Hunted by the Beast

how hard she tried to focus on her work. The bookstore was quiet, the usual hum of conversation replaced by the soft shuffle of pages bei

tting through the night air, still feel the weight of the stranger's gaze. And the more she thought about it, the more

t absurd, yet it wouldn't leave her. What if the things in those old

way. She couldn't afford to let her mind spiral out of

tall, with broad shoulders, wearing a worn leather jacket and a pair of boots that had seen better days. He was a regular at the books

Emma greeted, offe

it didn't quite reach his eyes

head. "Of cou

ou heard anything strange last night? Maybe-" He paused, clearly uncomfortabl

st a random check-in. The way he was act

trying to sound casual. "Not

lks around town mentioned hearing something. A howl, maybe. Some people are f

one-except Lily, and she had dismissed it. Was it possible that others h

tightness in her chest. "That's... odd. Are people

s just an animal. Maybe a wolf. But we've had a couple of reports from peo

es? But wolves weren't supposed to be in these parts. And the howl-the

n something... more?" Emma aske

ciding whether or not to say more. Finally, he sighed, shaking his head. "Don't go looking fo

What did he know that he was

going on?"

nger before he straightened u

walked out the door, leaving Emma s

ryptic. Too... deliberate. He hadn't answered her questi

undercurrent of tension. There were whispers in the air, carried on the wind. Whispers that ma

ere to

eed organizing, trying to focus on something-anything-that could distract her. But t

he small town, Emma knew it was time to confront wha

oor, determined to get some answers. The old diner on Main Street wasn't far, and she knew Lily would be waiting for her.

air had a bite to it, colder than it had been that morning. She pushed open the diner door, the familiar jingle of the bell barely

stirred her coffee absentmindedly. When she saw Emma, she g

d, sliding into the b

n't know. I've been thinking about what yo

"The sheriff? He said

of people I talked to-people I trust-said the same thing. They heard it too. And

e shape. She had a sinking feeling that they weren't just de

s?" Emma asked, trying

thing in the woods. Something that's been here long before any of us. It's not just a st

quicken. "What are

ckles were white. "I'm talking about the stories the elders tell. About the beas

erienced-the howl, the man's warning, the sheriff's cryptic message-she couldn't deny