The next morning, Sera awoke to the relentless chirp of birds outside her window and the persistent ache in her temples. The dream still clung to her like fog—half-formed images of trees, blood, and a man with glowing gold eyes flashing behind her lids. She sat up slowly, the bedsheets tangled around her ankles, and rubbed her face.
Her cat, Salem, hopped onto the bed with a questioning meow, blinking at her as if to ask, Another weird night?
Sera reached out to stroke behind his ears. "You have no idea."
By the time she arrived at the clinic, the sunlight had shifted to gray. Clouds hung low over Halewood, promising rain. The scent of pine and damp earth lingered in the air as she pushed through the back entrance, her jacket clinging to her skin.
Dr. Helena was already there, flipping through a file. She glanced up with her usual knowing stare.
"You look like you didn't sleep."
"I didn't," Sera admitted. "Just… weird dreams again."
"The ones with the forest?"
Sera nodded.
Helena pursed her lips, scribbling something quickly on the paper. "Might be time to see someone about those."
"I'm not crazy."
"Didn't say you were." Helena's gaze softened. "But sometimes our mind tries to tell us things we're not ready to hear."
Sera didn't reply. How could she explain the feeling that the dreams weren't just dreams? That they were pieces of something real—something important? And worse, how could she tell anyone about the woman in the mirror without sounding unhinged?
Instead, she grabbed the schedule from the clipboard and threw herself into work.
---
Hours passed. Animals came and went. A grumpy Persian with a limp. A jittery terrier overdue for vaccinations. A stoic German shepherd needing its annual checkup. Sera moved through each appointment with mechanical ease, the rhythm of the job keeping her grounded.
It wasn't until she was alone in the break room that the silence crept back in.
She sat with a lukewarm cup of coffee, staring blankly at the corkboard across the room. Tacked-up flyers, local event posters, and a few crumpled notes from the town's pet owners filled the space. But her eyes kept drifting to the window.
The woods beyond Halewood had always been beautiful, yet unnerving. Today, they looked especially dark.
As she sipped her coffee, a chill snaked down her spine.
She was being watched.
She turned sharply, eyes scanning the break room. Nothing. No footsteps. No shadows. Just the faint hum of the refrigerator and her own racing pulse.
Get a grip, she told herself.
But the unease lingered.
---
Later that evening, Sera locked up the clinic alone. Helena had gone home early to deal with a family emergency, leaving Sera to finish up paperwork and feed the shelter animals.
She double-checked the kennels, made sure the lights were out, and stepped into the misty dusk. The streets were empty—Halewood always quieted down early—but tonight the silence felt different. Pressing. Alive.
Sera walked quickly, her boots crunching against gravel, one hand wrapped tightly around the strap of her bag. She was halfway home when she heard it.
A low growl.
She froze.
It came again—closer this time, deeper. Not a dog. Not any normal animal.
She turned slowly, eyes scanning the thick line of trees just past the road.
A pair of glowing eyes blinked from the darkness.
Sera's breath caught.
The creature stepped forward, only slightly visible in the fog. It was a wolf—massive, with jet-black fur and a presence that made her knees lock in place. Its gaze was fixed on her, intense and unreadable.
She should have run. Screamed. Backed away.
But she didn't.
Instead, something in her stirred. Recognition. Not fear—familiarity.
And then, just as silently as it had appeared, the wolf turned and vanished into the trees.
Sera stood there for what felt like hours, heart pounding, breath sharp in her lungs.
When she finally made it home, she bolted the door and closed every curtain.
---
Sleep didn't come easily.
She lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the image of the wolf burned into her mind. There was something about its eyes—intelligent, ancient. Like it knew her.
She remembered her dream.
The golden eyes.
Could it be… him?
She rolled over and pulled her journal from the drawer.
> March 11
I saw a wolf tonight.
It was huge, dark, and terrifying… but I didn't feel scared. I felt drawn to it.
Am I losing my mind?
She closed the book, heart still racing, and turned off the lamp.
---
The next morning brought more questions.
She barely had time to process the night before when the bell above the clinic's front door rang. She glanced up from the desk, expecting a regular.
But the man who walked in was a stranger.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark hair that curled slightly at the ends. Sharp features. And most unsettling of all—eyes that shimmered gold in the morning light.
Her breath hitched.
"Hi," he said, voice deep and smooth. "I'm looking for Dr. Lane?"
Sera swallowed. "That's me."
He smiled faintly. "I'm new in town. Just moved into the old cabin on Crest Hill. Brought a companion with me who might need some looking after."
She blinked, her brain trying to catch up. "What kind of companion?"
He stepped aside.
A sleek black wolf padded in behind him.
Sera's body went rigid.
The wolf's gaze met hers, calm and unthreatening, but undeniably powerful.
"It's okay," the man said. "He's trained. Won't bite."
Sera nodded slowly, trying to steady her hands. "We don't usually take… wild animals."
He chuckled. "He's not wild. He's family."
There was something in his tone—possessive, almost protective.
"What's his name?" she asked, approaching cautiously.
"Shadow."
The name echoed in her mind like a distant memory.
As she reached out to the wolf, her fingers barely brushing its fur, a jolt of energy shot through her hand. Her knees nearly buckled.
The man stepped forward, catching her elbow.
"Careful," he murmured.
Sera stared at him.
"What… what are you?"
He smiled, but it wasn't reassuring.
"Someone who's been looking for you for a long time."
---
By the time the stranger left—with Shadow walking beside him as if nothing had happened—Sera was trembling.
She locked the door behind them and leaned against it, heart thudding.
What did he mean? Looking for her? Why did Shadow feel so familiar? Why did his touch spark something ancient inside her?
Her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
> You're not crazy. You're remembering.
Don't fight it, Selene.
She dropped the phone.
Her name wasn't Selene.
But somewhere deep inside her, a voice whispered—
Yes, it is.