If you want to find out where Benedict put the cloak...
Things calmed down a lot after that night. There were no more reports of werewolves kidnapping people. In fact, some weird stories began to surface about vigilante werewolves: showing up and saving younger kids from bullies, tackling burglars and returning stolen belongings to grateful families, that kind of thing. Maybe Dacey had turned over a new leaf. Emily didnât seem to think so, but I didnât see her as often now because I was spending a lot of time with Diana. Once Diana had her brother back and we had more time to actually get to know each other, she turned out to be a really incredible person. After a few months of skirting around the issue, I finally got the courage to ask her out. I took her to this wild lesbian rave. Just kidding. It was your typical high school date: dinner and a movie and home by ten. I insisted on walking her to her door when I dropped her off. âThat was more fun than I expected!â she beamed. âIâm happy that I get the benefit of your low expectations.â I was trying too hard to be funny. She was smiling at me, and it felt so good to see her happy. Of course, then I managed to ruin it. I leaned in to kiss her on the forehead, but at the same time she leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. We bumped faces awkwardly and I panicked and decided to SHAKE HER HAND. What is even wrong with me? She gave me a puzzled look, but then we both laughed. âIâll see you at school on Monday,â I said, and turned to walk back to my car. As I turned, I thought I saw her wink at me, but I wasnât going to risk another giant awkward failure by turning back around. As I made my way down the sidewalk, I was feeling ok about the date. The handshake was ⌠pretty awful. But then she maybe winked, right? I can recover from that. Should I text her when I get home tonight? Normally Iâd text her, but maybe I shouldnât? I was too lost in my hopeful speculation to even see it coming. I slammed into the ground and felt a rough cloth slip over my head. I was too scared to yell, but the arms holding me down were covered with coarse fur. Shit. âLook what do you want? I donât know where the cloak is!â Was it possible Dacey was still after that stupid cloak? I felt them--at least three of them?--shove me into a car and pile in after me, still holding my arms. A few second later the motor started. âHello?â No one answered me. None of them have said a word. I was in no position to fight back, so all I could do it wait and see where they were taking me, and try not to freak out. My shoulder was sore from where it hit the pavement, but they hadnât really tried to hurt me. Yet. They drove for less than five minutes before we stopped. I was trying to pay attention to as many details as I could, but this stupid bag was still on my head. They pulled me out of the car. I planted my feet, hoping one more time that I might get some answers. âLook, just tell me where weâre going? I donât have anything you want. What could Dacey possibly want with me?â Suddenly I heard a low snarl that seeped into a deep, breathless laugh. âWhere have you been?â one of them finally said. âWe donât answer to Dacey anymore. I would think thatâs obvious.â What the actual heck? I mean, I guess it would explain the recent spate of good deeds. But kidnapping me was most definitely NOT a good deed. None of this made sense, but just as I was about to ask another probably dumb question, one of them pushed me in the back and I stumbled forward. âGet moving. The boss demanded to see you and weâll be in trouble if we waste any more time.â As they led me forward, I heard what sounded like a massive door swinging open. I could tell we were no longer outside when the wind stopped making the bag on my head smack into my face. Inside wherever we were, I could hear breathing from all sides of me. There must have been hundreds of them. I got scared all over again. Finally we stopped walking. âWe brought her, unharmed just like you said.â One of my captors was apparently reporting to the boss, whoever that was. âGood. I may change my mind later, but right now I just want to ask her a few questions. You know how protective I can be of my family.â And whatever I expected the boss to sound like? This was NOT it. It sounded⌠well, it sounded a LOT like Diana. But that was impossible! I was wrestling with that quandary when I felt them yank the bag off my head. It took me a second to realize I had my eyes closed, and then another few seconds to adjust to the light once I opened them. I was in an enormous cave, and I couldnât even count the number of werewolves but suffice it to say there were roughly a bajillion. At the front of the room, commanding everyoneâs attention, was a small figure sitting on a⌠I mean, I guess it was a throne? It was a big chair. As my eyes began to focus, I could finally see the person sitting in that big chair. It was a boy, no more than 11 years old, wearing a bright red hooded cape. He was the only one in the room who wasnât a werewolf. I gasped, âBenedict?â








