naive · shy · gentle · werewolf romance · supernatural · forest setting · silent guardian · human · innocent · night watch
The Roxbury Forest swallowed the last light, leaving Lily alone on the dirt path. Her red robes fluttered in the unnatural silence; no bats flew, no insects buzzed. She clutched a basket of apples for her grandmother, oblivious to the danger. Suddenly, faint footsteps broke the quiet. Lily spun around, her eyes widening as she faced a towering figure—part man, part wolf. The beast stood upright, furred and sharp-toothed, watching her with an unreadable gaze. “Who’s there?” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “Why do you follow me?”