"Who's coming?" Luna asked, her voice trembling with fear and confusion.
The stranger turned to her, placing a finger over his lips. "Just stay behind me—and run when I say so," he instructed firmly.
"I'm not doing that. You're scaring me," she shot back, stepping in front of him defiantly, eyes locked onto his with challenge.
He let out a dry chuckle, clearly unimpressed. "Seriously? Now's not the time for a power struggle," he muttered as he cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck with a pop.
"Eww—first of all, I'm still a girl, not a woman. Secondly, please don't do that," she cringed, her eyes gleaming with a mix of irritation and unease.
Another chilling howl pierced the air. Before she could react, he scooped her up as if she weighed nothing and set her firmly behind him.
"Stay put," he ordered, voice sharp.
Luna clutched his back, wide-eyed. "Please… what was that noise? It sounded like a wolf… Is there a wolf here?"
He stared at her like she'd just sprouted horns. Luna instinctively pulled back, uneasy under his intense gaze.
"Yes, woman," he said, winking, "there's a wolf here."
"Here? As in, not coming—but already here?" she asked, backing up even more. Her mind flooded with dangerous scenarios, but she kept her face calm.
"Right here," he murmured, dropping his defensive stance and slowly stalking toward her. "Right. Here." He was just a few steps away now, grinning like a madman.
Luna's eyes widened at his nearness, at the wild—yet strangely beautiful—look on his face.
"You're a wolf?" she asked, voice low, unsure.
He giggled, the sound light and childlike. "Yes," he whispered.
Luna tilted her head at him, frowning. "You're a wolf?" He nodded, eyes gleaming with excitement.
Then, without warning, Luna bent over, laughter exploding from her.
She laughed so hard she wheezed, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Rain crouched beside her, frowning. "Why are you laughing?" he asked sharply, eyes scanning her face—hurt flickering across his own.
Still laughing, Luna caught her breath. "Because there's no such thing as wolves," she muttered, more to herself than him.
But he heard.
"Of course there are," he replied—and without hesitation, he let out a howl. It ripped through the air, raw and primal, slicing the atmosphere in two. The sound slammed into Luna's chest like a force, flooding her skin with goosebumps.
Then, as if struck by something invisible, Luna winced. Her hands flew to her chest as she gasped, pain tightening around her heart.
"What do you think?" Rain asked eagerly, watching her with wild eyes.
Luna couldn't answer. She panted, struggling to breathe as the pain slowly faded—just as suddenly as it came.
"Are you—" Rain started, but another howl split the air, closer this time. More followed.
He froze.
"That's not me," he growled, stepping back into position, alert. "Woman—behind me. Now."
Luna whimpered as she moved behind him, heart thudding. Panic clawed at her mind with every approaching growl, every thud of paw against soil. The sounds were getting louder—closer.
Those can't be wolves.
Her father always bragged about how safe the woods were. That's why she never understood why they wouldn't let her go near it alone.
Maybe he was wrong… or lying.
Oh crap!
Psychos and savages roam the woods! she recalled from half-joked warnings.
"Shouldn't we be running?" Luna asked, voice trembling, as the snarls and growls closed in.
"We?" Rain let out a dry chuckle. "That's sweet." He wagged a finger at her like she was a child. "Run, and you'll end up as wolf food." He turned to her with a dark smirk. "Mine... or theirs."
A shiver ran down Luna's spine. She groaned in disbelief, fear, and a creeping ache she couldn't name.
Then, the bushes ahead of them exploded.
Five massive wolves lunged out, snarling and snapping. Their fur bristled, their eyes gleamed unnaturally bright, and strands of saliva dripped from their bared teeth.
Luna's eyes widened in horror. These weren't normal wolves. They were enormous—twice the size of any she'd seen in books or on screen. And their eyes… something in them was human. Intelligent. Angry.
"How did you get past the barrier?" Rain barked.
At first, Luna thought he was talking to her. But no—his focus was locked on the wolves.
He's talking to them? she blinked in disbelief. Do they actually understand? Or is he just insane?
The wolves began to circle them. Luna clutched Rain's shirt from behind, her fingers trembling. Rain looked down at her hand, then at the fear stamped across her face. He sighed heavily.
"Well," he muttered, "since you won't answer, we might as well end this."
He glanced over his shoulder and gave Luna a crooked smile. "When I say run—you run. Got it?"
Luna nodded meekly.
"Good."
In one swift motion, Rain scooped her into his arms and leapt over the wolves behind them. They lunged, teeth snapping at air, barely missing her foot.
He landed smoothly and set her gently on the ground. Then he turned to face the pack, who had regrouped with their largest member at the lead.
Luna's breath caught as they all lunged at Rain.
"No!" she screamed—only to freeze mid-breath.
Rain's arm morphed in front of her eyes, muscle stretching, skin shifting—until a long, furred lim Luna gasped, frozen in fear and shock, as Rain tore open the belly of one wolf with brutal precision, then spun and struck another just as swiftly. He moved like a storm, slicing through the attackers as they lunged at him, until all lay wounded and groaning on the forest floor.
Then he threw his head back and howled.
The sound echoed through the trees like a war cry. The downed wolves whimpered, limped to their feet, and fled into the woods, their pain trailing behind them in the air.
Rain spun in circles, laughing—giddy with the thrill, unaware that one of the wolves had returned.
Luna's eyes caught the movement from the side.
"Rain!" she screamed.
The wolf charged.
A rush of pheromones hit the air like poison. Luna dropped to her knees, choking, her lungs tightening. Her eyes blurred, her limbs weak.
But Rain moved in a blink, stepping in front of her like a shadow of vengeance. Cold rage gleamed in his eyes as he caught the wolf mid-leap—and with one powerful motion, he ripped its head clean off and hurled the body aside.
The wolf's corpse hit the ground, shifting in death—reverting to a naked, bloodied man. A moment later, the head landed nearby.
The oppressive air lifted. Luna gasped, her breath returning in broken waves. But the trauma lingered—her body swayed from the lingering effects of the pheromones, dizziness washing over her.
Rain turned to her quickly, concern flickering beneath his wild expression. Without a word, he grabbed the blanket she had carried and gently wrapped it around her.
"I told you," he said with a childlike laugh, "I'm a wolf."
Luna let out a shaky giggle, delirious. "And I'm a fairy," she muttered then collapsed into unconsciousness.
Rain caught her just in time and cradled her close. His voice dropped to a whisper, deep and grave.
"I doubt that… but you're definitely magical." He sighed wistfully.