Freya sat in the car with her mother, heading back to Blackwood Town. They had left right after her father's death, but now, after the tragic loss of her roommate and the relentless nightmares that followed, her mother had decided to bring her back.
She would be staying with her grandfather to continue her studies at Blackwood University. Now, in her sophomore year, all she wanted was for the nightmares to end and to find her way back to some sense of normalcy.
As they pulled up to her grandfather's quaint apartment, Freya reached for the door handle, but her mother gently took her other hand.
"Listen, everything will be fine," Catherine assured her.
Freya pressed her lips together and nodded. "I know, Mum."
Catherine offered her a weak smile.
Just then, the front door opened, and Jeffery, her grandfather, stepped outside.
"Gramps...," Freya exclaimed, stepping out of the car. She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
"My beautiful Fae," Jeffery said warmly.
"Hey, Popsy," Catherine greeted him as she stepped out of the car and walked toward him.
"Hey, Cathy."
Catherine turned to her daughter. "Freya, can you go inside? I need to talk to your Gramps."
"Sure," Freya replied, pulling her luggage from the car and heading into the apartment.
Once she was inside, Catherine turned back to Jeffery, her voice heavy with concern.
"She's losing control without even knowing who she really is. I had to bring her here. The city isn't the place for her... and Billy knows nothing about this world, neither do her siblings." Catherine explained her situation with her husband and Freya's half-siblings.
Jeffery placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, I understand. I'll help her in any way I can."
He reached out to a flower, his fingers barely moving. A faint glow danced around the petals as the bloom shook, then gently broke from the stem. It hung in the air for a moment before sliding smoothly toward him, as if carried by an unseen wind.
Catherine watched as the flower drifted easily into her hand. She ran her fingers over the soft petals, a small smile forming on her lips.
"You have nothing to fear," Jeffery assured her with a knowing smile. "Let's go inside."
***
Deep in Blackwood Forest, the ancient wolf pack had gathered for a meeting. They sat among the trees-some perched on branches, others on fallen trunks.
Dominic Blackwood, the Alpha of the pack, stood in a dominant posture. His sleek black hair framed his features, and his crimson-red eyes gleamed under the moonlight. He wore a fitted leather jacket.
Beside him stood an old man cloaked in dark robes-the elder of the pack. His voice was low and foreboding as he spoke.
"I had a dream," the elder stated.
A bone-chilling howl echoed through the trees as some of the wolves began to morph-human faces shifting into snarling werewolf forms, fangs bared in silent rage.
"I dreamed of a werewitch coming into town," the elder continued.
The wolves growled and howled in response.
"This is something to be feared. She is not only a threat to Dominic, our Alpha, but she could also bring destruction upon us all."
Cameron, the Beta-second in command and a warrior-rose to his feet.
"How do we find this werewitch and burn her before she destroys us and our community?" he demanded.
Another collective howl rippled through the pack.
Dominic stepped forward, his powerful presence silencing them.
"I am your leader, and I am responsible for all of you," he declared. "I promise you-we will capture this werewitch before she has the chance to destroy us. We will burn her at the stake."
A murmur of agreement passed through the pack as the scout members nodded, knowing the weight of their duty.
Then, in a single fluid motion, Dominic morphed into a fearsome werewolf. He threw his head back and released a chilling howl, his red eyes glowing under the full moon. The pack followed his lead, shifting into their werewolf forms and howling in unison.
A graceful she-wolf padded forward, her sleek fur catching the moonlight. She pressed her muzzle against Dominic's in a silent vow. Together, they turned their gaze to the sky and howled once more, their voices joined by the entire pack, echoing through the dark forest.