Ethan
“Hey Calder,” I called from the other room.
“Yeah?”
“Were you expecting a package?”
He leaned into the doorway, catching my eye with a grin on his face. “I mean… yours maybe. After breakfast?”
“Ha-ha,” I grinned. “Very funny.” I glanced back out the window, a coffee mug in my hand. “I asked because there’s a box on your front porch.”
Calder moved to stand behind me, looking over my shoulder through the window.
His warm presence was comforting against my back as he peered out at the mysterious package.
"I didn't order anything," he murmured, his breath tickling my ear.
"And nobody ever delivers packages here.
Most people don't even know where I live. I have everything sent to the shop."
I squinted, trying to make out any details. "It has my name on it."
His body tensed immediately. "Your name? Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure, yeah." I set my coffee down on the windowsill. "I can see 'Ethan' from here. But there’s no label."
Calder's hand gripped my shoulder, keeping me in place when I tried to move toward the door. "Wait. Don't go out there."
"It's just a package, Calder," I said, though a knot of unease was forming in my stomach. "It's probably something from work."
"That's sent to my address?" His voice had that edge to it, the one that appeared whenever he thought I might be in danger. "Nobody knows you're staying here except your mother and Jake."
I bit my lip, considering. He had a point. "Maybe Mom sent something? A late Halloween gift?"
"Maybe." He didn't sound convinced. "Stay here. I'll get it."
I watched as he moved cautiously toward the front door, his body tense like a predator ready to spring. Sometimes the way he moved reminded me of something wild, something not quite human, like he was an ex marine or something. It was both terrifying and thrilling.
He opened the door slowly, scanning the yard before stepping onto the porch. I saw him circle the package once, examining it from all angles before finally picking it up. He brought it inside, kicking the door closed behind him.
"It is addressed to you," he confirmed, setting the box on the kitchen counter. It was about the size of a shoebox, wrapped in plain brown paper with my name scrawled across the top in black marker.
"No mention of who it’s from," I noted, moving closer to inspect it. "That's weird."
"Don't open it," Calder warned, his hand covering mine as I reached for the package. "We don't know what's inside."
My phone rang suddenly, making us both jump. I pulled it from my pocket, my editor’s name from the Gazette flashing on the screen.
"Hey boss. What's up?" I answered, watching as Calder continued to eye the package suspiciously.
“Ethan, I’m glad I got a hold of you,” he said, his voice strained for more than I’d ever heard before. “I… I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”
My stomach dropped. "What happened?"
"Jake Harrison is dead." My editor's voice cracked. "Police found his body this morning in the woods near Mackworth Island."
The room tilted sideways. I gripped the counter to steady myself, my knees suddenly weak. "What? No, that can't be right. I just saw him at a haunted maze a day ago… he was just fine…"
Calder was at my side instantly, his arm around my waist, supporting me. His eyes searched mine, concern etched across his features.
"I know it's a shock," my editor continued. "The police are calling it an animal attack."
My blood ran cold. "His heart," I whispered. "Was his heart..."
There was a pause on the line. "How did you know that?"
Calder's grip on me tightened. I could feel him go rigid beside me.
"Lucky guess," I managed, my voice barely audible. "It's the same killer, isn't it? The same one from the cider mill."
"The police aren't confirming anything officially, but yes, it looks that way." My editor sighed heavily. "Look, I know you two were close. Take the day off. Take the week if you need it. The police won’t let us run any stories on this anyway, not until they find the killer."
I nodded numbly before realizing he couldn't see me.
“Did you get the box?”
I paused, surprised to hear him mention it.
“Y-Yeah. How did you know about that?”
“I delivered it last night after I got the call about Jake.” My editor’s voice seemed strained. “He gave it to me a while back and told me that it should be delivered to you in case anything happened. He was very insistent about it and gave me an address for a Calder Thorne.”
“I… I didn’t know Jake knew where I was staying.”
“I peeked in the window to make sure you were there,” he replied. “I would’ve rang the bell and told you about everything, but there was this massive dog running around the neighborhood. I thought it was a wolf for a moment.”
My blood went cold. “W-What?”
“I think I was just overtired.” He let out a sigh. “Anyway, if there’s anything in that box that might help the police with their investigation, make sure you turn it in, alright? Whoever did this to Jake needs to be stopped.”
“Right,” I mumbled in reply. "Thanks. I'll... I'll call you later."
I ended the call and stared blankly at the mysterious package on the counter.
Jake was dead. The monster had killed him.
Jake, who had been so suspicious of Calder, who had warned me to be careful.
And now there was a wolf running around the neighborhood in the middle of the night?
It felt like everything was converging on me at once.
"Ethan?" Calder's voice seemed to come from far away. "What happened? Who died?"
"Jake," I said, the name catching in my throat. "The monster got him. Ripped out his heart like all the others."
Calder's face went pale. "Jake? Your coworker Jake?"
I nodded, tears burning behind my eyes. "He… He didn’t deserve this. Nobody deserves this. And the last thing I told him was to mind his own business…"
"When?" Calder asked, his voice tight. "When did it happen?"
"They found him early this morning." I looked up at Calder, realization dawning. "It must have happened last night. While we were sleeping. My boss delivered the box.” I shook my head. “He said he would’ve rung the bell, but there was a wolf running through the streets.”
Calder’s entire body went rigid. “M-Maybe it was just a stray dog or something…”
“Or that monster,” I whispered. “Either way, it’s getting closer.” I reached for the box, pulling it open. “Jake left this for me in case anything ever happened to him. I… I didn’t think he was that worried about this case catching up with him.”
Inside the box was a dark blue scrapbook, the kind you’d find at a hobby store.
But it was well used and worn on the edges.
A label on the front read “Monster Sightings”.
On top of it was an unsealed envelope with my name written on the front in Jake’s familiar chicken scratch.
I picked it up, terrified of what it might contain.
Pulling it free, I unfolded the letter and began to read.
Ethan,
If you’re reading this, that means my worst fears have been realized. The monster has caught up with me. I wasn’t careful enough, so I’m leaving this letter as a warning to you.
Run Ethan. Run away from Calder, but don’t make it obvious. He’s not who you think he is. For years I’ve been tracking his kind, following them through the darkest parts of Maine. I’ve seen meetings, caught them running by moonlight, and was nearly attacked by them several times.
But when you told me about his knowledge and the story of him helping you catch this monster, I knew it was too good to be true.
I’ve been watching him, Ethan. Trailing his every move.
I saw him on the outskirts of town, having meetings with mysterious people.
When I followed them, they disappeared into the night, nothing but howls in their wake.
I’ve witnessed his friends, Trevor and Patrick, shifting into dangerous creatures in the woods under a full moon. And I’ve seen him do the same.
There’s a reason he was there that night the heart was left outside of your apartment. I was there too. I saw with my own two eyes what he IS.
Calder is a werewolf. The same one that killed your father. I have a picture of him to prove it inside this envelope.
Just think about it Ethan. He’s always there when something goes wrong, he knows more than he should, and there are details of this case NOBODY should be privy to.
But he knows. He’s always known, because he’s the one that killed Marcus Greer.
He’s the one that killed those people at the cider mill. He’s the one that killed your father.
And now, if you’re reading this, he’s killed me.
Ask him where he was when I died. Ask him why he knows so much. Ask him why he sneaks out when you’re sleeping in his bed.
I care about you so much, Ethan. I put my life on the line to make sure you stayed safe. Don’t waste this moment. Take the book and go, it has all the evidence you need to reveal his kind to the world. Don’t let them get away with it.
Don’t let my death be in vain.
Stay safe.
-Jake
My hands shook as I looked up from the letter, my gaze coming to rest on Calder’s. His nostrils were flared as he took a step closer to me, breathing deeply.
“That letter…” he growled deep in his chest. “It… It smells like the monster.” He went to grab it, his eyes flashing gold once more. I took a step back, unable to help the gasp that escaped my throat.
“It… It’s you,” I whispered. “It’s always been… you.”
“What?” Calder cocked his head to the side, taking another step toward me. “What are you talking about, Ethan? Let me see that letter.”
"No!" I yelled, clutching Jake's letter to my chest and taking another step back. The table edge pressed against my spine as I retreated. "Don't come any closer."
Calder froze, his hand still outstretched toward me. The golden flecks in his eyes seemed to pulse and glow, no longer just a trick of the light. How had I never truly noticed before?
"Ethan, please," he said, his voice softening. "Whatever that letter says—it's not true. Let me explain."
"Explain what? That you've been lying to me this whole time?" My voice cracked as tears filled my eyes. "That you're the monster that killed my father? That killed Jake?"
Calder's face went pale. "What? No! Ethan, I would never—"
"You were gone last night," I said, the pieces suddenly fitting together with horrifying clarity. "My boss saw a wolf running through the neighborhood while you were supposedly asleep next to me. But you weren't there, were you? You were out killing Jake!"
"That's not what happened," Calder said, his voice desperate now. He took another step forward, and I grabbed the nearest object—a heavy ceramic mug—and held it up defensively.
"Stay back!" I shouted, my hand trembling. "Your eyes... they're glowing. Just like... just like the monster's did that night in the woods."
Calder stopped, something like resignation washing over his features. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, the gold had receded, but I knew what I'd seen.
“Let me explain—”
“I know what you are!” I shouted, brandishing the mug once more. “You… You’re a werewolf!”
The word echoed through the house and Calder stopped in his tracks.
“Tell me I’m wrong, Calder,” I growled. “Lie to me again, like you always have.”
Calder let out a long sigh and shook his head. “I… I won’t lie to you anymore,” he muttered. “You’re right. I… I’m a werewolf.”