The night Selene Ward died… or thought she did, began quietly.
It was a Thursday. The kind of Thursday where nothing extraordinary happens. The sky was clear, the air heavy with the scent of rain yet to fall, and the moon hung low full, bright, almost too perfect.
But tonight was no ordinary full moon. Tonight was the Blood Moon.
Selene had never cared much for omens or folklore, though she always felt a strange pull toward the moon. She thought it was nothing but a childish fantasy. Until the dreams began.
They started three weeks ago dreams of shadows moving beneath the silver light, of whispers she could almost understand, of a voice calling her name in the dark.
At first, she ignored them. Life in her small town was simple. She had her job at the bookstore, a few friends who cared enough to check in on her, and the quiet routine of someone who didn't expect much.
But tonight, something shifted.
Selene had been walking home through the forest trail after her late shift, the air crisp and sharp against her skin. She wrapped her jacket tighter, her boots crunching against fallen leaves. The moonlight spilled through the trees, painting the path in pale gold. She stopped for a moment, staring upward. Her breath caught.
The moon was deep crimson. Blood red.
And the air seemed to still.
That's when she heard it the low rumble of a growl, somewhere behind her.
Heart pounding, Selene spun around. The forest behind her was dark, silent. Too silent.
She quickened her pace. The sound grew louder, closer. She could feel it in her bones something unnatural was here. Something hunting her.
A shadow moved between the trees, fast, fluid. She froze.
Then a figure emerged. Tall, broad-shouldered, moving with impossible grace. His eyes caught the moonlight and glowed like molten gold.
Selene's breath hitched.
He stepped forward. Every instinct in her screamed to run, but her feet refused to obey.
"Selene Ward," he said, his voice deep, resonant, knowing.
Her name on his lips was like fire.
"I've been looking for you," he murmured.
Before she could speak, before she could even react, the world shifted. Pain exploded in her chest. Her knees buckled. The forest spun around her, the moon above her burning brighter until it was all she could see.
And then… nothing.
When Selene opened her eyes again, she was no longer alone.