In the alley beside the bar, Jack stood over the unconscious man he had knocked to the ground. His breathing had become ragged as he stared at the man's exposed neck.
The scent of blood filled the air, and his mouth watered uncontrollably. Every instinct inside him urged him to take just one bite.
Jack slowly knelt beside the unconscious man and leaned closer, his mouth opening as he lowered his head toward the man's neck.
"I'd stop right there."
The voice cut through the silence of the alley. Jack froze and quickly turned around.
Dean and Sam stood at the mouth of the alley, each with a gun pointed at him. Neither of them looked eager to shoot, but neither was about to lower their weapon.
Dean gestured with his gun, signaling Jack to move away. "Look, I know the guy was being an asshole inside the bar, but that doesn't mean you get to take a chunk out of him."
Jack instinctively stepped back. His breathing remained uneven, and despite forcing himself to look at Dean and Sam, his eyes kept drifting back toward the unconscious man.
"Okay... don't shoot." He slowly raised his hands. "I'm not doing anything."
"Good," Dean replied, keeping his pistol aimed. "Now slowly back away from him."
Jack nodded. He took one step back, then another. For a moment, it looked like he had managed to regain control.
Without warning, the hunger overwhelmed him.
Jack let out a guttural snarl and threw himself at Dean. Dean reacted on instinct and fired. The gunshot echoed through the alley, but Jack jerked to the side at the last instant and the bullet struck the brick wall behind him.
Before Jack could reach Dean, Sam rushed in from the side and wrapped both arms around his chest, pulling him backward with all his strength.
Jack exploded into a frenzy. He thrashed wildly, kicking and twisting with enough force to drag Sam several feet across the pavement, his eyes never leaving the unconscious man on the ground.
"Dean!" Sam shouted through gritted teeth. "I can't hold him much longer!"
Jack twisted violently in Sam's grip before suddenly turning his head and snapping his jaws toward Sam's neck.
Dean reacted without thinking. He shoved the barrel of his pistol straight into Jack's mouth, forcing his head backward and stopping the bite inches from Sam's throat.
"Easy there!"
Jack growled around the metal barrel, still struggling like a wild animal. Taking advantage of the opening, Sam grabbed a loose brick from the ground and slammed it against the side of Jack's head. The impact knocked him unconscious, his body going limp against the pavement.
Both brothers took a few steps back, breathing heavily.
Dean looked Sam over. "You alright?"
Sam nodded, rubbing his shoulder. "Yeah. If you'd been a second later, he probably would've taken a chunk out of me."
Dean glanced at the unconscious Jack and slowly lowered his pistol. "He's gone."
Neither of them needed to say anything else. A few minutes earlier, they'd thought Jack still had enough control to fight the hunger. After what they'd just witnessed, that belief was gone.
Dean let out a weary sigh. "Looks like Travis was right. He's already lost control."
The two brothers stood in silence, both knowing what came next. According to Travis, there was only one way to kill a Rugaru. Burn it alive.
Henry, who had been waiting beside the Impala, looked up as Dean and Sam emerged from the alley carrying Jack between them. His expression immediately became serious. "What happened?"
Dean and Sam laid Jack in the back seat before Dean answered. "He lost it. Almost bit an innocent guy, then tried to take a chunk out of Sam. We barely stopped him."
Sam rubbed his shoulder. "There wasn't any reasoning with him anymore."
Henry looked at the unconscious Jack and let out a quiet sigh. "So... there's no miracle after all."
Neither Winchester answered. The silence was enough.
A short time later, the Impala left town and stopped deep inside a secluded stretch of woods. Dean and Sam dragged Jack's unconscious body out of the car and laid him on the ground.
Dean walked to the trunk, pulled out a red gasoline can, and without a word slowly poured it over Jack's clothes until they were completely soaked.
The smell of fuel filled the clearing. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a matchbox, and struck a single match. The small flame flickered in the night air as he stood over Jack, silently looking at the man one last time.
Then he dropped the match.
The fire caught immediately, spreading across Jack's soaked clothes and consuming him. Dean watched for a moment before turning away.
It wasn't a good feeling — Jack had already stopped being fully human, but he hadn't entirely stopped being human either. That was the part that stuck.
Henry watched the flames for a moment before turning away as well. There was nothing more that could have been done for Jack. The only mercy left had been stopping him before he killed someone.
Dean walked back toward the Impala without a word. Sam followed quietly behind him.
*****
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