The Howl of Fate

Chapter Two

The night air still clung to Ellie’s skin as she stumbled through the forest, her breath coming in uneven gasps. Her heart thundered against her ribs, but her legs wouldn’t stop moving—not until she was safe, not until she was back in Cedar Hollow, far away from whatever had just happened.

The encounter played over and over in her mind. The golden-eyed man, the wolf that seemed to bow to her, the way her body had frozen in place, unable to run yet unable to look away. It was as if some unseen force had taken hold of her, pulling her into something she didn’t understand.

Ellie tightened her grip on her camera bag. She wanted to believe it was just adrenaline, just fear messing with her senses—but she knew better.

Something was out there.

Something more than just a wolf.

By the time she reached the edge of the forest, her lungs burned and her legs ached, but she didn’t dare slow down. The old wooden sign welcoming visitors to Cedar Hollow loomed in the moonlight, its weathered edges barely readable. Relief crashed over her as she crossed into familiar territory.

She wasn’t sure if she had truly been in danger, but her instincts screamed that she had escaped something far bigger than herself.

What if it had followed her?

Ellie whirled around, scanning the tree line. The forest was silent, the towering pines swaying gently in the breeze. No glowing eyes. No shifting shadows.

Just the darkness, watching.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to move, her boots crunching against the gravel road as she made her way toward town.

A Familiar Face

Cedar Hollow was a quiet place. The kind of town where everyone knew each other, where gossip traveled faster than the wind, and where secrets were few—at least, that’s what people liked to believe.

Ellie had never quite fit in. She wasn’t a townie, not really. She had moved here with her uncle after her parents died, and though she had spent years calling this place home, she always felt like an outsider looking in.

Tonight, she was glad for that. It meant fewer questions.

As she reached Main Street, the soft glow of the diner’s neon sign caught her eye. Maggie’s was one of the only places still open this late, and the idea of stepping inside, of being around people, was more tempting than she wanted to admit.

She pushed open the door, the little bell jingling as warm air and the scent of coffee wrapped around her.

“Ellie?”

The voice made her stop mid-step.

She turned to see Grayson Carter standing near the counter, his brow furrowed in concern. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair that always seemed a little too tousled, and eyes so piercingly gray they could see straight through a person.

Grayson had always been a mystery. He had grown up in Cedar Hollow, left for a few years, and then returned just as suddenly. No one knew much about where he had been, but if he had secrets, the town respected them—mostly because Grayson was the kind of man who didn’t invite questions.

“What are you doing out this late?” he asked, his voice steady but firm.

Ellie hesitated. She didn’t want to explain, didn’t want to say, Oh, you know, I just ran into a massive wolf that might have been the same man I saw in the clearing.

“I was taking pictures,” she said instead, her voice lighter than she felt.

Grayson’s gaze didn’t waver. “Out by the woods?”

Her stomach twisted.

How did he know that?

Ellie forced a shrug. “Yeah. I was hoping to get some shots of the moon.”

Something flickered in his expression. A shadow of knowing. “Did you see anything?”

The way he asked made her uneasy.

“What do you mean?” she asked carefully.

Grayson didn’t answer right away. Instead, he ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. “Nothing. Just—people say there’ve been wolves out there lately.”

Ellie’s pulse spiked.

Wolves.

Not a wolf. Not one.

Did he know about the others?

She forced herself to nod. “I heard them howling,” she admitted. “It sounded… close.”

Grayson studied her for a moment, then nodded toward an empty booth. “Sit. You look like you need something warm.”

Ellie wanted to argue, to tell him she was fine, but the truth was, she wasn’t. And as much as she hated to admit it, sitting down with Grayson—someone who clearly knew more than he was letting on—might not be the worst idea.

She slid into the booth, and moments later, a steaming cup of coffee appeared in front of her. Grayson sat across from her, his expression unreadable.

“Tell me exactly what happened,” he said.

Ellie hesitated. She shouldn’t say anything. It sounded insane. But something told her Grayson wouldn’t laugh. He wouldn’t call her crazy.

So she told him.

Everything.

When she finished, he was silent for a long time, his fingers tapping lightly against the side of his coffee cup.

Then, finally, he spoke.

“You need to stay out of those woods.”

Ellie frowned. “Why?”

Grayson leaned forward, his voice quiet but firm. “Because the wolves you saw?” His gray eyes locked onto hers, something dark and dangerous flickering behind them.

“They aren’t just wolves.”

A Dangerous Truth

Ellie’s breath caught. “What do you mean?”

Grayson exhaled, running a hand down his face. “I mean you’ve stumbled into something you don’t understand. Something you shouldn’t understand.”

Her stomach twisted. “Grayson—”

“You have to promise me, Ellie.” His voice was sharper now, more urgent. “Promise me you won’t go back there.”

She wanted to. She wanted to say yes, to pretend she could forget what she had seen.

But she couldn’t.

Something inside her—something deep and unshakable—told her that she was meant to find that clearing.

That she was meant to see that wolf.

And that whatever was happening in Cedar Hollow was far bigger than just a few howls in the night.

“I—I need to go,” she said abruptly, sliding out of the booth.

Grayson’s jaw tightened. “Ellie—”

“I’ll be fine,” she insisted. “I just need some rest.”

It was a lie, and they both knew it. But Grayson didn’t argue. He just watched her, his expression unreadable, as she slipped out of the diner and into the night.

The cold air hit her like a slap, but she barely felt it.

All she could think about was the way Grayson had looked at her.

The way his words had felt more like a warning than a plea.

And the way, deep down, she knew this was just the beginning.