedro’s body contracted, at the same time he wielded his sword and raised his torch. Even so, he observed with an ironic curiosity that those who had called the danger “little wolves” were the ones that now seemed to be the most frightened.
They heard a rustle in the bushes. They stood by, ready to defend themselves at the slightest sign of attack. A disturbing silence ensued. Unfortunately, the night was not in their favour, as the clouds covered the moonlight. Curious that their greatest enemy was the one they needed the most at that moment. They heard a new rustle and the glimpse of an enormous figure rushed toward them, like lightning. One of the men, startled, fired in its direction.
“Quiet, you fool!” Captain Nogueira shouted angrily. “We can't waste bullets.”
“I'm sorry, Captain.” The man excused himself. “I got scared and...”
He didn't finish the sentence. A huge wolf, which had approached discreetly as the men’s attention turned to the bushes, grabbed the scared soldier by the throat, waved him in the air and thrusted him against the others, knocking down six men at once. The men screamed, suddenly seized with courage and the will to fight. They wielded their swords in the direction of the werewolf, but behold, another one approached. They were agile, despite their massive size. Their huge mouths with strong sharp teeth bit the arms of the men holding the swords so hard that they tore clean off. Screams of pain infected the air. Shots were heard but the wolves managed to escape unscathed. It was too dark to see what they were aiming at, despite the torches. Pedro was spinning around himself, all senses alert. He saw another figure, even bigger than the first two wolves, approaching one of the side doors of the church. It was the alpha of the pack. The one who wanted Lúcia. Seized by a courage that he had never felt before, he ran towards the creature. The wolf saw him and bared his teeth. He prepared to attack him. Pedro wielded his sword. The werewolf jumped and tried to knock him over, but Pedro managed to swing in time. He tried to hurt Shorath, but he also swung. Two men approached to help Pedro, wielding their silver swords and shooting. Shorath fled from them, towards the other door.
“Are you ok?” one of the men asked.
Pedro didn't even answer. He was already running towards the other door willing to kill Shorath no matter what. However, another werewolf blocked his path. The soldier hurt him in the leg with a silver dagger. The creature grunted in pain, but Pedro quickly realized that that thick fur would not let death fall so easily upon the creature, even if the weapons were made of silver. They would have to pierce their hearts, which would not be so simple. The other two men tried to help, but suddenly they all heard a cry so horrendous that they stopped the fight for a moment. Shorath had bitten two men who had wounded him in the shoulder blade. He had mixed his blood with theirs. The unfortunate ones were transforming and the spectacle was the most horrendous thing anyone’s eyes had ever witnessed. They increased in size, the clothes were torn, the fur grew, the faces elongated to form lupine snouts and, little by little, they took on the shape of giant wolves. Shorath bared his teeth in a grimace that looked like a wicked smirk, as he watched his new brothers kill their human side and rise again in the shape of werewolves.
Pedro felt a chill down his spine. If Shorath kept those intentions up, soon that small army of men would become a pack. They had to act quickly.
“We have to kill the alpha first.” he said to himself.
A huge paw knocked him down. Pedro rolled on the ground and just as the werewolf jumped on him he managed to raise his sword. It all went too quickly. Caught off guard the creature was no longer in time to dodge and plunged on the sword finding death. Pedro smiled triumphantly. However, the surprises did not end there. The huge wolf, already dead, was recovering his human shape. Pedro saw a young man staring at him lifeless. So werewolves recovered their human form after they were killed. Pedro pushed the body to the side and stood up. He had no time to check it. When all that was over they would bury the wretched. He ran again to the side door of the church. He had to find Shorath
.
Inside the house of God, the women had huddled against each other at the bottom of the altar. Some prayed fervently to God, begging Him for mercy and asking Him to take the danger away. Father Antero raised the crucifix in one hand and held the Bible in the other, praying in Latin. Adélia was clinging to Lúcia and crying uncontrollably. Her young mistress tried to calm her down by whispering sweet words in her ear.
“Be brave, Adélia. Pedro and the others are going to beat them.”
Pedro. What an idiot she had been for not even saying a single word of encouragement to him. It might be too late now. All of a sudden, they heard a door violently shake. Outside one of the creatures grunted and howled, trying to knock the massive wooden door down.
“May God have mercy on us!” a woman pleaded, pressing her palms together.
Outside, the men had managed to kill another werewolf. Captain Nogueira had been the author of the killing. His chin nearly dropped when he saw the werewolf resume his human shape after dying. Not even in his worst nightmares had the captain ever seen anything like that. He looked around. Several men had fallen and were lying on the ground in a bloody pile. He felt bad for such a thought, but rather dead than transformed into those cursed creatures that would make the almost impossible task even more difficult for them.
Pedro had managed to get close to Shorath and tried to get him away from the church. Lúcia was all he could think of. The two men who went after him were stopped by the newly transformed werewolves. The beasts had already forgotten that they had been men. The four got involved in a close fight from which only one soldier and one werewolf would come out alive. The surviving wolf went after Pedro. The soldier aimed his sword towards the new enemy and his torch towards Shorath. He was in great danger. When the new werewolf prepared to attack him, a third appeared unexpectedly and jumped on the new brother. This time, Pedro recognized him. It was Luvinus, who thus entered the battle. The two werewolves grappled. Shorath disappeared, much to Pedro's dismay. He left the two wolves fighting and went back to the churchyard, at the same time he saw one of the other soldiers finish another creature. He was overwhelmed with shock when he saw such destruction. Of the eighty men, only eight remained. Him, Captain Nogueira and six other stout men, all fighting with tremendous courage. He saw three men lying on the floor, with a wounded chest and he guessed at once that three of the werewolves had been eliminated. However, there were still two to kill at least and that was only if Luvinus was really on the side of the soldiers. Not to mention that Shorath could have made more werewolves. It was difficult to count. Captain Nogueira approached Pedro, panting. He was exhausted. One of the surviving wolves was gone. He had probably gone to join his alpha.
