"Why do I feel like I'm being watched?" Arabella thought as she made her way into the woods.
The deeper she rode into the forest, the heavier the strange feeling in her chest became. The tall trees stretched endlessly above her, their branches twisting together so tightly they blocked most of the sunlight.
Shadows danced across the forest floor as the cold wind blew softly through the leaves.
She had turned several times already to check if she would see anyone behind her, but every single time she saw nothing.
At first, she didn't think much of it. She thought it might be other lycans participating in the hunt. The bonding solstice hunting tradition always brought dozens of warriors into the forest, and it wasn't unusual to feel someone nearby.
But it soon dawned on her that she was the only one at this side of the woods, and she had gone in too far while searching for game, for something worthy enough to kill and present at the festival.
