into the night

The night was heavy with silence. It lay thick and unmoving over the town of Willow’s Edge, a sleepy place nestled between mountains and dense forests. During the day, the town was alive with the clinking of coffee cups in small cafes and the murmur of people who greeted each other with familiarity. But by nightfall, Willow’s Edge became a place of secrets, where shadows stretched across the cobblestone streets, and whispers floated on the midnight breeze. Tonight, however, the silence held a different kind of tension a warning, as though the darkness itself sensed something approaching.

Luna Silvermoon didn’t notice. She was too busy clutching her satchel tightly, pulling her jacket closer to keep the chill off as she hurried down the deserted street. Her pace was quick, her eyes constantly darting to the side. She wasn’t used to being out so late, but she had no choice tonight. She’d stayed at the bookstore where she worked later than usual, trying to catch up on filing inventory after a particularly busy day. She’d lost track of time until the clock on the wall chimed ten.

Now, her footsteps echoed in the quiet night, bouncing off the walls of closed shops and alleyways. Her heart beat faster with every step, though she couldn’t explain why. Maybe it was the quiet. Or maybe it was that strange sense of dread that had been gnawing at her all day.

As she passed the old church on the edge of town, Luna heard the faint rustling of leaves nearby. She froze, her breath catching as she turned slowly, eyes straining to peer into the darkness. The wind had stilled, and the trees seemed motionless, the world waiting.

"Get a grip, Luna," she muttered to herself, forcing herself to breathe as she resumed walking. She felt foolish. She was no stranger to Willow’s Edge; she’d lived here for years, blending into the fabric of small-town life. It was quiet, peaceful even, and she liked the anonymity it provided.

But tonight, Willow’s Edge felt different.

She was almost past the last row of shops when she heard it a soft, scraping sound like footsteps dragging across gravel. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she quickened her pace, resisting the urge to look back.

The sound grew louder, following her, creeping closer. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to run, but fear had her frozen, each step slower than the last. As the scraping sound neared, she squeezed her eyes shut, gripping the strap of her bag tighter, as if that might make her invisible.

Suddenly, a large shadow fell across the street ahead, its presence chilling, an unnatural stillness settling around it. She gasped, unable to breathe as her eyes met the figure standing under the flickering streetlamp—a tall man, his silhouette imposing, with shoulders wide enough to block the light entirely.

"Well, well," he said, his voice low and smooth, edged with something dark. “Out all alone, are we?”

Luna took a shaky step back, her instincts screaming at her to flee. But he stepped forward, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam that set every nerve on edge.

“I… I’m just trying to get home,” she managed, her voice wavering.

“Is that so?” He tilted his head, amusement flickering in his gaze. “Interesting, considering home isn’t the direction you’re headed.”

Panic shot through her veins. He’d been watching her, tracking her movements. Her heart pounded painfully, her mind racing for an escape. She could make a run for the forest at the edge of town maybe she could lose him there. But the thought of those dark woods, silent and unknown, was almost as terrifying as the man before her.

The man took another step, his smile widening, as though he could read her thoughts. “Why don’t you come with me, little rabbit? I promise, I’ll make it… memorable.”

The way he said it sent a shiver down her spine. Summoning every ounce of courage, Luna took a step back, then another, before she turned and bolted. She didn’t care if she looked foolish or that he might be faster. All she knew was that she had to get away.

Behind her, she heard his laughter, cruel and echoing, as he gave chase. Luna’s legs pumped harder, her breaths coming in short, panicked gasps as she pushed herself toward the forest. The trees loomed ahead, dark and silent, and yet they felt like her only hope.

Branches whipped at her face as she plunged into the woods, the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves filling her senses. She ran, barely caring where she was going, only that she could hear his footsteps pounding behind her, relentless, closing in.

“You can’t run from me!” His voice cut through the darkness, chilling her to the bone. “I will find you!”

Luna stumbled, her ankle twisting painfully as she tried to dodge a fallen branch. She bit back a cry, forcing herself onward, ignoring the throbbing pain that spread through her leg. She couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when her life depended on it.

Her lungs burned as she gasped for air, her legs trembling as she pushed them to their limit. And then, suddenly, the footsteps behind her stopped. She dared to slow down, her ears straining to hear any sound. But there was only silence, thick and unsettling.

She took a shaky breath, leaning against a tree to steady herself. Maybe he’d given up. Maybe he’d lost her in the dark maze of trees.

But as she glanced around, a flicker of movement caught her eye a shadow deeper than the others, blending almost seamlessly into the forest. She squinted, her heart hammering as the figure took shape. It was another man, tall and powerful, standing just beyond the reach of the moonlight.

Unlike the first, he didn’t move toward her, didn’t call out or laugh. He simply watched her, his gaze sharp and assessing.

“Who… who are you?” Luna stammered, pressing herself against the tree, unsure if she’d just stumbled upon another threat or perhaps something else entirely.

The man stepped forward, allowing the faint light to illuminate his features a strong jaw, dark hair that framed his face, and eyes that glinted like silver in the dim light. There was an intensity in his gaze, a strength that was almost tangible, radiating off him like a force field.

“This is no place for you,” he said, his voice calm but edged with authority. “Especially not tonight.”

Something about him made her shiver, but it wasn’t fear. There was a strange pull in his presence, a feeling of safety and danger wrapped into one.

“I… I didn’t have a choice,” she whispered, clutching her arms as if to hold herself together. “I was just trying to get home, and… someone was following me.”

His expression darkened, his gaze shifting toward the shadows behind her. “Where?”

She swallowed, her mouth dry. “I don’t know. He was… there.” She gestured vaguely toward the trees, but she could see no sign of her pursuer.

The man didn’t seem convinced. His eyes lingered on her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, in a movement too fast for her to track, he stepped forward, so close she could feel the warmth of his body, the raw energy pulsing from him. “If you stay here, he’ll come back for you.”

Luna’s breath hitched. She didn’t know why, but she believed him. “What… what do you want me to do?”

“Come with me.” The words were a command, not a request. He turned, glancing back only once, as though he expected her to follow without hesitation.

She hesitated. She didn’t know this man, didn’t even know his name. But something about him was magnetic, drawing her in despite every logical thought screaming at her to run the other way. And there was the fact that she’d felt more frightened of the man who’d chased her than she felt standing here, inches away from this stranger.

Swallowing her doubts, she took a tentative step forward, following him through the dense trees. The shadows seemed to part for him, the moonlight spilling through the branches to illuminate their path. She couldn’t help but notice the grace in his movements, the quiet confidence that surrounded him like a second skin.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

He glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. “Because you’re in my territory.”

His words sank in, filling her with an eerie sense of realization. He wasn’t just a man out for a midnight stroll. No, he was something else, something powerful and wild, connected to these woods in a way she couldn’t understand.

“And you… who are you?” She dared to ask.

For a moment, he didn’t respond. They walked in silence, his presence both unsettling and oddly comforting. Finally, he stopped, turning to face her, his gaze sharp and penetrating.

“Alexander Blackwood,” he said, his voice low and unyielding. “Alpha of the Blackwood Pack.”

The title meant nothing to her, yet it sent a chill down her spine. She felt as though she’d been pulled into a world she didn’t belong to a world of dark forests, predatory eyes, and secrets as deep as the night.

But before she could ask anything else, he reached out, taking her hand with surprising gentleness. “You’re safe now,” he said, his voice softer. “But be careful, Luna. Some forces can’t be outrun.”

The words lingered in the air between them, heavy with meaning