The night had a pulse of its own, thick and alive with the kind of silence that weighed on the skin. Blackwood Forest stretched endlessly ahead of Leah, the path disappearing into shadowy tendrils that seemed to claw at her ankles. The town had warned her—and everyone else—to stay away from these woods after dark. They called it cursed. They told stories of people vanishing, of creatures that weren't quite human roaming under the canopy of ancient trees.
Leah had always dismissed it as folklore, small-town paranoia meant to keep rebellious teenagers in check. Yet, here she was, her feet moving as if possessed, her heart pounding as though it knew something her mind refused to grasp.
The moon spilled silver light over her path, but it was too faint to pierce the oppressive darkness around her. She adjusted her jacket, shivering despite the mild summer air. Her auburn hair, usually tied back, now clung to her neck and shoulders. Her light brown eyes darted around, searching for any sign of movement, her every sense heightened.
Leah was 24 but looked younger, with light brown eyes that held a mix of curiosity and caution. Her oval-shaped face was framed by loose waves of brown hair, and her fair complexion was tinged pink from the chill of the night air. Her small stature made her seem fragile, but her fiery spirit often surprised those who underestimated her.
"Leah! Are you even listening?" Claire's voice snapped from behind her.
Leah stopped abruptly, turning to face her best friend, who was a few steps back and clearly struggling to keep up. Claire's frustration was palpable, her chest heaving as she crossed her arms over her bright green hoodie.
"Why are we even here?" Claire demanded. "You're acting like you're in some kind of trance!"
Leah opened her mouth to explain but faltered. How could she put it into words? It wasn't just a feeling—it was a calling, a pull so strong it was as though invisible threads had stitched themselves into her very soul, dragging her deeper into the forest.
"I don't know," Leah admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "But I have to find out."
Claire sighed, her irritation giving way to concern. "This is insane. You heard what happened to the last person who wandered in here—Matt told me he found their backpack shredded by—"
A low, mournful howl cut through the air, freezing the words on Claire's lips. The sound was unlike anything Leah had ever heard. It was primal, haunting, and full of rage—a sound that twisted her stomach and sent icy tendrils crawling up her spine.
"Leah…" Claire's voice wavered. "We need to go. Now."
Leah wanted to agree. Her instincts screamed at her to turn around and run back to the safety of her tiny apartment, to lock the door and pretend this night had never happened. But something deeper—something primal—kept her rooted in place.
"I need to see what it is," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
Claire stared at her in disbelief. "Are you crazy? This isn't a movie, Leah! Whatever's out there is dangerous!"
But Leah was already moving, her legs carrying her farther into the darkness. She didn't look back, even when she heard Claire's frustrated curses fade behind her.
---
The deeper she went, the stranger the forest became. The air grew colder, sharper, each breath like swallowing frost. The trees stood impossibly tall and close together, their gnarled branches twisting overhead to form an almost impenetrable canopy. The ground beneath her feet felt alive, each step met with the faint crunch of brittle leaves and something else—something soft, like the earth was breathing.
The moonlight barely reached her now, but her eyes adjusted to the darkness. It was as if the forest itself wanted her to see, guiding her toward…what?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden rustle. Leah stopped, her heart pounding. The sound came from her left, then her right, then behind her. She spun in a circle, straining her ears.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice trembling.
No response.
Then she saw him.
He stood at the edge of a clearing, bathed in a shaft of moonlight that broke through the trees like a spotlight. At first, Leah thought he was just a man, albeit an imposing one. But as she took in his appearance, her breath caught in her throat.
He was tall—easily over six feet—with broad shoulders that tapered into a lean, muscular frame. His black leather jacket clung to him like a second skin, and his dark jeans were tucked into worn boots that looked made for the wilderness. His black hair fell in tousled waves over his forehead, but it was his eyes that held her captive.
They glowed golden in the moonlight, burning with an intensity that was both mesmerizing and terrifying. His angular features—sharp cheekbones, a strong jawline, and lips that seemed to hover between a smirk and a snarl—were impossibly perfect, almost too beautiful to belong to a mortal man.
And yet, there was something undeniably inhuman about him.
Leah's chest tightened as he stepped closer. His movements were fluid, almost too graceful, like a predator stalking its prey. She should have run. Every cell in her body screamed for her to turn and flee, but she was frozen, caught in the magnetic pull of his gaze.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice deep and rough, like gravel tumbling over velvet.
Leah blinked, her throat dry. "I…I don't know how I got here."
His lips curved into a faint smile, though there was no warmth in it. "That's what they all say."
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He tilted his head, studying her as if deciding how much to reveal. "My name is Kai," he said at last. "And you're trespassing."
"Trespassing?" Leah frowned. "This is just a forest."
Kai's eyes darkened, the golden glow dimming slightly. "It's far more than that. This place is dangerous—for humans, especially."
A sudden growl erupted from the shadows, low and guttural. Leah turned, her blood running cold as a pair of crimson eyes emerged from the darkness. The creature stepped into the light—a monstrous wolf, larger than any she'd ever imagined. Its black fur gleamed like oil, and its fangs glistened with saliva.
Leah stumbled backward, her chest heaving. "What is that?"
Kai stepped in front of her, his stance protective. "Trouble."
The creature snarled, its claws digging into the earth. Kai's body tensed, his fists clenched at his sides. Then, before Leah's eyes, he began to change.
His muscles rippled, his skin stretching as dark fur sprouted along his arms and chest. His hands elongated into claws, and his face contorted, his jaw elongating into a wolfish snout. Yet, his golden eyes remained the same, glowing fiercely in the moonlight.
The werewolf lunged at the creature, their clash reverberating through the forest. Leah watched in stunned silence as Kai fought with inhuman strength and precision, his claws raking across the beast's hide.
Finally, with a pained howl, the monstrous wolf retreated into the shadows, leaving Kai panting and bloodied.
He turned to Leah, his golden eyes softer now but still filled with an unspoken warning. "You shouldn't have seen that," he said, his voice rough but human again.
Before she could respond, he vanished into the trees, leaving her alone in the clearing.
Leah collapsed to her knees, her mind spinning. She didn't know what had just happened, but one thing was certain—her life would never be the same.