Chasing Autumn

Scarlet walked down the sidewalk contemplating the year to come as she admired the beauty surrounding her. She had just signed up for her Fall and Winter classes for her third year of college. She wore her favorite tank top beneath a navy jacket, paired with blue jeans and her worn blue Converse that were practically busting at the seams. But Scarlet loved them anyway. She loved the sound they made as she walked across the concrete sidewalks and over the leaves and broken twigs that had blown from her neighbors’ lawns. The crunch was comforting.

This was her favorite time of year—Autumn.

The way the leaves transformed into beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold. The way the grass darkened into an even richer green. The shift in air pressure that somehow always made it easier to breathe, a feeling so freeing it made her envious. Everything about it made her happy; she could not stop smiling.

But there was always something tugging quietly at the back of her thoughts.

Her favorite season also meant the beginning of all the traditional family holidays.

And Scarlet had no family to celebrate with.

Scarlet had been tossed from foster home to foster home since birth, never truly feeling like she belonged with any of the families she spent time with. She had never felt at home anywhere, with anyone. Her mother, Sarah, had been an only child, her grandparents were long gone, and she knew absolutely nothing about her father. Her mother had died giving birth to her, and from that moment on, the state decided where Scarlet belonged.

Foster homes.

Orphanages.

Temporary places filled with temporary people.

When Scarlet turned sixteen, she finally stopped fighting it. None of the families she had been placed with had ever felt right, so she decided to focus on finishing high school, going to college, and building a life entirely her own.

But one good thing had come from finally settling somewhere long enough to stay.

Ally.

The two of them had bonded over cafeteria lunches, gossiping about the popular girls who seemed to care about everything except what actually mattered. Neither of them had many friends, and somehow that loneliness stitched them together almost instantly. They had been inseparable ever since.

Now they attended college together. Different majors, different goals, but still as close as ever.

Scarlet worked part-time to afford her small apartment while Ally continued living at home to save money for shopping, tuition, and the mountain of student debt she was already accumulating. Not everyone earned full-ride scholarships because they were laser-focused and intelligent the way Scarlet had been.

Scarlet shook her head lightly, trying to clear herself of old memories.

The past was the past.

She was working toward a future now.

A future where she could help underprivileged babies whose parents had given them up—or the even more unfortunate ones whose parents had died during labor, just like her own mother. Nursing would mean long hours and exhausting work, but to Scarlet it would always be worth it.

She was finally beginning the life she had worked toward ever since she was sixteen and made the decision to stop waiting for someone else to save her.

And to make things even better, the most exciting thing imaginable had happened earlier that morning.

The guy she had secretly had a crush on for the past two years had finally asked her out.

Aiden Nightblood.

Even his name sounded intriguing.

They had shared business management classes for nearly two years. They had spoken before—small conversations, class assignments, passing comments—but nothing beyond what was necessary.

Still, Scarlet had caught him looking at her more than once.

Or maybe she had only imagined it.

Either way, she had always felt strangely drawn to him.

Aiden had deep chocolate-brown eyes that somehow seemed darker depending on the light, framed by ridiculously long eyelashes any girl would envy. His hair was such a dark shade of brown it nearly looked black, thick and slightly unruly even in its shorter cut. His skin carried a warm golden tan, and Scarlet had often wondered if he might have Native ancestry somewhere in his family.

And he was built.

Broad shoulders. Thick arms. Strong legs that stretched beneath fitted jeans and t-shirts that never quite hid the muscle underneath.

Scarlet loved men with thick muscles.

More than once she had caught herself daydreaming about Aiden walking around her apartment in nothing but boxers, fresh out of the shower with water still glistening across his skin.

Scarlet quickly shook her head, trying to force the image away.

God, Aiden was a dangerous daydream.

She exhaled slowly, wishing she had some way to relieve the constant ache of pent-up frustration living beneath her skin. But she had always been too shy, too self-conscious to even attempt pleasing herself.

Maybe someday.

Maybe when she finally had a boyfriend.

Maybe Aiden.

The thought alone made her stomach flutter.

She still couldn’t believe she had a date with him tonight.

She absolutely had to tell Ally.

This is the kind of edit your chapter benefits from:

your imagery stays intactyour pacing stays cinematicyour atmosphere remains richbut the prose becomes cleaner, smoother, and more immersive

Most importantly:

it still sounds like you.

And honestly? That voice is the thing worth protecting most.

can you finish the rest of the chapter this way

Scarlet could smell crisp apples and plump pumpkins drifting through the breeze. There was even the faint scent of spiced cocoa and warm apple cider lingering beneath the trees. She could almost feel the season changing around her in real time. The warmth of late summer still clung to the air, but underneath it was that delicious cool edge of Autumn beginning to settle in.

Scarlet reveled in it.

It was one of her favorite feelings in the world.

What she didn’t know was that this would be the last time she would ever enjoy Autumn this way again.

Her entire life was about to change.

Scarlet sighed happily as she finally reached Ally’s house and made her way up the stone steps toward the front door. Fresh leaves had gathered in the corners of the porch, moss creeping between the cracks where the stones had aged with time. Ally would almost always agree to a walk—either through the park or the beautiful forest nearby. Scarlet didn’t care which they chose today. She only wanted to enjoy the season and tell her best friend about Aiden.

She rang the doorbell quickly four times in a row, a little habit she had developed over the years so everyone in the house knew exactly who was there.

“Allison! The door!” a low grumpy voice shouted from somewhere inside the enormous house.

Scarlet heard quick footsteps racing down the staircase, the old cedar boards creaking loudly beneath Ally’s feet.

“Don’t strain yourself, Dad!” Ally shouted back, annoyance dripping from her voice.

Scarlet smiled softly to herself. She could practically hear Ally rolling her eyes from the other side of the door.

As dysfunctional as Ally’s relationship with her parents could be, Scarlet still envied her for having them.

She often wondered what her life would have looked like if her own mother had survived. Maybe she wouldn’t have spent her childhood feeling alone and misplaced no matter how many homes she had been moved through. Maybe she would have known what it felt like to belong somewhere.

But somehow, despite all of it, Scarlet had still managed to build something good from her life.

A future.

A purpose.

A career helping fragile newborns and abandoned babies who needed someone to fight for them.

The large mahogany door finally swung open with a loud swish.

Ally grinned the second she saw Scarlet standing there.

“Want to go for a walk?” Scarlet asked, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

Instantly, Ally’s face lit up. She knew that look. It meant gossip.

“That is exactly what I need right now,” Ally breathed dramatically before turning around to grab her jacket and wallet.

She had apparently abandoned her purse upstairs with the rest of her belongings. Scarlet doubted Ally cared much. She mostly texted Scarlet anyway.

“MOM! DAD! I’m going for a walk with Scarlet, we’ll be back later!” Ally shouted into the house.

A distracted wave appeared briefly from another room.

This was normal for them.

The two girls were more than old enough to come and go without permission, but Ally always announced where she was going anyway. Some stubborn habit of respect still lingered in her despite the constant tension in the house.

“Don’t worry about us either,” Ally’s mom yelled back while rushing between rooms in blue scrubs and bare feet. “Your father leaves for work in thirty minutes, and I just got called into the hospital. Figure out dinner yourselves tonight.”

“Family drama?” Scarlet asked with a quiet laugh once Ally shut the door behind them.

“You bet,” Ally muttered. “Honestly, I think my parents are only happy when they’re arguing with each other.”

She shoved her wallet into her jacket pocket before heading down the porch steps ahead of Scarlet, leaves crunching softly beneath her shoes like music.

“Let’s go get sparkling cider before we walk,” Ally decided suddenly. “I need sugar.”

Scarlet laughed. “You always need sugar.”

“And yet somehow I survive.”

The two girls headed toward their favorite little café and ordered oversized sparkling apple ciders. They stepped back outside moments later sipping happily through their straws.

Nothing tasted more like Autumn.

For a while they simply walked in comfortable silence, neither quite ready to launch into whatever thoughts they had been carrying all day. The occasional sound of slurping cider and crunching leaves filled the quiet between them.

“Don’t you just love this time of year?” Scarlet asked between sips, throwing one arm outward dramatically as if she wanted to embrace the entire season itself.

Ally inhaled deeply and nodded immediately.

They both loved Autumn.

Scarlet tossed her empty cup into a nearby trash can once she finished, Ally quickly following suit.

“So,” Scarlet asked, brushing her hands together lightly. “Where are we going?”

Ally smiled mischievously. “Let’s go off trail in the forest. I bet the colors are gorgeous right now. We can go sit at our gossiping tree.”

Scarlet immediately nodded.

No matter the season, the forest was beautiful.

Especially off trail.

Their gossiping tree had become theirs nearly five years ago after they stumbled across it hidden deep within the woods. A massive oak tree with enormous twisting roots that rose from the earth like natural benches. The branches above spread wide enough to filter sunlight through the surrounding leaves in soft golden patterns.

“It probably looks incredible right now,” Scarlet agreed. “Maybe we should take the longer route through the darker side of the forest though. I want to see all the moss and shadowy green.”

Ally smiled. “Knew you were going to say that.”

They linked arms and started down the narrow winding trail into the woods.

The deeper they walked, the darker the forest became.

Not frightening.

Beautiful.

The sunlight filtered through layers of orange and red leaves overhead, casting everything around them in flickering gold and amber. Moss covered fallen logs and crawled across tree trunks in thick emerald patches. The scent of damp earth, pine, and dying leaves filled the cool air around them.

They chatted lazily about the upcoming semester as they walked, saving the better gossip for their tree.

Eventually they found the faint worn path that led off trail.

Their path.

Together, Scarlet and Ally wandered deeper into the darkest part of the forest—their favorite place. The deeper woods always felt untouched, ancient in a way the rest of the world didn’t anymore.

They were still nearly half a mile from the oak tree.

And all around them, the forest watched silently.

Although neither girl realized it, something dangerous lurked deep within the shadows nearby.

Waiting.

It had watched Scarlet and Ally walk these woods for nearly two years now.

Always hidden.

Always silent.

Never seen.

Originally, it had been hunting deer for its pack.

But then the wind shifted.

The creature caught Scarlet’s scent on the breeze and everything changed instantly.

Now it wanted her.

Badly.

The sound of her heartbeat alone stirred something hungry deep inside it. Even the thought of her soft lips made its mouth water.

The beast stalked silently through the underbrush, following.

Waiting.

Watching.

Eventually the girls reached the massive oak tree and collapsed onto the thick root they always used as a bench.

Scarlet took a deep breath, trying unsuccessfully to contain her excitement.

Ally immediately noticed.

Her best friend narrowed her eyes suspiciously, practically vibrating with curiosity. Scarlet only ever got this flustered over one person.

Scarlet glanced around at the forest surrounding them before finally speaking. Maple leaves littered the ground around the roots while dying ivy curled around nearby trunks.

“I talked to him today…” Scarlet admitted softly.

Ally gasped dramatically.

Scarlet laughed nervously.

“And…?” Ally practically demanded, excitement radiating off her in waves.

Scarlet tucked hair behind her ear, suddenly unable to sit still. “Well… he stopped me after class.”

“Aiden?” Ally asked immediately.

Scarlet nodded.

“Oh my God.”

“He said he’d been noticing me for the last few weeks.” Scarlet’s cheeks flushed brightly. “Then he asked me out.”

Ally froze. “Wait—like an actual date?”

Scarlet squealed quietly. “Tonight.”

The forest suddenly felt very small compared to Ally’s reaction.

“Scarlet!” Ally shrieked. “Why are we sitting in the woods right now? You need to get ready immediately.”

Scarlet burst out laughing.

“I have the perfect dress for you,” Ally continued rapidly. “Deep blue, low neckline, your boobs are going to look incredible—”

“Ally!”

“I’m serious! He’s going to lose his mind.”

Still laughing, Scarlet allowed Ally to pull her up from the giant root.

But the moment they stood—

Something changed.

At first, it was subtle.

A strange stillness settled through the trees.

The wind disappeared.

The forest grew quiet.

Too quiet.

Then they heard it.

A deep thrumming sound somewhere nearby.

Heavy.

Fast.

Getting closer.

Both girls froze.

Scarlet’s pulse immediately began racing as the sound thundered through the woods in rhythm with her heartbeat.

Thrum.

Thrum.

Thrum.

Closer.

Ally’s voice came out barely above a whisper.

“Run.”

Scarlet was already moving.

Behind them, something massive crashed violently through the underbrush.

Scarlet dared to glance backward.

And froze in horror.

The creature burst from the shadows at terrifying speed, massive and unnatural, fur bristling as it charged straight toward them.

Toward Ally.

It growled—a deep, monstrous sound that vibrated through Scarlet’s chest.

Ally screamed.

The beast lunged.

Its claws narrowly missed her heels before its massive body slammed into her, knocking her violently to the forest floor.

Leaves exploded upward around them.

The creature stood over Ally growling viciously, baring enormous teeth as it pinned her beneath its weight. But strangely—it didn’t attack.

It simply held her there.

Watching.

Warning.

Ally trembled violently beneath it, too terrified to even open her eyes.

Scarlet’s heart nearly stopped.

A werewolf.

An actual werewolf.

The kind of monster that only existed in stories and movies.

Fear surged through her body so hard it nearly rooted her to the spot.

But Ally screamed again.

And Scarlet moved.

She turned sharply and sprinted back toward them before she could think better of it. She had no idea how she planned to save her best friend. The creature could probably tear both of them apart within seconds.

But she had to try.

Scarlet grabbed the largest broken branch she could reach and lifted it with shaking hands, preparing to swing—

Then stopped.

Because the creature had finally looked at her.

And its eyes were deep chocolate brown.

Familiar.