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The Call of the Wolf

The wind howled through the trees, biting cold, as Eliot stood at the forest's edge, eyes scanning the darkness. He would been strolling for hours, yet the worry gnawing at his chest became more the longer he lingered in this peaceful location. Every nerve in his body was on edge, as if something or someone was watching him.

His breath came in quick bursts, evident in the cold air, and his hands trembled as they grabbed the fabric of his jacket. It had been days since he experienced the running dream, yet it still felt new and too vivid to dismiss. He could still hear the echoes of the howl in his ears, the sensation of something wild and primitive clawing its way to the top of his head.

"Leah," he muttered, unsure why her name had been the only thing on his mind.

The name seemed to sear through him, overwhelming all rational thought.

Suddenly, a piercing pain slashed through his chest, causing him to gasp. His eyesight dimmed and his knees almost crumbled beneath him. A sinister and familiar voice rang through his consciousness.

"You are near. So close.

Eliot grabbed at his head, the sensation growing and pulling him to his knees.

And then, just as swiftly, it vanished.

Shaking, he rose up and wiped his forehead, his heart still racing in his chest. His hand rested on the pendant around his neck, the cold metal grounding him for a minute.

This is the dream. This is the voice. The overwhelming sense that something was slipping out of his grasp. There was no logical explanation, but it did not really matter. Something inside him sensed he was being attracted here for a reason.

A rustling in the bushes behind him interrupted his thoughts. Eliot spun around, his heart rushing into his throat, every muscle in his body taut and ready. His wolf was on the rise. It was as if his instincts had taken over.

But when the shape emerged from the shadows, it was merely a figure—tall, recognizable, and with hair that sparkled in the moonlight.

Leah.

"Eliot." Her voice was gentle, but with an edge to it, as if she did not want him to see the trembling underlying the words. She stood a few steps away, her eyes narrowed as if she were calculating the space between them, evaluating the risks of approaching too close.

He tried to speak, but his throat was dry and choked by the magnetic attraction between them. It was the same as before: the same rush of adrenaline and storm developing inside him anytime he was near her. The same desire.

"Leah," he said, his voice scratchy. "What are you doing here?

Her attention shifted to the ground and then back to him. "I could ask you the same thing."

Eliot took an impulsive step forward, but Leah lifted her hand to stop him. "Don't. "Just don't. Her gaze darted about, her body stiff. "I have already informed you that I can not help you."

The comments stung worse than he imagined. Something deep within him told him otherwise, that she was destined to help him. That they were supposed to confront it together.

"You must help me." He could hardly detect the desperation in his voice. "I need to figure out why this is happening. Why do I keep dreaming about you? I feel compelled to find you.

Her mouth tightened, and she shook her head. "It is not that simple."

Eliot took another step forward, despite her caution. "Why is not it?" "What am I missing, Leah?

The stillness between them was dense and filled with unsaid anxiety. Eliot could feel her withdrawing even as his affections for her grew. It was not only about attractiveness anymore; it was a far deeper connection than each of them realized.

"I am not the same person you know," she admitted, her voice breaking slightly. "You have forgotten what happened." Who we were. "I can not be that person anymore.

The words hit him like a blow in the gut. Forgotten? What exactly happened? The bewilderment, the suffering, the gap in his memory—it was all coming back in pieces. But he did not understand it. I could not understand what she was saying.

Leah's gaze softened for a split second before the wall rose again. "Elliot, you should leave. Before it is too late.

But as she turned away, something in the air moved. A low growl emanated from the forest's edge, sending shivers down his spine.

Leah halted, her body stiffening as her gaze swept the darkness. The growl echoed again, closer this time, and Eliot's instincts kicked in. His senses sharpened, and he could almost feel the presence of whatever—or whoever—was lurking nearby.

Leah's shoulders tightened as she removed something from her jacket. a tiny silver knife. But Eliot knew it would not be enough if they were confronted with what he believed they were.

"Stay close," she murmured, her voice firm but her gaze flashing back to him as a warning.

Before he could react, the shadow moved.

It was a figure, half human, half something else—a creature of the night, its eyes flashing an odd yellow light and its fangs bared in a snarl. Eliot had never seen a wolf like this before.

The creature's eyes fixed on Leah, and Eliot felt a strange sense of protectiveness. "Get behind me," he hissed, his wolf clawing to get out and fight. He did not care who or what the beast was; it was threatening her. That was all that mattered.

The creature's low, guttural laugh had a mocking tone. "You think he will save you?" it sneered. "Do you think he is your hero?"

Eliot's heart thudded in his chest as the world appeared to tilt. His revelation hit him like a freight train. This was not some random strike.

This was intended as a warning.

The wolf within Eliot was raging now, its instincts fierce and untamed. He could feel the change, the moon's tug above them. It was the first time he had felt it so powerfully, and he was afraid.

"Eliot, no!" Leah warned, her voice cracking. "You can't-"

However, it was too late.

Eliot's body shifted with a primal cry, bones cracking, muscles straining, and skin scorching. His eyesight dimmed, but he could see Leah's fear—the way her eyes flared and she took a step back. She was horrified. Not of the animal, but of him.

The pain of the shift was awful, but the wolf within him delighted in the strength and power that flooded his veins. The final piece of Eliot's consciousness clung to the margins, but it was quickly disappearing.

Eliot saw the thing advance toward Leah through the shifting haze, its hunger evident.

And he knew right then. There was no turning back. This was more than simply a lost past for them. It was about an impending conflict, and he was there in the thick of it.

Eliot, the wolf, sprang forward with surprising quickness. His claws cut through the air, striking the thing in the side, but it did not react. Instead, it turned and gave him an unnatural roar, its teeth glittering in the moonlight.

Leah backed aside, terrified as the two animals collided. But Eliot was no longer himself. He was not like others. There is something darker. The wolf had taken possession.

He could smell the creature's terror, yearning to fight, and uncanny familiarity. Something told him that this was not the first time they had met.

The battle between the two wolves raged on, but the longer Eliot fought, the more he knew that he did not merely have to defeat this beast. He had to grasp it. And that meant tackling something much bigger than he was prepared for.

The beast howled and took a step back, its eyes burning brighter. Then it spoke with a voice that sent shivers down Eliot's spine.

"The Alpha's return is unavoidable." And when it happens, you will be too late."

Eliot's wolf has frozen. What did it just say?

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