The cool evening breeze rustled through the trees of Blackwood Estate as Selene sat on the porch steps, arms wrapped around her knees. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting an amber glow over the land. She had spent the entire day trying to push away the growing dread inside her, but Allen's sudden arrival shattered any illusion of normalcy.
"You look like someone who's seen a ghost," Allen teased, flopping onto the step beside her. "Or maybe you are the ghost. You've been acting strange, Sel."
Selene forced a smile. "You're imagining things, Allen."
Allen scoffed, leaning in conspiratorially. "No, you're definitely hiding something. And don't even think about lying to me."
She rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Allen?"
Allen's playful grin faded slightly, his tone turning serious. "It's about Nelly."
At her puzzled look, he continued, "Last night, I saw her. And Cane. And five others. They were heading into the forest. Cane was leading them."
Selene's stomach tightened. "So?"
"They came back two hours later—covered in blood."
A chill ran down her spine. She struggled to keep her expression neutral. "You probably mistook them for someone else."
Allen let out an exaggerated gasp. "Oh no, Selene! What if I'm losing my mind? Or maybe—maybe—I'm just too damn good at noticing weird things." He fixed her with an expectant look. "So, what do you think?"
Selene forced out a laugh. "I think you need to stop watching horror movies."
Allen groaned. "Sel, be serious! This is getting out of hand. The deaths, the disappearances—what if Cane and his family have something to do with it?"
Selene's nails dug into her palms. "That's ridiculous, Allen. Don't go around accusing people."
Allen watched her carefully before sighing. "I knew you'd say that. But you can't stop me from finding out the truth. I'm going to follow them tonight."
Selene's heart leapt into her throat. "No. Absolutely not."
Allen chuckled, raising his hands. "Alright, alright. I won't."
Selene didn't believe him for a second.
---
The night air was thick with humidity, the moon casting eerie shadows over the dense foliage. Allen crouched behind a thicket, heart hammering in his chest as he watched the group moving deeper into the forest. They were silent, their movements unnaturally smooth, barely disturbing the underbrush. Cane was at the front, his posture tense and alert.
Allen's fingers clenched around his camera. He had to get proof.
From the doorstep of Cane's house, he had begun his pursuit, hiding behind trees as he watched Elisa, Cane's mother, stand at the entrance, her expression unreadable. As the group strode into the woods, she carefully shut the door behind them, sealing whatever secrets lay within.
For nearly an hour, he trailed them, keeping a careful distance. But as they reached a clearing, a chill settled over him. The group suddenly stopped, standing in a perfect circle. Then, before his very eyes, their bodies began to shift.
Bones cracked. Skin stretched. Fur erupted where flesh had once been. Allen's stomach twisted as he watched Cane, his friend's body contorting into something monstrous. Within seconds, the group had transformed into a pack of enormous wolves, their golden eyes glowing like embers.
Allen's breath caught. He fought the overwhelming urge to flee, knowing one wrong move could be the end of him. His hands trembled as he raised his camera, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. If he could just capture this—if he could just prove what he was seeing was real—
But in his panic, his fingers slipped.
His camera tumbled from his grip, landing with a muffled thud on the forest floor.
The sound, though quiet, might as well have been an explosion in the stillness of the night.
The wolves froze.
Allen's pulse pounded as Nelly's head snapped toward him, her ears twitching. A deep, guttural growl rippled through the air. Her golden eyes locked onto the shadows where he hid.
Then she lunged.
Panic surged through Allen's veins. He turned and ran, the underbrush whipping against his skin. Heavy paws thundered behind him, closing the distance frighteningly fast.
He didn't dare look back.
The chase had begun.