CHAPTER FIVE

Sophia arrived at the precinct, her mind racing with the details of the emergency call she had just received. A dead body had been found, and she was needed on the scene immediately.

As she entered the precinct, she was greeted by a group of uniformed officers who were already assembled. They were discussing the details of the case, their voices filled with a sense of urgency. She approached them, eager to hear what they had learned so far.

'A dedicated dispatch rider, who worked hard to deliver packages to those in need, was found to have passed away in a rural area. It appears that he was involved in a tragic incident with an animal while on his route.' One of the police officers informed her. 

'Where was he found?' she had started guessing it might be Jason. 

'At the woody area located around Flint Avenue' 

The blaring siren of an emergency call filled the air once again, causing officers in the precinct to rush towards the dispatch desk. The room was tense as they listened to the details of the call, which reported a second attack in the same rural area. The reports of a possible wild animal on the loose sent a shiver down the spines of the seasoned officers, but they knew that their training and experience would guide them in their response. They quickly made their preparations, grabbing their gear and heading out into the night to face this latest threat and protect the community from harm. The urgency of the situation weighed heavily on their minds, as they raced against the clock to bring this escalating situation under control.

Every citizen of Greenwood was informed to remain indoors for the rest of the night to ensure their safety. 

As Detective Sophia and other officers approached the crime scene, they were met with a chaotic and unsettling scene. The area was littered with signs of a struggle, with broken branches and torn foliage scattered about. The ground was stained with splashes of blood, and the air was heavy with the scent of fear. The officers, trained to maintain their composure in even the most difficult of circumstances, took in the scene with a sense of detachment, searching for any clues that would help them piece together what had happened.

As they ventured deeper into the area, the full extent of the attack became apparent. A large animal had torn into the earth, its powerful jaws leaving deep gashes in the soil. The officers approached a broken and lifeless form, lying at the center of the destruction. It was clear that this was the victim of the attack, and the sight of the young man's body sent a chill down the officers' spines. They knew that they had to work quickly to gather evidence and track the perpetrator of this savage attack before it could strike again.

'What could possibly be this animal?' Luke said trying to adjust his glasses, he was already feeling terrified about this whole thing but trying to comfort himself. 

'Hmm… Looking at the way this beast attacks, it all looks familiar, same strategy. Plus they are all male, no record of female victims' Sophia observed. 

'Ehh… When you say male?' 

"Officer of the law, you shouldn't be afraid. We will get to the bottom of this and take that beast down before..'' She was encouraging Luke when her phone rang. 

'Hello, this is Detective Sophia Richardson, who am I speaking to?' she picked up the call and asked. 

'I am calling from Greenwood General Hospital. Mrs. Catherine has woken up and has decided to speak up concerning the night she was attacked' the caller said. 

'Oh, thank you very much. I'm on my way now' She said as the call ended. 

'Hmm… This is going to be a long night' Luke said as he drank from his bottle of water. 

'You can go home to ensure your wife and daughter are safe, I can handle it' Sophia told him. 

'No, I'm coming with you. Since you said the predator has nothing on females' He replied eagerly 

'Alright, but that was an observation though' she said as they made their way to where she parked her car. 

'I'm coming with you boss' He said affirmably. 

She drove straight to the hospital, and when they got there, they went to Catherine's room. 

'Good evening ma'am, it's nice to meet you again'

'Oh, Good evening Detective' Mrs. Catherine said faintly. 

'I hope you are feeling better now Mrs. Catherine ?' Luke asked feeling sorry for the poor woman

'Better than before, thank you for your concern' she said

'I'm sorry for your loss ma but we need you to explain to us what happened that night and what the animal looked like, because it has attacked two more persons aside from your husband now' Sophia said. 

'Wow, this is serious. That fateful evening was a night we set aside to celebrate our 5th marriage anniversary. We went to the Italian restaurant at Flint avenue, and after spending a few hours there, we decided to go home. 

On our way home, we had almost arrived at our street when my husband almost ran over a man. Fortunately, he was able to avert the accident that would have occurred. 

My husband went out of the car to check on the man and apologize to him. In a split of seconds, the man's body began to contort and twist in unnatural ways as if some invisible force was reshaping him from within. His clothes ripped and fell away as his form grew, fur sprouting from every pore until he was covered in a thick, shaggy coat. His bones creaked and popped as they elongated, and his features shifted, becoming more animalistic with each passing moment. The man's eyes, once filled with a human's intelligence and emotion, now gleamed with a feral light, reflecting the beast within.

With a final, bone-jarring crack, the transformation was complete. Where once there had been a man, now stood a towering, magnificent wolf. Its nostrils flared as it took in the scents of the night, its body coiled and ready for action.'

'I'm sorry to interrupt you ma but if I heard well, are you saying a man turned into an animal?' She stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. She and her partner struggled to process what they had just heard, their minds grappling with the impossible reality of a man transforming into a wolf. They turned to each other, searching for answers in each other's faces.