Chapter 1
Chapter One: The Night That Wasn’t Real
Joy didn’t believe in mythology.
Not Greek, not Norse—not any of it.
To her, gods were just names in schoolbooks and weird TikTok edits made by people who had time to care about ancient stories. She didn’t. She had more important things to think about. Like keeping her grades up. Like figuring out why her dreams had been so... off lately.
It started with the moon.
In her dreams, it cracked. Quietly. Like an eggshell under pressure.
And every time it did, she woke up feeling watched
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That night, the world shifted.
Not loudly. Not dramatically. Just… wrong.
She was walking home, hoodie zipped up, earbuds in, when the cold air stopped moving. The wind just vanished. Even the leaves froze in place.
Joy paused. The music kept playing.
But the shadows weren’t shadows anymore.
They were watching.
She turned.
And saw the wolf.
It stood just beyond the streetlight, silver and trembling. Blood matted its fur, glowing faintly like moonlight in water. She blinked once—and it staggered toward her, collapsing to its knees.
And then it spoke.
Not with a growl.
Not with a howl
With a boy’s voice
> “Joy.”
