Guarding Her

Chapter 1

Hunter stood at the edge of the forest, her sharp eyes scanning the clearing below. She sniffed the air, taking in the sweet scent of pine and the faint aroma of prey. She had lived in these woods her entire life, raised by a pack of wolves that had taken her in when she was just a baby. They had taught her the ways of the forest and how to survive in the wild. Now, at sixteen years old, she was more wolf than human.

A movement caught her eye and she crouched down, ready to pounce. But it was just a deer, grazing peacefully in the grass. Hunter shook her head, annoyed at herself for getting so jumpy. She was on edge lately, ever since she had heard rumors of strangers in the area.

The pack leader had warned her to be careful, to stay away from humans if possible. But Hunter was curious by nature, and the idea of encountering someone from the outside world intrigued her. She had never left the confines of the forest, never seen what lay beyond the trees.

With a deep breath, she ventured down the hill, her senses on high alert. Suddenly, she heard the snap of a twig and spun around.

"Who's there?" she called out, her voice echoing through the forest.

A figure stepped out from behind a tree, a young man with shaggy brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Hunter tensed up, her muscles coiled and ready for action.

"Easy there," the stranger said, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. "I'm not here to harm you."

Hunter narrowed her eyes, sizing him up. She could tell he was telling the truth, but that didn't mean she was going to trust him.

"What do you want?" she growled, her teeth bared.

The stranger took a step forward, and Hunter crouched down, ready to attack. But then he stopped, holding out a piece of bread.

"I heard there was a wolf-girl living in these woods," he said, his voice soft and gentle. "I thought you might be hungry."

Hunter hesitated, her hunger overriding her caution. She slowly crept forward, her eyes locked on the bread. The stranger smiled and tossed it to her, watching as she devoured it in a few quick bites.

As she ate, Hunter felt a strange sensation in her gut, something she had never felt before. It was a mix of fear and excitement, a feeling that she was on the verge of something new and dangerous. She didn't know what the future held, but one thing was clear: she was going to have to guard herself more closely than ever before.