Maddie stood between the trees of the forest, the cool dirt soft beneath her bare feet. The night air felt heavy, thick with the sound of distant howls echoing through the dark. Her breath hitched as she turned slowly, eyes scanning the shadows.
"Who's there?" she whispered, her voice trembling as she searched for any sign of movement.
A low rustle came from the brush ahead. Then an almost‑blonde wolf stepped out from between the trees, its fur pale enough to catch what little moonlight filtered through the branches.
The wolf growled, deep and warning, as it padded toward her. Instinctively, Maddie stepped back—one step, then another—until her heel caught on a root. She fell hard onto the ground, the impact knocking the air from her lungs.
Before she could scramble away, a massive blac
