Chapter 1: The Howl Beneath the Moon
The wind howled through the pine forest, chilling the bones of any who dared walk beneath its shadow. But one soul moved silently through the trees, no longer bothered by cold or fear—because fear was now a part of him.
Eli Raines wasn't born a monster. He was made one.
Only a month ago, he was a normal twenty-two-year-old, working at the local library in Black Hollow—a sleepy town nestled in the mountains. His life had been ordinary, predictable… until the night he took a shortcut home through the woods and never made it back the same.
He remembered the attack in flashes: the sound of paws pounding the earth, golden eyes in the dark, the sharp pain of teeth tearing into his shoulder. Then, silence.
He woke up miles away, naked and confused, his body aching and the scent of blood in his nose. But there was something else—a low humming sound in his ears, and his skin tingled as if it no longer belonged to him.
The town had changed since then. Whispers of a creature lurking in the dark. Livestock turning up dead. A hiker missing. No one knew what it was, but the townspeople were already drawing their conclusions.
"Evil," said the priest.
"A demon," muttered the mayor.
But Eli knew the truth. It wasn't a demon. It was him.
Every full moon, the beast inside him took control. He tried locking himself away, but it wasn't always enough. He could feel the creature growing stronger, more resistant. He feared the day it would break free.
Despite what the town thought, Eli hadn't hurt anyone—yet. But he couldn't be sure that would always be the case. That's why he had to find a way to reverse the curse.
Yet, there was one thing that gave him hope: the gemstone.
Passed down from generation to generation in the Raines family, the blood-red gem, known as the "Lupus Heart," hung from a leather cord around his neck. It shimmered faintly whenever danger was near and pulsed when he was in wolf form. The gemstone had been in his family for centuries, and while its origins were shrouded in mystery, one thing was clear—it was guiding him.
Eli didn't understand how it worked, only that it did. It warned him, calmed the beast inside him, and in rare moments, allowed him to remain conscious during the transformation.
But he wasn't the only one who knew about the Lupus Heart.
There were others. Shadows lurking in the town, watching him. Men dressed like travelers, carrying blades laced with silver and eyes that didn't blink enough. They were searching. For him. For the gem.
He didn't know who they were or what they wanted, but he knew they were dangerous. A week ago, he had come home to find his cabin ransacked. Books torn apart. Clothes shredded. And written in ash on the wall:
"Give us the Heart. Or bleed beneath the moon."
That's why he was at the edge of Black Hollow Forest now, standing before the old, rotting cabin of the last person rumored to deal with "dark things": Maeve Holloway. A woman believed to be dead for over a decade.
The gem pulsed faintly beneath his shirt as if affirming he was in the right place.
He knocked once. Silence. Then twice.
The door creaked open, revealing nothing but darkness.
"Hello?" he called into the black.
No answer.
Eli stepped inside.
The door slammed shut behind him, echoing like a gunshot in the cabin.
He froze, heart pounding. The smell of old herbs, damp wood, and something burned filled his nostrils. He reached instinctively for the Lupus Heart. It glowed faintly beneath his palm.
A voice emerged from the shadows.
"You carry the curse of the wolf and the blessing of the stone. Most don't survive both."
From the gloom stepped a woman draped in layers of patchwork robes, her long gray hair falling around her shoulders like a veil of mist. Her eyes were cloudy, but Eli felt her gaze pierce through him.
"You're Maeve?" he asked.
"And you are the Raines boy," she said. "The last of your line. The stone chose you."
Eli tightened his grip on the gem. "What do you mean 'chose'? It was passed down to me. I didn't ask for any of this."
Maeve gave a low chuckle. "The stone doesn't care what you asked for. It responds to need. To destiny. And yours has only begun."
He stepped closer. "Can you help me? I want to turn back. I want this curse gone."
"A curse," she said slowly. "You think that's what this is?" She reached out and placed a finger over his heart. "You were marked by the moon, yes. But also gifted. You have strength, speed, hearing beyond mortal men. You can smell fear, sense lies, bend the night to your will. What you call a curse, others would kill for."
He backed away. "I didn't ask to be a monster."
"Then control the monster," she said, eyes flashing. "Or be devoured by it."
Her words stirred a memory in Eli. The last time he saw his grandfather.
---
It was a stormy afternoon, just days before the old man died. They had sat by the fireplace, the Lupus Heart gem resting on the mantle between them. His grandfather's eyes were sharp, and his voice carried the weight of centuries.
"Eli, this stone… it has power, yes. But it's also a compass. It knows the way, even when we don't. Our family has protected it for generations, kept it from those who would use it for evil. You must promise me—when the time comes, trust the gem. And trust yourself."
"But what if I'm not strong enough?" Eli had asked.
"Then you'll become strong. You have the blood of wolves in your veins, and the heart of a man in your chest. That's what makes you dangerous to them. That's what makes you important."
---
Maeve's cabin shook. Something moved outside.
Maeve's head tilted. "They followed you."
Eli spun toward the door. "The men in black coats. They want the gem. They think it can be used."
Maeve was already moving, drawing a curtain across the window. "It can. But only by one who is both wolf and man. That's you."
"What do they want it for?"
"Power. Control. The ability to summon the Wild Hunt and become like gods among mortals. With the Lupus Heart, they can command all werewolves—bend their will. But only if they remove it from a living bearer."
Eli swallowed hard. "So they have to kill me."
Maeve nodded. "They will try. Tonight."
As if summoned by her words, the windows shattered and silver bolts flew through the room. One embedded into the wall beside Eli's head. Another grazed Maeve's shoulder.
Eli roared, but it wasn't just a sound. It was a wolf's cry, deep and guttural. His hands burned, claws sprouting. His back arched, bones cracked. The change was upon him.
But this time, he didn't lose himself.
The gem glowed red-hot, anchoring his mind. He felt the surge of strength, the heightened awareness, the wild energy of the wolf coursing through him—but he was still Eli.
He leapt through the window into the cold night, landing in a crouch. Figures moved in the woods, six at least, masked and armed. They turned as one toward him.
"The Heart is awake!" one shouted.
"Take him alive if possible! If not, gut him!"
Eli bared his fangs. For the first time since the curse, he wasn't running.
He was ready to fight.
To be continued..