Iris glanced down at the hungry pack of coyotes. There seemed to be at least twenty of them, all with matted fur and their ribs sticking out. They were starting to figure out how to climb the low branches, though they weren’t very skilled and kept falling over. It wasn’t long until one of them managed to reach her.
Then, a loud howl pierced the air, echoing through the trees and lasting for almost a minute. A shadow whipped through the trees, and a deep, menacing growl resonated in the clearing. The coyotes froze, their brown eyes darting around as most of them whimpered and began backing off.
At first, Iris thought it was just another coyote, maybe the leader of the pack. But when the figure stepped out of the shadows, she gasped in shock. The creature was no coyote—it was a wolf. A very large but beautiful black dire wolf with piercing blue eyes and a thick, fluffy tail. Despite the harsh winter, the wolf seemed well-fed, its long, shiny fur untouched by hunger. It bared its large, sharp teeth, and surprisingly, most of the coyotes sprinted off, barking and whimpering in terror.
All but one.
The boldest of the coyotes remained, its frame even skinnier and more pitiful than the others. Its scruffy, ruffled fur clung to its bony ribs, and hunger burned in its desperate eyes. The dire wolf growled with disdain, pinning its ears back and giving a warning snap. The coyote hesitated for a moment before lunging forward. Iris instinctively looked away, her ears twitching at the sound of growling and barking. Then came a loud yelp. When she dared to look back, the coyote lay lifeless on the snowy ground, red blood staining the white snow.
The dire wolf’s sea-blue eyes locked onto Iris’s. Her breath caught in her throat, and within a second, she tore her gaze away and leaped down from the tree, sprinting off into the forest. Fear propelled her forward, her paws kicking up snow as she fled.
After what felt like minutes, she skidded to a stop, panting heavily. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. Why had the dire wolf helped her? Was it simply hungry and knew the rest of the pack would flee? But if that were the case, why hadn’t it eaten the coyote it killed? The wolf hadn’t looked hungry at all—not a single rib was visible beneath its sleek, shiny black fur.
What puzzled her more was that the dire wolf was alone, just like her. Wolves were supposed to travel in packs, hunt together, and protect one another. So why had this one been by itself?
A sudden rustle in the nearby bushes interrupted her thoughts. Her stomach growled loudly, and she hoped it was a rabbit or even a small mouse. She took a cautious step forward, sniffing the air for any trace of prey. But what she caught instead made her blood run cold.
DIRE WOLF!
She spun around, ready to bolt, but a massive force knocked her off her paws, sending her sprawling into the heavy snow. She winced as a crushing weight pinned her to the ground. Looking up, she saw the imposing figure of the same dire wolf who had saved her from the coyotes.
Up close, he was far more intimidating. His sheer size was overwhelming, his broad shoulders towering over her small frame. Every muscle in his sleek, powerful body seemed ready to strike, and his thick black fur shimmered in the pale light, as if untouched by the harshness of winter. But it was his piercing blue eyes that truly unnerved her—they seemed to bore into her very soul, cold and calculating, yet strangely alive with a quiet intensity.
Her heart raced in panic. Why had he followed her? Was he hungry after all? If so, why hadn’t he eaten the coyote he killed? Or maybe he preferred fox meat… The thought made her shiver.
The dire wolf’s piercing blue eyes glittered with amusement, and to her shock, he grinned as if he found her fear entertaining.
“Calm down, I won’t hurt you,” he said, his deep, calm voice breaking the tense silence. “I’m Riven.”
Iris stared at Riven as if he was growing rabbit ears from his tail. “W-what?..,” she stammered, her voice quiet and shaky. She hadn’t spoken in a while. “Th-then why did you follow me and pin me down?”
Riven blinked, as if it were obvious why he had followed her and pinned her into the snow. “I want to help you. Isn’t that kind of clear?”
‘No!’ Iris thought but bit her tongue to keep from saying it out loud. “Not really… W-wait, why do you want to help me?”
Riven tilted his head slightly, studying her. His piercing eyes softened just a fraction. “Because you look like you need it. And I…” He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing whether to reveal something important. “I know what it’s like to be alone.”
The words struck Iris more deeply than she expected. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “How do I know I can trust you?”
He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that made her fur bristle. “You don’t. But if I wanted to hurt you, don’t you think I would have already done it?”
Iris opened her mouth to argue, but she realized he had a point. He could have easily attacked her while she was running or when she was pinned beneath him. Instead, he was… talking to her?
“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice firmer now.
Riven’s expression turned serious. “I’ve been watching you. You’re different from the others.”
Her ears flattened. “You’ve been watching me?”
He nodded. “Not for long. But I saw what happened with the coyotes. You’re a fighter, even if you don’t know it yet. And…” He hesitated again. “I think we can help each other.”
Iris blinked in surprise. “Help each other? How?”
Riven sat back slightly, giving her some space but not enough to let her escape. “You’re an outcast, aren’t you?.” His gaze was steady, as if he could see through her. “I’ve been there too. But together, maybe we can survive better than apart.”
Iris didn’t know what to say. Her instincts screamed to run, to get away from this massive, intimidating wolf. But another part of her—the part that had been so desperately lonely for so long—hesitated. Could she really trust him?
Riven must have sensed her hesitation. “Think about it, Iris. You’ve got nothing to lose.”
Her ears perked up at the sound of her name. “How do you know my name?” she demanded.
He grinned again, a flash of sharp teeth. “I know more than you think. But for now, let’s just say I’m good at listening.”
Iris’s mind raced. Riven’s offer was tempting, but she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that he had his own reasons for wanting to help her. Still, the thought of having someone—anyone—on her side was hard to ignore.
“Fine,” she said finally, her voice steady. “I’ll think about it.”
Riven’s grin widened. “Good. That’s all I ask.”
As he stepped back and let her go, Iris realized she’d just made a decision that could change everything.
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