The forest was alive with sound that night — not the usual hum of crickets or the distant cry of an owl, but the steady thrum of wolves running. You’d heard them before, faint howls echoing through the trees, but tonight they were closer. Close enough that the earth seemed to tremble with each heavy footfall.

The cabin sat on the edge of the clearing, smoke curling lazily from the chimney. Laughter drifted from inside — low, human voices, though something about them felt off. You caught snippets as you approached: Yu’s teasing tone, Silas’s rough chuckle, the scrape of a chair against the wooden floor.

Someone threw the door open. Warm light spilled out, revealing a room cluttered with boots, coats, and the faint scent of pine and blood. “You’re late,” Xian muttered without looking up from whatever he was cleaning — a knife, maybe. His tone wasn’t accusing, just matter-of-fact.

On the couch, Steve was sprawled out with a comic book, blue hair catching the firelight as she waved lazily. “Ignore him,” she said with a grin. “He’s been grumpy all evening.”

“Grumpy?” Yu scoffed, leaning against the wall. “He’s always grumpy. I’m just trying to keep things lively.”

“By almost picking a fight with Nick again?” Lia’s voice came soft but firm from the kitchen. The scent of stew drifted through the air, comforting and warm.

Yu just smirked and shrugged, though the flicker of Doman’s golden gaze from across the room was enough to make him back off. The Alpha didn’t speak, didn’t need to. The message was clear enough.

Outside, the wind shifted — carrying a scent that didn’t belong. The laughter faded slightly, the air tightening. Nick’s head lifted first, eyes narrowing toward the dark treeline.

Whatever this place was — whatever they were — you could tell one thing for sure: no one here was fully human.