Chapter 1: The Wolves' Eyes

Prologue

The woods are so dark and creepy, like something out of a nightmare.

The trees are huge and packed together, making everything feel even scarier. I can barely see a thing. My legs feel glued to the ground, and my heart is beating so loud I swear everyone can hear it. Every time I take a step, the leaves crunch, and it makes me want to stop moving altogether. I don’t want to make a sound.

There are four werewolves surrounding us.

They’re massive, way bigger than any werewolf I’ve ever seen back home. Their eyes are glowing like they’re really mad at us, but I don’t understand why. We didn’t do anything wrong! We were just traveling, heading to the Vanderwilson pack like Dad said, doing normal stuff. I’ve been good. I’ve done everything Dad told me to. So why are they so angry?

“Get behind me, Agatha,” Dad says again, his voice all tense, so I quickly move behind him, my heart pounding harder. I grab his jacket, holding on like my life depends on it. It kinda does, though, right? I’m trying so hard not to cry, but my legs are shaking so much. Why is this happening? Why are they surrounding us like this? What do they want? 

Dad’s back is straight, and his hands are clenched tight.

I can tell he’s scared too, even though he’s trying to act tough. His voice was all wobbly when he told me to get behind him. He never sounds like that unless he’s really, really scared. I grip his jacket even tighter, as if that could somehow keep us safe.

One of the werewolves steps forward, and I feel my stomach twist into a knot. It’s got dark, dirty fur, the strangest set of green eyes  and its teeth are showing, sharp and glistening. This can’t be happening. We were just walking through the woods, minding our own business. Now these giant, angry wolves are here, and I have no idea why.

Dad speaks again, louder this time but still shaky. “Sho, why are you doing this? I don’t have what you’re looking for anymore. Please, just leave us alone.”

Sho? Is that one of the werewolves? Does Dad know him? I glance at the wolf with the eyes, but it doesn’t answer. Instead, a voice comes from somewhere in the shadows. It’s cold and calm, but it sends shivers down my spine. “Then you are of no use.”

I freeze.

What does that mean? Are they going to hurt us? Dad’s hand comes down on my head, and I can feel it trembling. He’s scared, just like me, but he’s trying to make me feel safe. “Stay close, Agatha,” he whispers.

I look around, desperate to find some way out, but the werewolves are everywhere. Their glowing eyes are getting closer, and their growling is getting louder. It feels like the air is too thick to breathe. What do they want? Dad said he doesn’t have what they’re looking for, so why won’t they leave us alone?

Suddenly, the werewolves start circling us, and I feel like I’m going to collapse. My legs won’t move. I’m frozen. I can only hold onto Dad, hoping he knows what to do.

Sho, the big wolf, steps forward again, and Dad raises his hand, his voice strong this time. “Stay back!” But they don’t listen. They keep coming closer. The growling is louder now, so loud I can feel it vibrating in my chest.

I’m trembling all over, and I can’t hold back the tears anymore. One slips down my cheek, and I wipe it away quickly before Dad can see. I don’t want him to know how scared I am.

“It’s too late for you now,” the cold voice from earlier says. It’s so calm, like it doesn’t even care about what’s going to happen. “I’ve already made my decision.”

Dad stiffens.

He knows what’s coming, but I don’t. I just feel the fear crawling up my throat. “Dad…” I whisper, but he doesn’t look at me. His focus is on the wolves, on trying to protect me. But how is he going to do that? There are so many of them, and they’re so big.

They’re so close now, I can see their sharp teeth, glinting in the little bit of light that’s left. I can hear their heavy breathing and the scraping of their claws on the ground.

Dad turns to me just a little and whispers, “I love you, Agatha.” His voice breaks, and then I hear it—the sound of them attacking. I don’t even see it happen, but I hear it, the growls, the tearing.

I scream, but it’s like the sound gets stuck in my throat. One second Dad’s standing in front of me, and the next, he’s on the ground, surrounded by them. They’re tearing into him, ripping him apart. I try to run to him, but a strong hand grabs me, holding me back.

“Stop! Stop!” I scream, but no one listens. They’re like monsters, their jaws sinking into Dad over and over. Blood is everywhere. It’s spraying across the ground, soaking into the dirt, into my clothes, into everything. The smell of it—thick and metallic—fills my nose, and I can’t get it out.

“Dad! No! Please!” I cry, my voice breaking as more tears fall. They just keep going, tearing him apart. I want to help him, but I can’t. I can’t move. I’m trapped in place, held back by that hand, forced to watch it all happen.

By the time they stop, Dad is... gone.

He’s just a broken mess on the ground. Blood is everywhere. It’s all over me, too. I didn’t even notice, but it’s on my face, in my hair, on my hands. My dad’s blood. And he’s gone. Just gone.

The hand pulls me away, and I can’t fight it. I’m too weak, too lost. I keep staring at where Dad was, even as they drag me away. I want to scream, but my voice is gone. All that’s left is this horrible emptiness inside me.

After a while of walking I find myself in a dark cold cell. The walls are rough stone, and the floor is wet. I collapse, curling into a ball, shaking and crying. The blood is still on me, and no matter what I do, I can’t get rid of it. It’s everywhere.

Then, out of nowhere, I hear the soft creak of the cell door. At first, I didn't even care. I don’t care about anything anymore. But then a voice whispers, “Are you alright?”

I looked up, blinking through the tears. A boy stood in front of me, maybe 18 years of age, or a little older, with dark long hair and the most intense brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He looked like he didn’t belong there, like he was out of place in this horrible, bloodstained world.

“How did you get in here?” I whispered my voice hoarse from all the screaming. I couldn’t believe anyone would come here, let alone someone like him.

“I snuck in obviously,” he said, his voice low, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear. He stepped closer, kneeling beside me. “You’re covered in blood.”

I don’t say anything.

I just stare at him, not sure if I can trust him. But then he reaches out and wipes some of the blood off my face with his sleeve. His touch is warm, gentle. So different from everything that just happened.

“I’m getting you out of here,” he says, his voice soft but sure. “I promise you.”