2

Chapter 2

Jason's POV

I strolled into Frostwood territory, my home. The crate weighed heavily on my shoulder, contrasting with the lightheartedness lingering from my almost-date with Fiona. I shrouded it in mist to avoid drawing attention. I didn't want anyone staring.

There was always something refreshing about Frostwood, a charm layered by the humans’ strange touches. I chuckled to myself—humans were so extravagant!

With elaborate, multi-storeyed buildings, brightly painted doors, intricate carvings on their walls, and decorations meant to add “warmth” to the biting cold, it was ridiculous!

It was impossible, but the werewolves had adapted, taking on the humans’ way of life bit by bit. Frostwood’s buildings were taller, and vainly decorated, far different from how it had been before and a testament to how deeply humans have influenced us. My own people had picked up their habits, woven human touches into our timeless traditions, until the line between our two worlds was nearly invisible.

I didn't find it annoying however, I'd rather leave that for my dad. Alpha Marcus always ranted about how important it was for our traditions to stay the same. It's probably why I have this thought now. I found humor in the fact that humans simply saw us as eccentric neighbors. To them we were just normal humans like them, but with odd habits while the reality was much different. We were the watchers, the unseen guardians but just like they've influenced us, we've also integrated with them, weaving ourselves so seamlessly into human lives that they forgot to ask questions.

I walked past groups and groups of humans— old men and women laughing over shared drinks and trading stories by fires, children running and playing in the streets. I recognised a couple of werewolves among them, co-exisisting as one. They're only so many of them that didn't discriminate and actually mingled. Humans on their parts never suspected the truth of who we were, or how heavily they depended on us for safety, though they seemed to sense something; they left the deeper less developed part of the terrain for us, and with time deemed it as forbidden, they stayed inside during the full moon, solstices and nights that stretched for days or weeks. Even to the few of us that stayed among them, they always stood a bit back, subconsciously giving us subtle gestures of respect and favour that they didn’t extend to each other.

Yet something felt different tonight, like the forest itself was holding its breath. I rounded a corner and shook off a thought, dismissing the barely discernible feeling as nothing at all. I froze, suddenly noticing a young woman standing by the edge of the path, staring out into the mist with a look so intense it was as if she could see right through it. My instincts were perked up, sensing something unfamiliar about her. She was different, I could smell and taste it... She was human!

I shrouded myself in the mist, an advanced technique for the more powerful werewolves. It was my intention to simply slip by and forget the pull in my chest when I saw her but then she looked pointedly at me.

In that moment, the mist seemed to recede, like it couldn’t hide me from her any longer. She had a fierceness in her eyes that caught me off guard—a quiet defiance wrapped in curiosity. It was strange that she unraveled my magic, so I let curiousity get the better of me. Instead of leaving like I intended, I dropped my crate and decided to speak with her, only to end up finding it difficult to tear my eyes away.

“Lost?” I asked, my voice steady despite the strange feeling building within.

She didn’t flinch, answering with a cool that surprised me. “No.” Her voice was clear, carrying across the space between us. “Just… passing through.”

Something told me that was only half the truth, but I couldn’t bring myself to press. My sharp eyes saw through the night like it was day, so I couldn't be mistaken. She was beautiful, yes, and in a way that shouldn’t be possible for a human. Her mannerism pulled me in deeper, making the cold seem distant, irrelevant. For a second, I forgot the chest, the pack—everything except the way she looked at me, like she’d known me once, long ago.

“Shouldn’t be out here,” I murmured, though the warning felt hollow.

She gave a slight smile, just enough to keep me rooted in place. “Neither should you.”

I almost burst out laughing at that. She had no idea who I was. I could be anywhere, anytime I wanted. She, on the other hand…

"Your people would be looking for you by this time," I urged.

Her gaze held steady, unflinching. “Maybe, but I’m going anyway.”

Realizing that she intended to go further, I felt uneasy. We were having a festival today, and humans were not invited. Any movement beyond this point would be deliberate, violating the unwritten rule and leaving no excuse for pardon. She’d be killed the moment she was seen—another fodder to serve as warning.

Generally, humans didn’t go past this point, but some did. Further down, the territory was dominated by werewolves, though with a shallow mix of humans. Normal humans had instincts to guide them, steering them clear of such places during events like this, making those nearby stay out or indoors. This one in front of me seemed different, however; she seemed fearless.

Before I could say anything else to dissaude her, she was off. It was shocking how she slipped away from my sharp vision, like she knew I'd like to stop her and decided to run before that happened. Normally, I wouldn't budge— I'd let her go on the mission to her death but this time, I wasn't even conflicted on whether or not to save her. The feeling was definitely, causing me to move without hesitation at a supernatural speed that left the snow and shadows blurring around me.

Her presence had struck something deep within me, our conversation a note I hadn’t expected, like an echo from a song I didn’t remember learning. The mist was closing in again, covering her tracks. I didn't know if she was doing it or not, but I unraveled it as I gave chase. I didn't fully understand what was going on yet, but I was determined to.