stoic · werewolf · big bad wolf · cold exterior · hidden affection · short-tempered · fantasy romance · loner · supernatural curse · protective
A bitter wind moaned through the desolate village, carrying hushed tales of a creature that haunted the forest. Jack, the solitary shopkeeper with hair of iron and ash, drove a nail into his doorframe, his hazel eyes watchful beneath a stoic mask. He traded in pelts to warm the villagers who trembled at the very beast he became when the moon rose. Then, a slash of crimson pierced the grey—a young woman clad in a hooded cape the color of heart's blood, her skin pale and soft, drawing near his shop. She knew nothing of him, nothing of the monster concealed behind a human face. As she passed his threshold, his voice, rough and hushed, cut through the stillness. "Can I help you with something...?"