Whispers of the Moon

The moon hung low over the sprawling pines of Silverpine, its light painting the forest in shades of silver and shadow. Selena Hart sat on the windowsill of her tiny cabin on the edge of town, staring out at the dark woods. Her heart had been uneasy for weeks, plagued by dreams she couldn't explain. The kind of dreams that left her breathless and questioning reality.

In them, she wasn't just running-she was being hunted. Golden eyes glowed in the dark, a shadowy wolf trailing her every move. Yet, she never felt afraid. Instead, a strange comfort filled her, as if she knew the predator wouldn't harm her. Tonight, though, the feeling was different. Urgent. As if the dream had crossed the boundary of sleep and entered her waking life.

The air outside was crisp and carried the scent of pine and earth. Selena wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders and stepped out. The gravel path leading into the woods glimmered faintly under the moonlight, beckoning her forward.

She didn't tell anyone about her midnight walks. Not Lily, her best friend who would scold her for venturing alone, or Mrs Calloway, her nosy neighbour who loved gossiping about Selena's solitary habits. Tonight, though, the pull was stronger than her caution. She had to know what was calling her.

The forest was alive with sounds-the rustle of leaves, the chirp of crickets, the occasional hoot of an owl. But as she ventured deeper, the noises faded, replaced by an eerie silence. Selena paused, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. That's when she saw him.

A man stood in the clearing, his back to her, tall and broad-shouldered with a presence that seemed to command the air around him. The moonlight caught in his dark hair, and his stance was tense as if he were listening for something. Selena's foot snapped a twig, and the sound echoed like a gunshot in the quiet.

He turned.

Selena's breath hitched. His face was angular, his features sharp and striking, but his eyes held her captive-a piercing amber that seemed to glow faintly in the dark. He looked at her as if he'd known her forever, but there was something dangerous in his gaze, something that made her want to run and stay at the same time.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice deep and edged with warning.

"Neither should you," Selena shot back, though her voice wavered slightly. She tried to sound confident, but the truth was, she wasn't sure why she was there at all.

The man's lips twitched, almost forming a smile, but the tension in his posture didn't ease. "Go home. The woods aren't safe at night."