falling for a werewolf

The road to Blackwood Village stretched endlessly ahead, lined with tall trees that seemed to lean inward as though guarding secrets. Aria rested her head against the bus window and watched the world change. The crowded streets and noisy life she had known faded behind her. In their place came silence, mist, and forests so dense that they seemed endless. She needed this. A fresh start. No expectations. No pressure. Just a quiet place where nobody knew her. The bus finally stopped with a soft hiss. “Blackwood Village,” the driver called. Linda grabbed her bag and stepped outside. Cold air immediately brushed against her skin, it wasn’t freezing, but it felt strange… sharper than normal but she felt relaxed. The village was small, and wooden houses stood close together. Flower pots and decorations on the windows and doors, a few people walked by carrying groceries. Everything looked normal. Yet somehow… it didn’t feel normal. People gazed at her as if she were a goddess adorned in gold. Not rude. Surprised, but curious. Like strangers weren’t common here. Linda smiled politely and pulled out her phone, checking the address of the cottage she had rented. A ten-minute walk. Easy. As she walked through the village, she noticed something odd. Every house had strong locks. Several windows had thick curtains. And hanging above many doors were silver symbols shaped like an ancient symbol. Decoration maybe. But still strange. She reached her cottage at sunset. It was beautiful. Small, cozy, surrounded by wild flowers with the forest rising behind it. Perfect. After unpacking for an hour, she decided to take a walk so she could explore the village. The village center had a tiny café and a grocery store. Inside the café, warm lights and soft music welcomed her. An older woman behind the counter smiled. “You’re new.” Aria laughed lightly. “That obvious?” The woman nodded. “People don’t move here often.” Aria ordered tea and sat near the window. Soon the woman returned carrying her drink. “I’m Suzan.” “Linda.” Suzan looked outside briefly before lowering her voice. “You should head home before dark.” Linda blinked. “Oh… is it unsafe?” Suzan smiled, but something about it looked forced. “Nothing serious.” Then she added quietly— “Just avoid the forest at night.” Aria looked outside. The trees stood motionless. She smiled. “I’ll remember.” But she didn’t think much of it. Warnings like that existed everywhere. Probably local superstition. By the time she left the café, the sky had darkened into deep blue. Streetlights flickered on. Aria started walking home. Halfway there— She heard something. A distant sound. Like footsteps. She turned. Nothing. She continued. Again. Crunch. Crunch. Behind her. She stopped. Silence. Her heart beat slightly faster. Okay. Definitely imagining things. She walked more quickly. Then— A howl. Low. Long. Not close. But not far either. Aria froze. The sound echoed through the forest. She looked around. Nobody else seemed surprised. People closed doors and continued walking. One man quickly locked his gate. Her stomach tightened. She hurried back to the cottage. Inside, she locked the door. Then laughed at herself. You’re being dramatic. She made dinner and opened a book. But her eyes kept drifting to the window. Outside— The forest looked darker than before. Almost alive. Hours passed. Then suddenly— The lights went out. The cottage dropped into darkness. “Seriously?” Aria sighed. Power outage. She searched for her flashlight. Found it. Turned it on. Outside the wind picked up. Branches scraped against windows. Tap. Tap. Tap. Aria moved closer. Probably tree branches. She pulled the curtain aside— And froze. At the edge of the trees— Something moved. Tall. Too tall. Her breath caught. A shadow disappeared between the trees. Her flashlight shook. No. Animal. Had to be. She stared longer. Nothing. Then she laughed nervously. You moved to a village and scared yourself over shadows. She closed the curtains. Five minutes later— Her phone buzzed. No signal. Great. She sat quietly. Then heard it again. Not outside. Closer. A soft sound. Like something moving behind the house. Aria swallowed. Her common sense told her not to check. Her curiosity disagreed. She grabbed a jacket and stepped outside. Cold air hit immediately. Everything was silent. Too silent. She walked around the cottage. Nothing. She reached the back. The forest began only a short distance away. Dark trees. Moving shadows. And then— She saw it. Golden eyes. Watching her. Her body locked. Too high to belong to a normal animal. Too bright to be real. The figure stood between trees. Massive. Still. Looking directly at her. Her breath stopped. Then— It moved. Fast. Too fast. The trees shook. Aria gasped and stumbled backward— But instead of coming toward her— It vanished. Gone. Like it had never been there. She stood frozen. Seconds passed. Then she ran inside. Locked the door. Closed every curtain. Her heart refused to slow. What did she just see? Animal. It had to be. Had to. Outside— Somewhere deep in the forest— A howl echoed beneath the moon. And for the first time since arriving— Aria wondered if the village warnings had never been superstition at all.