Aderyn Pov

Lying on my bed, I shivered as I felt the cold air blowing from the air conditioning unit. I got up and switched it off before jumping back onto the bed. The mattress squeaked in protest under my weight as I flipped onto my stomach and closed my eyes.

I don't know how long I was asleep, but suddenly, I found myself somewhere unfamiliar. It looked like a forest with trees, shrubs, and grasses all around me. I furrowed my brow and took a step forward, wondering what I was doing there.

As I walked deeper into the woods, everything began to blur, and I noticed the place where I had been walking earlier was turning into water.

"What the?" I muttered, unable to believe my eyes.

I turned around and began to run, my legs aching from the effort. The sound of waves crashing behind me only added to my sense of urgency, and I ran faster and faster, desperate to escape.

Eventually, I slowed down, panting heavily and sweating profusely. That's when I heard a voice calling my name.

"Adie," the voice said, and I felt my heart skip a beat. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

"N-Nancy?" I spoke slowly, trying to remember who it could be.

I looked around, searching for the source of the voice, but all I could see were trees and bushes.

"Adie," the voice called again, giggling this time.

"Nancy? Is that you? Where are you?" I shouted, hoping for a reply.

But nobody answered, and I started running around, searching everywhere.

"Adie," the voice called from behind me, and I stopped in my tracks, slowly turning around.

My eyes widened as I saw her. Nancy stood a few steps away, wearing her pink frock and ballerinas with her favorite bow band in her hair. She was smiling at me, and my heart felt like it would burst with joy.

"Nancy!" I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks as I ran towards her and scooped her up into my arms.

"Adie! Where were you? I missed you," she said, her childlike voice filling me with happiness and nostalgia.

"I missed you too, love. I missed you too," I said, hugging her tightly.

She pulled away slightly, looking up at me. "You look different," she murmured, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"That's because I'm a grown-up girl," I told her, noticing the sadness in her eyes.

"But I'm still five," she whispered, taking a step back.

"Nancy, where are you going? Wait!" I tried to touch her, but my fingers couldn't reach her.

"I'm still five, Adie," she said, her eyes filled with sorrow, before turning around and running away.

"Nancy!" I cried, running after her as fast as I could. But it was impossible to keep up, and soon, she was out of sight.

The scenery around me began to fade, and I felt suffocated. I called out her name, tears streaming down my face, feeling like I had lost her all over again.

"What's going on?" I cried, racking my brain for answers.

I froze as I heard the twig snap behind me. I knew that sound well. I had been hearing it all day. I waited, my heart racing, anticipating what would come next. Finally, the growling began. But unlike the other times, my heart didn't beat out of fear. Instead, it was filled with a sense of curiosity and wonder.

I turned to look towards the woods, my eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. And then, there it was. A shadowy figure slowly emerged from the trees, walking towards me with graceful strides. It was a wolf, a completely black wolf, and it was bigger than any normal wolf I had ever seen.

As the wolf got closer, I noticed a white diamond-like structure tattooed on its forehead, and its eyes were a deep forest green. I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity when I looked into its eyes, but I couldn't quite place it.

Suddenly, the fear that had been absent before began to take hold of me. I started to crawl backward; my eyes still locked with the wolf. I couldn't shake the feeling that this wolf was different, that it was special in some way.

The wolf continued to walk towards me, its eyes still fixed on mine. As it got closer, I could see its muscles ripple with every step it took. I felt a chill run down my spine, and I was about to turn and run when the wolf stopped growling and stood still.

I took a deep breath and slowly got to my feet, never taking my eyes off the wolf. I could feel its gaze on me, watching me intently. I knew I needed to be careful, that one wrong move could spell disaster.

"Go away," my voice shaking.

"What do you want?" I finally managed to say, my voice trembling slightly.

The wolf didn't answer, but it didn't need to. Its eyes seemed to say everything that needed to be said. And then, without warning, the wolf turned and disappeared back into the woods, leaving me standing there, alone and confused.

I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something significant about that encounter. Something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. But one thing was for sure, I would never forget those eyes or the way that wolf had made me feel.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. I let out a deep sigh and took a few moments to relish the tranquillity that enveloped me. When I finally opened my eyes, I blinked a few times, letting them adjust to the light streaming in through the window. As I looked around the room, I realized I was in my own bed.

I let out a groan and rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep. I felt a twinge of disappointment wash over me as I realized that my encounter with the wolf was nothing more than a dream. It had all felt so real, so vivid. But now, as I lay in my bed, it was all slipping away like a mirage.

I got up from the bed and walked over to the window, peering out at the world outside. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining bright and the sky a clear blue. Birds were chirping and singing in the trees, and a gentle breeze was blowing through the leaves. I took a deep breath and felt a sense of calm wash over me.

It's been a whole day since I arrived at this place, and I still haven't found any answers. At first, I thought they might have some work or a contract for me, but to my surprise, Dylan seemed to know nothing about me. When he questioned me about my ID, it became clear that he was in the dark. And as for me, I had no intention of telling them anything. I was getting everything for free and although I didn't plan on staying forever, the fatigue of driving continuously had taken its toll on me.

I can leave anytime I want. I'm in control of my own decisions. But the truth is, I don't really want to leave just yet. Even though I haven't found any answers since I arrived here a day ago, I've been given a comfortable room and free meals. It's hard to resist the temptation of staying a little longer.

My stomach growled hungrily, and I took long strides toward the kitchen hoping to eat something. As I came near the kitchen, I heard some sounds emanating from somewhere in the house. Furrowing my eyebrows, I followed the sounds and reached the backside of the house. I was just about to open the door, but my attention was captured by a voice that called out my name, "L-Luna?"

As I turned around, I saw a woman in her late thirties staring at me with fear in her eyes. 

"Is everything alright?" I asked slowly, watching her with a perplexed expression.

"Luna, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here," she told me, walking towards me. I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What do you mean? I just heard some noises and decided to check them out," I replied. "And my name is Aderyn."

"Please, Luna, I'm sorry for interrupting you, but I think you should go back to your room. The Alpha will be very angry if he knows that you were here," she said in a hushed tone.

I was taken aback by her sudden urgency. "Why would the Alpha be angry?" I asked, feeling a sense of unease creeping over me.

"I was going to the kitchen because I was feeling hungry," I explained, feeling my stomach growl once more. 

"Oh dear, I apologize for any confusion. Please feel free to go to the kitchen, where Nina will be happy to serve you anything you desire," she said, looking nervous and glancing towards the door where I could still hear some commotion.

Feeling a bit suspicious of her behavior, I decided to put the matter aside and headed toward the kitchen as instructed. As soon as I left, I heard a loud bang as the door leading to the backside closed shut.

Taking a deep breath, I continued walking towards the kitchen where a lady with raven hair greeted me, asking, "Hello, Luna. What would you like to eat?"

Taken aback, I asked, "How do you know that I am here to eat something?"

Looking flustered, she replied, "Oh, Becky informed me that you were hungry."

My mind was racing with suspicion as I asked, "But how did Becky inform you? I only just met her a few seconds ago, and I don't recall her making a phone call."

My tone was sharp, like a detective on a case. Nina stumbled over her words, clearly flustered as she placed some utensils on the stove. 

"Uh, yes, she texted me just a few moments ago," she managed to stutter out.

I nodded, trying to make sense of what was happening. As I walked towards the refrigerator, the sounds of shouting and screaming grew louder. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on. This place was starting to feel eerie like there was something sinister lurking just beneath the surface.

Suddenly, I turned to Nina and asked, "What's happening back there?" pointing towards the window that led to the backside of the house. Her face went pale, and she began to stammer, "N-nothing..."

My instincts were telling me that something was very wrong, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this strange house than met the eye.

She had prepared a mouth-watering grilled chicken with a white sauce that had me feeling contented and satisfied. After finishing the delicious meal, I washed the dishes much to Nina's annoyance, and walked back towards my room.

Suddenly, I heard a very loud sound of someone screaming in pain. It was still coming from the backside of the house. 'Curiosity killed the cat' was the phrase that my brain kept repeating to me, but I couldn't resist finding out what was going on there.

I took a deep breath and, after checking for anyone around, walked towards the back door. As I got closer, the screaming became clearer and louder. It had been forty minutes since the sound started, and I was surprised that no one else was bothered by it.

Slowly, I turned the doorknob and opened the door slightly to peek inside. What I saw made the ground slip from under my feet.

A teenage boy was lying in the field, twisting and screaming in pain. His body was transforming into something new and inhuman, and his eyes were changing colors and glowing. It was like he was shape-shifting into a weird form, with his bones cracking and reshaping. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he thrashed around in agony.

All the stories my mom told me about supernatural beings came flooding back into my mind, and I felt numb. I couldn't move or speak, but I could see and hear everything. 

This couldn't be real, could it? 

But the boy finally transformed into a wolf, and the group of people nearby cheered and laughed.

My shock turned into horror as I watched a girl transform into a wolf too. Nobody seemed to be afraid or even bothered by these creatures, but I felt weak and miserable.

Was I kidnapped by them for their eating purposes?

I took a step back and collided with a hard wall. Startled, I turned around and found myself facing Dylan. He had his usual stoic expression, and his eyes scanned my face. My heartbeat pulsated out of fear that I felt after a long period of time and then I realized he was one of them, one of the supernatural beings. My shock must have been evident on my face, and I heard a loud howl from the backside, probably by the same wolf.

Dylan's eyes widened as he realized that I had found out about their secret.

I was in too deep now, and I didn't know what to do next.