It was the fifth night she had sneaked out to see him but she couldn't help it. There was always a voice telling her to find him and unless she did, she couldn't go to sleep. Of course, she didn't dare to sneak out every night; Mother would find out. She sneaked out once or twice a week but every time she did, she couldn't help but notice that he looked different.

“You haven't been eating well have you?” she frowned, as she his face. The necklace with the rabbit foot still hung around his neck. “You look smaller every time I see you.”

He the palm of her hand before heading into the woods as they normally would. She walked closely beside him, her small hand resting on his back for guidance. His warm fur always made her feel more safe. After a while of walking, she noticed that they were no longer going to the clearing they had always visited.

“Where are we going?” she asked quietly, knowing that there was no way he could answer her so she just followed along. What she saw when they stepped out of the woods was a large cave opening and not far from it was a small waterfall. She stared agape at the cave and waterfall until a voice tore away her attention, “Nicole.”

She looked back and saw nothing but the wolf who was looking right at her. She laughed sheepishly, “Sorry, I thought I heard someone call my name.”

You didn't hear wrong. I called your name.

Nicole's eyes widened in shock at the voice which was speaking inside her head. Oh god, I'm going crazy. I'm finally going crazy.

You're not going crazy. It's me-

“Hoya!” Nicole whirled around to see six figures emerge from the shadows of the cave. The man standing in the centre of the group spoke again. “The hell are you doing?”

“Oh, you brought dinner?” the man with blonde hair grinned at Nicole, causing her to take a step back. To her surprise she hit something hard, looking up to see that she had bumped into another man. Where was the wolf?

“Shut up, Dongwoo,” the man stepped in front of her, holding an arm out in front of her protectively. Nicole looked around frantically and saw that the wolf had disappeared.

“Who is she?” asked the man with a sculptured face. “She's not welcomed here.”

“You better get her out of here quickly before Dongwon-sunbae comes back,” the tallest of the group said.

Nicole felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment and anger. Not welcomed here? She never asked to come here. The wolf had brought her here and now it just abandoned her. She took a step back from the man who stood in front of her and asked, “W-who are you all?”

There was silence before the blonde broke out into a laugh, “Are you kidding me? Hoya, she doesn't even know who you are?”

Hoya? The name felt more familiar the more she heard it.

“Nicole, it's me,” the man named Hoya, turned around to face her. She cocked her head to the side, confused. He knows her?

“You gave me this,” he said, his hand reaching up touch the rabbit foot hanging around his neck. He's the wolf.

“Y-you can't be. H-how? No. You can't be, this must be some sort of joke,” she said, laughing nervously as she took several steps back.

“It's not. I'm the one who brought you the rabbit. I'm the one who watched the stars with you,” he said, taking a step forward.

Nicole shook her head slowly, unable to process what he's trying to tell her. “No. ..That was the wolf."

“I am the wolf. And so are you. That's why I was able to communicate with you through your thoughts and teach you how to find me.” he explained, “You aren't safe in the village. Stay with us.”

“Do you think I'm stupid? How am I supposed to believe that you're a wolf? And now you're telling me I'm one too? I don't know about you, but I think being in the village is a lot safer than being with a bunch of men I don't know, ” she snapped, “I'm leaving.”

Nicole quickly her heels and disappeared into the woods. Hoya took a step to chase after her when one of his comrades spoke up. “There's no point; she's never going to believe you.”

Hoya threw a glare at his friend Woohyun as the rest turned and headed back into the cave. Without thinking twice, he changed into a wolf and leapt into the woods after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nicole was tripping over logs and rocks as she angrily stomped her way through the woods. It wasn't until a crow nearby cawed loudly to remind her she was alone in the woods, that she slowed down. It was pitch black and she had no idea where she was. Maybe staying with them would've been safer after all.

She didn't know what the man named Hoya was saying, but none of it made sense to her. There was a rustle in the trees behind her, causing her to quickly pick up whatever was on the floor for defence. She waited, clenching onto the small branch as if it were her life.

Out stepped the creature which had abandoned her a while ago. Nicole felt relief for a second before remembering what Hoya had said to her earlier. Her eyes narrowed at the wolf suspiciously, still holding the branch in front of her defensively. “If you're Hoya, let out a howl.”

The wolf did not howl and simply walked around her, swishing his tail. Nicole dropped the branch and smiled, following the beast happily. I knew he was lying.

“Don't ever leave me alone. As soon as you left, I was stuck with a bunch of weirdos. One of them said they were you. Hah, as if I'd believe that.” As soon as those words left , the wolf stopped. Her hands flew to to prevent herself from screaming as he transformed. His fur inverted until there was nothing but a small trace of hair on human flesh. His entire body shrunk into a human crouched on the floor on all fours.

Hoya stood up straight, brushing himself off as he turned to her. There was a flash of his hazel eyes before they returned chocolate brown. “Do you believe me now?”

Nicole did not remove her hands from , glancing around the woods anxiously. She had to find a way to get away.

“Please, Nicole,” he sighed, “Give me a chance.”

She knew she didn't have a choice. She nodded slowly.

“I'm the little boy you found in the woods when we were still children. We would always play in the woods when you went to your grandma's. And then one day, I disappeared. You gave me this the night before I left,” he said, holding the hem of his grey knitted sweater, “Don't you remember me?”

She nodded; she knew he wasn't lying because those same memories flashed across her mind. That was the sweater she had given him on the night he disappeared. It was a lot bigger than him before but now, it fitted him nicely, hugging his structured body. They were the only memories she remembered from her childhood because they were her happiest. “Why'd you leave like that?” she asked, remembering the disappointment and loneliness she felt when he had gone.

“I had to. I'm a werewolf. Your village would've discovered us if we stayed too long. You're one of us too, but only a half breed. Your father is a werewolf but your mother is not. When you turn 18, you're going to transform, but unlike us, you won't be able to control it yet.”

“But stories say that you guys can only transform during a fully moon. It's not a full moon tonight,” she said, timidly.

He smiled, “We can transform whenever we want, but we get our power from the moon.”

“That's why on some days, you look smaller than usual?” she asked, glancing up at the moon and back at Hoya.

He nodded. “Nicole, please come with us. You can't wait till the village finds out what you really are. Your father was the one who asked me to do this.”

“My father? You know who Father is?” Nicole asked, alarmed.

“Dongwon-sunbae.”

Nicole felt relieved to know her father was still alive, but frowned. “I can't go with you. Who's going to look after Mother?”

“Bu-”

“Give me some time. Please.”

He looked at her with saddened eyes but nodded. “I understand. I'll walk you back.”

The two walked through the woods, Nicole following behind him but still leaving some space between. When they reached the path, Hoya stopped. This was where they parted. Usually, she would give him a peck on the top of his head but that was when she didn't know he was actually human.

The two stood awkwardly facing each other unsure of what to say. Nicole let out a squeak when he hugged her gently. “Good night.”

She blushed, “Good night.”

She pulled away and hurried off home. Even when she got into the house and into her bed, her heart was pounding loudly in her chest. It felt so different hugging a person rather than a wolf. He was much taller and broader than her. Her body still tingled from his warmth. It really was Hoya. Their childhood memories came flooding back. The happiness she felt was enough to make her chest burst.

She couldn't believe that he was alive and that he's a werewolf. Everything seemed to piece together now. Even when they were just children he knew his way around the woods much better than her and she remembered his stealth hunting skills. If he hadn't been lying to her, then her father was also alive. The only thing Nicole wish he had been lying about though was the fact that she might also be one of them.