Nick sat at his desk, staring at the crime scene photos. Ever since he'd learned of his true heritage as a Grimm, he'd seen many things that were far more brutal than any simple human act. Mellifers injecting people with lethal doses of venom, Siegbarstes beating people to death with their bare hands, Spinnetods melting their victims' innards before consuming them…

This case was easily one of the most brutal. The McAllister brothers had been mauled and partially eaten by…something. On the surface, this seemed like just an animal attack, but his gut told him that a Wesen was responsible. But which kind? There was still so much he didn't know, so much Aunt Marie hadn't told him.

"Nick? Hank?" he heard Captain Renard call. Nick swiveled his chair to look at him, and he said "Can I see you in my office?" Nick and Hank stood and made their way into the office, shutting the door behind them. Captain Renard sat down at his desk and asked "What can you tell me about the McAllister case?"

Nick stood behind one of the chairs, crossing his arms. "We combed the entire house and found several items that had been reported stolen by the residents in the area."

"So the brothers were behind the break-ins?"

"That seems pretty likely."

"Trouble is we have no idea who or what killed them," Hank said, hooking his thumbs in his jean pockets. "There's obvious signs of forced entry, but all the evidence points to an animal attack."

Nick shook his head. "I think we're looking at pre-meditated murder. We know the McAllister brothers were behind the break-ins, so maybe an angry homeowner tracked them down. There's plenty of motive there."

Captain Renard nodded. "Have you found any evidence? Fingerprints, hair samples?"

"Everything the techs found belonged to the brothers. But my instincts tell me that someone went into that house and killed them as payback."

The captain glanced at Hank, then said "Well I certainly appreciate your instincts, detective, but so far everything you've told me suggests that they were killed by some kind of animal. Their home wasn't exactly kept in the best condition; is it possible that stray dogs or a cougar wandered into their yard and attacked them?"

"It's possible. But I still want to investigate this as homicide," Nick said.

The captain was silent for a moment, then said "Alright. But don't work this too deeply if it does turn out to be the work of a wild animal. You've got other cases to work. Check with Animal Control. Get their input."

Nick and Hank nodded, then walked out. The former's lips were pursed, still feeling uneasy about the case. When he sat back at his desk, his attention wandered to his parents' murders. He pulled up the old newspaper headline, as well as the case file about the ancient Coins of Zakynthos. Nick also opened information a detective from Reinbeck who'd worked the case of his parents' deaths years ago sent him.

An image appeared on his screen: Akira Kimura, the only man still alive who was suspected of being involved.

Many years ago…

Louise stumbled a little when the man pushed her. Night had fallen long ago, and the moon cast pale white light onto the expanse of the forest. It was her first time outside the castle since she'd been taken from her family, but freedom did not exactly line up with her expectations. "Keep going!" the man barked, shoving her again. All Louise knew about him was he belonged to something called the 'Verrat' and that his name was Danilov.

Also, she hated him.

He shoved her a third time, and it was enough to make her trip on a large root. Louise crashed onto the ground, grunting as her face hit the dirt. She barely had time to process the fall when every muscle in her body seized at once. She contorted in awkward, painful angles, writhing in absolute agony as the thick collar around her neck shocked her. Louise's mouth was open, but she found herself unable to scream or cry out.

Danilov took his finger off the button on the remote he held, and the pain stopped. Louise panted, feeling dizzy from the electric shock. "Get up!"

She hastily complied, never wishing to feel that pain again.

Danilov gave her an arrogant smirk. "You understand orders. Good. Even a wild beast such as yourself will learn to enjoy your place. Move."

Giving him a glare, Louise turned and resumed walking in the direction they'd been heading. Tonight was supposed to be some sort of test; so far, her captors had forced her to kill half a dozen men and women in the catacombs, but now they seemed keen on testing her ability to hunt someone out in the open.

Louise stopped. Somewhere, out there, was someone else. She could hear their heartbeat. Were they human? She sniffed. No, another Wesen.

"You sense your prey. Good." Danilov pressed the button controlling her collar, and she grunted as her body seized once more. It lasted only for a split second, but to her it seemed much, much longer. When it was over, the adrenaline and anger that seared in her bones caused her to Woge. She felt her teeth sharpening as the fur grew over her skin. She growled at Danilov, who pointed into the forest and said "Kill."

Louise's emotions were burned away in that moment. All she felt was a primal desire for blood. The other heartbeat suddenly seemed to thunder in her ears, and all sense of reason dissolved in her mind.

Without a word, she charged into the forest, leaving Danilov behind.

She sprinted through the trees and bushes, growling and baring her teeth. She could hear everything, smell everything. The birds and the rodents and the insects. All of them were insignificant before her fury. 'Lords of the jungle' her mother had called their kind, and in that moment, she could not have been more right. Louise honed in on the heartbeat. This close, she could hear the Wesen's breathing. It was a woman, and she was running away.

It was not long before Louise caught up with her; she was madly dashing through the bushes, whimpering and grunting in terror. She was Woged, and the scent of her fear reminded Louise of pork. Louise clawed the trees as she passed them, her instincts screaming at her to feast on a fresh kill.

Surging forward with a fresh burst of energy, Louise leaped through the air and tackled the woman to the ground. She then sank her sharpened fangs into her neck, eliciting squeals of pure agony. Through the haze of murderous intent, the taste of the woman's blood reminded Louise of pork, as well. That drove her to bite the woman again and again, tearing strips of flesh from her body until the squealing stopped.

Eventually, she stopped, and Louise Woged. When she was back in human form, she looked down and cried out, stumbling backwards.

The fresh corpse was gushing blood onto the soil from the dozens of savage wounds, and its right arm was nearly free of its socket due to most of the flesh at the shoulder having been consumed. Louise felt blood all over her mouth and her shirt. There was something stuck between her teeth, and she reached in and plucked it loose. Looking at it closely, she gasped as she realized it was a piece of bone.

Louise dropped it as her guts up-ended inside her, and she leaned to the side as she retched into a shrub. She didn't stop until the contents of her last meals, such as they were, were completely emptied.

Danilov came into view a few minutes later, and upon seeing the condition of the corpse, he smiled. "Well done," he said, nodding in approval. Louise backed up against a tree, clutching her legs against her chest. She shivered, her gaze fixed on the dead woman as the full realization of what she had done fell on her like an avalanche. "We weren't able to determine if she was part of the Resistance, but that does not matter. The Bauerschwein scum got what all her kind deserved."

Louise could only shiver in the dead of night, bathed in the pale moonlight.

Present day…

Jacob gave Louise the car for the day. She promised to cook him a perfect meal for dinner as a thank-you.

She'd scheduled an appointment with the veterinary clinic Joris had recommended; she might have required the use of GPS to find her way, but Mauvais Dentes were unparalleled hunters, and her skills helped her locate the clinic with little difficulty. Portland was still so strange to her, but in time, she hoped to gain a familiarity with its streets and people.

She walked inside, Marius in her arms, joining the half dozen others with their respective pets. Louise's natural instinct was to Woge and consume every animal in sight before doing the same to their owners. Clenching her jaw, she did her best to repress that feeling. This city was supposed to be her home, not her hunting ground. Her ancestors may have given in to their urges, but not her. She lived in defiance of such…base behaviour.

After checking in at the front desk, she found a place to sit and placed Marius on her lap. He craned his head this way and that, trying to get a look at all the strange sights and smells. The Russian Blue meowed, and Louise gently shushed him as she scratched behind his ears. He was getting a tad excited by his new surroundings, but she knew him well enough to keep him calm. Louise, idly petting Marius, scanned the waiting room. One woman held the leash to a German Shepherd, while an elderly couple sat with a Golden Labrador puppy, a white cone around its neck.

She noticed the woman sitting next to her holding a beautiful Siamese cat in her lap. The woman was short, blonde, and rather attractive, dressed sharply while wearing a brown jacket. Working up the courage to talk to a stranger, Louise said "That's a gorgeous Siamese. What's her name?"

The blonde woman smiled. "Her name is Majique. She hasn't been feeling well lately, so I thought I'd better take her here to see what's wrong. And I have to say, that's a handsome little Russian Blue. What's his name?"

"Marius," Louise replied. "He is due for his checkup."

"You have a lovely accent, if I may say."

It was Louise's turn to smile. "Merci. Je m'appelle Louise," she said, holding out a hand.

The blonde woman shook it. "I'm Adalind. It's nice to meet you. How long have you lived in Portland?"

"Actually, my husband and I just moved here a week ago."

"That's wonderful! I admit that I'm probably leaving soon. Portland has lost some of its charm for me, and it's time to move on."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Louise said. "Perhaps, if it is not too much trouble, we could have coffee sometime before you leave?"

"I'd love that, thank you."

Just then, a nurse walked into the waiting room, clipboard in hand. "Mrs. Sauvageon? Doctor Silverton is ready for you."

"It was lovely meeting you, Adalind. I hope Majique feels better soon," Louise said as she stood.

"Oh, I have a feeling he'll feel a lot better in no time."

Louise followed the nurse inside. It was a shame that Adalind was leaving so soon; it seemed that the two of them might have been friends in time. She re-focused her attention on the matter at hand. Jacob was always saying 'We mustn't be slaves to the past. What matters is what we do in the moment. The future is whatever we make it'. She smiled at the thought. Jacob had always been her guiding hand, the one to comfort her in times of stress. Without him, she would just be another monster enslaved to the whims of her bloodlust. Without him, she would still be in that cell.

The nurse opened the door, and Louise stepped inside. Doctor Silverton stood beside the examination table. She looked a few years younger, and was very pretty, with red hair, a warm smile, and a lab coat. "Hello. Who is this little cutie?"

"His name is Marius," Louise replied, setting him down on the table.

"Hello, Marius," Doctor Silverton greeted, putting on gloves. She started to inspect him, but he hissed at her as his hackles rose and tail thickened.

"Calme-toi, Marius!" Louise said, petting him. His ears flattened against his head, and he visibly relaxed.

"You certainly seem to have the touch," Doctor Silverton said.

Louise smirked. "You could almost say I'm part cat, myself."

Many years ago…

"When you are introduced, it is important that you kneel and keep your eyes to the floor."

"Yes, father," Jacob said as he kept pace.

The two of them walked through the corridors of the castle's main level. Jacob had never been up here, above the catacombs, before. The difference between the two levels was profound: the catacombs were cold and dark and foreboding, while the main level was grand and ancient and warm. Despite that warmth, however, Jacob felt as if he were being smothered. Down in the catacombs, there was nothing except whatever he brought with him; it had become his home, of a sort. Up here, where the Royal Family lived, the weight of history threatened to crush him, body and soul. Jacob was nothing before this venerable dynasty.

They soon arrived at a set of double doors, carved from fine oak. A pair of guards flanked the doors, standing with their hands clasped. Even though they looked human, Jacob could smell that they were Hundjägers. He sneered in reflex. His father nodded to one of the guards, who stepped inside the room while his partner remained where he was.

"Do not speak unless you are spoken to," Jacob's father said. He sounded tense. "Do you understand, boy?"

"Yes, father," Jacob said, flinching at the raised voice.

The guard returned, holding the door open. Jacob and his father stepped inside.

The room they entered was far grander than the corridors they'd walked through. The raised ceiling featured a series of coffers that depicted dozens of scenes of what Jacob assumed was the family's history. The walls were smooth wood, polished to a shine, while the carpet displayed a magnificent tableau of some prince or lord hunting a lion. A large desk sat at the far corner of the room, while a number of plush couches and chairs were arranged to provide ample seating.

Standing in the centre of the room was an older man, around the same age as Jacob's father. He wore a fine suit, and stood with an aura of power and the strength of a distinguished bloodline. His hair was close-cut, and he had a fine beard. Beside him stood a boy, somewhere around Jacob's age. He was thin, and dressed in an equally fine suit. His hair was black and curly, and he stood with a demeanor of quiet confidence bordering on arrogance.

Jacob and his father approached the pair, and the latter knelt before them. Jacob quickly followed suit, remembering his father's words.

"King Frederick, you do us great honour."

The older man smiled. "Of course, Charles. After all, loyalty should be rewarded." Jacob could feel his gaze fall on him. "So, this is your son?"

"Yes, Your Highness. With your blessing, he will one day become my successor."

"Look at me, Jacob."

Jacob blinked, suddenly feeling nervous and afraid. He never expected to be directly addressed by the king himself. He cautiously looked up at the king, fearing what the older man might say.

"One day you will become my guardian, my protector, just as your father and forefathers have done for centuries. Do you understand?"

Jacob started to speak, but found his throat dry. Swallowing, he said "Yes, Your Highness."

"But you are a long way from that. Only after your father dies can you assume his position. In the meantime, you will serve as protector to my son, Prince Eric, who will ascend to the throne one day." Jacob glanced at the prince, whose lips were curled in a haughty smirk. "He is staying here for the summer, but in three months' time he will return to Paris for his schooling. You shall accompany him."

Looking back down at the carpet, all Jacob could say was "I understand, Highness."

"Very good. Come Charles, I am leaving for London tonight to conduct some business with the head of the British Family. I trust our sons will become well-acquainted with one another by the time we return."

"Of course, King Frederick," Jacob's father said. He gave him a severe look that all but screamed 'do not embarrass me' as he stood and followed the king out.

"Father's almost always out on business," Prince Eric said. "He says that a proper ruler always ensures that the wellbeing of the family is kept paramount. I intend to do the same when I become King."

Not thinking of any proper response, all Jacob could say was "Yes, Your Highness."

"Oh please, enough with all the pomp," Prince Eric said. He gripped Jacob by the shoulders and had him stand. "There, that's better. Equal footing. Now we can carry on a proper conversation." He stared at Jacob for a moment, which made him uncomfortable, before saying "So, I hear you are a Manticore."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"It's quite something. I've read a little about your kind; they're said to be quite ferocious in battle. Can you show me?"

Jacob furrowed his brow, feeling confused.

"I've never actually seen what one of you looks like. Can you show me?"

Nodding, Jacob took a few deep breaths. His father had been drilling him daily for months now, and he was starting to gain a small degree of control over his true nature. He acted out the familiar motion, dipping his head and rolling it. Jacob felt the change as it washed over his body, and when he stood back straight, he was fully Woged, tail and all.

Prince Eric chuckled, slowly clapping his hands. "Wonderful. Wonderful! My friend, I do believe we are going to do great things together!"

Jacob felt more fear at that statement than the sight of a hundred Hundjägers.

Present day…

Jacob double-checked the address he'd written down, then looked back at the building before him. A sign was bolted above the door, black with thick white letters: McCabe Security. Stuffing the note back in his pocket, he walked through the front door. The interior was somewhat lavish, but in an ordered, military fashion. The company obviously did well for itself, and hopefully Jacob could earn a decent enough wage here to provide for himself and Louise.

"Welcome to McCabe Security! How can I help you?" the receptionist asked, a professional smile on her face.

"My name is Jacob Carter. I have a meeting with Jim McCabe."

"One moment, please." She tapped her Bluetooth phone clipped to her ear, then said "Mr. McCabe, there's a Jacob Carter here to see you. Shall I send him up?" Jacob didn't hear the other end of the conversation, but a second later, she said "He's waiting for you. Just go up the stairs behind me and take a right. His office is the third door on the left."

"Thank you," Jacob said, walking past her. He found the office easily enough, and when he opened the door, he saw Jim McCabe standing behind his desk. The man was handsome and bald, and he wore an expensive-looking suit with an open collar and no tie. "Jim McCabe?"

"You must be Jacob," the other man greeted, holding out a hand which Jacob shook. "Please, come in."

He closed the door. "Thank you for agreeing to see me."

"Please, I should be the one thanking you," Jim said. "You've become a bit of a legend to the rest of us. I can safely say that I would have done what you did, but that's all hypothetical; you're the one who spit in the face of destiny. I respect that."

"Thank you," was all Jacob could say. He preferred not to discuss his past, especially with strangers, but it was a rare enough thing to find someone who approved of his actions. "So, I assume you know all about my…unique situation?"

"That's right. You've got nothing to worry about there. I've never been one for tradition. And before we continue, I just want to make sure of something." He dipped his head, Woging. Jacob did the same, and the two Manticores stood there, staring at each other. Historically, they were used to seeing their kind on the battlefield, being excellent soldiers, but on occasion egos would flare and fights would break out. Manticores were, after all, among the apex predators of the Wesen world, and competitions were not unknown.

"Satisfied?" Jacob asked, his voice deep and menacing.

Jim smiled, baring his fangs. He Woged back into his human form, as did Jacob. "I think you'll work out very well here." He grabbed a pen and paper and wrote something down. "Here's what I'm prepared to offer you as a starting salary." He handed Jacob the note.

Jacob looked at the figure, his eyes widening. It was more than he had ever earned or stolen in his life, enough so Louise would never have to work. She could spend her days making their home perfect, like she always wanted to, without the worry of her entering the workforce and potentially killing half of Portland.

"Interested?"

Jacob looked back at the fellow Manticore. "Yes. I am."

Jim smirked, holding out his hand. When Jacob shook it, he said "Welcome to McCabe security."

After talking in the trailer, Nick and his mother drove to the Medical Examiner's Office. He was still struggling to wrap his head around it: his mother was alive, after all this time! Eighteen years he thought she and his father had died in that car accident, and that he was an orphan. Now, it seemed, he'd been deceived by his own mother. Not only had she kept herself hidden from him for so long, but also, he found out that his Aunt Marie had known the whole time. The woman who'd raised him had lied to his face.

Nick gripped the wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. First the case and subsequent fight with Kimura, his mother's appearance, and now the grisly murders on the cargo ship. They were all threatening to bury him, but he kept his head high and focused on the task at hand. His mother promised to stay and help him with the cargo ship murders, and he would show her the bodies in the Medical Examiner's Office so she could have a better idea of what kind of Wesen was responsible.

Once they were inside, he pulled out one of the corpses. "This is the security guard, and the killer stole his truck. Now I want to warn you: it's a bit rough." As he spoke, his mother pulled back the sheet, revealing the dead man's brutalized face and torso. Claw marks created a macabre criss-cross pattern, and there were holes in his neck. "Or not," Nick said dryly. His mother stared intently at the corpse. Taking off her glove, she held her fingers against the puncture marks on the man's neck. They were almost an exact fit for size. "You know what this is?" Nick asked her.

"Something with teeth this big? Not a lot of choices."

Remembering the page she'd flipped to in one of the books in the trailer, he started to say "Is it the—"

"Mauvais Dentes," she finished. "From what our ancestors wrote, it's a vicious killing machine. One of them can wipe out an entire village. But you'd better be careful. Mauvais Dentes is like a cat; he'll watch, he'll wait…If he figures out you're coming after him? He'll do something to drive you in."

Nick nodded, the scene of the massacre in the cargo ship container vividly flashing in his mind. Something about it reminded him of something he'd seen recently. What was it? He suddenly remembered. "I've seen one before."

"Here? When?" his mother asked.

"It was about a week ago. I saw this woman Woge, but I didn't know what she was. She looked just like the drawing in the book."

"What were the circumstances?"

"Someone broke into her house to rob it. He was killed in self-defence. Her and her husband—"

"Husband?"

"Yeah, I spoke with her and her husband after the fact."

His mother looked off in the distance, shaking her head. "Nicky, if there are two Mauvais Dentes here in Portland, the body-count will be astronomical."

"Yeah. The robber who died had three brothers, all of them Schakals. All three of them were killed in their home. It was pretty brutal, just like those photos I showed you from the cargo ship. We thought it was an animal attack, but maybe this woman killed them in revenge for the break-in."

"We have to go. Now. Take me to where they live."

Nick nodded, and the two of them got back in his car.

Jacob finished his glass of wine, then gathered up the dishes. He was careful not to spill any of the blood on Louise's plate. "As promised, darling, that was a perfect meal. I can't seem to recall the last time venison was so succulent."

"I'm glad you liked it," Louise said, kissing him on the cheek as he set the dishes in the sink. "The deer almost gave me the slip, but I ran it down. You have no idea how tempting it was to eat all the meat right then and there."

"After thirty years of marriage, I think I have some idea."

She chuckled, putting the cork back in the bottle of red wine. "When do you start work?"

"Monday," Jacob replied. "They'll have to generate passcodes and an ID badge before I officially start. My new employer will also have to forge documentation for me, since we don't exactly have a standard paper trail."

"Maybe—" Louise started to say. Just then there was a knock at the door.

Jacob tensed, wiping his hands dry.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Louise asked.

"Stay here," Jacob said, walking over to the front door. It was likely nothing; just some door-to-door salesman or Jehovah's Witness. He would answer the door, then politely decline whatever they were offering and close the door. People did it all the time. There was no need to panic; they'd made it this far by keeping their heads and not blindly lashing out at normal, everyday things. Jacob opened the door, and furrowed his brow at the sight of Detective Burkhardt. "Detective," he said, keeping an even tone despite the alarm ringing in his brain. "What can I—"

Something inside the house shattered, and Louise cried out "Jacob!"

"Louise!" he exclaimed, looking behind him. When he looked back at the detective, face twisted in fury, he fully Woged. Looking into the other man's eyes, he saw a black, never-ending void in which his true face was reflected. Jacob saw himself as others saw him: a monster, half-Lion, half-Scorpion. It filled him with revulsion, and his first instinct was to kill the thing that made him feel that way.

There was no doubt now: Detective Burkhardt was a Grimm.

The detective looked confused, as if he were not expecting Jacob to be a Manticore. That delay gave Jacob the opening to kick him in the stomach, knocking him down the stone steps. Instead of pressing his attack, however, he turned and ran back inside. When he entered the living room, he saw a strange woman, dressed in black, tackling Louise against the left wall, near the entrance to the kitchen. Louise Woged, growling as she head-butted the woman before punching her in the stomach and kicking her back.

Jacob charged the woman, thrusting his stinger at her chest. She was quick, though, and dodged, resulting in the stinger burying itself in the wall behind her. The woman somehow produced a switch-blade and stabbed it up into the stinger. Jacob roared as a white-hot lance of agony slithered up his spine. It was nearly enough to bowl him over.

The woman punched him in the face, but he barely felt it. He blocked her next strike with his right arm and backhanded her. He then grabbed her by the head and smashed it into the wall, stunning her. With one hand he tore the switch-blade free, and with the other he tore the stinger from the wall.

Beside him, Louise pounced at something, presumably Detective Burkhardt, roaring as her savage instincts kicked in.

Jacob stumbled back as his tail quivered. Before he knew it, the woman was attacking him again. Now that he was unmoored from the wall, he had a better chance of defending himself. His opponent was also a Grimm, that much was obvious. She was older, and by all appearances a more formidable fighter. Jacob's naturally enhanced strength, in addition to his father's combat training, gave him a decent chance against her. After being hammered with punch after punch, kick after kick, Jacob caught the woman's ankle mid-kick. He then hurled her into a wall.

She grunted from the impact, and he turned to see how Louise was faring.

She crouched atop a broken chair on the near-side of the table, perhaps having landed on it, while the detective stood on the other side. As quick as a heartbeat, he slid across the table and kicked Louise in the face, but luckily it didn't appear to be serious. The Grimm drew his gun, and Jacob responded by leaping across the entire living room, crashing into him. Louise charged the woman in black.

Detective Burkhardt was a tough opponent, to be sure, but not nearly as skilled as his fellow Grimm. Jacob hammered him with a series of relentless strikes, using his enhanced strength to his advantage. He punched the detective into a wall, and lunged forward, twisting him as he wrapped an arm around his throat. Jacob also aimed his stinger at the other man's head as he turned them both around.

What he saw nearly made his heart stop.

Louise was on her knees, her face bloodied, while the woman in black stood behind her, holding a switch-blade to her neck. "If you kill my son, I kill your wife," the woman said, her tone as sharp as steel.

Jacob released his grip, shoving Detective Burkhardt aside as he Woged. "Please," he said, holding out his hands. "Don't kill her. Take me instead! Kill me!"

"No, Jacob!" Louise cried, Woging. She tried to struggle, but her captors' grip was too strong.

"On your knees! Hands on your head, now!" Detective Burkhardt ordered, having retrieved his gun. Jacob did so, his gaze focused on his wife as the Grimm handcuffed him. "Your wife is responsible for murdering three of the McAllister brothers, and I'm willing to bet you covered up the fact that she killed the fourth."

"They were Schakals!" Louise growled, her eyes changing as her skin started to ripple. The woman in black pressed the switch-blade against her throat, and the ripples stopped.

"They would have come after us," Jacob explained as he looked up at the detective. "They were a threat to us, and I could not allow it to destroy the life we're trying to build here."

"Your wife is guilty of multiple homicides."

"A crime that you can never prove in a court of law, which means your only recourse is to kill us. But I am begging you: let Louise live. Because I would rather die myself than have her taken from me."

"That's not going to happen," the detective said. "Between what she did to the McAllister brothers and at the cargo ship, your wife is—"

"Cargo ship? What cargo ship?" Jacob asked, suddenly confused.

"The ship that came in from Rotterdam, where your wife murdered half a dozen people."

Louise stopped struggling as she, too, looked confused.

"When did these murders happen?" Jacob asked.

"Yesterday."

"Detective, yesterday my wife and I spent the day furniture shopping. After that, we had reservations for dinner. We never came home until almost one o'clock in the morning. And I can assure you that neither of us have ever set foot in Rotterdam."

The Grimm looked over to his partner, who frowned.

"Then explain how the bodies on the cargo ship had the same inch-long puncture marks as the McAllister brothers and were in similar states when we found them?"

"Un autre," Louise said incredulously.

Jacob shook his head. "It can't be!"

"What's that?" Detective Burkhardt asked.

"There must be another Mauvais Dentes in Portland, one who arrived on that cargo ship," Louise said.

"Seems a little convenient, don't you think?"

The glare Louise gave him could have vaporized a forest. "Your kind hunted down and killed most of us in the first World War. There aren't that many left in the world. As far as I know, I am the only one living on the West Coast. Were the bodies torn to pieces? Eaten?"

"Yeah, they were. Just like the McAllister brothers."

"I only ate the bare amount to sate my hunger. If this other Mauvais Dentes was stuck on a ship for weeks at sea, then he would have no choice but to eat almost everything of his kills. The more we eat of humans or Wesen, the more savage we become. If I am right, then he is barely more than an animal at this point."

The detective looked conflicted, and Jacob's heart thundered in his chest as he hoped that conflict would spare Louise. "Nick," the woman in black said, sounding nervous.

Just then, the detective's phone started ringing. He answered it and said "Yeah?" Whomever was on the other line spoke for a minute, and then he asked "Well who was it? Okay, give it to me; I can get her address from her number." He repeated the number as he heard it, then hung up. "We have to go."

"What about them?" the woman in black asked. Judging by her tone, she was only looking for one acceptable answer.

The detective sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We can't afford to waste any time tracking down the address from that number."

"We can't just leave them!"

"We'll take them with us. Once we sort out what to do about Juliette, then we can decide. But for now, we need to get going."

The woman, though obviously reluctant, did not argue. The detective gave her a second pair of handcuffs, and she used them to bind Louise. She and Jacob were then led out of their house and forced into the backseat of Detective Burkhardt's car.

Louise glared at the back of Detective Burkhardt's head as he drove. She tried to pull her hands free of the handcuffs, but the only result she got was sore wrists. "Calm yourself, darling," Jacob whispered in her ear. "There's no use trying to escape just yet. We have to be patient."

Though she heeded her husband's words, Louise bared her teeth as she said "As soon as I am freed from these cuffs, I will have killed two Grimms in one night."

"Yeah, I don't think that's happening anytime soon," Detective Burkhardt said dryly.

The woman in black matched Louise's gaze through the rear-view mirror. "Just so you know, I can kill you before you take another breath, so I wouldn't be so eager to die if I were you."

Louise huffed, looking out the window.

"It wouldn't be the first time we've killed a Grimm," Jacob said, nonchalant, as he, too, looked out his window at the passing scenery. Louise saw in her peripherals how the two Grimms glanced at him, the motions almost too subtle to see. "This happened while we were living in New York, five years ago I think. A Grimm had been sent by the Royal Families to kill us, and he had a squad of Hundjägers with him. They tried to ambush us in our loft, but we were ready for them. While I fought them head-on, Louise struck from behind. The Hundjägers died quickly enough, but the Grimm took much more effort. But between the two of us, he died when I stabbed him in the heart with my stinger."

The woman in black turned to look directly at him and Louise. "So you're the ones who killed Marcus."

Jacob did not blink as he stared into the older Grimm's black, horrifying eyes. "He tried to kill us. We defended ourselves. All we want is to live in peace, without fear of Grimms or the Verrat or anyone else who finds a reason to want us dead. But I suppose you don't care about that. You'll kill us without a second thought."

"You'll go to jail for murder," the detective said.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that, if I may ask? Are you going to admit Louise's teeth into evidence? Tell a jury how she killed and ate parts of three men without leaving a single fingerprint? We both know it will never come to that."

Louise and Jacob shared a glance as the Grimm detective continued to drive across Portland.

They soon arrived at a two-storey house with a red door. Louise did not know what was inside, but something gave her an uneasy feeling in her gut. Just how dangerous was the thing that lived in that house? As if hearing her thoughts, Detective Burkhardt told the woman in black "This is the address I was able to pull from the number Monroe and Rosalee gave me."

"The Hexenbiest's mother lives here?" the woman asked.

Louise tensed, and she saw Jacob pursing his lips. Hexenbiests, the most vile and deceitful of all Wesen. If one truly did live in that house, then that would explain the uneasy feeling that slithered across her skin. "Wait here. Keep an eye on those two," the detective said as he got out of the car. If Louise freed herself now, then she could overtake him in less than thirty seconds from this distance.

If only.

The detective entered the house, and the woman in black turned to face them. "So, how do a Manticore and a Mauvais Dentes fall in love?"

"We only ever had each other," Louise said. "We give each other strength."

"You're Jacob and Louise Carter, aren't you?"

Louise was not surprised the woman knew who they were. Most of the Wesen world knew them, hating and despising them for everything they represented. Their marriage was an abomination to so many, it was almost comical. Almost. "Je m'appelle Louise Sauvageon," Louise corrected.

"She never took my name when we married," Jacob added.

"You two aren't just dangerous by yourselves, you're dangerous because of what you represent. You could bring down the wrath of the Seven Families and the Wesen Council down on Portland."

"Amazing how two people in love can cause so much trouble, non?" Louise asked, arching an eyebrow.

The woman sneered, then turned back to face the house. A minute later, the detective returned, explaining his encounter with a Hexenbiest whose daughter had apparently cursed someone called 'Juliette'. From the way he spoke about her, she was his wife or girlfriend. He then received a call from another police officer, informing him that someone named 'Kimura' had died while in a holding cell. Both he and the woman in black seemed upset by the news.

The next call he received piqued Louise's interest.

"Burkhardt," the detective answered. "What's wrong?" he asked. The person on the other line must have been in some sort of distress. "Yeah, I know it. What do you need?" He hung up a moment later, then said "The Mauvais Dentes killed an FBI agent. He's got another, waiting for me."

The woman in black said "He's drawing you in."

Detective Burkhardt turned to look at Louise, who said "I told you it must have been another one."

"Does this sound like what a Mauvais Dentes would do?"

"Oui. It is not just feasting on flesh that sustains us; we live on the thrill of the hunt, giving our prey the illusion of victory just before we take it from them. It is who we are, Grimm. He cannot help who he is."

"Well he's going to be disappointed." They drove out past the city limits, to an abandoned mill of some kind. A truck was parked in front of the entrance, along with a black Sedan. "He's got the agents inside the building."

"That doesn't mean he'll be there. He'll want you to get close. I don't know how, but he will try to deceive you. He won't be predictable."

The two Grimms got out of the car; the detective walked through the entrance, gun in hand, while the woman circled around the other side.

Louise heard a click beside her, and saw Jacob pulling his hands free. She arched an eyebrow, and he held up his right index finger, which he had Woged so as to pick the lock with his claw. Louise smirked, then did the same to her handcuffs. They stepped out onto the pavement, and Louise rubbed feeling back into her wrists and thighs. Just then, her ears twitched. "The other Mauvais Dentes?" Jacob asked.

"He is here," Louise said, looking up at the mill. She sniffed. "I can smell him." The scent and sound of another Mauvais Dentes enflamed her territorial instincts, and she Woged, flexing her clawed fingers. "Louise, wait!" Jacob cried.

It was too late. Louise sprinted towards the mill, leaping up to a second-storey window. She pulled herself inside, then climbed onto the girders that spider-webbed across the ceiling. Louise scurried along the steel, searching for her prey. He was close, that much she knew, but just how close was he?

A gunshot rang from nearby. That must have been the Grimm.

Louise stopped when she saw him. The other Mauvais Dentes vaulted over a railing, landing on a catwalk overlooking the main floor. He was fully Woged and wore a dark suit which contrasted with his savage appearance. Growling, Louise leaped down onto the catwalk, landing gracefully with hands and feet on the railings.

He cocked his head to the side, clearly surprised by her presence. These days, two Mauvais Dentes not within a family meeting was an exceedingly rare occurrence.

With a roar, he charged her.

Louise pounced, crashing into him. They bit and slashed each other, two apex predators competing for territory. He was larger and more muscular than her, which gave power to all his attacks, but she was lighter and far more nimble, able to move circles around him as she matched strength with speed. For the most part, they were evenly matched, and Louise was starting to wonder who would win their fight.

He slashed at her with his claws, but she ducked beneath them. Spinning on her heel, she cut through his suit jacket and shirt with her own claws, slashing his back. He roared in pain, and before she could press her attack, he elbowed her in the face, knocking her back.

The other Mauvais Dentes growled, and suddenly leaped down to the main floor.

Louise started to follow him, but a hand caught her wrist. She growled, baring her teeth at the interloper, but softened upon seeing Jacob's face. She Woged back to human form, panting and bloody from her fight. "We need to leave, now," he said, pulling her by the wrist.

The woman in black, as if materializing from the shadows, appeared before them, and the last thing Louise saw was her fist flying towards her face. When she awoke, pushing through the fog of unconsciousness, Louise found herself in different surroundings. She sat up, her heart beating as her senses returned in full. She sat on a bed, surrounded by bars. Noticing someone else, she turned, smiling as she beheld Jacob sitting beside her.

"What—" she started to say, when someone came into view.

"Hello, Sean," Jacob greeted.

"Jacob. Louise," Sean Renard greeted, his tone flat and emotionless. "Couldn't quite stay out of trouble, could you?"

"Not with two Grimms in Portland," Louise said, her lips curling in a sneer.

"Hm." Sean stood there for a moment, looking as if he were contemplating what to do with them. Louise thought he would just leave them there; after all, he had always looked after his own interests first and foremost, and whatever promise between them was over two decades old. Playing his cards close to the chest was what Sean Renard did best.

Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved a set of keys and unlocked the cell.

Louise and Jacob made no move, sharing slightly surprised glances.

"Don't tell me you want to be in prison?" Sean asked sardonically. Louise stood first, then Jacob. They walked over to Sean, who freed them from their handcuffs. She and her husband walked away, but stopped as they heard the Royal Bastard say "You realize, of course, that you now owe me a favour?"

They turned to look at him, and Jacob simply said "Talk to you soon, Sean."

Louise and Jacob walked away, leaving the precinct behind.

Nick rubbed his cheek, still feeling sore. The fight with the Mauvais Dentes in the old lumber mill had been intense, savage. The sabre-toothed Wesen was one of the toughest he'd ever fought, after Jacob Carter. Two difficult Wesen fights in one day was a first for him, and based on how his face was ringing, he didn't care to repeat the experience.

"Hey, Nick," Wu said as he approached. The Sergeant sat on the edge of his desk, staring at him for a moment. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look terrible."

"Why thank you Wu, that's just what I needed to hear," Nick quipped.

Wu shrugged. "Hey, what are friends for besides brutal, unwanted truth?"

"Is there more to this conversation than sarcastic comments?"

"Yeah, but how's Juliette doing? She still in the hospital?"

Nick thought of the cure that Monroe and Rosalee had concocted, the cure he'd applied to Juliette's glimmering black eyes while the others held off the doctor and nurses. With any luck, it would halt the memory loss before any permanent damage was done. "Her condition hasn't changed, but the doctors tell me to be optimistic."

"Well hang in there," Wu said, clapping him on the back as he walked away. "Oh, by the way, sorry you had to let those suspects go."

Nick furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about?"

"That husband and wife you brought in for the McAllister murders? They got released ten minutes ago. I thought you knew?"

Nick's pulse quickened as he bolted from his chair. Ignoring what Wu said next, he rushed down to the holding cells. Sure enough, the cell where he'd left Jacob Carter and his wife was now empty. On his way back to his desk, he ran into Captain Renard. "Captain, did you know that Jacob Carter and Louise Sauvageon were released?"

"Yes. I authorized it."

"Why would you do that? They're suspects in a triple-homicide! We know they killed one McAllister, and they had plenty of motive to kill the others."

The Captain sighed, then said "There was no physical evidence linking them to the scene, and Jonathan McAllister's death was ruled as self-defence."

"But they—"

"And as I understand it, both of them were put in the holding cell with severe bruising, and Louise Sauvageon had suffered several lacerations to her body. You're lucky I intervened before we got buried in a lawsuit over police brutality."

"They did it, Captain, I know—"

"Detective!" the Captain barked, silencing him. "As there is no evidence to suggest they were ever in the McAllister's residence, Jacob Carter and his wife are no longer suspects. Now I suggest you take a minute to calm down and realize this was nothing more than an animal attack. Is that understood?"

Nick wanted to argue further, but instead bit his tongue and replied "Understood, sir."

"Good." The Captain walked away, leaving Nick standing alone in the hall.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review and favourite!