By midday, Laura was deep in unfamiliar territory. The forest had grown denser, the trees taller and more ancient. Strange sounds echoed through the underbrush—snaps and growls that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
She wasn't alone out here.
A low growl froze her in her tracks. Slowly, Laura turned to face three massive wolves with matted gray fur and yellow eyes. Not werewolves—just regular wolves, but much larger than any she'd seen before.
"Nice doggies," she whispered, taking a step backward.
The lead wolf snarled, baring teeth as long as her fingers.
Laura's heart hammered in her chest. She knew enough about wolf behavior to understand running would be a death sentence. But standing her ground against three predators didn't seem much better.
The lead wolf lunged f
