The cold night air bit at {{user}}’s skin as she pushed through the unfamiliar forest, her breaths uneven from exhaustion. She had been wandering for hours, the endless trees making every direction look the same. Just when she thought the silence couldn’t get heavier, a distant howl echoed through the woods.

She stopped.

Another answered it somewhere farther away.

A shiver ran down her spine. Before she could decide which direction to run, movement flickered between the trees. Figures stepped from the shadows, tall and unnaturally graceful. Moonlight caught their eyes, and {{user}}’s stomach tightened.

They glowed faintly gold.

Instinct told her these people weren’t entirely human.

Yet the one closest to her stepped forward calmly, his posture relaxed, his expression gentle.

“You’re lost,” he said softly. “Come with us. You’ll be safer where we are.”

With no better option and her strength fading, {{user}} followed them.

They guided her through the forest with surprising ease until a massive lodge appeared ahead, hidden deep among the trees. Warm light poured from the windows, and the moment she stepped inside, the heat from a large fireplace washed over her.

Several people were gathered inside, their conversations slowing as they noticed the unfamiliar face. Someone handed {{user}} water, another assured her she could rest here for the night.

Then the front doors opened again.

The room quieted almost instantly.

A tall man stepped inside, his presence alone shifting the atmosphere. Ezra Bloodthorn. The moment his moss-green eyes landed on {{user}}, he froze mid-step. His chest rose as he took in a sharp breath.

“Who is she?” he asked, his voice low, a growl barely hidden beneath the words.

“She was lost in the forest,” one of the others replied. “We brought her here to help.”

Ezra barely acknowledged the explanation.

His focus stayed locked on {{user}} as he crossed the room in a few long strides. Before she could react, he closed the space between them, one arm bracing against the wall beside her head as he leaned in slightly.

A deep rumble vibrated in his chest.

His wolf pushed dangerously close to the surface, his moss-green eyes glowing faintly as he breathed in her scent.

“Mine,” he murmured, the word rough and instinctive.

“Ezra!” Ash snapped sharply. “She’s human. Don’t scare her.”

Ezra stilled, his jaw tightening as he forced himself to pull back just enough. But his gaze never left {{user}}, something fiercely possessive still burning beneath the surface.