Aiden's breath came in ragged bursts as he hurried down the path, his sneakers slapping against the wet earth. The night seemed to press in on him, the trees towering above like silent sentinels, their gnarled branches scratching at the dark sky. The moon, a pale, ghostly orb, hung low, barely filtering through the thick canopy of leaves. The forest was alive with whispers, the wind carrying the faintest rustle of leaves and distant animal calls. But there was something more to it, something... wrong.

  He glanced over his shoulder for what felt like the hundredth time, a cold shiver running down his spine. The sensation of being followed had been gnawing at him since he left the study group. At first, he chalked it up to his imagination—late-night fatigue playing tricks on him. But now, with every step he took, the feeling intensified. A heavy presence, just out of view, as though something—or someone—was stalking him from the shadows.

  The path twisted ahead, the trees growing denser, their trunks thick and gnarled. Aiden's pace quickened involuntarily, his heart thudding in his chest. His breath came faster, sharper, his mind racing. He shouldn’t have taken the shortcut. The forest always felt like another world, far removed from the safety of streetlights and homes. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as the night seemed to grow colder.

  A snap of a twig.

  Aiden froze, his heart pounding in his throat. His hand shot to his side, brushing for his phone, but it wasn’t there. He cursed under his breath. His thoughts scrambled, his instincts screaming at him to run, to get out of there, but his legs felt like they were made of lead.

  Another rustle. Closer this time.

  His breath caught in his throat. He risked a quick glance over his shoulder, his pulse skipping a beat when he saw nothing but shadows. The forest was still. The air hung thick with an unnatural quiet.

  But then, he saw it. A flicker of movement just at the edge of his vision—a dark shape, too large to be a deer or any other animal native to these woods. It was there, and then it wasn’t. The silence shattered like glass, and Aiden felt the hairs on his arms rise as a growl—low, guttural, and full of malice—rippled through the air.

  Aiden spun around, his breath catching. From the depths of the forest, something emerged, and for a split second, it didn’t look real. It was massive, towering over him, its body twisted and skeletal, as though it had been distorted by some dark magic. Its skin was an unnatural shade of gray, stretched thin over its bones. The eyes, glowing a sickly yellow, pierced through the dark like twin lanterns. Its mouth—gaping and twisted—was filled with jagged teeth, yellow and stained.

  Aiden’s heart lurched in his chest, a wave of icy terror flooding his veins. His legs trembled, but he couldn’t move. His breath was shallow, quick, his body paralyzed with fear.

  The creature’s gaze fixed on him, and in that moment, Aiden realized—this wasn’t just some animal. This was something ancient, something wrong, something that didn’t belong in this world.

  He opened his mouth to scream, but the sound caught in his throat, choking him. The thing crept closer, its movements unnervingly silent, the air around it thick with an oppressive energy.

  Before Aiden could make another move, the creature lunged. Its clawed hand swiped through the air, raking across his chest in one swift motion. Pain exploded in Aiden’s ribs, and he stumbled back, gasping as blood soaked through his jacket.

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  "Help!" he managed to choke out, his voice trembling with fear.

  Just as the creature raised its massive claw to strike again, a blur of movement shot toward them from the shadows.

  A low, terrifying growl shook the night air.

  Nyx.

  His best friend emerged, his body shifted, not quite human, but not fully beast either. Nyx’s form was a horrifying blend of man and wolf—his muscles rippling under his torn clothes, his face twisted in a snarl. His eyes gleamed a feral gold, and his teeth were elongated into razor-sharp fangs, glinting in the dim light. His hands, too, had transformed—clawed, powerful, and ready to strike.

  The creature hissed in fury, but Nyx didn’t hesitate. He charged at the monster, his claws slashing through the air, catching the creature across its chest. The creature roared in pain, stumbling back, but it was relentless. It swiped back at Nyx with brutal force, the claws of its hand cutting into Nyx’s side. Nyx howled, staggering back, his breath ragged, but he didn’t fall.

  Aiden, still on the ground, his chest burning with the pain of the creature’s attack, couldn’t tear his eyes away. His mind raced, trying to understand what he was seeing. Was this really Nyx? Was this some... creature? What the hell was going on?

  The fight raged in front of him, but Nyx was clearly struggling. His strikes were wild, fueled by desperation, but they lacked the precision and control of a seasoned fighter. The creature’s movements were swift, almost too fast to track, its claws carving through the air like knives.

  Nyx’s body slammed into a nearby tree as the creature batted him aside with unnatural strength. He groaned, trying to push himself up, but the creature was already on him, its clawed hands around Nyx’s throat, lifting him off the ground. Nyx gasped, his mouth opening and closing, struggling for air, his feet kicking wildly.

  Just as the creature reared back, ready to finish what it started, a crash sounded from the opposite direction. Two figures appeared from the dark, moving with a speed that made Aiden’s head spin.

  Xander and Alden.

  The Alpha twins.

  Xander—tall, strong, with the weight of years of training in his movements—took the first step forward, a roar escaping his throat as he launched himself at the creature. His fist connected with its jaw, sending a jolt through the air. Alden, leaner but equally fierce, was right behind him. He aimed a kick at the creature’s ribs, sending it staggering back, but it wasn’t enough. The creature recovered too quickly, swiping its claws at Alden’s midsection.

  Blood sprayed into the air as Alden collapsed to the ground, clutching at the deep gash that ran across his abdomen. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his eyes burned with determination as he pushed himself back to his feet, ready to fight.

  The creature roared in fury, its focus shifting between the twins and Nyx. It was too fast, too strong for the three of them to handle.

  Xander’s fists collided with the creature’s chest with a sickening thud, but the monster barely flinched. It knocked Xander aside, sending him sprawling across the forest floor. Nyx, now on his knees, his face twisted in pain, lunged again, his claws catching the creature in the side. But the monster turned on him with a swipe of its claws, cutting deep into his flesh. Nyx’s body slammed against a tree, his breath ragged, struggling to stay conscious.

  Aiden’s head spun, his vision clouding with pain and confusion. He didn’t know what was happening. Nyx, his best friend, had turned into... this. And this creature—what was it? Why was it here?

  The battle raged on, the three boys barely able to land a blow before they were thrown back again. But as the creature prepared to deliver the final strike to Nyx, holding him high by the throat, something shifted. The creature paused. Its glowing eyes narrowed as it turned its head toward something—someone—Aiden couldn’t see.

  The air grew still.

  And then, without warning, the creature dropped Nyx to the ground and bolted into the trees, disappearing into the shadows like a phantom. Silence followed, thick and suffocating.

  Aiden stared at the place where the creature had been, his mind racing. What had just happened? Why had it stopped? Where had it gone? And why... why had Nyx been like that?

  Nyx gasped, his body trembling as he crawled toward Aiden. His eyes, still glowing faintly, locked with Aiden’s.

  “I... I’ll explain,” Nyx gasped, his voice hoarse. “Just... we need to leave. Now.”

  Aiden couldn’t form words. His body was shaking, too much to process, too many questions, too much fear. He could only nod, his heart still pounding, his mind still lost in the confusion of it all.