The village of Ashwood lay shrouded in an unsettling silence. The residents, accustomed to the rhythms of rural life, felt an eerie stillness settle over the thatched roofs and the bustling town square. It was as if the very woods themselves were holding their breath, waiting for the inevitable.

Tonight was the night of the full moon.

Lena Grant, a 22-year-old apprentice healer, stood at the edge of the forest, her eyes fixed on the horizon. The sky was a deep, foreboding indigo, with the moon a silver crescent suspended above the treetops. A shiver ran down her spine as the wind carried the faintest hint of a howl.

"Lena, come away from the window!" her mother, Elara, called from within their small cottage. "It's not safe tonight."

Lena hesitated, her heart pounding in anticipation. She had always been drawn to the mysteries of the full moon, the way the villagers whispered about the transformations that took place beneath its silvery light.

As she turned to rejoin her mother, a faint rustling echoed from the underbrush. Lena's pulse quickened. She knew that sound.

The sound of paws padding through the forest.

The sound of a predator stalking its prey.

"Lena, now!" her mother urged, her voice tinged with fear.

But Lena stood frozen, her eyes locked on the darkness beyond the treeline. For in that moment, she felt an inexplicable connection to the creature lurking just out of sight.

A connection that would change her life forever.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows. Tall, imposing, and unmistakably masculine, he moved with a fluid grace that belied his rugged appearance.

"Lena, get inside!" her mother shouted, grabbing her arm.

But Lena resisted, transfixed by the stranger's piercing gaze. His eyes seemed to bore into her very soul, as if searching for something hidden deep within.

"Who are you?" Lena whispered, her voice barely audible.

The stranger's gaze never wavered. "I am Ryker," he replied, his deep voice sending shivers down Lena's spine. "And you, little one, are in grave danger."

With that ominous warning, Ryker turned and vanished into the darkness, leaving Lena stunned and wondering what lay ahead.

As she stumbled back into the cottage, her mother's worried expression greeted her. "Lena, what happened? Who was that man?"

Lena hesitated, unsure how to respond. But as she glanced out the window, she saw Ryker's figure reappear, his eyes fixed intently on their cottage.

"I think," Lena whispered, "our lives are about to change forever."