Chapter 1

Matilda stood in the pouring rain, watching in horror as her family fought for their lives. The vicious snarls of the werewolves echoed through the night as they closed in on her loved ones, intent on tearing them apart. Despite the odds stacked against them, Matilda's family fought with everything they had, determined to protect the stranger they had stumbled upon in the woods.

"Get out of here, Matilda!" her father shouted over the din. "Take the stranger and run! We'll hold them off!"

But Matilda couldn't bring herself to leave. She clung to her mother's arm, tears streaming down her face as she watched her family being torn apart by the savage beasts. The stranger looked on in horror, paralyzed with fear as the rogue wolves closed in.

"Please, you have to go, "Matilda's mother pleaded with her. "We'll find a way to survive this, but you need to go now!"

Matilda hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. She took the stranger's hand and pulled him away from the chaos, running blindly through the forest as the sounds of battle faded into the distance.

As they stumbled through the woods, Matilda could feel the stranger's fear radiating off of him in waves. She knew they were safe for the moment, but she also knew that they couldn't stay here for long. The rogue wolves would be searching for them, and they needed to find shelter before it was too late.

"We have to keep moving," she mouthed to the stranger. "Can you walk?"

The stranger nodded, his eyes wide with terror. Matilda took a deep breath and led him deeper into the forest, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't know what lay ahead, but she knew that they had to keep moving if they wanted to survive.

As they trudged through the dense underbrush, Matilda couldn't help but think of her family – her strong and loving father, her gentle and nurturing mother, and her brave and protective siblings. She felt a deep sense of loss and grief, but she also knew that they would want her to keep going, to keep fighting for survival.

As the first light of dawn began to break through the trees, Matilda finally spotted a small cabin in the distance. It was run-down and abandoned, but it would have to do for now. She led the stranger towards it, hoping that they would be able to find some shelter and a way to defend themselves.

"We can't stay here for long," Matilda said, as they approached the cabin. "We need to find some weapons and some food, and then we have to keep moving."

The stranger nodded, he was still too shaken to speak. Matilda pushed open the door of the cabin and led him inside, her senses on high alert. The place was dusty and deserted, with cobwebs and debris scattered throughout. But as she searched through the rubble, Matilda found a few useful items – a rusted hatchet, a couple of knives, and a stash of canned goods.

She turned to the stranger, holding out the hatchet. "Here," she said, her voice firm. "You take this. We might need it."

The stranger hesitated for a moment, then took the hatchet from her. Matilda felt a small sense of relief – at least they would be able to defend themselves if they needed to. But she also knew that they were far from safe. The rogue wolves were still out there, and they would stop at nothing to track them down and finish them off.

"We have to keep moving," Matilda said, as they stepped back out into the damp morning air. "We have to find a way to survive this, no matter what.

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling howl echoed through the forest, sending shivers down Matilda's spine. She gripped the knife tightly, scanning the tree line for any signs of movement. The stranger looked at her with terror in his eyes, clearly not prepared for this kind of danger.

"We have to run," Matilda said, her voice urgent. "Now."

She grabbed the stranger's hand and pulled him towards the trees, not daring to look back. The howls grew louder and closer, and Matilda knew that they were in grave danger. She ran as fast as she could, dodging fallen branches and leaping over rocks, with the stranger stumbling behind her.

Just when she thought they had lost the wolves, a large figure loomed in front of them, blocking their path. It was a massive, snarling werewolf, its eyes glowing with a fierce hunger. Matilda's heart sank – there was no way they could take on a werewolf that size.

As the werewolf advanced towards them, Matilda stood her ground, her knife at the ready. She would fight with everything she had, even if it meant risking her life. The stranger looked at her in amazement, clearly not expecting this kind of bravery from her.

With a fierce roar, the werewolf lunged towards them, jaws snapping. Matilda braced herself, ready to fight to the death. But just as the werewolf was about to reach them, a gunshot rang out through the forest, and the beast fell to the ground, lifeless.

Matilda and the stranger turned to see a group of hunters emerge from the trees, their guns at the ready. One of them stepped forward, a tall, rugged man with piercing blue eyes.

"You two alright?" he asked gruffly.

Matilda nodded, still in shock from the encounter. The stranger simply stared at the hunters in disbelief.

The man looked at them both, his eyes softening slightly. "You're lucky we were nearby. The woods aren't safe, not for anyone these days."

Matilda couldn't agree more. She had lost her family to these rogue wolves, and she knew that she couldn't trust anyone anymore. But as the hunters led her and the stranger away from the cabin and deeper into the forest, she couldn't shake the feeling that they might be her only hope for survival

As they walked, Matilda noticed that the hunters were tense and watchful, as if they were expecting danger at every turn. She wondered what they knew that she didn't, and whether they could be trusted. The stranger clung to her hand, clearly frightened by their surroundings.

Suddenly, one of the hunters stopped in his tracks, holding up a hand for silence. "Did you hear that?" he whispered.

Matilda strained her ears, but couldn't hear anything over the pounding of her own heart. The hunters raised their guns, scanning the area for any signs of movement.

And then, from out of nowhere, a pack of snarling werewolves burst through the trees, their eyes gleaming with rapacious hunger. Matilda and the stranger were trapped, with nowhere to run and no one to protect them.

As the werewolves closed in, Matilda felt a sense of despair wash over her. Had she survived this long, only to die at the hands of these monsters?