Veil Of The Wild

The restaurant was quiet now, save for the occasional hum of the refrigerator and the soft clatter of dishes as Aiden wiped down the last table. Outside, the neon sign flickered, casting a dim glow onto the wet pavement. His shift was finally over.

Ting-Tong.

The sound of the bell startled him. His muscles tensed as he turned toward the entrance. The door swung open, and for a brief moment, Aiden felt a sliver of unease, but then he saw her.

Elena.

She stepped inside, brushing her golden hair behind her ear as her blue eyes scanned the near-empty restaurant. Relief washed over Aiden, and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"You're still here," she said, her voice tinged with urgency. "Are you done? I need to talk to you."

Aiden glanced at the clock—closing time. He gave her a small nod before walking toward the register to finish his shift. The last customer sat in the farthest corner, his hood still drawn low over his face. As Aiden approached, the man finally looked up.

Golden eyes gleamed under the dim lights.

Aiden froze, his fingers gripping the bill pad a little tighter. There was something unnatural about those eyes—something primal. But before he could dwell on it, the man reached into his pocket, pulling out a few crumpled bills.

"Keep the change," he murmured, his voice rough and edged with something Aiden couldn't quite place.

Aiden nodded, quickly collecting the money. But as he turned away, he caught a glimpse of something that sent a shiver down his spine. The man's coat had shifted, just slightly, revealing a thin, twitching tail before it vanished beneath the fabric.

His heart pounded.

Had he really just seen that?

Elena was already waiting for him outside when he finally stepped out, locking the doors behind him. The night air was crisp, the streetlights buzzing faintly in the distance. He turned to her, trying to shake off the unease.

"What's up?" he asked.

Elena exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "Something weird happened today."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Weird how?"

"I was at the mall with Emily," she began, glancing around as if making sure no one else was listening. "We were just shopping when I saw this woman. At first, she looked normal, but then I noticed her teeth."

Aiden frowned. "Teeth?"

Elena nodded. "They were sharp. Like a wolf's. And she was trying so hard to hide them, like she knew someone might notice."

Aiden wanted to dismiss it, wanted to tell her she was imagining things. But after what he had just seen inside the restaurant, he wasn't so sure.

"That's… strange," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"There's more." Elena's voice dropped to a whisper. "She was with someone. A man. And I swear, Aiden, it was the same guy who was in the restaurant just now."

Aiden's stomach twisted. "Are you sure?"

Elena gave him a firm nod. "Positive. And it wasn't just the teeth. When they walked past me, I saw something else."

She hesitated, then leaned in closer. "They both had tails."

Aiden's blood ran cold.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, standing frozen under the streetlights as the city hummed softly around them. Then, as if drawn by an invisible thread, their eyes followed a movement across the street.

There they were.

The same man. The same woman.

Walking together under the dim glow of the streetlamps, their figures just barely distorted by the flickering light. They moved differently—too smooth, too silent, as if they weren't entirely human.

Then, for the briefest moment, Aiden saw it again.

The faintest hint of a tail swaying behind the man's coat before disappearing into the darkness.

Elena grabbed his arm. "Aiden, we have to follow them."

He hesitated, every rational part of his brain telling him to turn around, to go home, to forget all of this. But then there was that other part—the part that had always longed for something more, something beyond the mundane life he had been living.

And right now, that part was winning.

"Let's go," he said.

They moved quickly, careful to keep their distance as they trailed behind the mysterious figures. The streets grew quieter as they walked, the towering buildings giving way to narrower alleys and quieter roads. Soon, the pavement turned to dirt, and the hum of the city faded behind them.

They were heading toward the woods.

Aiden's pulse quickened. He exchanged a glance with Elena, but she didn't waver. If anything, she seemed even more determined.

The two figures moved with purpose, their steps unfaltering as they disappeared into the dense treeline. Aiden and Elena hesitated only for a second before following.

The trees swallowed them whole.

Darkness pressed in around them, the sounds of the city replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant call of nocturnal creatures. They moved carefully, stepping over tangled roots and uneven ground, their breaths shallow.

Then they saw it.

A cave.

Its entrance was partially hidden by thick vines, the jagged rocks framing it like the gaping mouth of a beast. The figures stepped inside without hesitation. And then—

They vanished.

Aiden blinked, his heart hammering in his chest. "Did they just—"

"Disappear," Elena finished, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aiden took a step forward, but Elena grabbed his hand, holding him back.

"Aiden, wait. It's late. We don't know what's in there."

He looked at her, at the concern in her eyes, at the way her fingers trembled just slightly in his grip. She was right. They had no idea what they were walking into.

But whatever it was, it was something more than either of them had ever imagined.

"We come back tomorrow," Elena said firmly. "In the daylight."

Aiden hesitated before nodding. "Alright. Tomorrow."

As they turned back toward the city, Aiden cast one last glance at the cave, its darkness seeming to watch them, waiting.

Whatever lay beyond that entrance, it was something neither of them was ready for.

Not yet.