Chapter 2 — The Failed Heist

That was when she heard the voices and could detect where they came from even though they came in whispers and very low tones. She could also tell that there were four speakers. Her instinct had told of who they might have been and what they'd come for. There seemed to be nothing else of theft-worthy value in that hallway as promising as the La Reina. The value boom had fallen on Vinci Gray's works in the art market sometime around the middle of the decade and one of the pieces that had been discovered somewhere in the town not so long ago had made its way into the Sotheby's, raking over $40,000,000 on auction.  

Such a sale had placed more value on the La Reina which was said to have more value and history to it and considered to be his chef d'oeuvre. Most of the educated wolves who seemed to know about this had their lives built in cities away from Yellow Moon.  

Her dad Leandro, a successful real estate magnate and serial investor had purchased the painting two decades earlier from what could be called a local antique store within the village at a relatively low price before the boom. His intention then and even now was to save it as part of the family's heritage so its presence in the Ash mansion wasn't well known. Though he hadn't foreseen the boom, he seemed to have an idea and if the painting happened to be stolen, she could already picture his disappointment. 

She made her way out of the room through the hallway of the first floor, slowly. Not with a tiptoe or stealth as the uncertainty of the situation required. The voices became audible and the words comprehensive as she got closer. 

"It's a well-secured piece of shi—!" one complained. "The screw's tight as a virgin." 

"Steady," another dictated. "Focus. I'd sure use a hex on the chunk if it was mine too." 

"The stuff's heavy as gold." another put in. "It could surely fetch us more than six hundred grand." 

"Six hundred thousand's a life changer. That's enough cash for all of us. I wouldn't opt for the drama to come out of that stunt if we chose to act on greed. I know much better than to play Casino," the second voice cut in again. She could discern it as that of the leader due to its dictating, deeper, and assertive nature. 

"Easy though." a fourth voice chipped in. It had a boyish pitch. "One hardly comes across six hundred thousand on a job this easy." 

"Well, I didn't mean it though. C'mon I have a right to think, don't I? I merely voiced out a thought." The third speaker defended his previous statement. 

Winter stepped into the long hallway a bit too cautiously so that they didn't notice her at first. Yes, there were four of them, ski-masked, holding flashlights, and armed. One was already working on the edges of the portrait, making progress in his bid to unfasten the screws that held it to the wall. They were all humans, and foreigners too. She could tell that from that scent despite being a city-bred wolf. 

"It was merely a thought huh? I guess you have a faulty thinking faculty for you should have thought better than to break into my house. So tell me, can I help you?" she introduced her presence, picking up from where the third robber's last statement had dropped off with a reference to the verb "thinking". Her calmness should have communicated a lot like confidence and danger but the robbers couldn't decipher the message. They rather seemed too full of themselves. Her shadow stretched out on the floor as she stood against the yellow light that poured in from the living room into the otherwise dark hallway. 

Putting the lights out would have been foolhardy for the robbers and though they didn't appear like it, they would have much preferred to finish the operation without any confrontation. They never thought they'd be using their guns. Not even when she appeared. 

"I don't think so, ma'am." The leader responded. A thin, long man. "I think the question should be, can we help you? It must be awfully cold and your clothes don't seem adequate. Need a hug, a sweater, some tea or coffee, or much better still, a good d—?" 

Her dress was see-through, knee-level and her underwear, visible. The others chuckled.

"Ha ha ha, so funny." She mimicked mockingly. "I'd be careful if I were you. You're touching my stuff and I don't like that. Now I'm giving you a chance to fasten the screws and leave with your sorry asses intact. Ten minutes precisely." 

"Sure ma'am." The leader mocked. "We'd leave, but sadly after taking the painting. Although I'd strongly advise against it, I dare you to try stopping us if you can." 

"Fine," and she made towards them, with both of her fists clenched beside her. 

"Cripple her." He ordered. The less busy two with readied pistols sent bullets at her legs and watched as the projectiles bounced off her skin without penetration. 

"She's a wolf. Kill her!" he ordered as he and the busy robber joined in raining shots on a still-approaching Winter. 

"She's gonna kill us all!" piped the fourth robber who had a boyish voice just before she jumped into her wolf and pounced into their midst, tearing them and their guns apart with brutal sweeps of her arms and claws. In less than five minutes she had them turned into a scattering of dead bodies with the leader torn into unrecognizable pieces of meat as a reflex for his driving a dagger deep into her hind legs. 

The aftermath was the blood-spattered walls of the dimly-lit room broken screens of frames hung on the walls, now misplaced, and other damages caused by the silenced bullets that had missed her.

Raising to her human, the sight of Lupe had her startled. He on the other hand showed less surprise: at the fact that she had a wolf – a few city-bred kids did have — or that it was rather too big for an average female, or that she wasn't even panting after such action which would have been typical of most female wolves. 

"I'm indeed sorry for coming late, Winter, but I remember communicating with you the dangers of living alone. I'm not afraid to say that you chose this. I mean, what would you expect? No guards on duty. I for one, couldn't go home thinking of your safety." 

"It's totally fine. As I said earlier, I can take care of myself." 

"It sure does look like it," 

"They were here for the painting. Has this occurred sometime before?" she asked. 

"It wouldn't matter if it had. What matters is that it wouldn't happen again if the guards were reinstalled. Anything could appeal to a thief. You can go back to bed now, I'll clear the mess." he said lighting a cigarette and switching on the lights. The sight of the mess made was briefly startling. 

"Let me help you with blood." she offered. 

"That wouldn't be necessary. Just go back to bed." 

"Okay." 

"And again kid," the aging omega said as she made her way upstairs to get tidy and back to bed. "I used to think you were a gamma, just like my daughter. It's quite clear that you're not. You do have an impressive wolf." 

"Thank you, uncle."