HOWLING HEARTS

FOUR: SHADOWS AND SECRETS

The following days passed in a blur for Isla. Silver Hollow was a quiet town, and though the howls still echoed through the night, the townspeople seemed to live their lives with an odd kind of acceptance, as if they had grown used to the things that went bump in the night. But Isla couldn’t shake the feeling that something was lurking beneath the surface, something far darker than anyone was willing to admit.

And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop thinking about Luca.

He hadn’t been at the market, nor had she seen him around town since their encounter at the blacksmith’s shop. But she felt his presence—always watching, always just out of reach. The way he had looked at her, the tension in his voice when he told her to leave—it lingered in her mind like an unsolved puzzle.

She had tried to stay away, as he had warned, but her curiosity—and something more—pulled her back. The air in Silver Hollow was thick with secrets, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that Luca was at the center of it all.

So one evening, as the sun dipped low on the horizon, Isla found herself walking toward the blacksmith’s shop once more. She told herself it was innocent curiosity, that she wanted to know more about the town, about its people. But deep down, she knew it was more than that. She wanted to see him again.

The streets were nearly empty as she approached. The shop was dark, the windows closed and the door firmly shut, but the faint glow of the forge flickered from inside. She hesitated at the entrance, unsure if she should knock or turn around and leave before she was noticed.

But before she could decide, the door creaked open.

Luca stood in the doorway, his face shadowed in the dim light. His green eyes, sharp and intense, met hers immediately.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice gruff and rough from the heat of the forge.

It was the same warning as before, but this time, there was something softer beneath his words, something more like concern.

“I couldn’t help it,” Isla replied, stepping forward. She didn’t want to sound like she had been thinking of him all day, but the truth spilled out anyway. “You never told me what’s going on in this town. The howls… the forest… and you. I want to understand.”

Luca’s jaw clenched, and he stepped back, as if physically distancing himself would keep her away from whatever secrets he was hiding. “You don’t want to understand. Trust me.”

But Isla wasn’t backing down. Not this time. “You think you’re protecting me by keeping me in the dark, but I’ve already heard the howls, Luca. I’ve already seen the way people look when they hear them. Whatever’s going on here, it’s dangerous, isn’t it? And I’m already a part of it whether you like it or not.”

Luca’s eyes darkened, his shoulders tense. For a moment, he looked as though he wanted to argue, to send her away again. But instead, he let out a slow breath and stepped aside, gesturing for her to come in.

She entered cautiously, the warmth of the forge enveloping her as soon as she crossed the threshold. The shop felt different in the evening—quieter, more intimate. The tools hung neatly on the walls, and the smell of iron and smoke filled the air. But there was something else, something beneath the surface, that made the hairs on the back of Isla’s neck stand on end.

Luca moved silently to the workbench, picking up a pair of gloves and slipping them on. His back was to her, but Isla could see the tension in his posture, the way his muscles coiled as if he were holding something back.

“You’re right,” he said finally, his voice low. “This town… it’s not what it seems. There are things here that are dangerous. Things you can’t begin to imagine.”

Isla swallowed, her heart racing. “Like the howling?”

Luca turned to face her, his expression unreadable. “The howling is part of it. But it’s not just the forest that’s dangerous. There are people here who know more than they’re letting on. People who are watching.”

“Watching me?” she asked, her stomach flipping at the thought.

Luca nodded grimly. “They know you’re new. They’re always wary of strangers.”

Isla felt a shiver run down her spine. “Why?”

“Because strangers ask questions,” he said, taking a step closer to her. His eyes were intense, his voice barely a whisper. “And questions in Silver Hollow often lead to answers you don’t want.”

Isla held his gaze, her pulse quickening as the space between them shrank. “Maybe I do want them.”

Luca’s lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, Isla thought he was going to shut her out again. But then, something shifted in his expression—a crack in the armor he had been holding so tightly around himself.

“You’re not like the others,” he said quietly, almost to himself.

Her breath caught in her throat. “What do you mean?”

Luca looked away, his fists clenching at his sides. “You’re persistent. You don’t scare easily.”

“I’ve been through a lot,” Isla admitted, her voice softening. She wasn’t sure why she was telling him this, but something about the way he was looking at her—something in his guarded vulnerability—made her want to open up. “I came here to start over. To get away from things I couldn’t control.”

His gaze flickered back to hers, and for the first time, there was a spark of understanding in his eyes. “We’re not so different, then.”

There was a long, heavy silence between them, filled only with the crackling of the forge. Luca took another step closer, the air around them charged with unspoken tension. Isla could feel the heat radiating from his body, the warmth of the forge mixing with the intensity of his presence.

“Luca,” she whispered, unsure of what to say next, but needing to fill the space between them.

He didn’t respond, but his eyes locked onto hers with a fierceness that sent a thrill through her. Slowly, cautiously, his hand reached out, brushing the edge of her sleeve with his fingertips. It was a small, almost imperceptible touch, but it sent a spark of electricity shooting through her body.

She didn’t move away. Instead, she met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest as they stood there, inches apart, the air thick with tension. She could see the conflict in his eyes—the desire to pull her closer, to let go of whatever was holding him back. But also the fear of what might happen if he did.

For a brief moment, it seemed like time had stopped, and the only thing that mattered was the space between them. But then, just as quickly as it had started, Luca pulled back, his expression hardening once more.

“You need to leave,” he said, his voice rough.

Isla blinked, the sudden change catching her off guard. “Luca—”

“I mean it,” he said, turning away from her. “Go back to the inn. Forget about this. Forget about me.”

Her chest tightened with frustration and confusion. She didn’t understand what had just happened, but the sting of rejection was unmistakable. She opened her mouth to argue, but the words died on her lips.

Luca had already turned his back on her, retreating into the shadows of the forge.

Without another word, Isla turned and left the workshop, the door closing softly behind her. As she stepped out into the cool night air, she couldn’t help but feel that something between them had shifted. Luca was hiding something—something that made him push her away. But there had been a moment, a spark, when she could feel the connection between them, the pull that neither of them could deny.

And no matter how hard he tried, Isla knew she wasn’t going to walk away that easily.