The oppressive silence in the wake of the fight was deafening. Adeline could hear the sound of her own labored breaths as she stood frozen, staring at the creature that had been so close to ending her life. Every instinct in her screamed for her to run, to get as far away from the supernatural horrors she was now entrenched in, but her feet felt like they were made of lead.
Derrick's roar still echoed in her ears, and for a moment, she thought she'd imagined it. She blinked, but the scene before her was no illusion. The creature was gone, and Derrick was standing in front of her, his enormous werewolf form still vibrating with energy. His fur was slick with sweat and the remnants of the battle, and his amber eyes glinted with something close to fury.
"Are you alright?" His voice was low, rough, filled with urgency as he stepped toward her, his eyes scanning her face for any sign of injury.
Adeline opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her throat felt dry, constricted, as though the weight of the night's events had lodged in her chest. She swallowed hard, trying to shake the fog in her mind.
"I… I don't know," she finally managed to say, her voice barely a whisper. "What was that thing?"
Derrick didn't immediately answer.
He turned his gaze toward the shadows where the creature had disappeared, his body tense, his muscles rippling beneath his fur as he kept watch. Then, with a slow exhale, he finally spoke, his voice dark and laden with worry.
"It's a rogue." He paused. "A rogue wolf. One that's been corrupted by dark magic. Someone's controlling it, and they're sending it after you."
Adeline's heart skipped a beat. "After me?"
Derrick's eyes locked onto hers, and there was a deep sorrow in them that made her stomach twist. "Yes," he said grimly. "And that's only the beginning. You're not safe here, Adeline. You're tied to something bigger than you realize."
The weight of his words settled over her like a heavy blanket, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of everything—of the strange connection she felt with Derrick, of the attack, of the secrets she couldn't yet understand.
A long silence followed, only broken by the distant sound of crickets and the rustle of wind in the trees. Adeline felt as though she were standing at the edge of a precipice, unable to see the bottom, yet knowing she had no choice but to step forward.
"I don't understand," she whispered, shaking her head. "Why me?"
Derrick stepped closer, his eyes softening. "Because you're not just anyone, Adeline. You're the key to everything." His words hung in the air like a haunting melody, full of promise and danger. "You have blood that ties you to this world, to our world. Your grandmother knew this—she left you clues, but she didn't want you to be part of this. She didn't want you to know the truth, not until you were ready."
Adeline's heart raced as she tried to process his words. "My grandmother…" She trailed off, her mind working overtime. Her grandmother had always been protective, secretive, but this? This was something she had never imagined.
Derrick seemed to sense her confusion, his gaze softening. "I'll explain everything, Adeline. But not here. Not now. It's not safe."
She nodded slowly, though every part of her screamed for answers. She wanted to know everything—what her grandmother had kept from her, what Derrick was saying about her bloodline, and most of all, what this meant for her future.
"It's late already. You need to rest and process everything you've been through, throughout this day. We'd leave before Dawn tomorrow morning. The town isn't what it seems, Adeline. It's not safe anymore."
Adeline couldn't even respond. She only nodded and went back inside, feeling strangely bold and unafraid.
Derrick remained outside, probably keeping watch over her.
She couldn't even sleep well; She kept on having thoughts, imaginations and dreams about Werewolves and beast-like creatures.
The drive to the Heathcliff Pack's compound was long and silent, the tension thick between them. Adeline's thoughts were a swirl of confusion and fear, and though she desperately wanted to ask more questions, she couldn't find the words. The night's events had shaken her to her core. What was it about her that made her a target? Why had the rogue wolf attacked her?
Derrick had said she wasn't safe in the town anymore. But she didn't understand why. There were so many questions, but she knew now was not the time to press him for answers.
The town she had lived in her entire life—where she had known the same faces since childhood—was beginning to feel like a place out of a nightmare. No one had seemed unusual at first, but now, in the wake of the rogue's attack, Derrick wondered how much she really knew about the people around her.
As his car wound through the winding roads toward the pack's compound, Adeline's mind wandered back to the town itself. There was something off about it. She had always thought it quaint—small, peaceful, the kind of place where nothing much ever happened. But now, every street, every corner seemed to hold secrets. Faces she had known for years now seemed to hide more than they showed.
When they finally reached the compound, a massive estate nestled on the outskirts of the forest, Adeline felt a strange sense of unease settle over her. It wasn't just the isolation of the place—it was the eerie quiet, the way the trees seemed to stand still in the darkness, as though they were watching her.
Derrick parked the car, his eyes scanning the perimeter with a wariness she had come to recognize. He stepped out first, quickly moving to her side, but before Adeline could step out of the car, he grabbed her arm gently.
"Adeline," he said, his voice low, urgent. "I need you to trust me. Don't leave my side. Not yet."
She stared at him, her mind racing. She had no reason not to trust him—he had protected her from the rogue, even risked his life for her. But the uncertainty in his voice made her uneasy.
"Why? What's going on?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Derrick glanced at the dark trees surrounding them, his gaze far away as though searching for something. "There's more to the town than you think. People here—people you've known all your life—aren't what they seem. The rogue was only the beginning. There's something darker going on here, and you're at the center of it."
Adeline's heart pounded in her chest. The weight of his words sank in, and for the first time, she felt the magnitude of the situation.
"Darker?" she repeated, the word heavy in the air. "What do you mean?"
But before he could answer, a strange sound came from the trees. It was a low, eerie sound—like something moving in the distance, a rustling in the darkness. Adeline tensed, her breath catching in her throat as she looked around.
Derrick's eyes narrowed. "We're not alone."