Run."
The voice shattered through Ava's mind just as the first scream echoed through the forest.
Branches snapped violently behind her.
Something was chasing her.
Ava gripped the torn edge of her black cloak and forced herself deeper into the freezing woods, her heartbeat crashing painfully inside her chest.
She should never have left the village.
Rain poured through the trees while thunder growled overhead. Mud soaked through her boots, slowing every desperate step.
Behind her, another howl ripped through the night.
Not human.
Wolf.
Ava nearly slipped against a tree root before catching herself.
"Move," she whispered shakily.
The moon above the forest suddenly glowed crimson.
Every wolf howl stopped instantly.
Silence swallowed the woods.
Ava's breathing turned uneven.
The old women in the village used to whisper about nights like this.
Blood Moon nights.
The cursed nights.
The nights monsters hunted.
A sharp growl suddenly came from behind her.
Ava spun around.
Golden eyes glowed between the trees.
Then another pair appeared.
And another.
Rogue wolves.
Three massive creatures stepped from the darkness slowly, their teeth flashing beneath the rain.
Ava stumbled backward.
"Please..."
One wolf lunged.
Ava screamed.
But before the creature could touch her—
Something darker crashed into it.
The rogue wolf flew violently across the forest.
A black wolf landed between Ava and the others.
Huge.
Terrifying.
Silver eyes burned against the darkness.
The entire forest seemed to freeze around him.
The rogue wolves immediately lowered themselves submissively.
Afraid.
The black wolf growled once.
Low.
Deadly.
The rogues fled instantly.
Ava's pulse pounded painfully.
The enormous creature slowly turned toward her.
Silver eyes locked onto hers.
And for one impossible second...
Ava felt something pull violently inside her chest.
Like her soul recognized him.
The wolf stepped closer.
Ava backed away immediately.
"Stay away from me."
The creature suddenly shifted.
Silver light exploded through the forest.
Ava gasped.
A man now stood before her.
Tall.
Dark-haired.
Dangerously beautiful.
Rain slid across the sharp lines of his face while silver eyes remained fixed entirely on her.
Not normal eyes.
Wolf eyes.
Ava's stomach tightened.
Werewolf.
The stranger studied her silently.
Then his expression changed.
Shock.
Almost disbelief.
His gaze dropped briefly toward the crimson moon above them.
Then back to her.
"Impossible," he murmured.
Ava took another nervous step backward.
"Who are you?"
The man ignored the question.
Instead, he moved closer slowly.
Too close.
Ava could feel dangerous power radiating from him.
Predatory.
Ancient.
The stranger suddenly reached toward her face.
Ava slapped his hand away instantly.
"Don't touch me."
To her surprise...
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"You're brave for a human."
"I said stay away from me."
The silver-eyed stranger tilted his head slightly.
"And I said impossible."
Thunder cracked overhead.
Then his expression hardened instantly.
He looked toward the darkness behind the trees.
A second later, Ava heard it too.
More wolves.
Many more.
The stranger cursed quietly.
Before Ava could react, he grabbed her waist and pulled her against him.
Ava's eyes widened.
"What are you doing?!"
His silver gaze locked onto hers intensely.
"Saving your life."
Then the wolves attacked