The streets of Blackthorn were quieter than usual, the city's usual hum of life muted beneath the weight of recent terror. Shadows danced across dimly lit alleys, and even the air seemed heavier, charged with the scent of unease.

Elena Devereux sat at the counter of a small diner on the edge of town, sipping a cup of black coffee. Her crimson eyes flicked up to the TV mounted on the wall as a news anchor recapped the latest tragedy, a farmer found dead in the woods, his body torn apart.

"This marks the third death in as many weeks, with police urging residents to stay indoors after dark. Officials have declined comment on rumors of animal attacks."

"Animal attacks," Elena murmured, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Right."

The waitress, a middle-aged woman with tired eyes and a kind smile, refilled her cup "Can you believe all this?" she asked, her voice tinged with nervous energy. "It's like something out of a horror movie."

"Sure is," Elena replied, her tone nonchalant. "Any theories??"

The waitress laughed nervously, wiping her hands on her apron. "Some folks say its wolves. Big ones. Others think it's…something worse."

Elena arched a brow. "Worse?"

"You know… supernatural stuff. Werewolves, vampires." The woman chuckled awkwardly, as if trying to brush off her own words.

"Right," Elena said again, this time with a knowing smile.

After the waitress moved on, Elena pulled out her phone and opened the message from her contact:

"Blackthorn woods. Tonight. Bring silver."

She tapped her fingers on the counter, her thoughts racing. Blackthorn was supposed to be a quiet town, but something was stirring in the shadows and it wasn't just the wolves.

She'd been tracking supernatural activities across the region for months, her every lead bringing her closer to Blackthorn. She stood up dropping some cash for the drink on the counter with a bit extra for the trouble. She reached for the door, but was stopped by the chaotic laughter in the background.

"Hey fine lady, you're leaving? I just got here, come on have a seat and let's have some dinner"

Elena turned to see a merchant and his workers, drunk on their favorite poison. She resolved in her mind not to get involved with them.

"In a bit of a hurry maybe another time" she replied coldly to their leader.

One of the workers rushed up. "Hey are you declining our boss?"

She ignored him and made her way to the door.

Robert, another one of his workers stood up and blocked her way. "Our boss is talking to you"

She sighed and turned to Titus. "You're calling that trash your boss. Y'all are more pathetic than I thought"

"What did you just say?" He snarled at her, threatening to punch her.

"Whoa Rob, take it easy" Titus stood up from his seat, dropping his drink. "Our lady friend here is just a feisty one"

He walked up to Elena, his gaze lingered on her, his eyes tracing the curve of her silhouette with a smoldering intensity that betrayed the hunger and thirst beneath his faltering demeanor.

"You know what. I'll let this slide" Titus said before smacking his lips "But why don't we have fun tonight? Just you and me"

He tried holding her by her waist but she held his arm twisting it and pulling him into a headlock. Titus whimpered, his workers steadied themselves prepared to attack her.

"Move any closer and I'll rip his head off" Elena warned them calmly, increasing her grip on Titus.

"Don't … come… any… closer…" Titus managed to stutter. His workers backed off but still held their guard.

Elena leaned closer to Titus and whispered "Thanks for the offer but I'd rather sleep with a pig than let you touch me"

"You don't know who're messing with bitch" Titus snarled

Elena tightened her grip "Funny, I don't remember giving a shit about you"

Titus struggled to breathe, his vision was fading. The workers no longer stood still, they all moved towards Elena's direction. She narrowed her eyes waiting for the moment to strike.

Boom!

The sound of the gunshot, vibrated through the air. One of the tables was blown to pieces sending debris to the floor.

"No fighting in my diner"

They all turned towards the waitress, she had a shotgun pointing at them.

"Get out of here" she warned, loading the shotgun "Or next time it would be your brains scattered on the floor"

Elena sighed and dropped Titus on the floor, before making her way to the door.

"Boss, are you okay?" Robert rushed to Titus as he caught his breath.

Elena walked out of the diner, she prayed that she never crossed path with the bastard again. She really wanted to beat the hell out those assholes. But she had bigger fish to catch.

***

Titus hurled the wine bottle at the wall, the shattering glass echoing like a gunshot in the room. "That worthless bitch!" he snarled, his voice dripping with venom. His fist clenched as he paced the room, stepping carelessly over the jagged shards littering the marble floor.

He dropped onto his oversized leather bed with a dramatic sigh, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. His jaw tightened as the memory of the diner flashed in his mind, the humiliation of being talked down to in front of his men. How dare she? No one embarrassed Titus and got away with it.

"Robert!" he barked, his voice sharp enough to cut steel.

The door opened immediately and Robert, his loyal lackey, shuffled inside, head bowed low. "Boss, you called?"

"Of course, I called," Titus snapped, waving a dismissive hand. "Get one of the idiots…sorry, slaves to clean this mess. And while you're at it, find me some decent company for tonight. I'm tired of looking at your sorry face."

"Yes, boss," Robert muttered, straightening up and turning to leave.

"Robert," Titus called again, smirking when the man stopped in his tracks. The power rush was intoxicating.

"Yes, boss?" Robert asked, his voice laced with hesitation.

Titus stood, casually brushing shards of glass of his tailored trousers and walked over to his liquor cabinet. He grabbed a bottle of tequila, pouring himself a generous glass before glancing at his reflection in the wall-mounted mirror.

"Take this message to Baxter," he ordered, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. He flashed himself a sly grin in the mirror. "Tell him Titus always gets what he wants. And…" He paused, smashing the mirror with his fist, shards scattering across the room. "I've got a prey to catch"

He turned back to Robert, his eyes gleaming red. "Now get out of my sight. You're wasting my air."

***

The forest loomed ahead, its towering pines silhouetted against the glow of the moon. Elena parked her car at the edge of the woods, the gravel crunching beneath her tires. She stepped put, the cool night air biting against her skin.

She loaded her pistol, put some spare ammunition in her satchel. She brought a sheath, pulling out a silver-lined dagger from it. The dagger glistered with the moon-light, satisfied she put it back into its sheath and headed into the trees, her steps careful and deliberate.

Branches creaking in the wind, leaves rustling underfoot, it made the woods feel alive. But beneath the natural noise, there was something else. A tension, a heaviness in the air that made her senses hum.

Elena followed the trail her contact had described, her sharp eyes scanning the ground for signs of movement. The scent of blood reached her first, faint but unmistakable.

She crouched low, brushing aside a cluster of ferns to reveal a set of paw prints embedded in the dirt. They were massive, far too large to being to any ordinary wolf.

"Gotcha," she whispered, rising to her feet.

The trail led deeper into the forest, the trees closing in around her like a cage. The scent of blood grew stronger, mingling with something more primal, more dangerous.

As she approached a clearing, the hair on the back of her neck stood on the end. She wasn't alone.

Elena stepped cautiously into the moonlit space, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger. In the center of the clearing lay a body, its limbs twisted unnaturally, blood pooling around it.

Her breath caught as her eyes darted to the shadows on the far side of the clearing.

Her hand tightened around the hilt of her dagger.

"Come out," she commanded her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Nothing emerged. Only the sound of distant growls carried on the wind.

Elena's grip on her weapon didn't waver as she scanned the tree-line.

"You shouldn't be here." a voice growled.

Elena turned sharply, her crimson eyes narrowing as she searched for the source. But the forest was silent once more.

"Show yourself." she demanded with a sharp tone.

No response.

Her pulse quickened as the growls grew closer.

The growls turned into guttural snarls, echoing through the trees. Elena's heart raced, her mind calculating every possible escape route. But the night felt thicker and heavier. The shadows pressed in, a suffocating presence closing in on air.

"Welcome hunter"

A form broke through the darkness, tall and imposing, emerging from the trees like a predator that had been waiting for this exact moment. Elena's heart stuttered in her chest as the figure stepped into the moonlight.

Its dark hair, fierce eyes, and a presence that felt both terrifying and magnetic.

His gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that sent a jolt through her.

"Elena Devereux," he said, his voice sent chill to her spines. It was calm yet threatening. "I've been waiting for you"

"I don't remember ordering for a chaperone?" Elena said a lips curling to a smirk.

"I volunteered for free" he chuckled.

Before she could react, another growl sounded from behind her. Elena spun around, her hands tightened around the hilt of her dagger.

A second figure was there, moving faster than she could track, its form shifting in the shadows, just out of reach.

And that's when the realization hit her.

She was trapped.

"Hey a little advice" his voice growled.

"Run"