Howl of the Heart

Sera Quinn had always believed she was just a regular girl. A little broken, a lot lost, but regular. She never imagined that a dusty old cabin tucked in the shadow of a forest would change everything.

The car's engine sputtered as she rolled up the gravel driveway, the last leg of her long journey to Ebonridge, a town too small to show up on any decent map. Her grandmother had left her this place-its peeling wood, its forgotten history, its eerie silence. The inheritance had seemed like a sign. A fresh start. No more foster homes. No more pretending to belong somewhere.

She cut the engine, stepped out, and breathed in the pine-scented air. The sky was overcast, thick clouds weaving over the mountains. The wind howled faintly through the trees, a sound that made her skin tingle, like it was calling to her.

Sera shook her head, dismissing it. It was probably just the isolation playing tricks on her.

The cabin itself was far older than she had expected. Built from worn logs and tucked away among the trees, it looked as though it had been forgotten by time. Ivy crept up its walls, and the roof sagged like it was holding up the weight of too many memories. Despite the dilapidation, there was a strange pull to it, an energy that felt both welcoming and... dangerous.

The place was supposed to be her escape, but standing there, with the wind pressing against her skin and the dark shadows stretching across the clearing, Sera couldn't help but feel like she was stepping into something she didn't quite understand.

The door creaked as she pushed it open, revealing an interior that was as rustic and worn as the outside. Dust particles danced in the dim light as she walked in, her footsteps muffled by the wooden floorboards.

Sera took a deep breath, setting down her bags, and ran a hand through her messy brown hair. "Well, it's all yours now," she muttered to herself.

A flash of movement outside caught her eye. She froze, staring out the window. Something-or someone-was moving in the woods.

Her heart quickened. No. It couldn't be. She was just tired. Just jet-lagged.

But then, there was another shift in the trees, and this time, she saw it clearly-a figure, tall, cloaked in shadows, standing still as if waiting for her.

Her breath hitched. It was a person, but there was something about the way they moved-too fluid, too graceful.

Sera backed away from the window, feeling a chill creep up her spine. She had to get a grip. It was probably just some local. A wanderer. But the strange energy-the pull-lingered in the air, making her pulse race.

The figure didn't move, didn't make a sound. For a long moment, they just stood there, watching her.

And then, in a swift motion, they were gone. Disappeared into the forest as if swallowed by the darkness itself.

Sera's breath came in shallow bursts, and she gripped the edge of the windowsill, her heart still pounding. What the hell had she just seen?

She shook her head. It had to be a trick of the light. Or maybe she was just imagining things. She'd been alone for too long, her mind starting to play games.

But no matter how hard she tried to shake off the unease, the strange feeling of being watched never left.

Later that evening, as she sat on the porch sipping a cup of tea, trying to gather her thoughts, a low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky. The clouds parted briefly to reveal a sliver of the moon-large and glowing, casting an eerie light across the landscape.

Sera closed her eyes, taking in the moment. The world felt different here, quieter, more alive in ways she couldn't explain. The wind picked up again, carrying with it a whisper that almost sounded like her name.

"Sera."

Her eyes snapped open. Her name again, like a breath in the air. She stood up abruptly, scanning the surrounding trees, but there was nothing.

Just as she was about to retreat inside, she heard it-a sound that made her stomach twist. A wolf's howl. Distant but unmistakable.

It felt wrong. The sound seemed too close. Too personal.

Suddenly, the door of the cabin slammed open behind her, the wind pushing against it with such force that she almost lost her balance.

And there, standing in the doorway, was a man.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, with hair as dark as the night sky. His eyes glowed an intense amber, the color of ancient gold, and they locked onto hers with a heat that made her breath catch in her throat.

"Are you lost?" his voice was low, like a rumble from deep within the earth.

Sera's heart skipped a beat. "I... no. I'm fine."

The man didn't seem to care about her answer. His gaze never left hers, his presence suffocating in the way that only the truly dangerous could be.

"Stay inside," he commanded, his voice rough but edged with an unmistakable authority.

Sera took a step back, her pulse hammering in her chest. "Who are you?"

The man stepped closer, the storm outside intensifying as if to match the storm that raged in his chest. "You don't know who you are yet, do you, Sera?" He said her name as if it held weight, as if it meant something far more than it should.

The wind howled again, but this time it felt different-as if it were beckoning.