I am like many girls. It’s the beginning of summer and I have nothing to do! All my friends were either traveling or hanging out with other friends. Like always I was stuck at home with nothing to do because of my overprotective parents. Just then I heard a knock on my door.

My mom said, “Hey, did you hear the news? There have been a lot of bad things occurring in our city. Just last night I heard that there was a weird creature rooming the streets! Remember to keep the dogs inside! Also there have been a lot of robberies; one of the victims was tied to her bed. She was almost rapped, but luckily the neighbors heard her screams and rescued her on time. Oh, and by the way, we’re all heading out to the mountains tomorrow so remember to pack some warm clothes!”

I looked at her in confusion, “Wait, we’re leaving tomorrow? What about the dogs? If what you said was true, I’m not leaving them here by themselves!” My mom laughed and said, “Of course not! We’re leaving them with our family friend like always. She’ll take care of our dogs and the rest of our pets at her house. It’s much safer. I already told her to watch the house while we’re gone. We’ll be staying there for the rest of your summer. Your father has a business trip there to discuss some pharmaceutical stuff.”

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(The Next Day)

We finally arrived at the mountains. It was gorgeous, because for some reason it always snowed on these mountains. We were to share the house with an old woman. I wasn’t sure who she was, but my parents seemed to know who she was.

Since I was feeling lonely because my sister didn’t come, I decided to take a walk. The sky was getting dark, but it was so beautiful outside that I just had to go and explore! This was the first time I have been to the snow since I was young!

It was a wonderful site indeed. The snow made me feel like I was in a winter wonderland. Just then the snow started to fall. I stuck my tongue out, hoping to catch a snowflake in my mouth. Just then the wind started to pick up. At a distance I heard some howls! Could wolves live in these mountains?

I started to retrace my steps back home, but the snow had covered my steps. The howls were getting louder and louder! Did they know I was here? How many were there?

I started to hurry, but soon I heard footsteps following me. The road ahead was becoming foggier and foggier due to the high winds and snowfall. I heard more howling, but this time they sounded much closer. I also heard panting and when I turned around I saw to my horror a pack of wolves following me!

They were covered in saliva, they seemed hungry! I tried my hardest to get out of the way, but my foot hit something hard. I found myself tumbling down a slope. I reached the bottom as quickly as possible. However, when I reached the bottom I saw a dozen pair of eyes staring at me. The saliva was dripping from their sharp teeth. All of a sudden, they pounced at me. I tried to fight back. I kicked one of the wolves, but it did no good. As soon as I lifted my foot another wolf sunk his sharp teeth into. I started to scream. Another wolf had grabbed my other foot and soon my whole body was being torn in every direction. The pain was unbearable and I was losing consciousness fast, but then I heard a louder howl. I saw a bigger wolf approaching. I felt the teeth of the other wolves loosen. But my head started to pound and the sky was turning dark. The last thing I saw was the red snow and a pair of blue eyes looking at me …

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(Present)

There was a throbbing pain throughout my body. I could feel a warm sheet underneath me. There was also something heavy that wrapped me. I opened my eyes, but the brightness caused me to close them again. I slowly opened my eyes. Where was I what happened?

Just then I jolted up! Is this heaven? Where was I? But as soon as I got up then pain returned and I started to tumble. Just then a pair of hands grabbed me. They were warm and soft. I looked up and saw a pair of familiar eyes. It was the old women who owned the house we were staying at. She helped be back on to bed and said, “You shouldn’t wander off into the forest like that. Strange things happen there, especially around the week of the full moon. We have rituals that keep the wolves away. Thankfully you did not meet any of them! A ranger from the village had found you on the bottom of a hill and-” I cut her off. Wolves?! Wasn’t I attacked by them? I turned to her, “What happened to the wolves? The ones that tore me apart? And the other one that stared at me?! How did I get hear? Did the ranger chase them away?” The old woman looked amused, “What are you saying Honey? Wolves?! Haha, if you were attacked by wolves you wouldn’t be here talking to me right now. You were probably dreaming, the ranger said that you must have fallen. That’s why you are so sore! He said there was a pool of blood where you were, you must have stumbled upon where some wolves were feasting. He said that you were lucky that no wolves came back!”

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(The Next Day)

There was a celebration being held today. The old woman, whose name is Yoon Soo, had told me that the rangers have always prepared a ceremony to scare away wolves. She said that it was a beautiful event and I should not miss it. I decided to head out and make new friends because my parents went on their business trip and I was left alone.

“So I see your back to your senses eh?” I turned to see a handsome man staring at me. He was wearing an odd uniform. Who was he? I replied, “Um… Yeah… Who are you by the way?” He started to chuckle, “I go by the name of Joon. But you may call me Joonie Oppa.” He winked as he said Oppa, I felt butterflies in my stomach. “Um… I think I’ll just call you Joon if you don’t mind” He looked a little irritated but he nodded back in approval.

“So you’re new here right? So I’m assuming no one has told you about our village right?” I nodded back at him. He took me by my hand and led me in the direction of where the ceremony was being held. He  made me sit down at a table near a bonfire. He looked at me and said, “I don’t know if you would believe this or not, but there’s this supernatural legend of this village. You see that bonfire there?” I nodded and he continued, “Well legend has it that this village is home to two powerful species. One of them are us, the humans, and the other one are the wolves. This village was first found by a traveler by the name of Chenney. Chenney was traveling with a group of exiles. They wanted to create a new home for themselves. Chenney’s wife and children also came with him.  As the settlers were building camp, one of Chenney’s children wandered off into the woods. A short time later Chenney and the other settlers heard a  piercing scream coming from the heart of the woods. Chenney realized that the scream was from his child. He and the other settlers hurried to see what had happened. To their horror they saw a trail of blood leading up to a wolf slouched over feeding on a motionless body. Chenney was furious, but he could do nothing. He grabbed a knife from one of the men and threw it at the wolf. The wolf was cut in the eye and managed to escape. From that day on Chenney pursued the wolf. One day he finally found the wolf. With the help of five other men Chenney was able to corner the. Chenney ran towards it with a knife, but to his surprise the wolf used its hands to hold the knife away from it. But, eventually the men had wounded the wolf too. When Chenney grabbed the wolf by its neck and pulled him up, something surprising happened! There was an unusual glow around the animals. It was a blinding light. When the men looked back they saw that Chenney was holding the neck of not a wolf, but a man. A man that looked more handsome than the rest. So you see, the rangers and I are decedents of Chenney and the settlers. On the week of the full moon we set off into the heart of the woods to find the wolves. They are usually easier to find in the week of the full moon.”

I started to laugh, I mean what was this? Twilight? Hahaha! Joon looked at me angrily, but he was quiet when the ceremony began. It was a beautiful ceremony, but my heart felt uneasy when they showed a play of the rangers cornering and killing a wolf. I mean Chenney got his revenge, but why do other wolves have to suffer? That wasn’t fair!

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(The Next Couple Of Days)

Joon and I got very close the next couple of days. He was handsome and a gentlemen. He made me romantic dinners and we had our first kiss under the full moon! It was sweet, but too quick! He said that he was going to surprise me today so I dressed up in a cute dress. The old lady gave bid me farewell as I headed off to Joon’s house.

I arrived quicker than I thought I would. Joon greeted me with a smile. He told me to sit on the couch because he had a surprise for me! I couldn’t wait, I wonder what he was going to get me! but just then he kissed me! This time it was longer and more intimate.

However, he made me feel uncomfortable. As he was kissing me I felt his hands travel up and down my body. I broke off the kiss and he pushed me down on the couch. I tried to break free from his grip, but he was too strong. Just then I remembered that he was a man and kicked him!

He groaned in pain and said, “You’re ruining the surprise! I need you now, I know you won’t regret sleeping with me!” I got out of the couch, but he managed to push me against the wall. There was a teapot nearby and I grabbed it and hit his head. I ran to the door, but as I looked back I saw that Joon was following me! The sun had already set and I found that I was heading towards the woods, but Joon was following me and I had no choice.

I ran straight towards the woods and I still heard Joon’s footsteps and voice behind me! I quickened my pace. Soon the woods were silent. The only thing I heard was my own panting. Just then I heard a howl in the distance! Was it… It can’t be! It has to be the wolves!

I didn’t know what to do, but wolves can’t climb trees right? I looked for a tree that was easy to find and soon I found one and I climbed it.

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(The Next Morning)

I awoke to an uncomfortable pain on my side. Sleeping on a branch the whole night was not a comfortable thing! It was freezing too! I got off the tree and decided to find my way back. The ground was muddy and shoes and dress was ruined. I also had a bad headache from not eating dinner or breakfast. I’m the kind of girl that gets weak and faints if I get too hungry so I was worried that I might pass out before I found my way back.

Just then I heard something whelping in the distance. I decided to follow the sound because whoever it was, he or she was hurt. The sound got closer and closer. I finally saw an animal hunched over, there was a knife on its back. I hurried towards it. I froze. It was a big black wolf! When the wolf saw that I had arrived it tried to get up, but fell back down. The creature’s eyes looked very pitiful! I didn’t care what Joon said about wolves, because when I saw this wolf’s eyes I could tell it was in a lot of pain. My dress was fairly long so I grabbed a nearby rock and cut most of the skirt part until the dress was a little above my knees. I was also wearing a string belt. I knew that I had to pull the knife out and tie the wound, I mean I guess I had to do that because they did that in movies. I turned back to the wolf, “I’m not going to hurt you ok? I’ll help get that knife out and I’ll cover your wound, please don’t eat me.”

The wolf seemed to understand so I quickly pulled the knife out and closed my eyes. I was expecting the wolf to pounce at me, but to my surprise it just stared back at me. But just then I felt a sharp pain on my left shoulder and I saw there was a claw mark there. I was shocked, but when I looked back at the wolf it was just staring at me. I said, “I’m only trying to help, can’t you understand me? I need to wrap your wound because you lost a lot of blood. If I don’t you may die! Please let me help you.” The wolf just stared at me, but then it knelt down. I went up to it and continued to wrap its wound. The wound on my shoulder started to hurt more, but I had no way to wrap it. I decided to cut my dress even more, now it looked like I was wearing a mini skirt! I started to wrap my shoulder, but it was hard. When I was finished wrapping my wound, I decided to pet it, it seemed friendly enough. Just then I heard voices! It sounded like Joon and some other men! I heard Joon say, “Yeah I shot it last night. I was following that dumb girl yesterday and I saw a wolf. I decided to follow it and I was able to stab it. It should be close by!”

My heart started to pound! They were going to hurt the wolf that I just saved! I looked back at the wolf, “We need to get you out of here! Hurry!” The wolf was larger than average, but I was able to help it walk. It quickened its pace and soon we saw a little opening under a tree. I told the wolf to get in there and I was going to follow after it. I heard Joon’s voice again and a grabbed a bunch of sticks and old leaves and started placing them around the tree and then I went into the opening and covered it with leaves, stones, and branches so that we won’t be seen.

The weather was getting colder now and the voices grew closer and closer, I could feel the wolf move behind me. Was it going to eat me? But to my surprise it just cuddled closer to me to make me feel warmer. Its fur was so soft and warm that I eventually fell asleep.

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(The Next Morning)

I awoke to the sound of a river nearby. I was sleeping on something very comfortable and warm. I started to stand up, but since I haven’t ate in a while I tumbled down. Soon I found out that I was sleeping on a fur rug? I guess that’s what it’s called. I looked around, I seemed to be in a cave. I wanted to get up again, but I felt a sharp pain on my shoulder. I looked to see that it was bandaged with white silk. Wait what happened? Wasn’t I hiding under the roots of a tree with a wolf? Wait… could it be… am I dead?

Just then I heard some footsteps. I turned to see a man entering, he looked very handsome. He was tall and had light brown hair. He was wearing a black leather jacket and under that he had a normal whit tee-shirt on. He was also wearing skinny jeans. He saw that I was awake and he came closer to me, “So you’re finally awake? You’re actually much heavier than I thought you would be and much weaker. The way you acted the first time I saw you I thought you would have woken up the minute I lifted you up. You look hungry, here’s something I caught.” He threw me a dead rabbit, there was blood running out of it, I quickly threw it to the side and was about to throw up. When I turned back the man was face to face with me, “What’s wrong human? I thought you liked meat. Maybe humans eat differently than us?”

I was shocked, “What do you mean eat! Who in their right mind would eat a raw dead rabbit! I’m the kind of person that likes cooked food, and I’m almost a vegetarian so I don’t eat rabbit meat! And why do you keep calling me human? Aren’t you human?” I tried to get up again, but there was a pounding in my head from the lack of food. The man started to laugh, “You don’t get it yet do you? I thought that you would have wondered how I found you or what happened to the wolf?”

I got angry at the man, I mean the nerve of him to make fun of me! I replied, “How did you know I was with a wolf? You… You’re not a ranger right? You didn’t kill it right? Oh please, don’t hurt it, it was injured but it didn’t harm anyone… what’s your name? The old woman I’m living with right now is an elder and if she knew that you recklessly killed a wolf she will punish you!” The man started to laugh harder this time, “Hahaha, why are you so amusing? Are all humans like that? If I knew that earlier I would have talked to more often, but then again I can’t. whenever a human sees me they want to kill me. And why does a human like you trust a wolf? Didn’t you hear stories of how we feasted on your poor souls? And what makes you have so much guts? My name is Kai, but I’m no ranger. I’m actually much scarier than that. I’m a wolf, and what makes you think I didn’t mean you no harm? I was very hungry when I saw you first. The way the other normal wolves were feasting on you I knew you would be delicious! Why did I save you that time? Well… I wanted to heal you… was it because I was hungry? Maybe, because if I healed you, you would be full piece of meat again. I hate eating others scraps!”

My heart started to pound… A wolf?!?! A real wolf? Just then Kai started to walk closer to me. I threw the sheets away from me and tried to get up, but something caught my leg. It was Kai, just then I noticed that my dress was super short and I saw that Kai was eying my foot like it was a fried chicken leg! Was he going to eat me! I saw his eyes glisten and his grip tighten…

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《To be continued. ..》