“Just tell me where it hurts the most—where should I press, where should I hold?” Derek asked softly, his tone filled with concern.Ashley gave a small nod in response, shifting slightly to offer him better access. Derek climbed onto the bed, settling beside her with care. Gently, he placed his hand on the curve of her back.His gaze lingered. Her body, so close and vulnerable, completely distracted him. His fingers remained still, and his mind wandered, captivated by her presence.After a few quiet minutes, Ashley turned her head slightly, her voice low and expectant. “Derek… you’re not doing anything.”Snapped from his daze, Derek blinked quickly. “Oh—oh my God. I’m so sorry. I zoned out,” he admitted, flustered, before finally beginning the massage.His hands moved with a steady rhythm, gentle but firm. Ashley exhaled, her eyes drifting closed. The sensation of his hands gliding over her shoulders and down her spine made her feel safe, grounded—almost like she could breathe again
“I need to do some research on these werewolves,” Ashley said after they had rested for a bit.“I was just about to suggest the same thing. We need to know the truth… whether they’re real or not,” Maggie added.They both moved to Ashley’s desk, where her laptop sat. Ashley powered it on and waited for it to boot up.Just then, a knock sounded at the door.“I’ll—” Maggie began, but Ashley cut her off.“Dad will get it,” she said, and Maggie nodded.The laptop finally came on, and Ashley quickly opened a browser and started typing.Another knock came.“Are you sure your dad’s answering that?” Maggie asked, uncertain.“Are you expecting anyone? Whoever it is can wait. I’m not in the mood to see anyone right now,” Ashley replied—until a familiar voice called out from outside.“Ashley, are you in there? Please say something. I’m really worried!” Derek’s voice rang out.Ashley and Maggie exchanged glances. Maggie gave her a small nod.“You should go talk to him,” she said gently.Ashley sig
Ashley blinked in disbelief, then let out a soft, almost mocking scoff. “So… what you’re actually saying is that werewolves are real?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.Thomas nodded solemnly, his expression serious and unwavering.“Yes. They’re very real. And they’re not just some story in a book or movie. They’re here—in this town. Every time you hear on the news that someone was attacked by a mountain lion… it’s a lie. A cover-up. It wasn’t a lion. It was them. Werewolves.”Ashley’s eyes widened as she stared at him, stunned. The words swirled in her head, too many truths hitting her at once like a wave. “Wait… so you’re telling me we’ve been living among werewolves? All this time?” she asked, her voice climbing. “How do you even know this? How could you possibly know?”“Because,” Thomas said, pausing before revealing the weight of his identity. “I’m a werewolf hunter. I always have been. Long before you were born.”Ashley took a small step back, processing. “You’re a…
Noah stepped quietly to Enoch’s side at the riverbank, his eyes scanning the ripples dancing on the water. "Hey... what’s going on with you lately?" he asked gently, his voice low and concerned. "You’ve been distant. Like... really off. Is something wrong?"Enoch didn’t look at him. His gaze stayed on the river. "I’m fine, Noah," he said curtly.Noah sighed, not buying it for a second. "Come on, Enoch. Don’t do that. Don’t brush me off with ‘I’m fine’ and expect me to pretend like everything’s normal. This isn’t you. I know you. You can talk to me, alright?"There was a heavy silence between them. Enoch finally let out a long, weary breath. "Why do you always let Collins get his way?" he asked suddenly, his tone sharp and unexpected.Noah blinked, caught off guard. "What? What are you talking about?"Enoch turned to face him now, eyes clouded with frustration. "I’m talking about the fact that you’re still letting him go to that school, stirring up trouble over one random girl. H
Nightfall. Dinner was quiet, save for the gentle clinking of cutlery against porcelain. But then Fighter broke the silence, his voice low but firm.“I need to go back to the spot where Reina was killed. Yeah, I know it’s risky this late at night, but I won’t be there long,” he said, setting his fork down. “I just… I need to know if I’m the one who did it or not. I can’t move on without finding out the truth myself.”Raymond looked up, brows furrowed in concern. “You really don’t remember anything, do you?”Fighter shook his head slowly, frustration clear in his eyes. “I’ve tried—so many times—but my mind’s just blank. I’m hoping that if I get there, maybe if I smell something familiar or touch something… maybe it’ll trigger something.”Derek glanced at Raymond, silently urging him to consider it.“I think we should let him go,” Derek said, his tone level. “He needs to clear his conscience. The next full moon is still a while away, and the woods won’t be crawling with hunters or polic
“Hey…” Derek said softly as he stepped into the room, a gentle smile stretched across his lips. His gaze landed on Ashley, who lay on the hospital bed with her eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling in silence.Her head turned slowly. “Derek,” she whispered in a shaky voice, her throat dry with emotion as she made a feeble attempt to sit up.“Hey, hey… no need to sit up,” Derek rushed to her side, voice low and calming. He placed a hand gently on her arm. She sighed in resignation, giving a small nod before easing herself back down onto the bed.“Hi, Ashley,” Fighter greeted from a few steps away, his voice hesitant, unsure.Ashley turned her head to him, forcing a faint smile through the obvious pain on her face. “Fighter,” she responded quietly, the effort clear in her voice.Derek knelt beside the bed, his brows furrowed in concern. “How are you feeling?” he asked, even though the answer was written all over her face. It crushed him to see her like this—broken, hollow—but he knew w