Chapter 1 - Elena
Dark shadows twisted and slithered on all sides. Thick fog rendered vision nearly impossible. There was no sound but the wind howling all around, giving way to a hush so dense it felt like a living entity. Every tiny crack or snap was amplified, echoing like thunder in the night.
A piercing, deafening howl shattered the silence. The shadows loomed closer, dark figures prowling through the murky gloom. Golden eyes glowed at the edge of the fog, drawing closer and multiplying. They were everywhere, watching, waiting, circling their prey, teeth bared, poised to strike.
A vicious snarl emanated from the darkness. Without warning, the world became a haze of fur, fangs, and sharp, gleaming claws. Howls filled the air as the enormous beasts descended on their target. Blood. Crimson drops stained the ground below. The scent, metallic and bitter, permeated every crevice of the forest.
A wounded cry. Agonized and full of terror. Dull thuds and cruel snaps. A shuddering, ragged breath. And then, a terrifying moment of nothingness, where time froze, and the universe held its breath. The golden eyes locked onto her. There was nowhere to run.
***
Elena bolted upright. Her heart pounded fiercely against her chest, and her pulse roared in her ears. All she could do for a moment was stare blankly ahead, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to calm down. The sheets were tangled around her legs, damp with perspiration and clinging to her body.
Another dream. They had been more frequent lately, although none had been quite so intense. She brought a shaky hand to her forehead, brushing a wet lock of brown hair out of her face. With a heavy sigh, she slumped forward, resting her arms against her knees. Breathe. Just breathe.
She inhaled and exhaled several times, centering herself in the present. This was her bedroom. On top of her was her favorite quilt, a soft, plush, lavender blanket. The digital clock on her nightstand indicated that it was just past seven in the morning. Sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, casting a warm, yellow glow around the room. Outside, a bird chirped cheerfully, announcing that spring had finally arrived. Okay. It was just a bad dream.
The last remnants of panic faded away, and her mind cleared, making her more alert and awake. With another sigh, she dragged herself out of bed and tore the sweaty sheets off the bed to throw them in the laundry basket. As she padded across the wooden floor, a quick glance in the mirror showed that her long, thick, auburn hair was a tangled mess, while her large, moss-green eyes looked unusually bloodshot. Despite going to bed early the night before, she felt and looked like she’d hardly gotten any sleep.
After tossing the sheets in the basket, she hopped in the shower to get ready for the day. The water trickling down her skin soothed her nerves, washing away the tension in her muscles. By the time she got out, she was in a much better mood. She exited the bathroom in a puff of steam, toweling her red hair dry. She slipped into a white shirt and ripped skinny jeans, pulled her hair into a tight ponytail, and put on light makeup to conceal the bags beneath her eyes.
Downstairs, she found a note from her older brother, Tolliver, telling her that an incident had come up at work and he'd probably be gone by the time she woke up. Elena tried to ignore the surge of anxiety that arose at the sight of his messy scrawl. She was still shaken from her nightmare, and she always hated it when she woke up to find him already gone. Her brother’s work was highly secretive and often dangerous, and unexpected incidents always set her on edge. After they had lost their parents in a hunting accident years ago, he was the only family she had left.
Still, worrying wouldn't accomplish anything, and she had her own responsibilities to deal with. After eating a quick breakfast, she grabbed her keys and khaki bomber jacket and headed out the front door of their old two-story farmhouse. As the screen door banged shut behind her, she closed her eyes for a moment and tilted her face towards the sunlight, basking in the warmth. A mild breeze danced playfully through her hair, and the scent of freshly bloomed wildflowers wafted through the air. It was a beautiful morning—the first sunny one after nearly a week of rain. The quick twenty-minute walk to the clinic was exactly what she needed to clear her head.
It wasn't long before the quaint, rustic buildings of Main Street came into view. Most of the time, Bellefleur was a peaceful, quiet place, several hours' drive from the nearest metropolis. The town rarely received visitors from outsiders except for occasional tourists during peak season. As she passed through the town center, old friends opening their shops for the day smiled and waved hello. Everyone knew each other here. It was a small, tightly-knit community of close-knit families and friends. Sometimes, the town seemed almost frozen in time—things rarely changed, and nothing exciting ever happened there.
With time to spare before the start of her shift, Elena swung by the coffee shop to grab some caffeine to get through the day. The cheery jingle of a bell rang out as the door opened. Warm air scented with roasted coffee beans enveloped her, mixed with a lingering sweetness from baked goods.
Behind the counter, Mrs. Oswald's familiar round, warm, wrinkled face peered up through half-moon glasses as the little old lady looked up from polishing the display case.
“Elena!” she exclaimed in her slightly croaky, high-pitched voice. “How nice to see you. I didn't expect you this morning. What can I get you, honey?”
Her silver curls bounced as she bustled around from behind the counter, wiping her hands on her apron. The café was mostly empty, with only two old regulars sitting at separate tables, each with their noses buried in newspapers. Neither so much as lifted their head at her arrival.
Elena returned her smile with an easy grin. She liked Mrs. Oswald a lot, as did everyone in town. After their parents passed, the woman had been one of the people to look after her and Tolliver. Every day, the kind old woman had come by the house to make sure they had freshly baked bread, soup, and enough love and company to keep them going. She was everyone's doting, sweet grandma, and she also made the best treats.
“Good morning, Mrs. Oswald,” said Elena, glancing at the menu board. “Just a medium latte, please.”
“Right you are, sweetheart,” replied the cafe owner, tapping a finger to her chin as she punched in the order. “I'll just be a minute, all right?”
The old lady disappeared behind the espresso machine to prepare her drink while Elena waited by the counter. As Mrs. Oswald worked, a prickling sensation crawled up the back of Elena's neck like an icy chill. It spread down her spine and sent goosebumps popping out all over her body, a strange mixture of anxiety and excitement flooding her veins. As if by instinct, she looked up through the glass window, searching for the reason for the feeling.
At first, everything looked the same as always—townspeople milling about, birds perched on rooftops, a cat sitting by the fountain at the center of the town square. Her gaze searched the familiar scene. It didn't take long before it was drawn to the tall elm tree next to the bookstore. Someone stood underneath the branches. No, not just someone. A very specific, breathtakingly handsome, infuriatingly arrogant individual that she would know anywhere. Despite herself, Elena's stomach flipped like an Olympic gymnast, somersaults and all.
Instant recognition slammed into her. No, Elena told herself, that was the past. Once upon a time, she might have been a silly little girl with a crush on her older brother's best friend, but Ryder had never looked twice at her. Since their elementary school days, he had always taken the opportunity to pick on her—mocking her height, teasing her hair, and generally being his usual infuriating, obnoxious self.
However, as she took in the sight of his shoulder-length blond hair, strong, angular jaw, and sharp cheekbones, as chiseled and attractive now as she remembered it, her heart raced. Even from a distance, those mesmerizing hazel eyes glinted, catching her attention. With every movement as Ryder strode toward the coffee shop, toned muscles rippled under his fitted black t-shirt. How could anyone be immune to those broad shoulders, piercing eyes, and devilish smirk? Not only that, but he was coming her way, looking unbothered and carefree. Her brain protested, but her heart skipped a beat nonetheless. That foolish old crush just wouldn't seem to die.
It had been almost a year since she had seen him. He did that sometimes, disappearing for weeks or months with no explanation. Her brother never told her where he went or what he was doing. There were vague allusions to an important mission at the behest of Zachery, the shifter alpha, but that was the extent of his answers. Elena suspected Ryder was involved in something shady. Or that he was being secretive and arrogant for the sake of it. That would certainly fit his general demeanor.
Ryder's face was buried in his phone as he pushed open the door. A deep scowl furrowed his brows as he tapped the screen, typing rapidly on the touch keyboard. He didn't even bother to look up, Elena thought with annoyance as the jingle of the bell sounded overhead. Of course not. All those years she had spent pining after him, and he didn't even give her a second glance. She swallowed. A part of her wanted to hide behind the counter, while another part longed to get up in his stupid, arrogant face and demand he pay attention to her.
Instead, she did neither, remaining frozen exactly where she was while he strode to the other end of the counter. Elena felt like an idiot, but she couldn't stop staring. Her heartbeat increased involuntarily, and her cheeks heated up. Ugh. It was embarrassing. Even after all these years, his striking hazel eyes, bold features, and taut, well-sculpted abs could not fail to have a physical effect on her. It was wildly unfair that she still got butterflies when she saw him, but he couldn't be bothered to so much as say hello to her.
Ryder had always veered between two extremes in his attitude toward her. Either he was insulting her or completely oblivious to her existence. Today, it seemed, he'd landed firmly on the latter. He only glanced up as Mrs. Oswald cheerfully returned with Elena's latte.
“Good morning, Mrs. Oswald,” he said politely, his voice velvety and smooth.
“Oh, hi, honey. Welcome back,” the old lady said brightly to Ryder, setting the coffee down on the counter. “You've been away for an awfully long time. It's great to see you. I hope you'll be sticking around for a bit now. Oh, Elena, honey, here's your coffee, by the way. On the house.”
That made the handsome man finally tear his attention away from his phone long enough for him to notice Elena. His piercing hazel eyes widened briefly in surprise, taking in her slender figure leaning casually against the counter. He raised an eyebrow.
“Hey, Elena,” he said, inclining his head, “I almost didn't recognize you.”
His tone was carefully neutral, but his gaze lingered for a fraction of a second longer than normal as he studied her appearance. The way he said her name, with a certain weight and drawl, sent a shiver running down her spine. Frustratingly, her heartbeat quickened.
Really? He didn't recognize her? They'd only known each other since elementary school. Not that his opinion of her should matter, anyway. Stifling a scowl, she picked up her latte.
“Hi to you too,” she said flatly. “Where've you been?”
He shrugged nonchalantly, a crooked smirk twisting his lips.
“Here and there,” came his infuriatingly vague response before he seemingly lost interest and returned his attention to Mrs. Oswald. “Could I have a coffee? Black, regular.”
Mrs. Oswald nodded and turned to fill an order cup with the requested beverage. The automated process only took a few seconds to heat and filter the beans, and while he waited, he returned his attention to his phone—again—as though she simply ceased to exist in his presence. Wonderful.
“Well,” Elena said haughtily, “I'm off to work. Good seeing you, Ryder. Thank you so much for the coffee, Mrs. Oswald.”
With that, she spun on her heel and strode toward the door. Her heart was still doing that infuriating thing where it felt like it would leap right out of her throat. This was ridiculous. She gave him a wide berth as she passed him, acutely conscious of his proximity and the masculine scent of sandalwood cologne. Not to mention the weight of his gaze boring into her back as she walked out.
The bell chimed loudly as she yanked the door open and stepped outside. Once again, she had to take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of unwanted emotions rising inside her. That man did not deserve so much space in her head. The last thing she wanted was to care about him and his stupid opinions about her. The last time he skipped town, she firmly decided she was getting over him. She had promised her best friend, Hayley, that Ryder would not affect her in the slightest this time. He was an obnoxious, insufferable jerk. Period.
Actually, if she could put a curse on him, that would be wonderful. Unfortunately, despite all her efforts to learn, she had never been particularly good with magic, which would most likely backfire horrifically. Once again, she had to settle for running away like a nervous little girl.
Once she rounded the corner and was safely out of sight, she paused, leaned against the red brick wall, and breathed heavily. Her skin felt clammy and too hot under her jacket. She took a sip of her coffee, then stood there staring at the sky helplessly for a moment while she focused on steadying herself. Inhale. Exhale. There were more important things in the world to worry about than Ryder Pierce and what he thought of her. She had patients counting on her at the clinic. She needed to pull herself together and concentrate on that.
Slowly, her heart rate began to steady. She readjusted her bag and took another sip of her delicious, foamy latte, then nodded to herself. With long strides, she continued confidently walking the park path toward the town clinic. With every step, her thoughts cleared a bit more, and she let birdsong and the smell of fresh-cut grass fill her mind and center her.
Okay. Everything was fine. She hadn't expected to see him, and that was why she was having such a strong reaction. That was all. After this, she was well and truly done thinking about him, and she was especially done with the inconvenient flutters in her chest. She had a job to do, and by the time she got home tonight, there would not be a single part of her that still cared about what he thought.
Probably.