Prologue

Water descended from the sky in minuscule drops that mirrored the light of the waning moon. Each tiny drop was a microcosm of the universe of alternating light and shadow, of shifting energies and swirling galaxies, gleaming like diamonds at one instant and then absorbing light and color in a moment.

But in her eyes, the raindrops were the color of milk, like little pearls that floated in the night air and danced in the breeze before finally touching her skin. She felt the coldness of the raindrops and the chill brought about by the gentle breeze... and she shivered. Her breath formed a thin cloud above her face that quickly dissipated. Icy air entered her lungs as she inhaled, causing her to cough uncontrollably and making the pain on her left flank almost unbearable. She wanted to feel her side with her hand, but the rope that bound her wrists prevented her from doing so. She opened her eyes wide as she waited for the pain to subside and looked at the sky and its looming clouds as they covered the moon.

Sparks of lightning seemed to set the sky ablaze and illuminated the dark forest that surrounded her. For a few moments, she glimpsed the towering trees, giving her a sense of foreboding. The wet leaves and branches glistened in the darkness and somewhere underneath the canopy of trees, she could feel a primeval presence lurking and observing her, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. In the distance, the rumble of thunder sounded like the growl of a nocturnal predator, preparing to lunge at its hapless prey.

The rain started to fall with increasing intensity and she felt the first icy drops on her face. Water flowed down her cheeks and she finally let go of the tears that she had been holding back for a long time. She realized that she could no longer distinguish the rain from her own tears, nor could she tell if her tears were brought about by the physical pain she was feeling or the anguish brought about by the strong conflicting emotions inside her.

She heard the soft patter of the raindrops as they fell, creating small puddles on the ground. The rain drenched her chiffon gown and she felt the red fabric cling tightly to her body. She tried to lift herself from the hard surface where she lay and discovered it to be a large flat rock. When she looked around, she found herself in the middle of a maelstrom that reflected the confusion that she felt within.

Countless raindrops fell, creating confusing patterns of overlapping ripples on the surface of the rising water. The surrounding trees faded as her vision got obscured by the heavy downpour. In her mind, she was no longer in the middle of a primeval forest but on an island surrounded by a turbulent sea.

“Ella…” It was a deep voice that called her name and she shifted her gaze, looking for the source of the voice.

The rain gradually dissipated and she could discern the outlines of the trees around her. She thought she recognized the voice that called her name, but she could not tell whose it was. Then, between the silhouette of the trees, she saw two pinpoints of light like the eyes of a jungle predator staring at her. She tried to sit higher on her rock as her mind raced on what she should do. She looked around her and noticed more pairs of glowing eyes appearing underneath the trees and slowly moving towards her.

A giant ripple formed in the water, disturbed by something that stepped out of the shadows of the trees. Ella’s eyes widened as she beheld a creature of myth and legend that had come for her. The creature was covered with jet black hair that reflected the little light coming from the moon and the clouds, making a distinct silvery outline against the darkness. He had a large snout and powerful jaws while his eyes assumed a more human appearance as he moved closer towards the light. Ella knew what the creature was. As much as her rational mind tried to deny it, she was face-to-face with a lycanthrope… a werewolf.

The dark creature came forth from the shadows and walked towards the rock where Ella was. He loomed above her, blocking her view of the sky. Ella cowered under the shadow of the creature, her fright and disbelief at the underworldly apparition evident in her eyes. She stared at the creature while she struggled to get her hands and feet free from the ropes that bound her.

Slowly, the creature lowered itself towards her, pinning her down such that she could not move. The creature’s arms were muscular and spread over the flat rock where Ella lay, effectively placing her within a cage composed of his long, sinewy limbs. As he lowered himself to the rock, Ella smelled a distinct earthy scent coming from the beast that was not entirely unpleasant.

She turned her face to one side and then tried to push the creature’s chest away with her bound hands but to no avail. She wanted to scream as she felt the quick rhythmic pounding of her heart against her breast, but what came out of her mouth was a muffled cry that was barely heard against the steady pattering of the rain. After one more futile attempt to push the creature away using her arms and knees, Ella felt her energy dissipating and with her remaining strength proceeded to strike the beast repeatedly at his chest with her bound hands.

The creature sensed Ella’s strength fading and furthered lowered his head towards her. He sniffed Ella’s hair, his snout briefly touching the back of Ella’s ear. He sensed the throbbing artery on Ella’s exposed neck and turned his attention towards the contour of Ella’s jaw.

The sound of the creature’s raspy breathing filled Ella’s ear and she gasped uncontrollably. She felt the warmth of the beast’s body against hers as she relentlessly struggled despite her waning strength. The rain continued to fall over the creature and water dripped onto Ella’s already drenched body.