The villagers were awakened by the sound of the bells tolling from the center of the clustered huts. Hwayoung was shaken awake by her mother, who was still in her nightdress. The village men were gathering by the gates and together they would go to investigate the fresh body found a little ways outside of the barrier.

       Women and their children hovered nervously by the hut doors as they waited to hear something, anything, about the most recent attacks. 

       Hwayoung held fast to her father's furs and begged him not to go, but in the end it made no difference. The man grabbed his bow and a quiver and made his way to the gates to meet the rest of the men.

       So did Hwayoung.

       Much to the men's surprise, the girl refused to budge in her resolution to accompany her father in the small party to retrieve and identify the body lying in the snow outside the gate. 

       After her incident, small groups of armed men had taken over her duty to fetch the water, and since then, despite everything, Hwayoung had gone a bit stir-crazy. The girl now paced frantically along the barrier around the village and irritated her mother to no end with her fidgeting around the hut.

       There was a small, sick little voice in the back of Hwayoung's mind that wanted to see more of the horror wreaked by the wolves. She knew it was wrong to even think it, but the girl's curiosity had been piqued.

       Why hadn't the wolf killed her that night? Why didn't he call out for the rest of his pack? Why did the wolf look so human?

       As she approached the men by the gates, Hwayoung locked eyes with Taemin, who was standing off the side of the group with a drawn expression. As his gaze met hers, his face showed confusion and then concern.

       Hwayoung's father walked to confer with the council member leading the group, and Taemin pulled Hwayoung off to the away from the others, his hands cold and clammy against her arm.

       "What are you doing?" He hissed at her, his eyes narrowed. "This is dangerous. What if something happens?"

       Hwayoung stepped away from his grip and leveled him with a cold look. "Why is this any of your concern? We ended things, Taemin."

       Taemin laughed in indignation and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I can't believe you just said that."

       Hwayoung tried her best to keep up her brave face and not show him how she really felt. She wanted more than anything to kiss him right then and there in front of the group, including her father. The girl met Taemin's eyes with a stony silence.

       "I know you're lying," Taemin leaned in once more and whispered into the shell of her ear, making goosebumps race down her spine despite the cold. "I know that you care, I know that you love me, and I know that we still have this," he gestured between them. "I'm not giving up, Hwayoung. I'm going to fight for us."

       Taemin his heel and marched away, leaving Hwayoung to stare after him with an open mouth. 

       "Hwayoung," her father ca