The Lycan's Promise

Chapter One: A Mysterious Stranger

Chapter One: A Mysterious Stranger

Jade's pov:

As I walked down the sidewalk toward the coffee shop I couldn't help but feel strange and unsettled. It's so strange, so different than everything I've known ever since I woke up this morning that I'm almost afraid to open my eyes for fear that whatever I see won't match up with what I know - almost like someone is staring at me behind my back. As usual, when I'm out in public, I'm dressed casually in leggings and a random shirt. With long legs, dark hair, and emerald green eyes, I don't dress for other people's eyes. So I normally just throw on some comfortable clothes and move on with my life ...But now that I'm actually standing outside a café looking down at it, I find it hard to believe I'm even remotely related to all these buildings and storefronts. Everything about this place, this street, looks completely alien. There are no street signs, there is no traffic light except for an arrow pointing down the block. Everyone always dresses nicely and always waves while I'm over on the sidelines hoping they don't try to make a conversation. And even though I never said anything, it seems everyone knows who I am and why I'm here and they treat me exactly the same. I feel like some kind of invisible stranger who isn't worthy of their attention. I'm supposed to feel at home since I was raised here, right?

Maybe I'm being paranoid and maybe I'm going mad, but something feels wrong - more off than normal. It's a nagging feeling that I should start running in the other direction, far away from the place - as far away from this town as possible, until I realize that the feeling is actually quite comforting. Maybe it's a sign I don't belong here after all. Maybe I am insane. That sounds really plausible at this point, doesn't it? I look around nervously as I continue to walk. Every store has a huge glass display case filled to the brim with books and knickknacks. They're all perfectly arranged and organized in neat rows. As I continue walking, I finally see the Café sign - the one marked out with a neon sign that reads 'Chocolate & Tea', which somehow manages to make both sound like a perfect combination. It stands tall above the rest of the shops along the sidewalk and I find myself suddenly feeling calm and happy again, as if I have come to some sort of understanding. I stopped in front of the sign and stared at it for a moment, trying to figure out what it meant. I've been to this Café a million times and I never saw a single thing with chocolate on the menu yet it's included in the sign.

I stepped inside the café. The smell of freshly brewed coffee assaults my senses immediately - a mixture of strong flavors that remind me of my home in the morning. I took a deep breath. As I scanned the room, my eyes fell upon a man sitting at one of the tables, reading a book. Something about him catches my attention - maybe it's the intelligence in his eyes or the way he seems completely absorbed in his reading. I feel drawn to him, and as I start to make my way over to the counter to order my drink, I find myself glancing over at him again and again. As I wait in line, I keep stealing glances in his direction, trying to work up the courage to talk to him. When it's finally my turn to order, I find myself blurting out something about the book he's reading. To my surprise, he responds warmly, and the two of us start chatting about our shared love of historical fiction.

Before I knew it, the conversation had been going on for hours, and we were both reluctant to say goodbye. As I leave the café, he offers to walk me home, and I feel a rush of excitement at the thought of spending more time with him.

As the two of you walk down the street, I feel a strange sense of familiarity with him, like you've known each other for ages even though you have only just met. But as I turned down a dark alleyway, his demeanor suddenly changed. His eyes lock onto mine, and I feel a sense of unease creeping over me.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared out of nowhere, pulling me towards it like a magnet. I try to grab onto the man's arm for support, but before I know it, he's vanished into thin air, leaving me alone in the alleyway. As you turn around, you see a massive portal that glows red with a mix of blue and black lightning bolts shooting through its center.

You gasp as the light continues to grow larger until you can make out a figure emerging from within.

"Jade He's been waiting for you," a dark voice says, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the portal. Your heart races and you can feel sweat beginning to form under your arms. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you." You glance behind you and see a man who seems vaguely familiar. However, as your vision gets blurry, you're unsure whether he's the same person from the portal. "Just follow me. And remember -Not everything you see in this new world is what it seems."

As I stared ahead, I noticed a bright light shining through the portal. It shines brighter and brighter until it feels like you need to shield your eyes. As we get closer to the very bright light, it dims little by little and then disappears altogether. You watch as the light turns slowly to a dull gray color until it stops moving. You blink once. Twice. Three times. Suddenly, an overwhelming pain starts radiating throughout your entire body as your muscles tense and seize up. Suddenly, it's hard to breathe and every muscle in your body aches painfully.

The man who pulled you through the portal comes toward me and gently places his hand on my shoulder. "Jade, this will be quite painful but it's normal since you haven't been here in years,"