Shadow Of The Hunt

Chapter 2: STEPPING INTO A DANGEROUS GAME

Ethan woke up with a start, feeling energized and refreshed. He sat up, looking around the small room, trying to get his bearings. The room was unfamiliar, with two beds, one across from him and the other one empty. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the sleep.

Ethan's eyes were as clear as water, he had enough sleep. But the room seemed unfamiliar and his body twitched in some uncomfortable way.

He looked around, then he heard a voice asking, "Which family do you belong to?"

Ethan's eyes scanned the room, searching for the owner of the voice.

Firstly he wasn't expecting that question and also he didn't think he would hear a lady's voice in the room.

His eyes snapped around and that was when he saw her. A girl with long silver hair and piercing green eyes. She stood a few steps away from him. Her eyes was fixed intently on Ethan.

Ethan furrowed his brow in confusion. “Who are you?” He enquired, his voice still rough from sleep. “And most importantly why are we in the same room?”

The last question was one of the most important questions. He just woke up and he found a lady in the same room with him. What was worse was that he didn't remember anything.

The girl's eyes went up to his face then he smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She moved closer to Ethan, her movement swift and confident just as if she owned the place.

Aria was a striking young lady, so as she moved up close Ethan's fingers curled up in a fist. Ethan was left speechless when she sat beside him on the bed with her leg touching his.

Ethan's expression was beyond explicable. His breathing became haggard as he couldn't move freely..

“Do you remember anything?” she asked, her voice soft and melodious.

That question left Ethan wondering miraculously as he racked, trying to remember anything. But his memories seemed fuzzy, and he couldn't quite grasp them. He shook his head, feeling frustrated.

The girl's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're quite forgetful, aren't you?" she teased.

Ethan's eyes narrowed, trying to place her. And then, suddenly, it hit him. The wolf that had saved him yesterday. He gasped, his eyes widening in surprise.

"You're the wolf that saved me yesterday?" he asked, his voice full of wonder.

Ethan's expression changed entirely as those words came out. Wolf–those were things that had never been in his dictionary.

Aria raised an eyebrow, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Is there anything weird with your body system?" she asked, her voice low and husky.

Ethan's mind flashed back to the previous night. He had been hurt badly. But now, he feels fine. No pain, no discomfort. He looked down at his arm, and his eyes widened in surprise. There was no sign of injury.

Aria smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're quite resilient, aren't you?" she said, her voice soft.

As Ethan looked at her, he felt a sense of familiarity. He couldn't quite place her, but he knew he had seen her before. And then, it hit him. She was Aria, a student at the school he had been forced to attend by his uncle. He had seen her around, but they had never spoken.

No wonder this place had felt so uncomfortable when he moved into it. The city was not for ordinary people like Ethan…like the Ethan he had thought he was.

Aria's eyes seemed to gleam with amusement, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Ethan's eyes narrowed, trying to process everything. He had so many questions, but he didn't know where to start.

Discovering you were a werewolf was something unbelievable most especially when you don't believe such a thing exists.

Ethan gulped loudly, his nose wriggling up.

"Why weren't we allowed into the woods?" he asked finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan seemed to be afraid of hearing the answer as he had been shocked already.

Aria's expression turned serious, her eyes clouding over. "You'll learn soon enough," she said, her voice soft. "But for now, let's just say that it's not safe for you to go there."

Ethan's eyes narrowed, feeling frustrated. "What's wrong with me?" he asked, his voice full of emotion.

Something was wrong with Ethan and that was why he came into this city, but in getting here also he learned that certain places were not meant for people like him.

Aria's eyes locked onto his, her gaze intense. "You're different, Ethan," she said, her voice low. "And we'll talk about it soon. But for now, let's just focus on getting you settled in."

Aria decided to break it down to him slowly. Aria seemed to be an intelligent person and she understands Ethan's curiosity but she knows that his curiosity could be his weakness also.

Ethan nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. Ethan seemed to trust Aria, probably because she was popular or maybe there was this force of attraction pulling him to it. He had a feeling that his life was about to change in ways he couldn't even imagine. And Aria seemed to be at the center of it all.

That was why he decided to listen to her, he trusted her.

Aria stood up and led the way, she walked out of the room.

Ethan slowly stood up, his legs wobbly beneath him.

As they walked, they passed by the dormitories, the buildings looming above them in the darkness. Ethan couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, his senses on high alert. He glanced around, taking in the surroundings, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

It seemed as if he could smell different things judging from his expression. Different unpleasant scents. He tried his best to look the same way but he just couldn't.

Aria was all smiles as they walked further.

Just as they were about to pass the corridor that led out of the dorms, a figure emerged from the shadows. Darius appeared, his eyes fixed intently on Aria. He strode towards them, his movements confident and assertive.

Darius was a daring man, he had brown hair and blue eyes.

Aria's eyes narrowed as Darius approached, her body tensing slightly. Darius reached out and pulled Aria back, his eyes locked onto Ethan. "What's going on here?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing.

Aria pulled her arm free, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "It has nothing to do with you, Darius," she said, her voice firm.

Darius's eyes never left Ethan's face. "Be careful where you step," he warned, his voice dripping with menace. "Not everyone survives what you did, you stray dog."

Ethan's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice firm.

Darius gave him a sarcastic smirk, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You'll find out soon enough," he said, before turning and walking off.

Aria watched him go, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. Then, she turned to Ethan and nodded. "Let's go," she said, her voice soft.

Ethan followed her, his eyes scanning the surroundings as they walked. Since he woke up, the two people Ethan had met were just telling him that he will find out soon enough.

Ethan was even more curious to know what was hidden. He just hoped it wouldn't be something triggering.

What If it was something Ethan couldn't handle? Would he die even before the fun of being a werewolf begins?