The Woman in the Woods
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The First Scent
Brian smelled her before he saw her.
It wasn't just sweat and fear.
It was something deeper.
Something rich and warm, a scent that called to him on a level he didn't understand.
✔ It wasn't perfume. That was a relic of the old world.
✔ It wasn't anything artificial.
✔ It was her. Pure. Undiluted.
And it made his body react.
Not just with curiosity.
With instinct.
Ghost paced beside him, nostrils flaring.
He smelled her too.
And from the way his golden eyes flicked toward Brian, waiting for a command, the wolf was testing him.
What now, pack leader?
Brian didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
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The Chase
She was running.
Not blindly.
Not like prey.
✔ Her steps were measured, her movements sharp.
✔ She was dodging, using the trees to block sight lines.
✔ She wasn't just fleeing. She was thinking.
But Cain was on her trail.
Brian could smell him, too.
That twisted scent of blood, filth, and pleasure.
A predator who loved the hunt.
A predator who didn't kill because he had to—
But because he enjoyed it.
Brian's teeth clenched.
His body reacted before his mind did.
He moved.
Not because she was his problem.
But because Cain was stepping into his land.
And no one hunted in his land without his permission.
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The First Sight
He found her near the stream, crouched low, knife in hand.
She had already picked up on him, sensed him the way he had sensed her.
She turned fast, body tense, ready.
And Brian froze.
Because she was not what he expected.
Not a starving survivor.
Not a broken woman barely holding on.
She was something else.
✔ Voluptuous. Thick. The kind of curves that weren't just noticeable—they were impossible to ignore.
✔ A slim waist, wide hips, full thighs. A body sculpted into a balance of strength and softness.
✔ Golden eyes, like his. Predator's eyes, sharp, tracking everything at once.
✔ Skin taut, muscles firm beneath the surface—but not too much.
✔ Lips full, parted slightly. But not in fear.
His body reacted.
Not with lust.
Not with need.
With recognition.
She was like him.
And she knew it.
---
The Past She Left Behind
Her name had once been Maya.
She had once been someone else.
✔ Obese. Overweight her whole life.
✔ Mocked. Overlooked. Passed by.
✔ Hiding in oversized clothes, afraid to take up space.
The world had called her fat, weak, undesirable.
She had lived with it.
Accepted it.
Then the meteors fell.
And suddenly, her body wasn't her own anymore.
✔ The weight melted away, replaced by strength.
✔ The skin tightened, smoothed.
✔ The curves shaped themselves into perfection.
For the first time in her life, she had felt beautiful. Powerful.
For the first time, men had looked at her with desire.
And at first, she had loved it.
Until the hunger set in.
Until she realized food didn't satisfy her anymore.
Until she realized something deeper was missing.
That was when she had fled to the mountains.
And that was when Cain found her.
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The Woman Speaks
Her lips parted, voice low, rough.
"Who are you?"
Brian didn't answer.
Didn't move.
He could still smell her fear.
Could still feel her heartbeat in the air.
But she wasn't afraid of him.
Not the way others would be.
She was afraid of what he might be.
And for the first time, Brian felt that same hesitation.
His eyes flicked over her. Not in lust.
In assessment.
✔ She was strong, but not unbreakable.
✔ She was fast, but not faster than him.
✔ She was calculating, but she wasn't sure if she had just made the wrong gamble.
His body wanted to step closer.
His instincts told him to stay put.
Because she was dangerous.
Not because she was an enemy.
Because she was something else.
---
Unspoken Meaning
Her golden eyes locked onto his.
"I know what you are," she said.
Brian didn't react.
Her fingers tightened on her knife.
"Are you like him?" she asked, voice softer this time.
"Cain?"
The name came out like poison.
Brian didn't blink.
"No."
She exhaled—just a little.
Not relief.
Something else.
Then, softly—"Then maybe you can help me."
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A Question Without an Answer
Brian didn't respond.
Because he didn't know what to say.
✔ His instincts told him to bring her in.
✔ His mind told him to send her away.
✔ His body refused to decide.
Because she smelled like home and danger all at once.
She felt like a trap he wanted to walk into.
And worst of all?
She was looking at him the same way.
Like she didn't know if she should run or stay.
Like she was just as confused.
Cain was coming.
That much was certain.
And now, Brian had to make a choice.
Did he trust her?
Or did he let her face the wolves alone?
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