It was right after sunset and Riley was on her way back to her new home in Wulfuric Hills, riding her bike along the empty road which was illuminated by her flashlight. 

With both sides of the road covered in nothing but thick trees, she knew it would take a while to get used to that road. She had only recently moved there with her mother, who had suddenly made arrangements to make it their new home.

Despite the eerie silence as she rode her bike, she was anything but terrified and it was because it was her nineteenth birthday, but like every other year, those she held special in her life seemed to have forgotten. The more she thought about how bad of a day she had, the more her disappointment grew heavier in her heart.

With a sigh, she stopped for a moment, got off her bike and held onto the handlebar. Even if she was aware it would change nothing, she couldn't help but lament to the sky as she wondered why it was as though she was so insignificant that it was the same situation on each birthday.  

As she continued to look up at the sky, still lamenting, her senses suddenly heightened and she heard rustling from the trees. Unable to handle the disorienting sounds, she covered her ears with her eyes shut.

Despite her efforts to shut it all out, it wasn't just the rustling that became a bother, her sense of smell had also heightened and it allowed her to detect scents from miles away. She could smell the mix of decaying leaves, damp soil, and something that caught her attention above all else. It was a scent like no other, one that made her close her eyes and relax to inhale more of it. 

Though she didn't understand what it was, it didn't matter. It was all she could focus on.

Unable to just stand still, she abandoned her bike, shoved her phone in her jeans, held on tightly to the flashlight and stepped into the thick woods, hoping to find the alluring scent that made her shut out everything else she could pick up.

As she moved deeper into the woods, her heart raced with a mix of curiosity and fear. With every branch and leaf she stepped on with her boots, the sound was magnified by her heightened sense of hearing.

With the alluring scent leading her deeper into the woods, her anticipation grew, her eyes darting nervously between the trees. She hoped nothing would jump out from behind. 

Although she feared the unknown, nothing could make her turn around and return to her bike. She needed to find the source of the alluring scent.

When she noticed the tall trees growing thicker, with their branches intertwining overhead, she clenched her fists to stay calm.

Suddenly, among the sounds of crackling twigs and leaves on the ground, she picked up a sound of stomping and at the same time, three new different scents which seemed to grow stronger. 

In a few seconds, low growls echoed through the woods and her steps came to a halt as she held her breath. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked around, searching for the source of the sound. 

When the stomping faded but the growls grew louder, she looked behind her and noticed three brown wolves that were so thin she could see the outline of their ribs. Their stance was as if they were ready to attack. 

At that moment, she knew she had just found the source of the three scents, but not the alluring one that had brought her into the woods in the first place.

For that moment, she needed to forget about finding the alluring scent and it was because she needed to survive. 

With her heart pounding hard in her chest, she faced forward and put on a sprint of speed, panic already setting in as the aggressive stomping from the wolves only seemed to get faster. It was at that moment that she regretted abandoning her bike.

"Help!" she cried out, her voice strained with fear.

Her eyes darted around in a desperate attempt to come up with a plan that would allow her to escape the predators. 

Despite telling herself not to look back, she was too terrified to not know, so she glanced over her shoulder and her eyes widened at the sight of the wolves closing in on her. 

Lost in the woods, despite bolting for a while, she began to lose hope when she realized that there seemed to be no escape from them. 

She was always someone who preferred getting things done all on her own, but for that moment, she only hoped that someone would come to her rescue.

She then thought to herself that despite the wolves getting closer, her feet could still carry her. It was then that her survival instincts fully took over. 

With a rush of adrenaline, she refused to let them catch up. She maneuvered her way through the trees, leaped over the fallen branches and ducked each time she came across branches that hung low.

"Whoa!" she said out loud, never imagining there would be a moment she would give it all she had just so she could stay alive. 

She also wondered how it was possible that her legs could carry her for so long. 

Racing against wolves that had the intent to attack gave her even more courage. 

As the adrenaline in her veins suddenly began to fade, she felt the exhaustion but even when it seemed to not be in her favor, she pushed through, knowing that she was the only one who could save herself.

Despite her determination, she knew that the wolves were closer than ever before. She glanced over her shoulder again, fearing that it was the end.

But just as the wolves were about to finally attack, she was forcibly pushed to the ground by a mysterious figure which had intercepted the wolves' attack, a grunt escaping her lips as her body hit the ground.

As Riley struggled to even sit up, she heard the agonized howls of the wolves. She panted, trying to face the other side, but in all the chaos, her movements came to a halt when the alluring scent she had been following wafted through the air and caught her attention.

With her vision slightly failing her, she raised her upper body and looked to the other side to catch a glimpse of the brutality that unfolded before her. 

Time seemed to slow down as she watched a majestic black wolf effortlessly rip apart all three wolves, its victory showing dominance. Its stature was that of raw power and strength. Its coal-black fur was thick and its eyes burned a bright red. 

She was terrified yet captivated.

As she fought against her vision, which began to blur, her mind raced with questions about why the mysterious and alluring wolf had come to her rescue. 

Given how ferocious it was, she thought it was best to get away but at the same time, its alluring scent kept her in place.

When the black wolf's fiery red eyes looked in her direction, it stepped over the carcasses and slowly approached her. As the distance between them closed, it wagged its tail in a playful way, a contrast to how ferocious it was. Its tongue darted across its lips, sending shivers down her spine.

And then, in a moment where she believed she was taking her last few breaths on earth, the wolf's form began to shift until a man of undeniable beauty stood naked before her, his body's muscles perfectly sculpted. 

With her mouth hanging open, she struggled to make sense of what she had just witnessed. She was left in a state of shock and awe. 

Not long after he had transformed, she reached a point where she could no longer keep her eyes open even if she wanted to. 

Her head felt so heavy that gravity pulled her downwards until she was completely on the ground, her eyes closing as she caught a glimpse of the guy getting closer. 

As Hunter attempted to search for an answer to the undeniable pull he felt towards the girl he had never seen before and her alluring scent, he got even closer and as soon as he took in a proper view of her face, he was blown away by her natural beauty.

Grazing his fingertips along her smooth cheek, an electrifying current rushed through his veins and it was a sensation that awakened something primal and animalistic. 

With his eyes closed, he inhaled her scent deeply since it was the one that had guided him through the woods. Although they had never met, it was a scent that greatly drew him in, and at that moment, he believed she was part of his existence.

Still taking in her features, a soft chuckle escaped his lips.

"Who are you?" he asked, knowing pretty well that he wouldn't get a response from her. 

He then turned serious, looking behind him to view the carcasses. For a moment, he wished he hadn't killed them all so he could get answers. 

He then looked back at her and sighed, wondering if the rogues were just looking for a chase, or if they had been sent by the enemy who wished to track his every move, Vane, the most powerful vampire among his kind.

He grazed his fingers along her cheek again, deciding at that moment that for as long as he didn't speak to her, he wouldn't let her slip away.

Hunter was so powerful that he was able to take on more than three wolves at once. He knew that even if more were to show up and attack, he would emerge victorious. 

However, for that moment, he only had her safety in mind, so he thought he needed to leave that spot and take her back with him to the Mayfield Mansion, which was his home and territory. It was on the other side of town after the hills and deep in the woods.

The moment he carried her in his arms, he fought against the sexual urge that threatened to consume him through her alluring scent. 

The desire to satisfy the beast in him was stronger than ever before, but even with that, he managed to maintain a sense of control because his instincts had told him that he needed to protect her. 

While running with her at full speed through the woods, he heightened his senses for any possible threats. 

Being the Alpha of the most powerful and well established pack in history left him with enemies everywhere, all who seemed to have formed an unusual alliance with Vane.

No matter what would happen, he was determined to safely make it back to his territory.

Suddenly, he picked up a few scents that grew stronger quickly, making his eyes glow because he knew he was about to be surrounded.