A cold, relentless rain fell upon Beacon Hills, turning the earth to mud and the air to a frigid mist. The preserve wasn't far from Jacob's mansion. After walking for fifteen minutes under the heavy rain, he noticed a black van parked not far from the path leading into the forest.
Suspicious, his eyes glowed golden. With his enhanced vision, he saw two people inside the vehicle, a man and a woman who were locked in a passionate embrace, kissing with an intensity that seemed to block out the storm around them. They were oblivious to him. Jacob shook his head and continued walking toward the woods, soon disappearing into the darkness.
Inside the SUV, the moment Jacob disappeared, the couple stopped kissing. The woman, Alex, shoved the man away from her, her face twisting in disgust. "Your breath stinks, you bastard."
The man, Jack, smirked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "That was fun. I should thank that freak before we kill him."
Alex glared. "If you ever tell a living soul that we kissed, I'll cut your dick off and feed it to the dogs. Understood?"
Before Jack could retort, Alex tapped the communication device nestled in her ear. "Boss, the target has left his house and is heading into the preserve alone."
A voice sounded in her ear. "Release the dog. It will track him. Then fall back to camp immediately."
Jack got out of the van and opened the back door. A dog-like skeletal creature leaped out and shot into the tree line, following the path Jacob had taken. The man closed the door and got back inside the van. He tapped his own earpiece, a note of concern in his voice. "But Boss, what if the kid sees the thing and runs?"
"Don't worry about that." the voice replied. "The wizard said as long as those dogs aren't fed, the eyes of shapeshifters can't see them in the dark while they're hiding. You've seen what they look like—it's just bones with no heat signature."
A shiver ran down Alex's spine. "Yeah, those things are creepy. I've never seen anything like them before, and their owner is scary. Are you sure we can trust the wizard, Boss?"
"Don't worry about the wizard." the boss's voice crackled. "He paid us to help him hunt the kid, and we'll do our job. I've heard on the forum that Charles is trustworthy, but he doesn't like people questioning him or sticking their nose in his business. So let's finish tonight's hunt, get the rest of our money, and leave. Now, get back to camp."
"Copy that, Boss. We're on our way."
They drove for ten minutes before reaching a makeshift camp hidden in a secluded clearing in the woods. There, the air was thick with the smell of wet canvas, and gun oil. A group of hunters was in the final stages of preparation, their movements efficient and practiced under the dim glow of electric lanterns strung between trees.
There were eighteen of them, men and women, all clad in dark, tactical gear. The scene was a symphony of controlled chaos: the sharp sound of Velcro straps being fastened, the sound of ammunition magazines being slapped into place, and the low murmur of final checks.
As Alex and Jack stepped out of the van, a bald, broad-shouldered man with a thick, dark beard strode toward them. "Alex, Jack, get ready. We're moving out now."
The two hurried to gear up. Once they were ready, the bald man, their leader, gave a sharp nod. He turned and walked toward a large, dark-green tent set apart from the others, stopping a respectful distance from the entrance to call out. "Sir, Charles. We're ready."
From the tent emerged an old man with a long beard, shoulder-length hair, and glowing eyes. He nodded to the bald man. "Then follow me." Charles said, his voice a dry rasp.
Without another word, the old man started walking in one direction. From behind the tent, two creepy-looking black dogs with skeletal features fell into step behind him. The bald man and his nineteen hunters followed close behind, their forms swallowed by the dark, rainy woods.
---
The Beacon Hills Preserve was a different place in the rain. The usual chorus of crickets and night birds was silenced, replaced by the relentless drumming of water on leaves and the squelch of mud underfoot.
Jacob walked aimlessly through the woods, the memory of his parents leaving a dull ache in his chest. He had come here to clear his head, but a persistent feeling that something was off nagged at him. Every time he looked around, he saw nothing. He sniffed the air, but the heavy rain washed away any scent.
Shrugging it off, he continued until he arrived at a rocky hill. He found a shallow cave, just deep enough to shield him from the downpour. Stomping his foot, he used his earth element, the ground rippled, and a section of bedrock smoothly rose, sculpting itself into a low, flat bench. He sat with a sigh, then held out a hand. A gentle, warming flame flickered to life across his palm, dancing over his clothes, drying them. Then he pulled some lobster rolls from his pocket dimension, hoping comfort food would soothe his mood.
A few moments later, a sound distinct from the rain made him look up. From behind a nearby tree, a coyote emerged.
Jacob smiled as he watched Malia approach. She came to his side and gave a nod before her gaze fixed on the lobster roll in his hand.
He chuckled softly. "Do you want it?"
In her coyote form, Malia couldn't speak, but the eager nod of her head was answer enough.
"Alright, but first, let's get you dry." Jacob placed a hand gently on her damp head. "Don't be scared. I'm just going to use my fire to dry your fur."
A wave of warm, controlled flame enveloped her body. She flinched instinctively, a low whine in her throat, but as the heat soothed her chilled body without burning a single hair, she relaxed, leaning into the sensation. Soon, her fur was fluffed and warm.
"Come on, sit with me." Jacob said, gesturing to the rock.
She leaped nimbly onto the stone bench. Jacob placed the lobster roll before her, and watched her with a soft smile as she ate, his hand gently stroking the fur along her back. When she finished, he asked. "Do you want more?"
Malia shook her head.
"You didn't like it?"
She shook her head again, confirming she didn't, then nudged his hand with her nose.
"Ah, I see. You're just picky." He teased. "Well, I have something you'll definitely love."
He pulled a two pound piece of Sea King meat from his pocket dimension. He held it in his palm, and a sphere of intense heat cocooned it, roasting it to a perfect medium-rare in moments. The air filled with a rich, savory aroma that made Malia's mouth water.
She tilted her head, curious about where the meat came from, but having seen his powers before, she quickly refocused on the meat, swallowing in anticipation.
Jacob sprinkled it with salt from his pocket dimension and offered it to her. Malia tasted it and was instantly delighted. She even let out a low growl when Jacob tried to pet her while she ate.
Jacob chuckled. "Relax, I won't steal your food."
She finished the meat quickly. "Do you want more?" Jacob asked. Malia shook her head, feeling completely full. She lay down beside Jacob and, after a moment's hesitation, rested her head on his thigh, looking up at his face.
His smile was sad as he stroked her head. "I don't know how you did it... living alone in the woods for years."
Malia just looked at him.
"I don't know what would have happened if I were in your place." He continued. "I'd probably lose my mind. I can't imagine being alone for even a week."
Malia looked away from his face, her gaze turning distant as she stared out at the curtain of rain.
"Like I told you this morning, you can come live with me, Lydia, and Allison." Jacob said.
Malia looked back at him, and he smirked. "The two of them are my mates."
Malia tilted her head in question.
"It means they are my wives." He clarified. His tone was light, teasing. "And who knows? Maybe you'll become my wife, too."
Malia snorted and turned her gaze back to the rain.
Jacob smiled. "Maybe if you live with us, in a place you feel safe, you can shift back. And you don't have to worry about hurting us. We're all strong. Stronger than you."
She held his gaze for a long, searching moment before looking away and closing her eyes, as if digesting his words along with the delicious meat she just ate.
Jacob kept petting her head, saying nothing more. He understood that the fear of her own power—the belief that she was a monster who had killed her family—was the true cage keeping her in this form.
They sat in comfortable silence for a time, until the strange feeling from earlier returned, colder and more menacing than before. Jacob's eyes glowed golden as he scanned the tree line.
'When Malia showed up, I thought she was what I was sensing.' He thought. 'But now there's definitely something else.'
Suddenly, he saw them: two dim red points of light, like dying embers, watching him from deep within a thorny bush. They were hidden, but he could see them clearly now.
At the same instant, Malia's fur bristled. She sprang from the rock, a low, warning growl tearing from her throat. After a frantic scan of the surroundings, she bit Jacob's pants and tried to drag him away from the threat.
Jacob placed a calming hand on her head. "Relax. I'll deal with it. But I don't know what it is. It has no heat signature, and I can't sense any energy from it like I can with other creatures. It's like it's not even there... and it feels creepy."
He stood up. "Stay here. Just watch, and don't make a sound."
Malia, trembling, obeyed and jumped back onto the rock.
Jacob walked toward the creature. He raised a hand, pointing a finger, and a small rock shot toward it like a bullet.
The creature didn't dodge. Instead, it opened a jaw that seemed to unhinge, and the rock vanished into its dark maw without a sound, causing no visible damage. Then, it stepped out from its concealment, staring at Jacob with a ravenous hunger.
Jacob looked at it in surprise. It was a dog, but it looked like a mummified skeleton draped in dry, black skin. Its eyes glowed with a dim red light, like dying embers.
Jacob raised an eyebrow, his voice a mix of revulsion and fascination. "What kind of cursed creature are you?"
To be continued... 😊