Chapter 5 GOING SOON

The full moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over Willow Creek. Emma stood at the window of her apartment above the bookstore, unable to sleep. The town had been quiet for the past few days, but there was a tension in the air, as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for the next strange occurrence.

Her thoughts, as they often did these days, drifted to Liam. He had become a constant presence in her life yet remained an enigma. Emma found herself cataloguing every interaction, every fleeting expression that crossed his handsome face, searching for clues to unlock the mystery that surrounded him.

A movement on the street below caught her eye. Emma leaned closer to the window, squinting into the darkness. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized Liam's tall figure walking purposefully down the empty sidewalk. What was he doing out so late?

Without thinking, Emma grabbed her coat and hurried downstairs. By the time she made it outside, Liam had disappeared around a corner. She hesitated for a moment, then followed, driven by a mixture of curiosity and concern.

She found him in the town square, standing motionless in front of the statue that had been vandalized weeks ago. His face was turned up to the moon, an expression of such raw longing and pain etched across his features that Emma felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Liam?" she called softly, not wanting to startle him.

He whirled around, eyes wide with surprise and something that looked almost like fear. "Emma? What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied, moving closer. "Is everything okay?"

Liam's gaze darted from Emma to the moon and back again. He seemed to be fighting some internal battle. "I couldn't sleep," he said finally. "Sometimes a walk helps clear my head."

Emma nodded, unconvinced. "It's not exactly safe to be out alone at night, what with all the animal attacks lately."

At the mention of the attacks, Liam's entire body tensed. It was subtle, but Emma had become attuned to his reactions. "You're right," he said, his voice strained. "We should both head back. I'll walk you home."

As they walked in silence, Emma gathered her courage. "Liam," she began, "I can't help but feel there's something you're not telling me. About why you're really here in Willow Creek, about these strange things that have been happening..."

Liam stopped abruptly, turning to face her. His green eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. "Emma," he said, his voice low and intense, "there are some things it's better not to know. For your own safety, please don't ask me about this."

"But-"

"Please," he repeated, and there was such raw emotion in his voice that Emma found herself nodding.

They resumed walking, the silence between them now charged with unspoken words. When they reached the bookstore, Liam hesitated.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I wish... I wish things could be different."

Before Emma could respond, he leaned in and brushed his lips against her cheek. The touch was feather-light, but it sent a jolt through her entire body. And then he was gone, melting into the shadows as if he'd never been there at all.

The next day, Emma was distracted as she went about her work in the bookstore. She kept replaying the previous night's events in her mind, trying to make sense of Liam's strange behavior. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice Mrs. Hawkins enter until the elderly woman was right in front of her.

"Earth to Emma," Mrs. Hawkins said, waving a hand in front of her face. "Are you feeling alright, dear? You look a bit peaky."

Emma forced a smile. "I'm fine, Mrs. Hawkins. Just didn't sleep well last night. What can I help you with today?"

As she helped Mrs. Hawkins find a new mystery novel, Emma overheard a conversation between two other customers.

"Did you hear? The Peterson's farm was hit last night. Two cows completely torn apart."

"Good Lord. You don't think it could be... you know... werewolves or something, do you?"

Emma nearly dropped the book she was holding. She turned to see Liam standing in the doorway of the shop, his face pale. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Emma saw a flicker of something-guilt? Fear? -before his expression smoothed into careful neutrality.

"Liam," she said, moving towards him. "Did you hear-"

"I can't stay," he interrupted, his voice tight. "I just wanted to make sure you got home safely last night. I'll... I'll see you later, Emma."

And with that, he was gone again, leaving Emma staring at the empty doorway.

As the days passed, Emma found herself watching Liam more closely. She noticed how he always seemed to tense up when the animal attacks were mentioned, how his eyes would dart nervously to the windows as the sun began to set. And always, always, she caught him staring at the moon with that same mix of longing and dread she'd witnessed in the town square.

One evening, as they were closing up the shop together (Liam had taken to helping her more often lately), Emma decided to try again.

"Liam," she said carefully, "I know you said not to ask, but I can't help feeling that you know something about what's happening in town. These attacks, they're not normal. And you... you're connected to it somehow, aren't you?"

Liam froze his back to her. For a long moment, he said nothing, and Emma feared she'd pushed too far. But then he turned, and the look in his eyes nearly broke her heart.

"Emma," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "you have no idea how much I want to tell you everything. But I can't. It's not safe. For either of us."

"But-"

"No," he cut her off gently. "Please, let's talk about something else. Anything else. Tell me about that new shipment of books you were excited about earlier."

And just like that, the moment was gone. Liam's charming smile was back in place, and he listened attentively as Emma, against her better judgment, found herself talking about the latest bestsellers.

But later that night, as she lay in bed unable to sleep, Emma made a decision. Whatever secret Liam was hiding, whatever connection he had to the strange events in Willow Creek, she was going to figure it out. Because despite her best efforts to keep her heart guarded, she realized she was falling for this mysterious man. And she couldn't bear the thought of losing him to whatever darkness seemed to be haunting him.

With that resolve firmly in mind, Emma finally drifted off to sleep, unaware that outside her window, a pair of luminous green eyes watched over her from the shadows.