Novel's POV

I let out a raw scream as I bolted through the trees. My mind was a blank slate of white noise, fueled only by the instinct to survive. As I rounded a thicket, my feet skidded to a halt. Every nerve in my body shrieked that something predatory was closing in from behind, yet I couldn't move.

There, standing amidst the splintered trees, was the literal shadow of my nightmares.

He was massive, easily the size of a small vehicle, with fur a shade of black so deep it seemed to swallow the moonlight. It wasn’t just fur; it looked like a shroud woven from midnight. My heart...