Chapter 3 — The Forest Encounter

Ava

The forest loomed ahead, an ominous silhouette against the fading amber light of dusk. Ava pulled her blazer tight against the crisp autumn air, the faint rustle of leaves and distant hum of the retreat fading into the background. She hadn’t intended to venture this far. What had started as an escape from the monotony of small talk and polite laughter had spiraled into this—alone, lost, and increasingly unsettled.

She had told herself she needed space, a moment to breathe and clear her spinning thoughts. Victor Drake’s absence from the evening’s gathering had been almost as loud as his earlier presence in her day. His commanding voice, his ice-blue eyes... they lingered in her mind like an unresolved equation, begging to be solved. The forest, with its winding trails and whispered secrets, had beckoned her in what felt like a search for clarity—a ridiculous notion, she realized now, as the faint glow of lanterns from the retreat disappeared entirely behind her.

Ava stopped to take stock of her surroundings. Towering trees crowded together, their gnarled branches clawing at the darkening sky. The path she’d followed had vanished beneath a tangle of roots and leaves, leaving her in a maze of shadows and silence. Her breath misted in the cooling air. She tightened her grip on the strap of her bag, her pulse quickening.

She wasn’t sure when it began, but the growing unease in her chest was undeniable. It started as a faint prickling at the back of her neck, a sense of being watched. She glanced behind her, seeing nothing but the encroaching gloom. Deep down, Ava’s instincts whispered that she wasn’t alone.

“Get a grip,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head. She took a cautious step forward, then another, the soft earth muffling her footsteps. A flash of movement caught her eye—a shadow darting between the trees. She froze.

“Hello?” Her voice broke the silence, sounding too loud, too exposed. The forest offered no reply, only the faint creak of tree branches swaying in the breeze.

She took another step, her gaze darting around, searching for something—anything—that would explain the growing tension in the air. The forest wasn’t just dark; it was alive. The trees seemed closer now, their twisted forms leaning toward her as if listening. The air itself felt heavier, colder. Ava’s breath quickened, each exhale trembling slightly.

Then she heard it. A crunch of leaves behind her.

She spun around, her heart pounding. “If someone’s there, this isn’t funny,” she called, her voice stronger than she felt.

Something moved in the shadows. Her stomach clenched as a low, guttural growl sliced through the silence, primal and wrong. She staggered back, her heel catching on a root.

Emerging from the darkness was a figure—humanoid, but horribly distorted. Its limbs were too long, its movements fluid and unnatural, like a predator savoring its prey. Eyes that glowed a dull, malevolent red locked onto hers, and its mouth twisted into something that might have been a grin, exposing teeth that gleamed like knives.

Ava’s mind screamed for her to move, but her body refused. She stood frozen, rooted in place by fear and disbelief.

The creature lunged.

Ava jerked sideways, her scream tearing through the stillness of the forest. She hit the ground hard, the impact jarring her breathless, but adrenaline surged, overriding the pain. Scrambling to her feet, she bolted, her legs pumping as fast as they could. The creature’s guttural snarls echoed behind her, closing the distance with terrifying speed.

Branches clawed at her hair and clothes as she ran blindly through the forest. Her mind raced, seeking any way out, but the trees blurred together, offering no direction, no sanctuary. She tripped again, catching herself with scraped palms before surging forward.

The sound of her own ragged breathing filled her ears, drowning out the pounding of her heart. She risked a glance over her shoulder. The creature was still there, its movements impossibly fast, bounding between trees like a nightmare given form.

Her foot caught on a root, sending her sprawling to the ground. She rolled onto her back, staring up at the shadowy figure looming over her, its glowing eyes burning with cruel intent. For a moment, she could only watch, frozen as it leaned closer, its claws glinting in the faint light.

Then, like a thunderclap, the air shifted.

A blur of motion slammed into the creature, ripping it away from her. Ava blinked, disoriented, as the forest erupted into chaos. Dust and leaves swirled in a dizzying vortex, and when the movement stopped, Victor Drake stood over her, his presence like a force of nature.

His usually composed figure was disheveled, his dark suit rumpled, and his ice-blue eyes burned with an otherworldly glow. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing the sharp angles of his collarbone. There was something feral about him now, something untamed.

The creature lunged at him, but Victor sidestepped effortlessly, his movements inhumanly fast. He seized it by the throat with one hand, his grip unyielding as he slammed it against a tree. The impact cracked like a gunshot, and the creature let out a strangled snarl.

Victor leaned in, his voice low and lethal. “You’ve made a mistake.”

The creature writhed, claws swiping at him, but Victor didn’t flinch. His expression was cold, almost detached, but his fury burned just below the surface, barely restrained.

“Leave,” he commanded, his tone sharp as steel.

The creature hesitated, its glowing eyes flicking to Ava. Victor’s grip tightened, and a low whimper escaped its throat. With a final choking sound, it melted into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

Silence fell, broken only by the sound of Ava’s heaving breaths. Victor turned to her, his eyes dimming to their usual piercing blue, though the intensity remained.

“Ava,” he said, his voice softer now, almost tender. “Are you hurt?”

She sat up slowly, brushing dirt from her scraped palms. Her chest still heaved, her fear clinging to her like a second skin. “What—what the hell was that?” she demanded, her voice shaking.

Victor’s expression flickered—regret, frustration—but it was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual mask of calm. “I told you to stay with the group,” he said evenly, though a thread of something sharper wove through his tone.

“That’s not an answer,” Ava shot back, struggling to her feet. Her legs trembled beneath her, but she forced herself upright. “What was that thing? And you—you’re not normal.”

Victor’s gaze darkened, his jaw tightening. He glanced around the forest, as if ensuring they were alone, before stepping closer. The weight of his presence was overwhelming, his voice dropping to a low, urgent tone. “This isn’t the time or place for explanations. You’re not safe here.”

Ava’s frustration flared, overriding her fear. “You can’t just expect me to ignore this!” Her voice rose, the anger laced with desperation. “I saw you. I saw what you did.”

Victor’s eyes softened, just barely, but his tone remained firm. “I saved your life, Ava. That should be enough for now.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. There was something in his expression—an edge of desperation, of protectiveness—that made her pause. He wasn’t just hiding something; he was carrying it. And whatever it was, it was heavy.

Her anger deflated, replaced by a cautious unease. Victor turned away, his back to her as he surveyed the darkened forest. “We need to leave,” he said, his voice quieter now. “This place isn’t safe.”

Ava hesitated, glancing at the shadows that seemed to press in around them. The forest had changed—it felt alive, watching, waiting. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was glad for Victor’s presence, even if his secrets threatened to swallow her whole.

The walk back to the retreat was steeped in silence. Ava couldn’t stop glancing at Victor, searching his face for answers he wouldn’t give. When they reached the edge of the clearing, the faint glow of lanterns and the distant sound of laughter greeted them, an island of normalcy after the chaos of the forest.

Victor stopped just before they stepped into the light, his gaze meeting hers. “Stay with the others,” he said, his tone softer but no less commanding. “Don’t wander again.”

Ava nodded, though her mind churned with questions. As she watched him disappear into the shadows, her resolve hardened. Whatever Victor Drake was hiding, she wasn’t going to stop until she uncovered the truth.