THE BLACKWOOD DECEPTION

I stood in the middle of my grandmother's antique shop, dusting off the glass case filled with relics from an ancient time. The room smelled vaguely of cedar and lavender, the scent my grandmother had used for years to hide the fusty aroma that was stuck to the old trinkets.

I glanced at the clock above the counter- 5:50 p.m., and the sun had already started to descend behind the trees with a slow descent. Even though there were no clouds in the sky, the air felt heavier today, like it was starting a storm.

I exhaled, dropping the cloth back on the counter. It had been one of those quiet days in Ashwood, where nothing happened, and nothing ever seemed to change. I was very comfortable with that. I liked my peace and quiet.

After losing my parents when I was younger, I found comfort in being alone. My grandmother, Maria, raised me but lately her presence seemed distant, as if there's an unspoken rift between us.

I shook my head as the bell above the door jingled. I looked up, expecting the usual local passersby, but instead, I saw a stranger entering the shop. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, and his dark hair caught the evening light. His sharp, almost unsettling gray eyes swept the room before landing on me. There was something about him, like an aura of authority lingered around him, which made me straighten my back immediately.

"Hello, can I help you?" I asked with a firm but curious voice.

He smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I was just passing by. I thought I'd take a look around."

I nodded, watching him closely as he walked around the shop.

He proceeded with purpose, inspecting objects without touching them, as if he had already figured out what he was seeking. Though I couldn't say why, his presence made me anxious. Although he seemed harmless, there was something about him- an energy that I couldn't quite identify.

"You're new in town?" I asked after some minutes.

He looked at me, wondering why I asked. " Yeah... yes I am. I just arrived today."

"Where from?"

He paused for a moment before answering, as if he was selecting his words oddly. "Just a few towns over. I've heard a lot about Ashwood. Thought I'd see what all the fuss was about."

I made a face. "Fuss? There's basically nothing here at all unless of course you're interested in werewolf stories and ghost tales as well."

He laughed, and it was deep enough that I felt a shudder run down my body. "Perhaps that is what I am exactly interested in."

My internal monologue was interrupted by his response. Most of the people going to Ashwood had at least some idle curiosity in its history, but none of them ever sounded as... informed as he did.

I folded my arms and settled on the counter. "Do you really buy into those fables?"

He shrugged. "Legends usually have some truth to them, right?"

Just as I was about to respond,  the bell above the door jingled once more. This time my throat dried up. Another man walked in, nearly displacing the air in the way. This man was different- tall but a little more slender than the first man, and a mass of dark hair that brushed just above his eyes. His eyes met mine, and for a second, it felt like the world tilted off-hand.

He was good looking, very much so, but there was more to it. His eyes-dark and powerful-carried an extra edge. Something risky.

"Pardon me," he said, smooth and rich. "Am I interrupting?"

I took a deep breath, pulling myself together. "No, not at all. Just... looking around?"

He gave a slight smile, but there was something guarded in his expression. "You could say it that way."

The two men shared a glance that left me perplexed. The air between them crackled with tension, as though they were having wordless dialogue that I couldn't understand. I wasn't sure if they were friends or rivals, but the unsureness made me uneasy.

"Alright..." I said, trying to ease the atmosphere, "are you both here for the werewolf legends, or does one of you have a more particular agenda?"

The first man, with the unsettling gray eyes, stared at me with a blank look. "Let's just say we have a common interest."

My heart raced. This whole situation just felt wrong. I could feel it deep inside of me. Something was going on in Ashwood, something much bigger than my grandmother's antique shop or the legends people talk about.

Before I could ask further questions, the second man moved forward.

"I'm Asher fell," he introduced himself, extending his hand. His handshake was strong and warm. "And you must be Bonnie."

My eyebrows raised in shock. "How do you know my name?"

His smile dimmed a bit, but he kept going. "It's a small town. Word gets around."