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Elena's POV
The forest felt alive, holding its breath.
Caleb stood motionless ahead of her, his head tilted slightly as if he were listening to something distant and unseen. Even Mason—normally carefree and teasing—grew quiet, his sharp gaze scanning the trees with uncharacteristic seriousness.
Elena's pulse quickened. "What do you mean we're not alone?" she whispered.
Caleb raised a hand to silence her, his movements precise and deliberate. He didn't look back as he replied, his voice a low murmur. "Stay close. Don't make a sound."
The urgency in his tone twisted her insides into knots. Elena swallowed hard and nodded, even though her instincts screamed at her to run. She took a step closer to Caleb, clenching her hands into fists to stop them from trembling. Mason moved silently to her other side, his entire demeanor shifting. He was no longer the easygoing wolf she'd seen lounging around the cabin—now he was watchful, predatory, ready.
"What is it?" Mason whispered, barely audible.
"Not sure yet," Caleb muttered. "But it's close."
The wind stirred the branches overhead, and Elena flinched at every creak and rustle. Shadows moved between the trees—too fast for her to focus on—but she could feel something out there. Watching them. Stalking them.
Caleb's posture grew tenser as he began moving forward, every step careful and measured. Mason and Elena followed without question, though Elena's heart thundered so loudly she swore it would give them away.
They walked for what felt like an eternity. The forest grew darker, the canopy thickening overhead. The farther they went, the heavier the air became, as if the very woods resented their presence.
Then she heard it. A low growl.
It was faint—almost hidden beneath the sound of the wind—but unmistakable. Her breath caught in her throat as she froze. Caleb turned sharply toward the noise, his dark eyes narrowing.
"Get behind me," he said softly, his voice edged with steel.
Elena didn't hesitate. She moved closer to Mason, who positioned himself between her and the unseen danger. Caleb took a step forward, his body tense and ready. The growl came again, closer this time, deep and guttural. The sound made the hair on Elena's neck stand on end.
"Wolves?" she whispered to Mason, her voice shaking.
"Not ours," Mason replied grimly.
The shadows shifted. A dark figure moved through the underbrush, and then another. Elena's eyes widened as shapes emerged—wolves, massive and dark-furred, their eyes gleaming in the faint light. These were not the calm, controlled wolves she imagined Caleb's pack to be. There was something wrong about them. Something feral.
Caleb stood his ground, his voice cold and commanding. "You're on our territory."
The largest wolf—a monstrous creature with mottled gray fur and glowing yellow eyes—stepped forward. It snarled, baring sharp teeth that looked far too big for its mouth.
"They don't care, Caleb," Mason muttered. "They're not here to talk."
Caleb didn't look away from the wolves. "Take Elena and run."
Elena's heart seized. "What? No!"
Caleb's gaze snapped to her, and for a moment, the intensity in his eyes stole her voice. "You need to get out of here. Now."
The wolves growled louder, their snarls echoing through the clearing. The leader took another step forward, and Elena could feel its hatred like a physical force.
"No way," Mason said sharply. "You can't take them all alone."
"I can handle this," Caleb said, his voice like a blade. "Just go."
But Mason didn't move, and neither did Elena. "I'm not leaving you!" she said, panic rising in her throat.
The wolves lunged.
Everything happened at once. Caleb shifted in a blur of motion, his human form disappearing as a massive black wolf erupted where he had stood. The sound of tearing clothes and snapping bones made Elena flinch, but she didn't have time to process it.
"Run!" Mason shouted, grabbing her arm.
Elena stumbled back as Mason shifted too, his wolf smaller than Caleb's but still lethal. Mason snarled and launched himself at one of the attacking wolves, his teeth flashing in the dim light.
Elena turned and ran.
Branches clawed at her skin as she sprinted through the forest, the sounds of growls, yelps, and the thud of bodies colliding ringing in her ears. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her legs burning with every step. Caleb had told her to run, but where was she supposed to go? The forest stretched endlessly in every direction, and she couldn't tell where she was.
A loud howl split the air behind her. The sound froze her blood.
Keep moving, she told herself. Don't stop.
But then something crashed through the underbrush to her left. Elena turned her head just in time to see another wolf—smaller than the others, but just as feral—bursting out of the trees. Its yellow eyes locked onto her, and she knew she couldn't outrun it.
"Help!" she screamed, though she wasn't sure anyone could hear her.
The wolf lunged. Elena fell back, throwing her arms up instinctively to shield herself. Time slowed as the creature's snarling face came closer, its teeth glinting in the faint light.
A blur of black fur slammed into the wolf, knocking it aside before it could reach her.
Elena gasped as Caleb—still in his massive wolf form—stood protectively over her. His fur bristled, his teeth bared in a snarl so terrifying that the other wolf hesitated. Caleb growled, low and dangerous, and the feral wolf took a step back, its ears flattening.
The moment stretched, and then the smaller wolf turned and fled, disappearing into the trees. Caleb didn't move for several seconds, his gaze fixed on the spot where the creature had vanished. Only when the forest grew silent again did he turn to Elena.
Her heart was still racing, her breath ragged as she stared at him. Caleb's black fur gleamed in the moonlight, and his eyes—dark, intelligent, and unmistakably Caleb's—studied her carefully.
"You saved me," she whispered, though she doubted he could understand her in this form.
Slowly, Caleb stepped back, giving her space. His form shimmered, and before she could fully process what was happening, he shifted back into his human form. The transition was fast, though Elena couldn't help but wince at the sound of cracking bones.
Caleb stood before her, his face grim and his chest rising and falling with every heavy breath. He was bare-chested, his clothes having been torn in the shift, but he didn't seem to care. His dark eyes searched her face.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice rough.
Elena shook her head, though her hands still trembled. "No. I—I think I'm okay."
Caleb nodded once, though his jaw remained tight. "We need to go."
"What about Mason?" she asked.
Caleb's expression softened slightly. "He'll be fine. He's strong."
He held out his hand to her, and after a moment of hesitation, she took it. His grip was warm and steady, grounding her. Together, they began moving through the forest, Caleb keeping her close as he led her back toward safety.
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Later That Night
The fire crackled softly in the cabin, filling the small room with warmth. Elena sat wrapped in a blanket, her hands still shaking faintly as she sipped the tea Lila had given her. Mason sat across the room, nursing a small cut on his arm but otherwise unharmed.
Caleb stood near the window, staring out into the dark forest. He hadn't spoken much since they returned, his face unreadable.
"Are they… gone?" Elena asked quietly.
"For now," Caleb replied without looking at her. "But they'll be back."
Mason snorted softly. "That's the thing about Victor's wolves. They're like weeds—you cut them down, and they just keep coming back."
Elena shivered. "Why? Why are they after me?"
Caleb finally turned to face her, his gaze serious. "Because you're not just some random girl, Elena. Victor sees something in you—something powerful. And if we don't figure out what it is, he'll keep hunting you."
Elena's throat tightened. "But I don't have anything special."
Caleb stepped closer, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "You do. Whether you know it or not."
The words hung heavily in the air. Elena wanted to argue, to insist that he was wrong—but deep down, she knew something had changed. She wasn't the same person she had been before she came to Blackwood Hollow.
And whatever was coming next, she wasn't sure she was ready for it.
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