The Stranger In The Woods Audiobook Novels & Stories

Almost instinctively, I pulled out my phone and checked my browsing history for the video from last night. In it, the side profiles of the two elderly people were identical to the faces of my in-laws standing before me now. If the clip hadn't flashed by so quickly, I would have recognized them right away. And in other videos—those fleeting, fragmented moments—my wife, Cynthia Muller, appeared again and again, holding a child in her arms. The little boy called her "Mom" with intimate affection. Under a sky lit by fireworks, the man held her close and kissed her.

I could still hear Sunny’s voice echoing inside my head. I reject Rose as my mate. The laughter of the pack. The mocking whispers. The look of disgust on his face. My fingers clenched into fists. “I said I’m fine,” I repeated, more firmly this time. The stranger tilted his head slightly. “You’re a terrible liar.” I frowned. “That’s none of your business.” For a moment, neither of us spoke. The moonlight filtered through the tall trees, casting long shadows across the forest floor. The wind gently rustled the leaves above us.

Now the world felt like it had cracked open just slightly—enough to let something unfamiliar seep in. Crystal sat on the low stone wall near the marketplace, legs swinging back and forth as she watched the village buzz with activity. Drums echoed faintly from the square. Vendors shouted prices. Children ran past her in clouds of dust and laughter. And there he was again. The daddy stranger. He stood near the elders, tall and unmistakable, his presence commanding without him trying. His clothes were too clean for the village, his posture too straight. He listened more than he spoke, but when he did speak, people leaned in.

My mind couldn’t summon the date or place, so I let it be. Korgan didn't hesitate. He gave a sharp whistle, and within seconds, the shadows in the brush retreated. The rogues vanished back into the forest as if the trees had swallowed them whole. The clearing was suddenly, unnervingly quiet, save for the dripping of water from the leaves. I let out a slow, relieved breath, my heart finally beginning to drop its pace. I turned to the stranger, my eyes narrowing. “You have a knack for timing. Who are you, and why are you playing hero on my border?”

After all, we just finished murdering a bunch of rogues and their friends could come for a retaliation at any time. "W-who are you?" I stutter, taking a step back in the direction that I just came from. It was stupid to come alone into these woods when we just had a rogue attack. The stranger steps closer to me, the faint moonlight painting an enchanting hue around him and his head cocks to the side, disbelief in his eyes as he takes me in. "It's you," He whispers.

I ducked behind one of the trees, trying to make sense of the chaos without drawing attention to myself. Then, I saw him. Or it. A figure stood just beyond the treeline, barely illuminated by the torches and the silver glow of the moon. My breath caught in my throat. It was him. The stranger from the woods. He wasn’t moving, just watching. His crimson eyes gleamed like embers in the dark, his posture relaxed—almost amused. Like he was waiting for something. For me. A shiver ran through me. My body screamed to run, but my feet wouldn’t move.

Yet, I still had this nagging sense of unease. And I was right. Because in the middle of the ceremony, Jim burst in. He was holding a brand-new, sparkling diamond ring—and the delusional belief that he could still take me away. “Ella!” he shouted. “I’m here to take you with me. Stop being angry, okay? You’ve already won. I don’t want to fight anymore.” Edward’s mother, Anna Wood, was furious. “Who let this lunatic in? Get him out of here!”

Ivy gave her a meek smile as she watched the stranger led her friend towards the hotel section of the building. She spotted a man seated right beside the exit door. He had a flowing dark hair and it shined in the dimmed light. His hair reminded her of star gazing with her father and she found herself smiling at her childish thought. She couldn't see more of his face as the stranger seemed focus on a newspaper. She sighed and turned her attention back to her drink. Several men approached her but she shot them deadly glares and they all walked away. She kept taking shots waiting for Emily's text message until she became tipsy and she started blanking out.

The air felt heavier, charged with tension. Suddenly, Lena stopped, her heart pounding. “Do you hear that?” There was a slight rustle in the distance. With his senses keenly tuned in, Kaden gesture for silence. The rustling increased in volume as they got closer. Suddenly, a stranger in a cloak with a bundle held against their chest came out of the darkness. “Stop!” Kaden commanded, his voice firm. The figure hesitated, then bolted. Without thinking, Lena and Kaden gave chase, weaving through the dense forest. The stranger was fast, but Kaden’s agility allowed him to close the distance.

Compelling my sight to watch out for twigs at the same time focus on the origin of the sound across the forest clearing. I looked back to the path I’ve taken. I shook my head, panic rising in my throat. I can no longer remember my way back. And this makes the cascading of my tears from my eyes start again, my sweat racing along that unnerving feeling of being watched. “Well, well, well. Look what I’ve found...” The stranger purred, as if delighted to come across a sumptuous dinner. I exhaled a sharp breath and asked calmly, “Who are you? Are you one of my father’s pack guards?”