CHAPTER 1

    Allie’s POV

  I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to fall in love. Lately, loneliness has crept into my life from nowhere, making me feel empty and undesired. What’s wrong with me? I’m twenty-two years old and have never had a boyfriend.

    Why can’t I fall in love like everyone else? I watch my friends with their partners, the way they kiss, how their lips fit together like they were made to. I can’t help but feel a little jealous, imagining what that must feel like. I’ve never been kissed—not really. The pecks you give your parents don’t count.

    Maybe I’ve read too many fantasy novels and set my standards too high. Maybe I’ve convinced myself that if love isn’t magical, it’s not real. While my friends spent their weekends going out and flirting, I’d rather be home writing in my journal or reading about worlds that felt more real than my own.

    At college, guys finally started showing interest, but I never felt anything for them. They were all the same—charming smiles, cheap cologne, and eyes that calculated which girl would be next. When they’d already been through everyone else, their attention turned to me. It became a game for them—to see who could get me first. But none of them succeeded. I wasn’t about to let some boy toy with my heart for fun. I wanted a real man, someone who knows what he wants and doesn’t play with a woman’s feelings.

    At college, people called me names—“The Heartless Geek.” They said I cared more about animals than humans. Maybe that’s true. I’ve always felt a stronger bond with animals than with people.

    That’s one of the reasons I love visiting my uncle’s farm. During every school holiday, I’d go there to help with the animals and spend time outdoors. So after finishing college, I decided to move there permanently. Lately, I’ve been feeling this strange pull toward the mountains near Uncle Buck’s farm—as if something there is calling me. I dream about those mountains every night. Every time I wake up, my heart aches like it’s trying to tell me something I don’t yet understand.

    After packing the last of my things, I went downstairs to have breakfast with my parents one last time.

    “ Morning, Mom. Morning, Dad.”

    Both smiled at me, though I could see the sadness behind their eyes.

    “ Morning, sweetie. How did you sleep?” Mom asked, giving me her usual peck on the cheek.

    “ I slept great. I’m so excited about today.”

    Dad looked up from his newspaper, grinning. “ You look more excited about going to your uncle’s farm than you were about graduating.”

    I laughed. “ That’s because at Uncle Buck’s, I can be outside all day with the animals instead of trapped in a classroom.”

    They both chuckled, and for a moment, I almost forgot that I was leaving. Then the sadness hit me.

“ I’m going to miss you guys so much.”

    Mom took my hand and squeezed it softly. “ We’re going to miss you just as much, sweetie.”

Her voice made my throat tighten, and I blinked quickly, trying not to cry. “ I should get going. I still need to say goodbye to my friends.”

    After breakfast, I helped Mom with the dishes while Dad carried my suitcase to the car. When it was finally time to leave, I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. We hugged for what felt like forever. Then I got into the car, waved goodbye, and started my journey.

    My friends were waiting at the local coffee shop. When I walked in, they shouted in unison, “ Surprise!”

    I froze in shock. They had decorated the whole place with balloons and a big banner that said Goodbye. A table full of gifts sat in the corner. My chest swelled with emotion.

    “ I can’t stay long,” I said, “ but thank you. You guys really didn’t have to do all this.”

    “ Of course we did!” someone shouted.

    “ You should all come visit me sometime,” I added.

    “ We can go horse riding, hiking, even skinny dipping in the lake.”

    I winked, and everyone burst into laughter.

    When it came time to say goodbye, tears flowed again. We hugged one by one before I loaded the gifts into my car and drove off.

    The road stretched long and endless ahead of me. I turned on the radio, hoping the music would distract me from the ache in my chest. Hours passed as I sang along, my voice mixing with the hum of the engine. The sun dipped lower, painting the sky with streaks of gold and crimson.

    By the time I realized how late it was, darkness was beginning to fall. My body ached from sitting so long, so I pulled over to stretch my legs. The air smelled fresh, and the distant silhouette of the mountains made my heart stir.

    Uncle Buck and I used to hike there when I was little. He’d show me secret trails and hidden waterfalls. There was one spot I loved most—a clearing with a small meadow and a sparkling waterfall that felt like something out of a fairytale.

    I smiled at the memory, lost in thought—until I heard a sharp crack behind me.

    I froze. Slowly, I turned toward the sound. My breath caught. Glowing yellow eyes stared back at me from the darkness. They were large and unblinking, set in a shape too big to be a dog… or even a bear.

    The creature’s fur shimmered dark brown with streaks of black. I couldn’t move. My mind screamed run, but my body refused to listen. My heart pounded so hard it hurt.

    It let out a long, low howl.

    Terror seized every inch of me. I shut my eyes tight, bracing for the attack. I could almost feel its hot breath on my skin, its teeth about to sink into me. Seconds dragged by. Nothing happened.

    When I finally opened my eyes, the creature was gone. The bushes rustled once, then silence.

My heart hammered in my chest. Without thinking, I bolted to the car, slammed the door, and sped off. My hands trembled on the steering wheel.

    By the time I reached the dirt road leading to Uncle Buck’s farm, the fear had begun to fade—replaced by exhaustion and relief. The lights from the farmhouse glowed warmly in the distance.