The air hung heavy and cold, a biting reminder of the forbidden hour. Selena hugged her book bag closer, the rustle of leaves beneath her feet sounding like thunder in the oppressive silence of the woods. Every shadow seemed to stretch and twist into monstrous shapes, but the lure of forbidden knowledge had been too strong to resist. She was a human, and humans did not venture out after dusk, especially not into the ancient, dangerous forest that bordered their town. But tonight, the professor's lecture had been too important, too vital for her growing understanding of the world.

A sharp crack echoed through the stillness as a branch snapped under her foot. Selena froze, heart hammering against her ribs, her breath catching in her throat. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but years of caution held her rooted to the spot, listening. A minute, then two, passed in agonizing silence. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, a whispered reassurance that she was safe, almost home. Then, the rhythmic thudding started, a heavy, unmistakable sound drawing closer. Werewolves. Her eyes widened in terror, and this time, she ran, a desperate, frantic bolt into the deepening shadows.