Selene moved like a shadow through the deserted streets, her footsteps silent on the cracked pavement as the full moon loomed overhead. The chill of the night wrapped around her like a familiar embrace, yet something felt different. She’d always loved the quiet hours after midnight, the world softened by silver light, but tonight the air felt heavy, tense. There was an edge to the silence, a feeling that prickled the hairs on her arms.
She tried to shake it off, focusing on the path ahead. But her instincts wouldn’t quiet. Selene stopped, her pulse spiking, and glanced back over her shoulder.
“Going somewhere?”
The voice slid out of the darkness, low and unhurried. Selene froze, her heart hammering, as her gaze darted across the shadows. She squinted, but all she could make out was the glint of eyes—a pair of sharp, silver eyes—watching her from the shadows.
“Who’s there?” she called, her voice firmer than she felt.
There was a beat of silence, then the figure stepped forward, his silhouette slowly taking shape. Tall, broad-shouldered, with wild, dark hair that brushed his collar and those strange silver eyes that seemed to catch the light. He moved with a quiet, almost predatory grace.
“Relax,” he said, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Selene took a wary step back, her gaze locked on him. “People don’t usually sneak up on others in the middle of the night—especially not out here.”
“Maybe I was drawn to you,” he replied, his voice a low murmur that seemed to slip through the night. “You’re… different.”
A shiver ran down her spine, but she held her ground. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
He tilted his head, studying her, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Most people don’t walk alone in the woods at night. Are you fearless, or just reckless?”
“Neither,” she replied sharply, trying to keep her voice steady. “And you didn’t answer my question.”
He laughed softly, a low, rumbling sound that felt far too familiar. “The name’s Kaelan. And you?”
“Selene.”
“Fitting.” Kaelan’s eyes seemed to flash, a glint of recognition there, and he took a step closer. “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you, Selene?”
She narrowed her eyes, refusing to show any hint of fear. “Not usually. But you make it sound like I should be.”
Kaelan’s gaze flickered over her, something unreadable passing across his face. “Maybe you should be. There are things in the dark you couldn’t begin to understand. And sometimes… the darkness stares back.”
For a heartbeat, Selene felt the urge to turn and run. Something about the way he said it, the weight in his tone, made her believe he wasn’t just trying to scare her.
“What are you doing here, Kaelan?” she asked, fighting to keep her voice steady. “Are you following me?”
His expression shifted, the faint smile fading. “Maybe I’m here to warn you.”
“Warn me?” She scoffed, though the uneasy feeling lingered. “Of what?”
“Of things you don’t see coming until it’s too late.” He took another step closer, his gaze intense, almost hypnotic. “The world you think you know, Selene, it’s not as safe as it seems. Not everyone who walks in the night is… human.”
Her pulse quickened, a strange blend of fear and intrigue blooming within her. “What are you saying?”
“Just… be careful.” His voice softened, almost gentle, and he held her gaze for a moment longer before taking a step back. “Not all wolves look like wolves, Selene.”
As she stood there, rooted to the spot, a faint memory stirred in the back of her mind—a story her grandmother used to tell her about creatures that could slip between worlds, blending into the shadows until they chose to reveal themselves. Creatures that wore human faces but held the wildness of the forest in their bones.
But Kaelan was already retreating, his form melting into the darkness.
“Wait!” Selene called out, taking a step forward. “You can’t just show up out of nowhere and say things like that.”
Kaelan paused, his silhouette barely visible now in the thick shadows. “Sometimes, the truth is scarier than the unknown. Remember that, Selene.”
And then he was gone, leaving only silence and the faint echo of his words. She stood there, staring into the darkness, her heart still pounding, as questions spiraled in her mind.
Why did he look at her as if he knew her? And what did he mean by ‘not all wolves look like wolves’?
She took a shaky breath, but before she could turn back, she heard something—a soft rustling sound behind her, like footsteps through the brush.
Slowly, she turned, and there, at the edge of the woods, she saw it—a pair of glowing eyes watching her from the shadows, unblinking, fierce… and undeniably animal.
And this time, she felt no doubt. She was no longer alone in the night.
