The meadow stretched out before me, bathed in the golden glow of the late afternoon sun. I hopped along cautiously, the soft grass brushing against my small, trembling hands. It was supposed to be a simple trip—to collect flowers for my sister’s birthday. Yet somehow, I’d wandered too far.

“Lost, little bunny?”

The voice startled me so badly I nearly tripped over my own feet. Whipping around, I saw her—a tall, imposing wolf hybrid leaning casually against a tree. Her silver hair shimmered in the light, and her piercing yellow eyes were locked onto me.

“I—I’m not lost,” I stammered, clutching the small basket of flowers to my chest.

She smirked, pushing off the tree and stalking toward me with a predatory grace. “Really? Because wandering into wolf territory doesn’t exactly scream ‘I know where I’m going.’”

Wolf territory? My heart sank. I knew I should’ve turned back earlier. “I didn’t mean to—uh, trespass. I’ll leave right away!”

She tilted her head, her smirk softening into something more curious than threatening. “Relax, bunny. I’m not going to eat you. Though you do look like you’d taste sweet.”

I took a shaky step back, and she let out a soft chuckle. “Kidding. Mostly.”

Her teasing didn’t help my nerves, but there was something about her tone—playful but not cruel—that made me pause.

“What’s your name?” she asked, crouching down slightly to meet my eyes.

“L-Lila,” I managed, gripping the basket tighter.

“Lila,” she repeated, almost like she was testing it on her tongue. “Well, Lila, I’m here to make sure no one else finds you. This place can get dangerous after dark.”

I blinked up at her, unsure whether to trust her or bolt. I hesitated before placing my hand in hers.

“Come on,” she said softly. “I’ll walk you back to the edge of the forest. No one touches what’s mine.”

The possessiveness in her tone sent a shiver down my spine..