Morning sunlight fell over the town, but it failed to drive away the unease in the air.
Allen's disappearance hung over everyone like an invisible hand tightening around their throats.
Ethan Carter stood in front of Allen's house, staring at the bloodstains and strands of black fur on the ground.
The image of those deep blue wolf eyes from last night replayed in his mind.
"Allen is still alive. He has to be somewhere in the forest."
Ethan trusted his instincts.
They had never failed him.
"What are you going to do?" Jason Miller stepped beside him, lowering his voice, unable to hide the anxiety on his face. "Go back into the forest? That thing… it's not a normal wolf."
Ethan remained silent for a moment, then looked toward the forest. His gaze was steady.
"Whatever it is… Allen is still out there."
"I'm not leaving him alone with it."
Jason hesitated, then clenched his jaw.
"I'm coming with you."
Ethan shook his head.
"The town needs someone here. I'll go alone."
He placed a hand on Jason's shoulder.
"If I'm not back by tomorrow morning… take everyone and leave."
Jason's eyes widened.
"Are you crazy? Going in alone is suicide!"
Ethan gave a faint smile.
"Not necessarily mine."
Without another word, he picked up his knife, slung his bow over his shoulder, and walked toward the forest.
The townspeople watched from a distance as his figure disappeared into the morning mist.
---
Deep within the forest, where sunlight barely reached.
Ethan followed the stream, stopping from time to time to examine bloodstains and claw marks.
Every step was careful.
The wounded wolf had left a clear trail.
All he needed was patience.
The forest was unnaturally quiet.
Even the birds were gone.
Then—
Ethan's gaze froze.
Not far ahead, beside the muddy bank of the stream…
A body.
He tightened his grip on the knife and approached slowly.
It was a wolf.
Larger than any normal one.
Pitch black.
A deep wound marked its forehead—the exact spot where the dagger had struck the night before.
But then—
Something changed.
The fur began to recede.
The limbs shifted.
The claws shrank.
Before his eyes—
The wolf transformed.
Moments later, a naked human male corpse lay on the ground.
Ethan's pupils contracted.
"A… werewolf."
The rumors in town were real.
Werewolves existed.
They hunted at night as beasts.
And by day…
They walked among humans.
But something else caught his attention.
The corpse's neck was torn open.
A brutal bite mark.
Far too large to belong to a normal wolf.
Ethan crouched down, examining it carefully.
Nearby, he found a small clump of black fur.
Different.
Not from this body.
His mind raced.
"So the one from last night… wasn't hunting with them."
"It was hunting them."
Before he could think further—
A faint sound reached his ears.
Breathing.
Weak. Strained.
Ethan instantly drew his knife and moved toward the sound.
Behind a fallen tree—
He found him.
Allen.
He lay on the ground, pale, breathing heavily.
"Allen!"
Ethan rushed forward and helped him up.
"You're alive."
Allen opened his eyes weakly, forcing a faint smile.
"Ethan… you came…"
"Don't talk. I'm getting you out of here."
Ethan lifted him onto his back and turned to leave.
But after just a few steps—
Crack.
A branch snapped behind him.
Ethan froze.
Slowly, he turned around.
In the shadows of the forest—
A pair of glowing blue eyes stared at them.
The black wolf.
It had returned.
But this time—
It wasn't alone.
Behind it stood three more wolves, just as large, their fangs gleaming in the dim light.
Ethan's forehead beaded with sweat.
He gently lowered Allen behind a tree.
"Stay here."
Allen's voice trembled.
"Ethan… don't…"
Too late.
One of the wolves lunged.
Ethan stepped aside, his blade flashing as it sliced across the wolf's abdomen.
Blood sprayed.
But the wolf didn't retreat.
It attacked again, even more violently.
As if it didn't care about dying—
Only about killing him.
Ethan's eyes turned cold.
He drew his bow.
Released.
The arrow pierced straight through the wolf's eye.
It collapsed instantly, twitching on the ground.
The remaining wolves growled, slowly closing in.
Ethan steadied his breathing, his gaze locked onto them.
Then—
A sharp whistle echoed from deep within the forest.
The wolves froze.
Their glowing eyes flickered.
Then, without warning—
They backed away.
Step by step.
Until they vanished into the darkness.
Ethan stood still, his grip tightening around the knife.
Behind him, Allen spoke weakly.
"Why… did they leave?"
Ethan stared into the forest, his eyes dark.
"They didn't choose to leave."
"They were ordered to."
Silence fell.
Something far more dangerous than werewolves lurked in this forest.
Something that controlled them.
And this—
Was only the beginning.