Chapter 3 Werewolf

Two weeks had passed since Nova's breakup with Adrian. 

Crow Corporation, and all of Adrian's buried misdeeds, had been trending nonstop. Every day brought a new crack in the image he had spent years cultivating.

He was blowing up her phone. At first, it was threats and demands for her to stop her madness. When that failed, he switched to guilt tripping and reminders of promises they had made while dating.

As if any of that still mattered.

Nova blocked him without hesitation.

"I know getting away from all this drama is good for you," Jenna said through the phone, her voice tight with worry, "but like I said before, I'm not comfortable with you going on a road trip to another state. Are you even in the right mental space to drive that far?"

Nova tightened her grip on the steering wheel of her car and sped along the tiled road. The hum of tires against asphalt was oddly soothing.

"I got my heart broken, not my brain," she replied lightly. "I'm fine. I've been on the road for a day now. There is nothing to worry about."

The trip had been impulsive, she knew that.

After exposing Crow Corporation, the atmosphere had turned toxic. Rumors of Adrian's affair with his secretary and her father's alleged investments had surfaced, though Adrian had refused to confirm it. The company began to crumble.

But Nova hadn't gone unscathed either. 

Though many within the company hadn't known about their relationship, her sudden resignation, combined with the scandal, had raised suspicions. People connected the dots easily enough.

Whispers followed her name now. Who would want to hire someone rumored to have destroyed her former employer? Her actions had likely blacklisted her in more corporations than she cared to count. And she suspected Enid's father had ensured it stayed that way.

In the end, Nova decided to take a break and choose herself for once.

As a chronic workaholic, she had saved enough over the years to afford a three-month stay at a small, quiet resort far away from the noise. The thought of it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

She had wiped Adrian from her phone entirely and kept her plans secret to avoid reporters.

Only Jenna knew.

"I miss you already. What am I supposed to do for three months by myself?" Jenna whined.

Nova laughed softly. "Didn't you say you met someone new? It's about time. Your last boyfriend was from college, and he was a jerk."

"He was a rising football star," Jenna protested. "Cut him some slack. He was under pressure."

"Still a jerk."

"You can't judge. Your taste in men hasn't exactly been stellar either." Jenna shot back playfully.

Nova smiled bitterly. "Touché. We both have terrible taste."

She exhaled, eyes fixed on the road ahead.

The drive was peaceful, almost therapeutic. This was the second day of a three-day journey. She'd made several stops to refuel and stock up, confident she had enough supplies to last until the next motel.

Night crept in gradually. The farther she drove, the fewer cars she passed. Too few.

"I'm confident Michael is the one, though."

"Michael?" Nova's attention snapped back to the call.

"The guy I'm seeing. He's everything I've ever wanted. We are soulmates."

Nova smiled bitterly. That was what she thought with Adrian, too, but she was happy for her friend.

"I'm happy for you, Jenna. I can't wait to meet him when I get back."

She took another turn and frowned.

Nova hadn't seen a single building for a while, just endless rows of dark forest pressing in on both sides of the road. That was strange. According to the map, she should have passed through at least one residential area by now.

She hesitated, then shook it off and continued driving, still talking to Jenna.

An hour passed.

Still no cars, no lights, and no signs of civilization.

Her unease grew. She picked up her phone from the dashboard and checked the map again.

Her stomach dropped.

She was nowhere near the city she was supposed to be heading toward.

"I think I took a wrong turn." She muttered in frustration.

"What? Nova, it's late already." Jenna said in worry.

"I'll just turn the car around," she said, trying to sound calm.

She placed the phone back on the dashboard, but it slipped and fell. She sighed and leaned down to grab it, one hand still on the wheel.

That was when something slammed into the car.

The impact was violent.

The vehicle jerked sideways, tires screeching as Nova lost control. She gasped, snapping upright and slamming her foot on the brakes just before the car collided with a tree.

The car skidded to a stop.

Nova's heart hammered violently against her ribs. She stared at the shattered windshield, blood smeared across the glass. The hood of her car was also a mess.

"Shit," she whispered.

She had been alone on the road. She was sure of it.

"Nova!" Jenna shouted through the phone. "What was that? Are you okay?"

"I-I'll call you back," Nova said quickly.

She ended the call before Jenna could argue.

Her car hissed softly. Swallowing her fear, Nova stepped out.

A few distances away, something lay on the ground. It twitched, and she heard a faint, pained whimper.

"It's an animal." She breathed, relief washing over her briefly. She thought she had killed someone.

She turned on her flashlight and approached cautiously.

A large wolf lay sprawled on the road, its body soaked in blood. Its chest rose and fell unevenly.

Guilt hit her hard.

"Oh my goodness... I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I should call animal control."

The wolf whimpered again.

Just as she was about to dial the digits, she suddenly heard something cracking. 

She paused, then her flashlight swung toward the forest.

"H-hello?" She called out, voice trembling. "Is someone there?"

Her mind raced. Wolves moved in packs, didn't they?

She swallowed hard. This was how horror stores started. She needed to help the wolf and get out fast.

But the cracking sounds grew louder. Only that this time, she heard them more clearly, and they weren't coming from the woods.

Slowly, dread coiling in her chest, Nova turned back toward the wolf.

Her blood ran cold.

The wolf's body was changing.

Its bones twisted, joints snapped and reshaped with sickening pops, and its fur began to retract, peeling back to reveal skin beneath. The creature writhed, stretching unnaturally, as though something else were forcing its way out.

Nova screamed and stumbled backward, falling hard onto the ground. She couldn't look away. Moments later, the wolf was gone, and in its place was a naked, unconscious woman.

Nova's heart thundered in her ears.

"W-What the fuck...?"

A wolf just transformed into a girl. She blinked in pure horror. What in the mythical shit was this? It wasn't real.

Suddenly, a rustle sounded to the left, and she snapped her head around to see a man emerge from the forest. Naked.

His eyes locked onto hers briefly before shifting to the injured woman. He sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"Shit," he muttered. "You weren't supposed to see that."

That was when survival instincts finally kicked in. Nova scrambled to her feet and bolted for her car.

Just as her hand reached the door handle, something heavy landed on the roof with a thunderous thud. The metal dented under the weight.

A massive wolf crouched atop the car, baring its teeth at her, growling.

Nova staggered back in fright.

"Easy, Leo. Your mate is fine." The naked man said calmly to the wolf.

He was talking to a freaking wolf!

Nova's gaze snapped back to the man, her hands shaking as she raised her phone.

"What is happening?" She yelled. "What are you? Talk, or I'm calling the police!"

She was going to call the police regardless.

"Don't do that. It'll only make things worse."

Her fingers trembled as she pointed at the woman on the ground.

"S-she was a wolf a minute ago."

"Just calm down." He said, stepping toward her slowly.

Nova turned to run but didn't get far when pain exploded at the back of her head, and everything went blank.