WEREWOLF SYSTEM

Kyle's POV

The news of James Conrad's death wasn't something I could just shrug off. It lingered in the air like a shadow, darker than any cloud that hung over Hilton Way College. The notification on my phone replayed in my mind, each word etched into my thoughts:

Missing student confirmed dead. It wasn't just a tragedy;

it was a warning.

Still, I couldn't help but feel restless. Something about all of this didn't add up. Why were students disappearing? Why did they always seem to end up near the woods? And why did Elena seem so unnerved by it all?

Elena.

I found myself thinking about her more often than I wanted to admit. She had been so cryptic earlier, her warning to stay away from the woods laced with something deeper—fear, maybe even regret. There was more to her story, and I couldn't ignore it.

I was lost in thought as I walked toward the library, my phone gripped tightly in my hand. The halls were mostly empty, the usual buzz of student chatter subdued. Everyone was on edge after James's death.

That's when I saw him.

He was leaning against a row of lockers, his posture relaxed, but his eyes sharp. I'd seen him before—around campus, mostly near the edges of the woods. He was older, maybe in his early twenties, with a lean build and dark, unkempt hair that fell just above his piercing green eyes. There was something about him that made people keep their distance.

As I passed by, he spoke.

"You're Kyle, right?"

I stopped, caught off guard. "Yeah. And you are?"

He smirked, pushing off the lockers and walking toward me. "Aaron. Aaron Hayes."

His name rang a faint bell. I'd heard it mentioned in passing, usually accompanied by whispers or wary glances.

"Word of advice, Kyle," Aaron said, his voice low. "You don't want to get involved in this."

"Involved in what?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He tilted his head, his gaze unnervingly steady. "The woods. James Conrad. Whatever it is you're digging into."

"How do you know what I'm digging into?" I challenged.

Aaron chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Because I've been there. And trust me, it doesn't end well for anyone."

I narrowed my eyes, crossing my arms. "If you know something, you should just say it."

Aaron stepped closer, his expression darkening. "What I know is that there are things out there you can't explain. Things that will chew you up and spit you out if you're not careful."

For a moment, the air between us was thick with tension. I didn't know whether to believe him or write him off as another conspiracy theorist. But something in his voice, in the way his eyes flickered with an intensity I couldn't place, made me pause.

Before I could respond, he glanced over my shoulder. His expression shifted, and I turned to see Elena standing a few feet away, her arms crossed and her face unreadable.

"Of course, you'd be here," Elena said, her voice cold as ice.

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Still playing the ice queen, huh, Elena?"

"Stay away from him," she said, ignoring his remark.

Aaron shrugged. "Just giving the kid some advice."

"Your advice isn't welcome," she snapped.

The tension between them crackled like a live wire. It was clear they had history, though neither seemed eager to elaborate.

Aaron glanced back at me, his smirk returning. "You should listen to her, Kyle. For once, she might actually be right."

With that, he walked away, disappearing down the hallway without another word.

I turned to Elena, my curiosity bubbling over. "What was that about?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Aaron has a way of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. Don't let him get in your head."

"Does he know something about the woods?" I asked.

Elena hesitated, her eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite read. "Maybe. But you don't need to worry about him. Just stay away from the woods, Kyle. Please."

There it was again—that vulnerability beneath her sharp exterior. It was enough to make me nod, though the questions swirling in my mind refused to be silenced.

Later That Evening

Despite Elena's warnings, I couldn't let it go. The woods were calling to me, and the pull was stronger than ever.

I waited until the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the campus. Most students were in their dorms, their doors locked and their windows closed. Fear had taken root in Hilton Way College, and no one wanted to be caught outside after dark.

With a flashlight in hand, I made my way toward the edge of the woods. The air was crisp, the scent of pine and damp earth filling my lungs. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if the forest itself was resisting my presence.

The deeper I went, the darker it became. The trees loomed above me like silent sentinels, their branches intertwining to block out the moonlight. The ground beneath my feet was uneven, littered with roots and fallen leaves.

I thought about Aaron's warning, about Elena's plea for me to stay away. Maybe they were right. Maybe this was a mistake.

But then I saw it—a clearing up ahead. The ground was scorched, the grass blackened and brittle. Broken branches lay scattered around, as if some violent force had torn through the area.

In the center of the clearing was something small and glinting. I knelt down, brushing away the dirt to reveal a bracelet. It was simple, made of leather with a single silver charm shaped like a wolf's head.

My heart raced as I turned it over in my hands. Who had buried this here? And why?

Before I could dwell on it, a sound behind me made me freeze.

It was faint at first, a rustling in the bushes. Then came the snapping of a twig, the unmistakable crunch of footsteps on leaves.

I stood slowly, gripping the flashlight like a weapon. "Who's there?" I called, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay calm.

The rustling grew louder, closer. My pulse thundered in my ears as I turned toward the noise, my flashlight casting a weak beam through the trees.

And then I saw it—a shadowy figure emerging from the darkness, its features obscured by the night.

"Stay back!" I shouted, my voice breaking.

Whatever I'd gotten myself into, I knew there was no turning back now.