Serena's pulse raced as the howls grew closer, louder, and far more terrifying than they had any right to be. The shirtless man, yes, still shirtless stood before her, calm yet clearly assessing the growing danger. He looked at her like she was the one complicating his night, which wasn't entirely untrue.
"You're not leaving, are you?" he asked, his tone a mix of resignation and irritation.
"Not a chance," Serena replied, though her knees felt ready to betray her bravery. Despite her fear, she wasn't backing down not after seeing him turn from wolf to man in a moonlit clearing.
The man sighed heavily, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Humans are impossible." Before Serena could fire back, a sudden rustle in the bushes made him tense.
He moved in front of her with a protective swiftness that left no room for argument.
"Stay behind me," he ordered.
"Why? So I can watch you heroically get mauled? Pass," Serena shot back, though she instinctively obeyed.
From the shadows, three enormous wolves emerged, their glowing eyes fixed on her.
Serena felt her breath hitch as she grabbed the man's arm, her fingers meeting solid muscle (which was honestly rude of him at a time like this). He didn't react to her touch, his focus locked on the approaching wolves.
"What do they want?" she whispered.
"They're here for you," he said grimly.
"For me?" Serena hissed. "I didn't sign up for this!"
The man glanced over his shoulder at her, his amber eyes flashing with something between frustration and amusement. "You don't even know what's happening, do you?"
Before Serena could argue, one of the wolves lunged. The man shifted instantly, his human form melting back into the massive black wolf she'd followed earlier. Serena stumbled back, trying to process the chaos.
The fight was a blur of growls, snarls, and snapping jaws. The black wolf Callum? Was that his name? was holding his ground, but it was clear he was outnumbered. Serena, feeling completely useless, scanned the ground for a weapon, though she doubted a stick would make much of a difference.
One of the wolves broke away and charged straight at her. Time seemed to freeze as Serena realized she was about to become dinner. She tried to move, but her legs refused to cooperate.
Before the wolf could reach her, an arrow zipped through the air and struck it mid-leap. The creature yelped in pain and retreated, disappearing into the shadows. Serena whirled around to find a woman stepping into the clearing, a bow in hand and a smirk on her face.
"Well, this looks fun," the newcomer said, her voice laced with dry humor.
The other wolves, clearly not eager to face both a skilled archer and the black wolf, slinked away into the darkness. As the danger passed, the black wolf shifted back into his human form still shirtless, of course and glared at the woman.
"Did you really have to make an entrance?" he snapped.
"Missed me, didn't you, Callum?" she replied smoothly, her smirk growing wider. Then she turned her sharp gaze to Serena. "And you must be the human causing all this chaos."
"Excuse me?" Serena shot back, bristling. "I didn't ask to get chased by a pack of wolves or rescued by… whatever you two are."
Callum and the woman exchanged a silent look that screamed, She has no idea what she's dealing with. Finally, Callum sighed and addressed Serena.
"You're not just a random human. There's something about you something they want.
And as long as you're here, they're not going to stop."
Serena blinked at him, struggling to comprehend. "What does that even mean? What do they want from me?"
The woman stepped closer, her smirk softening into something almost sympathetic.
"You're tied to all of this in ways you can't imagine. Stick around, and you'll find out why."
Serena stared at them, her mind racing with questions. Whatever this was, it was bigger than herand there was no escaping it now.