The sun was just beginning to set, painting the horizon in hues of orange and pink. Aira sat on the wooden bench by the small creek behind her house, her fingers absently tracing the smooth surface of an old, polished stone she had found years ago. The forest loomed behind her, silent yet watchful, as though it was holding secrets it wouldn’t dare reveal to anyone else. She felt its presence, always there, like an old friend—or maybe a shadow she could never escape.
Footsteps crunched against the dried leaves, steady and deliberate. She didn’t have to look up to know who it was. Raka had a certain way of walking—confident but not too loud, like someone who was always careful not to disturb the peace. 
“Hey.” His voice broke the quiet, soft but carrying the weight of unspoken questions.
Aira glanced over her shoulder, forcing a small smile. “Hey. What brings you here so late?”
Raka shrugged, shoving his hands into the pockets of his faded jeans. He stopped a few steps away, looking uncertain for a moment before deciding to sit down next to her. The bench creaked under his weight. 
“I just… wanted to check on you,” he said, his tone casual but his eyes betraying something deeper. “People have been talking.”
Aira’s smile faltered, but she quickly replaced it with a neutral expression. “People always talk. What’s new?”
Raka hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground as he kicked at a stray pebble. “You know what I mean, Aira. It’s not just any gossip this time.”
She didn’t respond immediately, instead focusing on the stone in her hand. She turned it over and over, the cool surface grounding her as her mind raced. Of course, she knew. She had heard the whispers too—felt the stares, the questions hanging in the air whenever she walked into a room. But hearing it from Raka, someone she had known since childhood, made it feel more real. More threatening.
“What are they saying?” she asked finally, her voice calm but edged with steel.
Raka sighed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “They’re saying… they’ve seen you. At night. Near the forest. That you—” He stopped, struggling to find the right words. “That you’re not… yourself.”
Aira laughed, though it sounded forced even to her own ears. “Not myself? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know what it means.” Raka’s voice was quiet, but there was an urgency to his words. “They think you’re… changing. Turning into something else.”
Aira’s grip tightened on the stone, her knuckles turning white. “And you believe them?” she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.
Raka straightened, meeting her gaze. “I don’t know what to believe. That’s why I’m here. I want to hear it from you.”
She looked away, her heart pounding in her chest. She had always known this day would come—that someone would get too close, ask too many questions. But why did it have to be Raka? Of all people, he was the last one she wanted to push away. 
“There’s nothing to tell,” she said finally, her voice steady. “It’s just gossip, Raka. You know how people around here are. They see a shadow, and suddenly it’s a monster.”
Raka studied her, his brow furrowed. “Is that really all it is?”
“Yes.” She turned to face him, meeting his gaze head-on. “You’ve known me your whole life, Raka. Do I look like someone who—who turns into a monster?”
He didn’t answer immediately, and the silence between them felt heavy, almost suffocating. Finally, he shook his head. “No. You don’t. But something’s different about you, Aira. I can feel it.”
Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to stay calm. “You’re imagining things. I’m still the same person I’ve always been.”
Raka didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press the issue. Instead, he leaned back, staring up at the darkening sky. “You know, when we were kids, I always thought you were… special. Like you had this spark that no one else did. Maybe that’s why I’m having a hard time believing this whole… werewolf thing. It doesn’t make sense.”
Aira’s breath caught at the word—werewolf. Hearing it out loud, spoken by someone she cared about, felt like a punch to the gut. She had spent so long hiding this part of herself, pretending it didn’t exist. And now, it was threatening to unravel everything.
“You’re right,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Raka turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. “Then why do they keep talking about it? Why do they say they’ve seen you in the forest at night?”
“I don’t know,” Aira lied, her voice trembling slightly. “Maybe they’re just bored. Or maybe they’re trying to scare me.”
Raka frowned, clearly unsatisfied with her answer. But to her relief, he didn’t push further. Instead, he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch warm and steady. 
“Whatever it is, Aira, you know you can tell me, right? I’m not like them. I won’t judge you.”
Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she quickly blinked them away. “Thanks, Raka. That means a lot.”
For a moment, they sat in silence, the sound of the creek filling the space between them. Aira wanted to believe that everything could go back to the way it was—that Raka’s questions would fade, and the rumors would die down. But deep down, she knew better. This was just the beginning.
---
Later that night, Aira sat alone in her room, staring out the window at the moonlit forest. Raka’s words echoed in her mind, each one chipping away at the walls she had built around herself. She wanted to tell him the truth, to let him in on the secret that had haunted her for so long. But how could she? How could she expect him to understand?
A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Before she could respond, the door creaked open, and Mrs. Santi stepped inside.
“Aira, dear, is everything alright?” her adoptive mother asked, her kind eyes filled with concern.
Aira forced a smile. “I’m fine, Mother. Just tired.”
Mrs. Santi walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, her hands folded neatly in her lap. “Raka stopped by earlier. He seemed… worried about you.”
Aira’s stomach twisted. “He’s just being nosy. You know how he is.”
Mrs. Santi chuckled softly. “Yes, he does have a way of sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. But he means well.”
“I know,” Aira said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mrs. Santi reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind Aira’s ear. “You’ve been through so much, child. More than anyone your age should have to bear. But you’re strong. Stronger than you know.”
Aira felt a lump form in her throat, but she swallowed it down. “Thanks, Mother.”
Mrs. Santi smiled and stood, smoothing out her skirt. “Get some rest, dear. Tomorrow is a new day.”
As the door closed behind her, Aira let out a shaky breath. She appreciated Mrs. Santi’s words, but they did little to ease the weight on her shoulders. If anything, they only made it heavier. 
---
The forest was alive that night, the air thick with the scent of pine and earth. Aira stood at the edge of the trees, her heart pounding as she stared into the darkness. She didn’t know why she had come here—maybe to escape, or maybe to find answers. Either way, she couldn’t ignore the pull she felt, like the forest was calling to her.
“Aira.”
The voice was deep, almost a growl, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She turned to see Fenrir emerging from the shadows, his glowing eyes piercing through the night.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind.
“I had to come,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I needed to think.”
Fenrir stepped closer, his presence both intimidating and comforting. “And what did you hope to find?”
“I don’t know.” She looked down at her hands, clenching them into fists. “Raka… he knows something’s wrong. He asked me about the rumors.”
Fenrir’s expression darkened. “And what did you tell him?”
“I denied everything,” she said quickly. “But I don’t think he believed me.”
Fenrir sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “You can’t let your emotions cloud your judgment, Aira. The more you let them in, the more dangerous it becomes.”
“I know,” she whispered. “But it’s so hard. I don’t want to lose him, Fenrir.”
His gaze softened, and for a moment, he almost looked human. “Sometimes, to protect the ones we care about, we have to let them go.”
Aira’s chest ached at his words, but she knew he was right. Still, the thought of pushing Raka away felt unbearable.
“Come,” Fenrir said, gesturing for her to follow. “There’s something you need to see.”