Chapter 5
764 Words
The drive back to Ashridge was unusually quiet.
Elena sat in the passenger seat of the sheriff's patrol car, watching the forest disappear behind them through the side mirror.
The towering trees seemed endless, their dark silhouettes fading into the morning mist.
She should have felt relieved.
Instead, she felt as though she had left something behind.
Or perhaps...
Someone.
She frowned at the thought and quickly shook her head.
"What happened out there?" the deputy asked, glancing at her briefly before returning his attention to the road.
Elena hesitated.
How could she explain what she had seen?
"I got lost."
"That's all?"
She forced a smile.
"I panicked when I heard wolves."
The deputy nodded knowingly.
"You're lucky. Graywood Forest has a reputation for strange animal activity."
"People say it's haunted."
He chuckled.
"The older folks say a lot of things."
"But between you and me..." His smile faded slightly. "I wouldn't wander into those woods again."
"I don't plan to."
The conversation ended there, but Elena couldn't stop thinking about the enormous black wolf.
His silver eyes.
The way every other wolf had obeyed him.
Most of all...
The way he had looked at her.
~~~
Back at the Black Moon Pack House, the atmosphere had grown tense.
Warriors filled the training grounds, sparring with one another under the watchful eyes of their commanders.
Normally, the sound of clashing weapons echoed with discipline and confidence.
Today, whispers spread faster than steel.
"The Alpha spared a human."
"I heard he protected her."
"That's impossible."
"No Alpha would risk the pack for a human."
Kael ignored the rumors as he strode across the courtyard.
The wolves immediately lowered their heads in respect.
His presence alone silenced the conversations.
He entered the council hall, where the pack elders were already waiting.
At the center of the room stood Elder Gideon, the oldest and most respected member of the council.
"You summoned us, Alpha."
Kael remained standing.
"My scouts found rogue tracks inside our territory."
The elders exchanged uneasy glances.
"How many?" Gideon asked.
"Six."
A murmur spread through the room.
Rogues rarely traveled in groups that large.
"Do they know about the borders?" another elder asked.
"They crossed them deliberately," Kael replied.
"They weren't looking for prey."
"They were searching."
The room fell silent.
"For what?" Gideon asked quietly.
Kael's expression remained unreadable.
"I intend to find out before they do."
~~~
Across town, Elena unlocked the door to her small apartment.
Everything looked exactly as she had left it.
A worn couch.
A tiny kitchen.
A stack of unpaid bills resting on the dining table.
Normal.
Ordinary.
She welcomed the familiar sight.
Dropping her backpack onto the couch, she headed straight for the bathroom.
The warm shower washed away the mud and dried blood clinging to her skin, but it couldn't erase the memories of the previous night.
When she stepped out, she caught sight of herself in the mirror.
A long scratch stretched across her left forearm.
She frowned.
She didn't remember getting injured there.
As she gently traced the wound with her fingertips, a strange warmth spread beneath her skin.
The scratch...
Was healing.
Far faster than it should.
Elena blinked in confusion.
"That's... impossible."
Before she could think any further, her phone rang.
The caller ID displayed her manager's name.
"Elena!" Mrs. Benson exclaimed the moment she answered. "Thank goodness you're alright!"
"I'm sorry for worrying everyone."
"You can apologize later. Just get some rest today."
"I'll be back tomorrow."
"Only if you're feeling well."
"I will."
After ending the call, Elena sighed.
Maybe returning to her normal routine was exactly what she needed.
Maybe then she'd forget everything that had happened.
~~~
Miles away, hidden deep within the forest, six cloaked figures stood around a dying campfire.
Each wore the mark of a rogue pack burned into the back of their leather armor.
Their leader knelt beside a patch of disturbed earth.
He inhaled deeply.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"The scent is fresh."
One of the others stepped forward.
"So she was here."
"Yes."
"Did Black Moon find her first?"
The leader rose to his feet.
"They did."
"Should we attack?"
He shook his head.
"Not yet."
He looked toward the distant mountains where Black Moon territory began.
"If the prophecy is true..."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"...the girl doesn't know what she is."
The others fell silent.
The leader tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
"But when she remembers..."
A cruel smile crossed his face.
"The entire werewolf world will burn."
- Writer
