Chapter 5 – A New Reality

So here I am, my first day in a new town, and I'm already being chased by some freaky creature and saved by wolves. Seriously, how does this even happen? And, as if that's not enough, I've managed to mess up my ankle to the point where I can barely walk. Now I'm lost in the middle of some godforsaken forest.

This evening was supposed to be normal, maybe even boring. But no, I'm walking through the woods, the damn cold air biting at my skin, trying to find my way back to the Inn. Not as easy as it sounds, trust me. Just when I start to convince myself I'm imagining things, I hear a distant howl and I try to shake it off, pretend it's just in my head. But after what happened earlier? Yeah, no-I know it's real.

And then I see him. That wolf. The one from before. He's just standing there, like he was waiting for me. His dark eyes lock onto mine, and something clicks. Wolves don't do this. They don't notice humans like this, not unless there's a good reason.

But he noticed me.

Our eyes meet, and it feels like... I don't know, like a connection, something deep inside waking up. That can't be right, though. I'm not a wolf. I'm not supposed to have this... bond or whatever it is. It's not possible. But it's happening. And it's freaking me out.

He starts walking towards me, slow and deliberate, and I can't help but notice just how massive he is. His fur is thick, a mix of browns and blacks, and he's so tall that if he stretched, he could easily look me in the eye. My knees feel like they're about to give out, not from fear, but from... something else. I don't know what it is, but I'm drawn to him.

And here's the crazy part—I'm not scared. I should be, right? But no, I feel safe, like he's here to protect me, not hurt me and as he gets closer, I can see it in his eyes...there's something almost human about the way he looks at me, then he does the unthinkable. He rubs his head against my chest and tucks it under my arm, like he's asking for cuddles. What the hell? Wolves don't do this do they? But it feels... like the most natural thing in the hell. Clearly I'm dreaming.

So, I do the only thing that makes sense in this insane situation or if I'm dream—I pet him. I wrap my arms around his massive neck and hug him, letting myself get lost in the moment, but then my ankle reminds me it's in serious pain so I unintentionally made a little squeak.

He perks up immediately, ears twitching, and looks at me almost confused as if 'he was asking me why I just sounded like a little mouse and maybe he was right because only weak little mice squeak like that. Honestly Quinn. And before I can stop myself, I felt the need to explain myself…why? I have no cooking clue. "I sprained my ankle while running from that thing you and your friends saved me from," I say, like he can actually understand me.

To my shock, he sniffs my ankle, then nudges me towards a tree like he wants me to sit down. This wolf is way too smart for his own good. But I go with it. I sit down, take off my shoe and sock to check out the damage. My ankle's all sorts of colors, but at least it doesn't feel broken.

Suddenly, this cheeky wolf pushes my hands out of the way and starts licking my ankle. Seriously? I just shake my head and start petting him again. It's like he knows what he's doing, which is... weird, but at this point, I'm too tired to care. My head leans back against the tree, and before I know it, I'm drifting off to sleep.

A while later, I wake up and think to myself, 'I knew I was dreaming!' But then I felt the weirdest sensation. I'm moving. I blink a few times, trying to shake off the fog of sleep, and realize that the wolf—yes, the same wolf—is carrying me on his back. The Inn is in sight, not too far off. How the hell did he manage to get me on his back? And why don't I feel heavy to him?

"Oh my God, how did you even...am I not too heavy?" I mutter, not really expecting an answer. But then, the wolf does something that nearly makes me fall off—he scoffs. Like, actually scoffs at me. Did I hit my head or something? Wolves don't scoff! But the look he gives me is pure attitude, like he's saying, Really?

"Did you just scoff at me?" I ask, feeling a little ridiculous. The wolf looks at me like he's amused or something, and I can't help but laugh. "You're a cheeky one, aren't you?"

His response is a huff but it sounded more like a laugh. Okay, this is officially the weirdest day of my life, I thought but then the kitchen door swings open and Ethan sprints towards us.

"Quinn, are you okay? Damn, I was so worried," Ethan says, reaching me and practically pulling me off the wolf. I'm still trying to process everything, but the one thing that stands out is how he's not at all surprised to see me on the back of a wolf.

"Oh yeah, this is uh... 'Lycan.' He's part of a search and rescue team for lost hikers," Ethan explains, like it's no big deal.

"Oh," I say, nodding at the wolf, Lycan and I felt overwhelmed but impressed at the same time. "That explains why he's so smart." But I notice something weird. As I look at Lycan, I notice he's glaring at Ethan, like he's not too fond of him.

"Did you see that thing earlier? That big wolf-like thing that was in the house" I asked Ethan who looked at me perplexed.

"See what? I didn't see anything," he stated as he suddenly pulled me towards the house, gently but firmly.

"Ow!" I yelp as my ankle protests, and Ethan looks at me, confused. I point to my ankle. "Sprained it while running from... you know, that thing you didn't see."

Ethan just shakes his head, smirking. "Quinn, it's your first day here, and you're already in the thick of it."

"Excuse me! You were the one who ran off and left me to fend for myself!" I snap, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"I told you your parents were on their way, and then you zoned out. There was no creature, Quinn. You must have hit your head when you sprained your ankle," Ethan says, crossing his arms, clearly amused.

I gape at him because I couldn't believe he was denying it. But then he scoops me up into his arms. "Come on, we need to get inside. Your parents are almost here. How do we explain this ankle, huh?"

Just as he's about to carry me inside, a low growl rumbles from behind us. It's Lycan, watching our every move. Ethan just rolls his eyes. "Chill out, man," he says, like he's talking to an overprotective friend.

As Ethan carries me towards the house, I glance back at Lycan, who's still watching us but there's something about the way he looks at me, like he's making a promise, or maybe a threat. Without another sound, he turns and disappears into the forest and leaves me with a million questions and no answers.

But one thing is clear—Lycan isn't just any wolf, and whatever bond we have, it's only just beginning.