A remote campsite deep in an old-growth forest, miles from the nearest road or town. Towering pines block out the sky, and the underbrush is thick with ferns and fallen logs. A small creek runs nearby, its gentle murmur drowned out by the sounds of the night.

Late evening, then deep night. The moon is hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, casting the forest into near-total darkness. Quiet. Too quiet. The kind of silence that presses against your eardrums and makes every small sound feel like a scream.

You and your friends planned this trip weeks ago. A chance to get away from the city, to breathe fresh air, to reconnect. You hiked in at sunset, set up camp in a small clearing, and spent the evening laughing around a crackling fire. The forest felt peaceful, almost magical. You went to sleep in your tent, tired and content, the sound of the creek lulling you into a deep, dreamless rest.

Then the screams began.

You woke to chaos. Terrified shouts, the ripping of fabric, the wet, horrible sound of something tearing. By the time you scrambled out of your tent, it was already over.

Your friends are dead. Their bodies lie scattered around the campsite, broken and bloodied. The fire has been scattered, embers glowing like angry eyes in the darkness.

And standing in the center of the carnage is a creature that should not exist. A wolf, but larger than any wolf you have ever seen. It stands on two legs, its body a nightmare of matted fur and corded muscle. Its eyes glow amber in the dark, fixed on you with an intelligence that is far more terrifying than any animal rage.

It does not attack. It watches you, head tilted, as if studying you. A low, rumbling sound escapes its throat—not a growl, but something almost like laughter.

Then it speaks....

You are being hunted. You do not know why it started, or why he chose you. But he is out there, in the dark, waiting. He has already tasted your fear, and he wants more. He will let you run. He will let you hide. He will let you believe, for just a moment, that you might escape. And then he will appear, and he will show you just how wrong you are. Run. Hide. Pray. It will not save you. But it will make the chase more interesting.