Blackwood Manor

The town of Blackridge had a habit of pretending nothing bad ever happened. It was the kind of place where everyone smiled a little too much, waved at strangers, and exchanged gossip over steaming cups of coffee before sunrise. Children rode bicycles through quiet neighborhoods, old men played chess outside the town square, and every Friday evening the streets glowed beneath strings of warm lights that hung between brick buildings. To outsiders, Blackridge looked perfect. Allegra Danvers knew better. She hurried across the nearly empty campus of Blackridge Community College with three books balanced against her chest and a messenger bag hanging from one shoulder. The autumn wind whipped loose strands of her long brunette hair across her face, forcing her to push them away for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. "You missed breakfast again." The voice belonged to Mia, another library assistant. Allegra smiled apologetically. "I'll survive." Mia folded her arms. "You said that yesterday." "And I survived yesterday too." "You live on coffee." "And determination." "And stubbornness." Allegra laughed softly. "Guilty." The smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. Her phone vibrated. Dad. She answered immediately. "Morning." A weak cough echoed through the speaker. "Morning, sweetheart." "Did you take your medicine?" "...Not yet." "Dad." "I forgot." "You always forget." "I know." She closed her eyes. "I'll bring another refill tonight." "You don't have to keep spending money on me." She swallowed. "I'll see you after work." She ended the call before he could continue. There was no point arguing. Someone had to pay the bills. Someone had to keep the lights on. Someone had to make sure her little brother, Noah, still believed life could be normal. That someone had become Allegra. Ever since her mother died three years ago, the world had quietly placed adulthood onto her shoulders without asking whether she was ready. She attended classes during the day. Worked in the college library between lectures. Then rushed across town to Moonlight Café every evening, where she worked until ten. Sleep had become a luxury. Dreams even more so. --- By five o'clock, Moonlight Café buzzed with conversation. The smell of roasted coffee beans mixed with baked pastries filled the room. Allegra tied her apron around her waist. "Evening shift?" her manager asked. "As always." "You need a vacation." "I need money." He sighed. "I keep forgetting you don't know how to complain." "I complain." "No." "I just do it inside my head." He laughed. "Fair enough." Customers poured in. Orders stacked up. Caramel latte. Mocha. Espresso. Two iced coffees. Another espresso. Hours slipped away in a blur. By nine-thirty the café had almost emptied, Allegra wiped the counter and stretched her aching shoulders. "You heading home?" asked Lily, another barista. "In a few minutes." "Take the main road." "Why?" "There were police cars near Hollow Creek." "What happened?" "No clue." Allegra shrugged. "This town's too boring for anything interesting." Lily laughed. "You'd be surprised." --- Ten minutes later... She regretted not listening. The shortcut through Hollow Creek Forest had always saved fifteen minutes. Normally she loved it. Tonight... Something felt wrong. Too quiet. Even the insects seemed to have disappeared. Crunch. A twig snapped. Allegra stopped walking. "Hello?" Silence. Probably a deer. Or a raccoon. She continued. Another snap. Closer. She turned quickly. Nothing. Just trees. Their branches twisted together like skeletal fingers against the moonlit sky. "You are officially freaking yourself out." She laughed nervously. Then... A scream. It wasn't loud. It was cut short. As though someone had covered the victim's mouth. Allegra froze. Every instinct screamed at her to run. Instead... Curiosity won. It always did. She carefully stepped off the trail. Branches scratched her sleeves as she pushed deeper into the woods. Another voice. "...Please..." A man's voice. Terrified. She crouched behind a thick oak tree. Then she saw them. Three men. One of them knelt on the ground, bleeding from the mouth. Two stood over him. One was enormous. Broad shoulders. Black leather jacket. Dark trousers. Hands tucked casually into his pockets. His posture was relaxed. Almost bored. The second man stood several feet behind him, silent as a statue. The kneeling man cried. "I already gave you the money." The tall man tilted his head. "I wasn't asking for money." His voice was calm. Too calm. "I swear—I don't know anything." "You lied." "I didn't." "You did." Silence. Then... The tall man sighed. "I dislike dishonesty." He moved. Fast. Far too fast. Before Allegra could even process what she'd seen... The kneeling man's neck twisted with a sickening c***k. His body collapsed. Motionless. Dead. Allegra's heart stopped. No... No... No... Her hand flew over her mouth. She stumbled backwards. Crunch. A dry branch snapped beneath her shoe. The forest fell silent. The tall man's head slowly turned. His eyes... They weren't normal. One shimmered an icy blue. The other looked almost black beneath the moonlight. They landed directly on her hiding place. For one terrifying second... Neither of them moved. Then he smiled. Not warmly. Not cruelly. Simply... Interested. "Come out." His voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. Allegra couldn't move. "I know you're there." Her breathing became shallow. Run. Run. RUN. She bolted. Branches whipped against her face as she sprinted through the forest. Behind her— Nothing. No footsteps. No voices. Just silence. That somehow terrified her even more. She burst onto the trail. Almost there. Almost— A figure stood directly in front of her. Impossible. He had been hundreds of meters behind her. Yet there he was. The same black leather jacket. The same composed expression. The same unsettling eyes. She skidded to a halt. "You..." He looked down at her as though studying an interesting painting. "So," he said quietly, "you're the girl." "What...?" "I've seen you." Allegra stared. "I don't know who you are." "No." "You just murdered someone." "I did." "You admit it?" "I don't usually lie." Fear flooded her chest. "You... you're insane." A faint chuckle escaped him. "I've been called worse." She stepped backwards. "If you're going to kill me..." His expression changed. Not softer. Just... thoughtful. "I should." Silence. "But I'm not going to." Her brow furrowed. "What?" "You witnessed something you shouldn't have." "I won't tell anyone." "You expect me to believe that?" "...Yes." He studied her face. "You work two jobs." She froze. "You leave the café at ten every night." Another step backwards. "You attend college during the day." "Who are you?" "You buy your father's medication every Wednesday." Cold spread through her body. "You have a younger brother." Her voice barely came out. "You've been following me." "For four days." "Why?" "You interested me." Allegra's pulse hammered painfully. He knew everything. Everything. "I've done nothing to you." "No." "Then leave me alone." "I intended to." "What changed?" "You saw me." The forest became impossibly quiet. "My options," he continued, "are rather limited." "You don't have to do anything." "I disagree." She turned. She didn't make it two steps. Something struck the back of her neck. Not hard enough to injure. Just enough. The world blurred. Trees spun together. Darkness crept into her vision. The last thing she remembered was strong arms catching her before she hit the ground. She forced heavy eyelids open just enough to see him looking down at her. His face remained unreadable. "You really do have terrible luck," he murmured. Then everything went black. --- When Lucien Thorne lifted the unconscious woman into his arms, the forest seemed to hold its breath. His Beta stepped from the shadows. "Alpha." Lucien didn't look away from Allegra. "Speak." "We should eliminate the witness." "I know." "It is the safest option." "It is." The Beta frowned. "Then why aren't you doing it?" Lucien watched a strand of brunette hair fall across Allegra's sleeping face. Without thinking, he brushed it aside. A strange feeling settled in his chest. Not pity. Not affection. Curiosity. She had run when anyone else would have frozen. She had looked him in the eye despite being terrified. She had spent four days unknowingly under his watch and never once stopped fighting through exhaustion. Most people bent under pressure. She simply carried more. Finally, Lucien spoke. "She's coming with us." The Beta's eyes widened. "To the mansion?" "Yes." "That breaks every rule." "I make the rules." "And if the pack questions it?" "They won't." He turned toward the waiting black SUV parked beyond the trees. The night swallowed the sound of his footsteps. Above them, hidden behind drifting clouds, the full moon slowly emerged. Somewhere in the darkness, wolves began to howl. And for the first time in years, Alpha Lucien Thorne found himself wondering whether sparing one life would become the greatest mistake he had ever made. Or the only decision he would never.