Marked by vengeance

The Night Everything Changed Rain poured heavily against the car window as Lydia tightened her sweater around herself. The storm outside was getting worse, and the empty road ahead only made her feel more uneasy. “You should’ve stayed home tonight,” her best friend Nina muttered from the driver’s seat. Lydia forced a small laugh. “And miss your birthday party? Never.” “That party ended two hours ago.” “Still counts.” Nina rolled her eyes playfully before turning into the narrow road leading back to town. Tall trees surrounded both sides of the road, their dark shadows swaying violently in the wind. Something about the forest felt… wrong. Lydia glanced outside again. For a second, she thought she saw movement between the trees. A figure. Tall. Fast. Watching them. Her heart skipped. “Did you see that?” “See what?” Nina asked. Before Lydia could answer, a loud sound echoed through the forest. A scream. Nina slammed on the brakes immediately. The tires screeched against the wet road, jerking Lydia forward violently. “Oh my God…” Nina whispered. Another scream followed. This one sounded painful. Terrified. Lydia’s stomach twisted. “Someone’s out there.” “Don’t even think about it,” Nina warned quickly. “We should leave.” But Lydia was already reaching for the door handle. The cold rain hit her skin the moment she stepped outside. Her sneakers sank slightly into the muddy ground as she followed the sound deeper into the trees. “Lydia!” Nina shouted behind her. “Are you crazy?” Maybe she was. Because every instinct told her to run back to the car. Yet something kept pulling her forward. The screams suddenly stopped. The forest became silent. Too silent. Lydia slowed down, her breathing uneven as she pushed branches away from her face. Then she froze. A man stood in the middle of the clearing. Tall. Dressed completely in black. Blood stained his hands. At his feet lay three motionless bodies. Lydia’s breath caught in her throat. The man slowly lifted his head. Golden eyes locked onto hers instantly. Not normal eyes. Wolf eyes. Her body refused to move. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The rain poured around them while fear rooted Lydia to the spot. The stranger took a step forward. And Lydia realized something even more terrifying. He wasn’t human. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said coldly. His deep voice sent chills down her spine. Lydia finally found her voice. “W-what are you?” The man stared at her for a long second, his expression unreadable. Then suddenly— A growl echoed from somewhere deeper in the forest. The stranger’s face darkened immediately. “Run.”