The world went dark. It was as if the light had been snuffed out entirely, leaving only the sharp sounds of rushing air and the pounding of her heart in Adeline's ears. She tried to move, tried to scream, but the world felt like it was suffocating her. Panic surged through her, but her limbs felt heavy, unresponsive.
She had barely had time to process the wolf-like shape that had lunged at her when everything blurred into chaos. She had been so sure that it was Derrick—the way the creature moved, the speed, the way it seemed to be drawn to her. But this was different. The energy was wrong. It was darker, colder, and more violent than anything she'd felt before.
Her breath came in ragged gasps, and she fought to clear her head. *Stay calm*, she told herself. *You have to focus.* She strained against the pull of the darkness, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Slowly, the fog lifted, and her eyes adjusted to the pale light of the moon.
Derrick's voice had been so distant. She could feel his presence somewhere, far away, but she couldn't reach him. Not now. Not with the threat in front of her.
She blinked, and the figure before her finally came into view. It was tall, but there was something monstrous about its silhouette—its eyes glowed a vivid amber, reflecting the moonlight in an unnerving way. It wasn't human, but it wasn't quite a wolf either. Its body was human-shaped, but it had features of both—elongated limbs, sharp claws, and a mouth that looked too large for its face. The creature's snarl echoed in the night, and a chill ran through her bones.
*What is it?*
The thing took a step toward her, and Adeline instinctively took a step back. Her feet sank into the damp earth beneath her, her hands trembling. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. The moonlit yard, once peaceful, now felt like a prison.
It hissed, the sound like a low growl, and then it lunged.
Adeline's instincts kicked in again before her brain could even catch up. She spun around, her legs moving in a desperate attempt to outrun the creature. But it was too fast, its claws raking across the air and narrowly missing her as she stumbled through the yard. She barely kept her footing. Every inch of her skin screamed with terror.
Just when she thought she couldn't outrun it any longer, there was a loud crash, followed by a deep, guttural growl that sent a wave of relief through her. *Derrick.*
The creature froze, its glowing amber eyes flickering toward the new source of sound. Adeline's heart hammered in her chest as she glanced to her left. There, emerging from the shadows like a force of nature, was Derrick.
His form was larger than any man she had ever seen, but it wasn't the size that caught her attention. It was the way he moved, the power and grace of it. His body was covered in a layer of fur that shimmered in the moonlight, the edges of his muscles rippling as he stood between her and the creature. His eyes—those eyes that she had come to recognize as her own sense of safety—were burning with a ferocity that sent a shiver down her spine.
"No!" Derrick's voice broke through the air, fierce and commanding. He turned his gaze on her. "Adeline, stay back. It's not safe."
She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. The sight of Derrick in his full werewolf form was more than she had ever expected. He was everything she had imagined in the stories—powerful, raw, dangerous—but there was something else too. There was care, a deep, unspoken promise in his eyes that made her want to trust him.
The creature growled again, but Derrick was unfazed. The beast moved toward them, its stance low and threatening, but Derrick wasn't about to back down. He squared his shoulders, showing no sign of fear, only a deep, primal determination to protect her.
"Stay close, Adeline," Derrick warned again, his voice barely a whisper, but it cut through the tension. The fight was coming. And there was no way to avoid it.
The creature lunged.
Derrick didn't hesitate. His claws extended, and with an unearthly roar, he collided with the beast. The sound of their clash was deafening, like thunder cracking in the night sky. Adeline stumbled backward, her heart pounding in her throat as she watched the two creatures fight. It was raw, violent, primal—a battle of strength and fury.
Derrick was faster, more precise. His movements were calculated, fluid, a display of the years of training and experience that came with being the alpha of a pack. He pushed the creature back with a force that made the ground shake, but the beast wasn't finished. It came at him again, more ferocious than before, its fangs bared and its claws slashing the air.
Adeline's body moved before she even realized it. She couldn't stay back. She couldn't just watch. She had to help. She ran toward the shed at the far end of the yard, her mind racing for any weapon, anything to defend herself and Derrick.
Her fingers fumbled for the door handle, heart racing in her chest as she pulled it open. The scent of wood and earth hit her as she stepped inside, her eyes searching for something useful. A rusted metal pipe caught her eye, and she grabbed it, holding it tightly as she turned to run back outside.
She wasn't sure what she was going to do with it, but at that moment, her body acted on instinct alone.
The fight outside continued, each clash of claws and teeth shaking the ground beneath her. She couldn't waste time. Derrick needed her.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash—a bone-crushing thud as the creature slammed into Derrick. Adeline's stomach lurched, and for a moment, everything went still.
Her heart skipped a beat. "Derrick!" she shouted, her voice raw, panic creeping in.
Derrick's body hit the ground with an unsettling sound, his massive form sprawled across the yard. The beast loomed over him, teeth bared, ready to strike.
"Adeline, no!" Derrick's voice was strained, weak, as he struggled to push himself up.
The creature paused, its amber eyes now focused entirely on her.
Adeline's breath caught in her throat as she realized with horror that it was no longer just fighting Derrick. It was coming for her.
"No!" Derrick shouted again, a ferocious snarl ripping through his throat as he gathered the strength to rise to his feet. But Adeline didn't wait. She gripped the metal pipe tighter and ran toward the creature with everything she had, heart pounding with fear and adrenaline.
Before she could reach it, the creature turned, its eyes burning with rage. Her breath caught as it sprang toward her. She swung the pipe with all her might, connecting with the creature's side. But it was like hitting a wall—there was no impact, no resistance.
The creature bared its teeth and advanced, unfazed by her feeble attempt to defend herself.
Time seemed to slow, the weight of the situation crashing down on her. She wasn't going to survive this.
But just as the beast was about to strike, there was a deafening roar from Derrick.
The world exploded into chaos as the creature lunged for Adeline one last time.
Then—nothing.