CHAPTER 1

***

— Anne, do you want to hear a story?

When the world was young, and the herds were still in their most primitive state, a lone wolf devoted himself to singing to the Goddess Moon with passion. The wolf, whose fur shone under the silver light of the moon, sang with a passion and devotion that resonated in the deepest corners of the night. His howls were an ode to the beauty and mystery of the night, an expression of love and admiration for the Goddess who illuminated the nighttime sky.

Night after night, the solitary wolf raised his voice to the starry sky, and his singing became more moving with each passing full moon. The Goddess Moon, who watched over the world from high in the firmament, was deeply moved by the devotion of this wolf. She wondered why this wolf, a solitary creature of the night, bestowed such praise and admiration upon her.

One day, the Goddess Moon decided to descend to the earth to meet the lone wolf. She descended in the form of a beautiful woman, with silver hair that shone like the moon itself. She approached the wolf, whose eyes reflected the same silver light as hers. The wolf, upon seeing this mysterious woman, was even more captivated by her beauty and nobility.

On that unique night, the Goddess Moon spoke to the lone wolf: "Your devotion and song have deeply moved me. Never before has any creature on earth shown such adoration towards me. As a token of my gratitude, I grant you a special gift."

The Goddess Moon extended her hands toward the wolf, and at that moment, the wolf felt a strange transformation. His body stretched and changed, taking on a different form. He turned into a man with hair as black as the night and amber eyes that shone like the full moon. The wolf had become a human being, but deep inside, that wild being still dwelled, continuing to express his profound love for the night and the Goddess.

And when the first words attempted to escape his lips, the gentle touch of the Goddess on his lips prevented it. Deep down, his own desire was that, just as before, only she could understand the wolf's deepest desires, with no one else able to hear them.

— So, the wolf never spoke? — asks the four-year-old, while she settles into her bed, staring intently at her mother.

— He did speak, he learned to speak like humans, but he kept his most personal way of expressing his love for the Goddess in a language that only she could understand. —her mother replies.

***

—We are lost, — her sister complains for the millionth time. — I told you it wasn't a good idea to come back alone. We should have waited for the others.

—And I told you that you could have stayed and waited for them. — she responds wearily. — I never said you had to come back with me. In fact, it was you who refused to let Wen come with us.

—Sure, and when we get home, you'll explain why Wen is with us. — her sister retorts.

—You should tell Dad that you're dating him, — she comments casually. — It's absurd to keep hiding. You won't always be able to use me as an excuse to go out... — Her words are silenced by the nearby howl of a wolf. Without wasting a second, she turns her gaze to her sister and notices her face losing its composure and taking on an expression of fear. — Hey! — she calls, taking her sister's hand. — Let's go, we'll be fine, — she says in an attempt to calm her, while starting to walk faster, still holding the younger one's hand. — If we hurry, we'll get there soon.

The howls fill the forest again, and she tightens her grip on her sister's hand. Almost without realizing it, both of them start running. Anne could swear she hears the hurried footsteps of the wolf behind them, but when she turns her head, she sees nothing. They had only covered about a hundred meters when the weight of their steps became increasingly heavy. The nerves and fatigue from the run were not good for her heart.

—Anne,— her sister calls out softly.

When she turns around, she sees Aisling, her breathing accelerated and her face pale, indicating that the younger one is not well.

—Aisling, look at me,— she stops and takes her sister by the shoulders. The howls are getting closer.

—I can't do it anymore. — the younger one responds, her voice trembling.

—I know you're scared, but we can't stay here. We have to go,— even though her own fear is overwhelming, she needs to calm her sister. —You have to try.

—I can't,— is the fragmented response she receives, Aisling's tone making it clear that fear is overpowering her.

—Go,— she says without hesitation. —You can save yourself.

—I'm not leaving you,— Aisling replies, tears welling up in her eyes at the thought of leaving her sister.

—I'll be fine,— she emphasizes, letting go of her sister's hand. — Go,— she says, seeing that Aisling doesn't move. She calms her breathing a bit while her gaze becomes serious.—Now!

Aisling hesitates noticeably, but both of them know it's pointless for both of them to stay there. It might just be their paranoia, and they could be creating unnecessary drama, but if the feeling of being pursued is true, it makes no sense for them to stay together if there's a chance for one of them to survive the wolf's attack. When Aisling's figure disappeared into the forest, Anne gathered all her strength to stand up and move away from there. Breathing was so difficult at that moment that it felt like her lungs were burning. The howls sounded closer, so she adjusted her red cloak and began to move in the opposite direction from where she felt the sounds were coming. Every step felt as heavy as lead on her feet, but for a fraction of a second, everything felt so different.

Mine.

She could swear that simple word resonated inside her head, but the idea was so absurd that she couldn't understand how she could even think of it. In the distance, her ears caught the sound of running wáter, it was the river! The sound of water brought relief to her. Her father used to tell her and Aisling that if they ever got lost in the forest, they should always look for the river. Following its course would lead them to a safe place. Moreover, if they were being pursued by a predator, the water could mask their scent, and that's exactly what she needed now.

—Please...— she murmurs softly. Her heart feels increasingly constricted, and her lungs can no longer process the air properly. But her hopes are renewed when she sees a formation between the rocks on the opposite bank of the river. She makes an effort to move faster while praying that the space is enough to hide her.

Don't run away.

She can hear that voice again in her head, accompanied by a new, solitary howl, this time closer, as if the wolf emitting it were right behind her. For a moment, she is tempted to turn her gaze and check that it's not true, but at the same time, her survival instinct warns her how foolish it would be to stop now, just when she's so close to having a chance to live another day.

Come to me.

The fabric of her cloak and dress become heavy as they come into contact with the water, but she's grateful that the river is shallow, barely reaching halfway up her calves. If it had been deeper, her clothes would have weighed her down, preventing her from crossing or even attempting to swim. When she reaches the formation of rocks, she discovers that there's enough space for her to hide. Curling her body as much as possible against the rocks, she gathers her clothes, trying not to leave any trace of her hiding place. But somehow, she can still see what's happening outside her improvised hiding spot.

My moon.

Fear is driving her crazy, or that's the only thing she can think of as she hears that deep voice resonating in her head again. The sound of branches being stepped on makes her focus her gaze outside that space. The air in her lungs fails her once again, and the scarce oxygen that manages to enter feels like it's burning. She had been hunting with her father on some occasions, but it's the first time she sees a wolf like that. She could even play that the wolf must easily reach over two meters, if not more. Its black fur contrasts with those gray eyes, eyes that she could swear are fixed on hers.

:::

When Aisling managed to emerge from the thicket of the forest, she came across a group of hunters returning from the party. Without a moment's hesitation, she approached them for help. If there was a chance to help Anne, no matter how small, she had to take it without wasting a single second.

:::

Anne could feel her heart pounding in her mouth. The wolf hadn't moved at all since it appeared on the other bank of the river. She doesn't know how much time has passed, but she knows that by now tears are freely flowing down her face.

Let me see you, my moon.

Her hands press against her head as if that could prevent her from hearing that voice again. She closes her eyes tightly, reinforcing that idea, but then a shiver runs down her spine, setting off alarms in her body. Opening her eyes, she notices that the wolf is no longer on the bank. But that doesn't calm her; on the contrary, not knowing exactly where that animal is only increases her concern and fear.

Let me come closer to you, you don't have to fear me... Come out of there.

Small dots of colors appear before her, and breathing at this point becomes impossible. Her sweaty hands feel cold, and the sounds in the surroundings fade until everything becomes silent and dark.