52 Week Short Story Writing Challenge - #13

Background:Woo! This short story officially marks having worked through aquarter of my writing challenge. This is also my thirteenth shortstory and since thirteen is my lucky number, I'm putting in a bitof extra effort. For some reason up until now I have had a pretty badwriter's block that whenever I think is gone, it returns with avengeance. So without further ado, here is Shadow Girl.
ShortStory #13 – Shadow Girl
Thefirst time he saw her, he thought she was the most beautiful girlhe'd ever seen, even if she wasn't really a human girl atall. She appeared on a frozen night, when Alden's breath danced ina white cloud in front of him and the night sky was choked by ice anda blanket of darkness. That had been a while ago, during the snowstorm that almost killed him. She'd stepped out of the darkness,pulling them into a girl-like shape until she became human.Aldencleared his head and focused on walking through the darkened alley,his boots thudding rhythmically against the damp concrete. The gun inhis waistband holster was a welcome cold weight until he finallyheard them. They howled to the east with an iciness thatchilled Alden to the bone. He chased after them, listening to theheavy breathing and falls of their paws. Werewolves were fast butwith his speed rune scrawled down his spine he was able to catch upquickly.There,ahead; they leapt and bounced with the agile strength of normalwolves except these were unnatural. He leapt as the werewolves leapt,only bringing out his gun when they came to a sudden stop. Heskidded, shoes gripping against the cold ground and he braced himselfagainst the wolves. He flipped the safety off the gun, training it onthe pack as the first one leapt.Hewas going to be slaughtered, he knew as the first wolf went down andseveral others replaced him. They snarled, horrible saliva drippingfrom their fanged jaws and their claws scratching against the ground.Three advanced at once, knocking him roughly onto his back. Thepistol in his hand went crazy, firing with deadly precision. Thethree collapsed heavily beside him but before he could recover to hisfeet the next line of wolves were on him.Thisis it, he thought, the gun knocked to the side as a wolf batted hisarm with a paw. This is how I will die. He fought onward, bashingagainst the wolves and dodging their snapping jowls. Minutes passedas the wolves bit at him, digging their teeth into his flesh andtearing it apart like a chew toy. Alden grappled with them, almostlosing consciousness until the four wolves pulling him apart werewhipped aside.Gentlesinging filled Alden's ears and suddenly the shadows began to part,revealing a girl who stood over him like an angel. She managed asmall smile before lifting her bare white arms and the white gown shewore started billowing with an invisible breeze. The wolveswhimpered, backing away from Alden's bloody body and they turned,running through the darkness.Thegirl bent down suddenly, kneeling on the ground and she liftedAlden's head into her lap. Somewhere far away he could still hearthe singing, beautiful and haunting but unlike the wolves he wasn'tafraid. Her fingers were feather soft as she brushed aside his blackhair, the exact opposite to her moon-pale hair. Her violet eyes fixedon his and she bent down, brushing her soft lips against his for thebriefest of moments."Iwill love you always," she whispered and suddenly she was gone,just like the cuts and bruises that had somehow vanished, leavingAlden to think if he'd dreamed of it all.