Meet Meredith Hood. She had just recently died, but now she was running for her life… again.
She clutched her stilettos to her chest as she heaved and ran as fast as she could, her red pencil skirt riding up her thighs, revealing more of her black stockings.
She had woken up in a forest, which she initially thought was a safe space. The grass was damp to her touch, and her stilettos sank into the earth as she stood up. Thus, Meredith decided to walk around and explore the forest in just her stockings. It was serene and hot, the sun shining brightly even under the shade of the surrounding trees.
Meredith had thought she had gone to heaven, maybe even the Garden of Eden, given how lush the greenery was around her.
As she sat under one of the trees for shade and to collect her thoughts, she suddenly remembered: she had been on her way to work when she was confronted by one of their customers.
“Red, I found you.”
The man’s voice startled her. He was wearing a heavy cargo jacket, despite the fact that it wasn’t cold. A hat shadowed his face, making only his wide smile clearly visible.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know you.” Meredith clutched her shoulder bag close to her chest and slowly backed away.
The man removed his hat, and recognition hit her.
“I’m one of your loyal customers.”
Beneath his heavy jacket, Meredith could see that he was wearing Istyle brand clothing.
She had been working as a brand ambassador for five years, and this was the first time she had encountered a customer like this. She shuddered.
“Sir…” She trailed off, unsure of what to say or how to react to his revelation.
She had just left her apartment, which meant this man knew where she lived. The alley leading to her place was typically avoided, it looked suspicious, and the chances of getting mugged there were high. Still, Meredith liked her apartment because it was close to her workplace and the supermarket. More importantly, the rent was cheap.
“Let’s be together, Red. I’ll provide for you, so you can stop working.” He extended his arm toward her, and Meredith moved away as quickly as possible.
It would be nice to have someone provide for her, to not have to live paycheck to paycheck, but this wasn’t how she had imagined it. Instead of comfort, all she felt was fear. It didn’t feel pleasant at all.
The man didn’t like her reaction. His face scrunched up in a frown as he continued, “Don’t make this hard for me.”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a flip knife. Meredith shrieked the moment she saw it and tried to run. However, in her stilettos, it was impossible.
She cursed under her breath, wishing hell upon the inventor of the shoes. Before she knew it, the man had pulled her into an embrace, his knife plunging straight into her stomach.
“I love you this much, Red,” he whispered as he pulled the blade out and stabbed her again.
Meredith didn’t even know how many times she had been stabbed. All she felt was pain, heat, and the terrible realization that she was dying in the arms of someone she didn’t know, in a dingy alley.
Then she woke up.
What she had thought was her forest sanctuary turned into a horror scene the moment night fell.
Maybe she wasn’t in heaven. Maybe this was actually hell, and Meredith was being punished for what she had done during her life. She silently prayed.
The full moon and the stars shone brightly, lighting the way as she tried to outrun whatever was chasing her. Her adrenaline was through the roof. Meredith was not a runner, but now that she had experienced how painful it was to die, she didn’t want it to happen again.
She could hear the loud thumping of feet against the soil, but she refused to look back.
Meredith knew it was a wild animal, she had seen silver-white ears peeking through the bushes before she had started running for her life. Of course, there would be wild animals in the forest, but she hadn’t really considered it at first, given how bizarre her situation was.
She had just died. And now, she was alive again, only to be on the brink of death once more. Fate had been cruel to Meredith. All she had ever wanted was a normal, quiet life, but she couldn’t even get that after dying.
She knew she wouldn’t be able to run forever. Sooner or later, she would have to confront whatever it was.
Then, suddenly, the full moon turned blood red.
Her ears were ringing from how fast her heart was beating, but now Meredith could hear only her own footsteps. She slowed down, she must be safe.
“Stop!” A deep voice echoed.
Meredith quickly turned around. She had never expected to meet another person. She had truly believed she was in her own personal hell.
Then, she saw a tall, muscular man standing behind her. His silver-white hair glowed under the red moon, taking on a faint crimson tint. His eyes were thin and sharp, and, strangely enough, they shone a brilliant blue. Around his neck, he wore a silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant.
He was dressed in a dark blue vest over a white long-sleeved shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Black leather gloves covered his hands, and a black leather belt cinched his vest, accentuating his waist.
Meredith silently gasped at how ethereal the man looked. Even with the ominous surroundings, she could tell there was something different about him. His piercing blue eyes locked onto her, calculating her every movement.
But still, Meredith remained cautious. She slowly backed away—she couldn’t trust anyone.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” The man reached out one of his gloved hands, as if enticing Meredith to come closer.
This was the second time today that a random man had wanted Meredith to go with him. She remained on high alert, eyeing him suspiciously.
“I know it’s strange, but I need you to come with me.” He slowly approached her.
Meredith was ready to run again. This situation felt eerily similar to when she had been stabbed to death. But this time, she knew she was in danger, and she was prepared.
“Look… I’m Rieka Altalune.” Rieka introduced himself, as if that would somehow make Meredith trust him. “I need you,” he pleaded.
For a moment, Meredith almost felt bad for him. She could see the sincerity in his eyes and movements. But still, she couldn’t trust anyone, not after dying.
She decided to turn and run away, but before she could even take her first step, Rieka closed the distance between them with inhuman speed.
Meredith shrieked. Her body started trembling, bile rising in her throat. The trauma from last time had clearly manifested in her body.
Rieka gripped her shoulders tightly.
“Calm down,” he nearly demanded. It was clear that Rieka didn’t have much patience left for Meredith.
“Leave me alone!” Meredith yelled, her voice echoing through the hauntingly silent forest.
However, it seemed as though Meredith had disturbed the quiet of the forest. They heard shuffling, and both Rieka and Meredith turned toward the source of the noise.
Meredith heard Rieka curse under his breath.
“I don’t have time for your hysterics,” Rieka snapped.
He then hauled Meredith off her feet, carrying her like a bride. Before she could react, Rieka was already running away from the noise.
Meredith’s heart pounded loudly. She stared at Rieka in disbelief and decided to scream for help.
“Help!”
Rieka shot her a deadly glare, his piercing blue eyes sharp and menacing. If looks could kill, Meredith would have died again right then and there.
Then, she heard another voice, another human was chasing them. She had no idea who to trust: the one who had hauled her off like a sack of rice or the one pursuing them.
Meredith chose the latter. It was possible the other person had heard her plea for help and had come to her rescue. She began to wiggle in Rieka’s arms, doing her best to make him drop her.
In response, Rieka only gripped her tighter.
She glanced up at the sky. The full moon was still deep red, casting an eerie glow over the forest. It had been a while since she last looked at the sky, but in her current position, it was the only thing she could see.
She decided to scream for help again.
This time, Meredith heard a whoosh, and an arrow flew past Rieka’s shoulder. Her eyes widened in shock.
Rieka abruptly stopped running. He paused, and Meredith saw the fury on his face. His jaw tightened, and his brows furrowed.
“Drop the girl!” the other man yelled.
Rieka slowly put Meredith down and raised his hands in surrender.
As the moon returned to its iridescent white color, Meredith finally caught sight of her supposed savior.
However, before she could take a good look at the man, Rieka transformed into a massive white wolf and bolted into the forest.
Meredith was flabbergasted. The animal she had spotted in the bushes earlier had been none other than Rieka. His ethereal glow was because he could transform into a wolf.
The other man raised his bow, aiming at Rieka, the big white wolf, as he sprinted away. He fired, but the arrow missed its mark as Rieka smoothly dodged it.
Meredith was confused and stunned. Apparently, she had landed in a world where humans could transform into wolves.
“Are you something too?” Meredith blurted out. Who knew? Maybe her savior could turn into another animal as well.
She was grateful for his help, but so many things had happened to her in just one day that she had no idea what to focus on first.
Her savior approached her with a warm smile. He was wearing brown leather armor that covered his chest, with a long green hood draped over it. One of his shoulders was also covered in the same material as his chest armor.
He had a mini crossbow strapped to one of his arms, something Meredith had never seen before, not even in the fantasy movies she had watched. He also carried a crescent moon-shaped dagger at his waist, but the grandest of all was the large bow he held, with arrows stashed on his back. He was clearly dressed for combat.
“I’m just a human,” he replied.
She eyed him suspiciously.
He reached out his free hand. “Let’s get out of the forest.”
Meredith didn’t know if she could trust this man. This was now the third time another stranger had wanted her to go with him. And he was heavily armed, who knew what he might do the moment she let her guard down?
“I don’t trust you,” she replied flatly. She had been clutching her stilettos the entire time, and she held them even closer to her chest, ready to use them for self-defense if necessary.
The man seemed taken aback by her words. He lowered his bow and opened his arms as if expecting a hug. “I can remove all my weapons if it will help you trust me.”
Meredith nodded. She needed physical proof that this man meant no harm.
He started removing his mini arm crossbow, then his dagger, followed by his quiver. As he made sure he had no weapons left, he decided to make small talk. “Why are you in the forest in the middle of the night?”
Meredith was silent for a moment, contemplating his question. “I’m not sure either,” she finally replied.
“Alright, I won’t pry.” He smiled at her and patted himself down. “I have nothing now,” he assured her.
The man brushed his golden-brown hair back. His green eyes were round, giving him a kind appearance, and his face had a boyish look to it. However, he was tall, with long limbs, perfect for wielding a bow.
Meredith slowly approached him, still cautious in case he tried anything.
“See?” he said as she drew closer. “I’ll protect you until we get out of the forest. Is that alright?”
Meredith had no choice but to nod. If this man could be trusted, then she would put her life on the line… for now.
“Can I take my weapons back?” he asked gently, leaning down to meet her gaze. “We don’t want people like him chasing us without any defense.”
He was probably talking about Rieka. She shuddered at the thought, a human who could turn into a wolf.
“Okay,” Meredith responded. She was now fully putting her trust in him, hoping he wouldn’t break it. She silently pleaded to the fates that there would be no more death or near-death experiences today.
As they made their way out of the forest, Meredith walked behind him. The other man didn’t seem to mind. He kept up the small talk, probably to make Meredith feel safe.
“What’s your name?” he asked as he pushed past the bushes, carefully navigating the way while glancing back at Meredith to make sure she didn’t fall behind.
“Meredith,” she replied. She appreciated how he was doing his best to make her comfortable.
“I’m Chase,” he responded. He glanced at the compass in his hand, then at Meredith, and smiled. “Don’t worry, we’re close, Meredith.”
Meredith nodded and said, “Just Red is fine.”
Chase hummed in response and repeated, “Red,” as if testing the name on his tongue.
They reached a clearing, finally out of the woods, and Meredith saw a large campfire blazing in the middle of a cluster of tents.
“Prince Huntington is back!” one of the heavily armored men announced.
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