HEART OF THE NIGHT

Chapter 1

The night was dull and loaded with secrets. The forest below was illuminated in a menacing glow by the low moon in the sky. The dense layer of leaves and undergrowth muffled the sound of a single figure moving through the trees. It became clear as the figure got closer that it was a young woman with unruly hair and bright, alert eyes. She wore a torn and worn-out dress that stuck to her body, uncovering the bends of her hips and the swell of her bosoms. Alice was a werewolf. Her name was Alice. She had been brought into the world with the scourge of the wolf, her body changing every month under the illumination of the full moon. For quite a long time, she had battled to control her savage senses, battling against the inclination to go crazy and free through the woodland. In any case, this evening was unique. This evening, she felt an odd draw in her chest, an impression that was both exciting and startling. She had the impression that some part of her was telling her to let go, to embrace the wolf that was inside her, and to let it take control. Alice wavered, her heart hustling as she thought of her as a choice. That's what she knew whether she yielded to her wolf, she would lose herself totally, turning out to be just a savage creature driven by impulse and bloodlust. And yet, she wanted to feel attracted to the opportunity and power that accompanied giving up. With a full breath, Alice shut her eyes and let herself go. Her body writhed, her bones breaking and moving as she changed into her wolf structure. Her fur was thick and dark, her eyes blasting with an inward fire as she cried at the moon. For a long time, she went through the woodland, her faculties increased and her body bursting at the seams with the excitement of the chase. She pursued bunnies and deer, her teeth sharp and her paws attacking tissue. She felt alive in a manner she had never encountered, her body moving with a beauty and power that was both frightening and elating. Alice began to feel a growing sense of exhaustion as the night progressed. Her appendages developed weighty and her faculties dulled, the excitement of the chase giving way to a feeling of exhaustion and void. Gradually, she advanced back to her human structure, falling onto the ground as her bones adjusted and bent back properly. Her body was covered in sweat and blood as she lay there briefly, gasping for air and panting. Yet, even as she lay there, depleted and spent, Alice felt a feeling of rapture flowing through her veins. It had been the most thrilling and powerful moment of her life when she had caved into her wolf. As she lay there, lolling in the radiance of her change, Alice really wanted to think about what else the world had come up for her. What different experiences lay ahead, holding on to be discovered? Little did she know, her life was going to veer off in a sensational and strange direction, driving her down a way that would challenge all that she assumed she had some awareness of herself and her general surroundings.

Days passed, and Alice couldn't shake the sensation of fretfulness that had grabbed hold of her since her last change. She ended up meandering through the woodland, her faculties fully on guard, looking for something that she couldn't exactly express. One evening, as she was meandering through an especially thick part of the woodland, Alice got a whiff of something new. It was a fragrance she had never experienced, something that sent a shudder down her spine and set her nerves tense. Alice intrigued, moved quickly through the trees in an effort to spot the creature that had left the scent behind. As she moved nearer, she understood that the fragrance was coming from a clearing up ahead. Carefully, Alice moved toward the edge of the clearing, looking through the underbrush to get a superior look. What's more, that was the point at which she saw him: a man, tall and wide carried, with dim hair and penetrating blue eyes. Alice felt her heart skirt a thump at seeing him, a bizarre combination of dread and fascination flowing through her veins. She had never seen a human in the woodland previously, and seeing him was both thrilling and unnerving. Briefly, the man appeared to know nothing about her presence, his consideration zeroed in on something in the clearing. However at that point, he turned, his eyes locking onto Alice's, and she felt a shock of power shoot through her body. They remained there briefly, estimating each other up, everyone uncertain of what to do straight away. And afterward, all of a sudden, the man transformed and disappeared into the trees, letting Alice remain there, her heart dashing and her brain hustling with questions. Who was he? What was he doing in the backwoods? Also, why had he taken a gander at her with such intensity? For the remainder of the day, Alice couldn't quit thinking about the outsider. She meandered through the timberland, her considerations consumed with questions and conceivable outcomes. Furthermore, as the sun set, she understood that she needed to find him once more, regardless of what it took. With a full breath, Alice set off through the trees, her faculties on guard as she looked for any indication of the outsider. She moved rapidly, her body tense and geared up for whatever might happen, her heart beating in her chest. And afterward, similarly, as the moon was ascending into the great beyond, Alice got a brief look at development up ahead. She pushed ahead carefully, her heart dashing as she moved nearer to the figure in the murkiness. And afterward, as she ventured into the clearing, she saw him once more: the more bizarre, his eyes splendid and his body tense as he gazed at her in dismay. Briefly, they basically remained there, gazing at one another, both uncertain of what to say or do. And afterward, all of a sudden, the man started to talk. "I've been watching you," he said, his voice low and consistent. " I've been watching you for quite a long time, considering what sort of animal could travel through the backwoods with such effortlessness and power. Furthermore, presently I see that you're a werewolf, very much like me.