Shadows

Garrick

The soft, rhythmic breathing of Ailith filled the cabin as she slept. I stood by the window, watching the swirling snow outside, my mind racing. Our conversation had yielded little, her walls still firmly in place despite my attempts to coax them down. Who was she running from? What danger could be so great that she'd risk death in a blizzard to escape it?

I rubbed my temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache. The wolf within me paced restlessly, torn between protectiveness towards this mysterious woman and frustration at her stubborn silence.

A flicker of movement in the trees caught my eye. I tensed, focusing my enhanced vision on the forest's edge. There – a flash of gray fur between the pines. Cracking open the front door, my nostrils flared, searching for information, catching a familiar scent on the wind.

"Damn it, Sin," I muttered, clenching my fists.

With a last glance at Ailith's sleeping form on the couch, I shrugged on my heavy coat and stepped out into the bitin