The forest was alive with the sounds of night-crickets chirping, the rustle of leaves, and the distant hoot of an owl. Elyra sat on the windowsill, her knees drawn to her chest, gazing out into the moonlit clearing. A movement at the tree line caught her eye.
At first, she thought it was a trick of the shadows, but then she saw it clearly-a large silver wolf, its fur shimmering faintly under the moonlight. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, golden and piercing, mirroring her own.
Elyra froze, her breath catching in her throat. The wolf stood still, watching her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. Yet, there was no malice in its gaze. Instead, it felt... familiar, like an old memory tugging at the edges of her mind. "Elyra?"
She turned sharply to see Dain standing behind her, his expression guarded.
"There's a wolf," she whispered, pointing toward the trees.
Dain followed her gaze, his body immediately tensing. The wolf hadn't moved, its gaze fixed on Elyra as if waiting for something.noveldrama
"You stay inside," Dain said firmly, grabbing his jacket.
"Wait," Elyra protested, grabbing his arm. "It's not dangerous. I don't think it wants to hurt us."
"Doesn't matter," Dain said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're not going near it."
He stepped outside, the cold night air biting at his skin. The wolf didn't flinch as he approached, its eyes shifting briefly to him before returning to the window where Elyra watched. "Go!" Dain barked, waving his arms.
The wolf lingered for a moment longer, then turned and padded silently into the woods, disappearing into the darkness.
Inside, Elyra met him at the door. "You didn't have to scare it off," she said, her frustration evident.
Dain shook his head, closing the door behind him. "You don't know what it wants. It could be dangerous."
"I don't think it was," Elyra said softly, her gaze drifting back to the window.
Dain didn't argue, but his jaw tightened. He couldn't explain it, but the sight of the wolf unsettled him. There was something about its presence that felt... wrong.
Unbeknownst to them, the silver wolf lingered just beyond the trees, its glowing eyes watching over the cabin. It wasn't hunting. It was guarding.