The Mark Of The Hunter

The forest was still again, but Rhea couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't alone.

Her breath was uneven, her hands still shaking from the encounter. The creature—whatever it was—had let her see it. Had tested her.

And that terrified her more than anything else.

Evelyn was pacing in front of her, her jaw tight, eyes burning with frustration. "We should've been faster," she muttered. "We should've caught it."

Rhea forced herself to take a deep breath. "Evelyn, that thing wasn't just fast—it disappeared. Like it wasn't even real."

Evelyn stopped pacing and turned toward her, expression serious. "It's real, alright. And it's dangerous."

Rhea swallowed hard, nodding. "Then we need to figure out what it is."

Evelyn hesitated. "There's someone who might know."

Rhea frowned. "Who?"

Evelyn exhaled, as if she wasn't sure she wanted to say the name.

Then she finally answered.

"My uncle."

Evelyn's uncle, Tobias, lived even deeper in the woods, far from town. Rhea had never met him, but she'd heard stories.

He was a former pack warrior, known for being ruthless and paranoid. He had left the pack years ago, retreating into the wilderness like a ghost.

As they approached his cabin, Rhea felt the weight of unseen eyes watching them. The place was surrounded by tall trees, the structure itself barely visible behind layers of thick brush.

Evelyn knocked on the door. Hard.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, heavy footsteps sounded from inside.

The door creaked open, and Tobias stood there, staring at them with piercing gray eyes. He was taller than Evelyn, his face lined with years of experience and exhaustion.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," he muttered, stepping aside.

Evelyn frowned but didn't question him. She walked in first, and Rhea followed hesitantly.

Inside, the cabin was cluttered but strangely organized—maps, weapons, and books stacked neatly across wooden surfaces.

Tobias shut the door behind them and turned to Evelyn. "You saw it, didn't you?"

Evelyn's expression darkened. "You know what it is."

Tobias sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Not exactly. But I know what it isn't."

Rhea crossed her arms. "It's not human. And it's not a werewolf."

Tobias nodded. "It's something older."

A chill ran down Rhea's spine. "Older?"

Tobias walked over to a shelf, grabbing an old, worn book. He flipped through the pages, stopping at an image of a creature with hollow black eyes.

"They call it a Wraithborn," he said. "A being that exists between life and death. Not a ghost, not a demon, but something worse."

Rhea stared at the drawing, unease crawling through her. The sketch wasn't an exact match, but it was close enough.

Evelyn frowned. "Why is it in Pine Hollow?"

Tobias shut the book. "Because something's keeping it here."

Rhea exchanged a look with Evelyn.

The Wraithborn wasn't just hunting—it was trapped.

And they needed to find out why.

They left Tobias's cabin with more questions than answers.

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Rhea and Evelyn walked in silence for a while, each lost in thought.

Finally, Rhea spoke. "If it's trapped here, does that mean it wants something?"

Evelyn's jaw tightened. "Or someone."

Rhea shivered. "You think it's after me?"

Evelyn stopped walking and turned to face her. "I don't know," she admitted. "But it watched you in that alley. It let you see it in the forest."

Rhea swallowed hard.

She hated the idea of being hunted.

Evelyn stepped closer, her voice softer now. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Rhea met her gaze, and for the first time in days, she felt a flicker of reassurance.

No matter what was coming—

She wouldn't face it alone.