Chapter 2 Shadows in the moonlight

Elora burst out of the forest onto the empty road, her lungs burning as she gasped for air. The silence of the woods was replaced by the sound of her pounding footsteps and the faint rustle of leaves in the night breeze. She slowed, looking over her shoulder, half-expecting the beast-or Joel-to emerge from the shadows. But nothing moved.

The reality of what she'd just witnessed began to sink in, and her legs gave out beneath her. She sat on the asphalt, trembling, her mind racing with questions she couldn't begin to answer. Joel had fought that... thing like it was nothing new to him, like he'd done it before. And his warning, his urgency-it was as if he'd known what was out there.

Her heart clenched. What had happened to him?

"Joel," she whispered, the sound barely audible.

The thought of leaving him behind gnawed at her. She shook her head, forcing herself to stand. She couldn't just sit here while he-

"Elora."

She spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. Joel was there, stepping out of the shadows. His leather jacket was torn, and blood stained his shirt, but he was alive. Relief washed over her, and she ran to him.

"You're okay!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm. "What happened? Are you hurt? What was that thing?"

Joel winced but didn't pull away. "I'm fine," he said, though his voice was strained. "We need to get out of here."

Elora frowned. "Joel, stop brushing me off. You can't just-"

"Not here," he interrupted, his tone sharp. He glanced around, his blue eyes scanning the darkness. "I'll explain, but we need to move. Now."

Elora wanted to argue, but the urgency in his voice silenced her. She followed as he led her down the road, his strides quick despite his injuries.

They walked in tense silence until they reached a small clearing off the road where Joel finally stopped. He leaned against a tree, his hand pressed to his side. Elora noticed for the first time that his fingers were smeared with blood.

"You're not fine," she said, her voice trembling. "You're hurt."

Joel sighed, sliding down to sit against the tree. "It's not as bad as it looks," he said, though his pale face told a different story.

Elora knelt beside him, her worry growing. "Let me see."

He hesitated, then reluctantly pulled his hand away. The gash on his side was deep, the blood still fresh. Elora's stomach turned, but she forced herself to focus.

"We need to get you to a hospital," she said firmly.

"No hospitals," Joel said quickly, his voice hard. "They'll ask questions I can't answer."

"Joel, you're bleeding out! You need stitches, at least."

"I'll handle it," he said, his gaze meeting hers. "I've dealt with worse."

Elora stared at him, incredulous. "What do you mean 'worse'? Joel, what's going on? What was that thing in the woods? And how did you-" She stopped herself, realizing she didn't even know how to phrase it. "How did you fight it like that?"

Joel closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the tree. "You're not ready to hear the truth."

"Try me," Elora said, her voice firm despite the fear creeping into her chest.

Joel opened his eyes, and for the first time, she saw something she couldn't quite place-a mix of hesitation and vulnerability.

"You saw it, didn't you?" he said softly. "The wolf."

Elora nodded slowly.

"It wasn't just a wolf," he continued. "It's something... more. And I've been dealing with them for a long time."

"Dealing with them? How? Why?"

Joel's lips pressed into a thin line. "Because I don't have a choice. Someone has to protect people from the things they don't even know exist."

Elora's heart raced. "Are you saying there's more of them? And what about you? How do you know how to fight them?"

Joel hesitated, his jaw tightening. "Because I'm one of them," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

The words hung in the air, heavy and impossible to process.

Elora blinked, shaking her head. "What do you mean? You're not making any sense."

Joel gave a bitter laugh. "I wouldn't believe it either if I were you."

Before Elora could respond, a low howl echoed in the distance, chilling her to the bone. Joel tensed, his eyes narrowing as he pushed himself to his feet.

"We're not safe here," he said, his voice urgent. "Come on."

Elora stood, her legs shaky. She didn't understand what was happening, but one thing was clear-her life would never be the same.