Chapter 3 The Watchful Eyes

Evelyn's boots sank into the damp, soft earth of Drigh Forest, each wrapped in a dark cloak.

The silence was strange and precise, as if the whole world had stopped breathing.

Even the buzzing of insects and the rustling of leaves seemed silent today. Evelyn had come here to clear her head, but the silence seemed unnatural, as if the forest itself was waiting for something to happen.

Her thoughts returned to the previous night: the strange glow of the mark on her shoulder, the howl in the distance, and the mysterious wolf that had appeared near the car. And then there was Steve, the worry etched on his face, his words barely comforting him.

What was wrong? What did the wolf mean?

And why was the mark glowing? The forest had never been so threatened. Above them were tall trees, their thick branches twisted into a canopy that blocked out most of the sun.

The path below was almost invisible under the thick cover of leaves and moss. Every shadow seemed to hide something, every rustle of wind like the whisper of something that escaped her sight.

Evelyn shivered, pulling her jacket tighter around her as she continued walking. The air was cool, and the ground was soft underfoot, but something was eating away at her insides, a worry she couldn't shake.

She had never been afraid of the forest before. In fact, it had always been a place of comfort to him, a sacred place. But today she felt trapped. She could no longer hear.

She breathed in short gasps and her pulse seemed to quicken, as if the air itself had thickened, pressing against her chest. There was no smell. No sounds of birds or animals. Just an overwhelming silence. His eyes darted nervously around the trees, his instincts screaming that something was wrong.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. She wasn't alone. A strange chill ran down her spine and she turned with her heart.

Nothing. Only the deep shadow of the forest.

But the feeling didn't go away. She didn't know exactly what it was, but something was watching her. It probably felt like eyes were watching her. Every inch of her body screamed to turn and run.

But Evelyn wasn't running. She was determined to deal with whatever was happening. He needed to know what was happening to her. What had changed in her after that night? And then he saw her.

Trembling in the shadows, moving too fast to be human, too wet to be an animal. He took a breath, opened his eyes, and his heart began to beat fast. There, behind the tall trees, two bright yellow eyes stared at him, piercing the darkness.

They were bright, very bright, a frightening glow that sent a wave of cold fear crashing over him. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. His eyes were fixed on her without hesitation, never wavering. The silhouette of a wolf slowly began to emerge from the shadows.

But it didn't look like any wolf she had ever seen. Its fur was dark, like the night itself, its body soft and powerful, its movements almost too fluid, as if it were not completely connected to the natural world.

There was something ancient in the way it moved, something that chilled her blood. The wolf's eyes shone with an intelligence she couldn't understand, a silent recognition that made her pulse beat even faster. The wolf's gaze met hers, and Evelyn felt a magnetic force pulling her towards him.

She couldn't look away. It was as if the wolf was inside her mind, peeling back the layers of her thoughts, searching, testing, and reading her soul. And in that moment, she realized that this was no ordinary animal.

It was something more. Something old. Something powerful.

The forest seemed to grow even quieter, the air thick with tension. The wolf didn't come any closer. Instead, he turned her slightly, his eyes never leaving her. Evelyn wanted to scream, to run away, but her body wouldn't listen.

Her feet were cold, and her legs were frozen.

The wolf stood before her, crouched on its hind legs, its yellow eyes fixed on her. Evelyn felt a sense of fear creep into her, and her heart pounded. Who wants this? Why is he here? What has he brought? As if to answer his unanswered question, the wolf opened its mouth and let out a deep roar that seemed to shake the ground beneath its feet.

The sound resonated in its bones, and it instinctively took a few steps back, its heart pounding. But as the wolf advanced, its expression did not waver. A sudden, sharp pain shot through his shoulder.

Evelyn gasped, clutching her arm as the mark-a symbol that had appeared the night before-came to life. It burned with an intensity that made her knees buckle as if the flesh beneath her skin was alive with energy. The glowing mark pulsed in time with her pulse, and she could feel the energy rippling through her veins, spreading from the mark and flooding her senses.

The wolf's eyes seemed to glow brighter as if the glow of the mark was feeding it, giving it strength. She stood up, her movements fluid and deliberate, but she didn't move. She stood there, watching, waiting.

Evelyn's breathing deepened as the pain in her shoulder intensified. The mark was more than a birthmark. It was alive and connected to something.

To this wolf. In this forest. For this force that stood in the shadows, watching his every move. At that moment, the ground beneath his feet seemed to tremble. The trees creaked, their branches swayed, but it was not the wind.

It was something else. A presence. Something ancient and powerful that had been hidden in the forest for centuries.

Evelyn's vision blurred, and her knees buckled beneath her. She barely caught herself before she fell, her hands shaking as she tried to get up. The wolf's howl grew louder, vibrating in the air, and Evelyn's thoughts became chaotic.

She had to get out. She had to run. But her body didn't react.

The wolf seemed motionless, its eyes fixed on the ground. And then, as if by magic, the ground shook again, this time more violently.

The trees around her seemed to move, their trunks unnaturally twisted.

It wasn't just the forest; something else had happened. Something bigger. More dangerous.

"Evelyn!" The voice echoed behind her, cutting through the silence like a knife.

She turned suddenly, searching frantically for Steve with her eyes. She ran toward him, her face pale and wide with fear. Behind him, a shadow, massive and dark, like a storm cloud, hung over the forest.

The wolf's howl intensified, his body tensing as he turned his gaze to Steve. Evelyn wanted to scream, to warn him, but the words wouldn't come.

The mark on her shoulder throbbed, sending a new wave of pain through her. She felt something stirring inside her, something dark and primal, rising to the surface. Steve was approaching now, but he didn't see her.

He didn't see the wolf and the shadow in the tree. He was completely focused on her. But Evelyn knew that whatever was here, whatever she was looking at, was behind them. A low, drawn-out howl rose from the darkness, joining that of the wolf. It wasn't just one voice.

There was so much screaming, a chorus of screams that seemed to come from all sides, surrounding them. Evelyn's heart was beating fast, her breathing quickened with panic.

Whoever it was, was coming towards them.

"Evelyn! Move!" Steve shouted, but Evelyn could barely hear him over the screams.

Her body trembled, an uncontrolled force pulling her forward, dragging her into the heart of the forest. Steve's voice, now distant, continued to echo as she walked deeper into the forest, drawn by an invisible force to a destiny she could no longer ignore.

The noise in the distance grew louder.