CHAPTER 5

PRISCILLA

My breath caught in my throat as I stumbled back, my knees hitting the edge of the bed. My fingers clutched the blanket tightly, trembling as I stared at the door. The man from the road—his glowing eyes—why does he keep showing up? What did he want from me?

A sharp, distant growl echoed through the room, so low it felt like it was vibrating through the walls.

I tried to move, to breathe, but my body wouldn’t respond. My heart pounded hard against my ribcage as my gaze darted to the window. Shadows seemed to shift and twist there, as though something was—

“No!” I gasped.

I jolted upright, gasping as though I’d been plunged into ice-cold water. My chest heaved, the room spinning for a split second before the world settled back into reality.

It was a dream.

I let out a shaky breath, rubbing my face with both hands as I tried to steady myself.

“A dream,” I whispered as if saying it aloud would convince me. My pulse still raced as I swung my legs over the side of the bed, leaning forward, elbows on my knees. I stayed there for a moment, willing my heart to slow, to ground myself in the soft morning light trickling through the blinds. My skin was damp with sweat, and the thudding of my heart refused to slow.

Nightmares like that didn’t just happen. They felt like memories—twisted, haunting memories.

Glancing to my left, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, the screen lighting up as I pressed it on. 10:38 AM.

“Damn it,” I muttered.

I grabbed my toiletries bag, marched into the tiny bathroom, and turned on the water, letting the steam fill the space as I stripped out of my clothes.

The hot water was a balm, soothing away the tension coiling in my shoulders. I scrubbed away the sweat and unease, letting the dream wash down the drain until it was nothing but a whisper in the back of my mind. By the time I was done, I felt slightly more human, though not completely at ease.

The shrill sound of my phone ringing jolted me as I stepped out of the shower.

“Crap!”

I snatched a towel off the hook, quickly wrapping it around myself as I darted back into the room, nearly slipping on the wooden floor. The ringtone blared on, muffled under the pile of blankets on the bed.

“Hold on, hold on!” I muttered, digging my phone out and swiping to answer it. “Hello?”

“Priscilla.”

I froze for half a second before recognizing the gravelly voice on the other end. My boss, Joel Walters.

Great. Just what I needed—my boss calling while I was dripping wet and wrapped in nothing but a towel.

“Uh, hey, Joel,” I said, clearing my throat and tightening the towel around myself. “What’s up?”

“You tell me,” Joel replied curtly. “I haven’t heard from you since you landed. Got anything yet?”

I winced. Joel didn’t beat around the bush, and he had zero patience when it came to silence. Small talk? Who needs it when you can demand results right away?

I perched on the edge of the bed, careful not to drop the phone. “Not yet,” I admitted, keeping my voice steady. “But I will today. I’ve just been familiarizing myself with the area, and looking for leads. I’ll have something for you soon.”

Joel’s sigh crackled through the line. “Priscilla, I don’t need a play-by-play of the scenery. I sent you out there because you’re the best at digging up dirt. I need results, not sightseeing.”

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to snap back at him. He wasn’t wrong—I was good at this. It’s why he trusted me enough to send me to a place like this, but his tone still made me bristle.

“You’ll have results, Joel,” I said firmly. “I’ll call you as soon as I’ve got something solid.”

“You’d better.” His voice softened—just a little. “And stay sharp, Priscilla. If there’s anything weird going on out there, don’t get yourself caught up in it. Got it?”

“Got it,” I replied, already tired of the conversation.

“Good. Don’t keep me waiting.”

The line clicked dead, and I let out a frustrated groan, tossing my phone onto the bed.

I couldn’t blame Joel for being demanding—he was paying me to deliver. But what was I supposed to tell him? That I’d spent the night having nightmares about glowing-eyed men and growling shadows?

“Yeah, that’ll go over real well,” I muttered.

I ran a hand over my damp hair, trying to shake off Joel’s words and the lingering unease in my chest. I’d find something for him today—I had to. Even though I missed my appointment with the blogger I had to meet today at 8 am, I will still find another way. But first, I needed to get dressed and get out of this room.

I dressed quickly, tugging on a pair of black jeans, a grey T-shirt, and my worn leather jacket. My fingers hesitated as I laced up my boots, my mind drifting back to the dream—the glowing eyes, the impossible sense of being seen. I shook my head and stood, refusing to let the feeling take root again.

It was just a nightmare. Nothing more.

I grabbed my phone, camera, keys, and notepad, shoving them into my bag before heading out the door. The morning had fully slipped away, and outside, the air felt sharper, colder than the day before. Clouds hung low over the mountains, shadows twisting through the trees like smoke.

The quiet in this town was starting to feel unnatural. It wasn’t just sleepy—it was empty.

I slipped into my car and started the engine, listening to the sputter of the old sedan before it steadied. My plan was simple: explore the forest edge today. It was risky, sure—wandering too far could lead to trouble—but if something was happening in these woods, that’s where I’d find it.

Driving through town was unsettling. I passed the same dusty stores, and the same abandoned gas station. There wasn’t a single person on the sidewalks, and even the birds seemed to have vanished. The closer I got to the forest, the heavier the silence became, as though the air itself didn’t want me there.

Finally, I parked at an old trailhead where a worn-out 'No Trespassing' sign dangled from a chain. I slipped out of the car with my camera and pulled my jacket tight, scanning the tree line. I’d always trusted my instincts—they were what made me good at this job—but something about this place put me on edge.

I swallowed and pressed on, ducking beneath the chain. The forest was darker than I expected, the canopy above thick with gnarled branches that blocked out most of the sun. The crunch of leaves beneath my boots sounded too loud.

I moved slowly, carefully, every step deliberate. I didn’t know what I was looking for, exactly. Tracks? Signs of activity? Anything unusual?

But all I could hear was my breathing, ragged in the stillness.

Until I heard something else.

A low, distant growl.

I froze mid-step, my heart slamming into my ribcage. I held my breath, straining to hear, to make sense of it. The growl came again—deep, guttural, and close. Too close.

I ducked behind a thick tree trunk, my fingers digging into the bark. What the hell was that? My mind raced, trying to come up with a logical explanation. A bear, maybe? A stray dog?

But it didn’t sound like either of those.

Cautiously, I got my camera in place and peeked around the tree.

The clearing ahead was shrouded in shadow, but through the gaps in the trees, I saw movement. Shapes, fast and unnatural, blurring through the undergrowth. I squinted, steadying my camera in position.

And then I saw them.

Wolves.

Not the kind you’d see on some nature documentary. These were enormous, their bodies unbelievably large, their fur thick and glistening. They moved with a precision that sent chills up my spine, circling as though hunting something—or someone.

I pressed my hands tightly on the camera as I bit down my tongue to keep from gasping. Holy shit.

I counted four of them, darting between the trees with an unnatural speed, their glowing eyes—eyes just like the ones from my dream—shining through the darkness.

I turned to move, to get away from whatever the hell this was, but then I heard a scream. A blood-curdling, human scream.

My blood turned to ice.

I whipped my head back toward the clearing just in time to see it.

A massive wolf, far larger than the others, with golden-brown fur that rippled over its powerful frame, lunged forward. The creature struck a man—a man I hadn’t even noticed before. He stumbled backwards, hands raised in a pitiful attempt to shield himself, but it was too late.

The wolf’s jaws clamped down on his shoulder, and the man’s scream was cut short, replaced by a sickening crunch.

I slapped a hand against the tree, bile rising in my throat as another wolf killed him and tossed his numb body aside like a rag doll. Blood stained the forest floor, and for a heartbeat, everything stopped.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move.

Then, as if sensing me, the brown wolf’s massive head snapped up.

And it looked directly at me.

Its glowing golden eyes locked onto mine, pinning me in place.

I felt my knees go weak, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might shatter. The wolf stared at me for what felt like an eternity, its gaze piercing through me, into me. Then it growled—a low, rumbling sound that vibrated through my bones.

Run.

The word screamed through my mind, but my body wouldn’t listen.

The wolf took a single step toward me, its muscles coiling, its gaze unrelenting.

And that’s when I ran.

I turned and sprinted through the trees, branches whipping against my face, my legs barely holding me up. Behind me, I could hear it moving, following, the sound of snapping twigs and heavy footfalls echoing in my ears.

I didn’t dare look back.