Chapter 7

Eden Cooper

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Under the glistening moonlight, Eden rushed through the woods, screaming out her lungs. Of every cases she had been trying to solve, this one stared at her right in the face. She would only be a coward if she cannot bring him in. Maybe she wasn't a coward and giving him a bit of space was just being logical. She was no match for a beast that strong. However, this time, she isn't going to back out.

"Lowell! Wherever you are, I need you to come out now! I've had enough of your shenanigans. Go on!" She spread her arms. "Go on and kill me the same way you have been killing innocent people in the woods because you wanna avenge your father's death. Go on!" She paused to catch her breath that she was slowly running out of. Her body was soaked in sweat and her throat dry. "I don't care anymore but this killing has got to stop."

The shrubs ruffled. Her head turned in the direction, grabbing her gun at the same time. She pointed the weapon towards where she'd heard the noise, her hands quivering really hard. She had no idea where all these would go but she was certain something would happen.

One shot...two shots, yet silence took over the woods.

Eden backed up, her heels crunching the snow beneath her, mixed with the fallen leaves. Her hand was still clasped around the gun, finger placed on the trigger. As she stared too hard at the leaves before her that was slowly turning from its greenish appearance to something slightly darker, it kept shaking. Her heart leaped with each movement. She swallowed hard. After a few seconds of suspense, her heart in her mouth, the figure jumped.

"Ah!"

It was just a small rabbit, but it was wounded. The shot had hit it.

"Oh my god!" Eden rushed to the rabbit and carried it, trying to stop the bleeding. However, it was too late when the fluffy animal shut its eyes in a lasting unconsciousness. She dropped it.

"I see you caught my prey for me."

She turned sharply, aiming her gun at whoever was in the dark. She heard crunches as though the figure was approaching.

"Don't you dare come closer."

But he did came closer and when he would show up under the moonlight, he was dressed in a silver coloured hoodie jacket over a white t-shirt. His grey streaked hair sat lazily over his forehead just like his drooly eyes that began to dilate.

"Hello, there," his voice was deeper than a canyon that it sent shivers down her spine. "Lily."

She aimed her gun at him regardless, knowing he is a threat. He stepped towards her but she moved backwards, eyes focused on him.

"Looks like the key has decided to come fight me herself." He snickered.

Something jolted within her as he laughed, running his hand through his hair. There was something about him that made her quiver in fear and as well as reverence. Her gun fell but as she crouched to take it, she fell on the floor. Her whole body was now fully drenched in sweat.

"He shouldn't have left you alone in the forest..." He stretched, his smooth satin skin getting replaced with furs. "But now, he's doomed."

"How? Why am I linked to him?" Eden shouted.

"With you still on the loose, our pack will forever be in jeopardy. Your birth has brought misfortune to us! And now," he was now fully transformed into a ten feet tall furry beast. His ears elongated and his fangs were out. His eyes were now bulgy red and when he straightened, his claws clanged out.

"You die!"

He charged forward. She screamed out her lungs as he raised his arm. Eden shut her eyelids expecting the worst but it never came. Instead, she heard someone push the beasts and sounds of struggling receding into the dark.

Two shots sounded in the air.

"Peter?"

Eden called as he rushed into the woods with other officers behind him. Th all had dogs on leash to help trace the beast.

"Are you okay?" Peter came to her side and took off his jacket.

She nodded. "Yeah, I just... " He draped the black leather jacket around her shoulder and although it gave her warmth, her insides still shivered. "Thank you."

They both look into each other's eyes for a while.

"Did you see it too?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yes. It...it...it was huge. It was really ugly, like really ugly. I just had to do what I had to do to save you. I could have caught it but it escaped from me."

His face crumpled in disappointment. Eden understood how he felt. It was the same way she felt when she lost her camera. Speaking of which, she needs to see Lowell for that too.

That, and a lot more.

"You don't have to blame yourself, Peter. I understand how you feel but right now, we need each other. Besides, you could have gotten into so much trouble by coming here. Shouldn't you be in your lab?"

"I..." Peter took her hands. "I knew you were so passionate about getting to the root of this matter and you would come into the woods. I couldn't watch you get hurt when I can do something so I followed."

"You followed me?"

He raised his hand and tucked some of her ruffled hair behind her ear. "I can't stand seeing you get hurt."

Eden frowned, wondering what was going on, but he'd left. She followed immediately but not without looking back at where she'd first seen grey streaked hair man.

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"Yeah, thank you for seeing me off." Eden smiled up at Peter. He followed her to the front of her door.

As she turned to bade him goodbye, she realized he was so close she could feel the warmth of his body against hers.

"Thank you for saving me as well." She placed a hand on her knob, a grateful and nervous smile plastered on her face.

Just as she looked into her pocket for keys, she felt his warm hands press her face and lifted it up. Before she could speak, his lips had crushed against hers in an inviting manner.

Eden smiled.

She waited. Waited for that spark she'd had when she'd first seen him. But after that small kindle, it stopped burning with her skin pebbled with goosebumps.

"Eden." She heard whispers. She pushed Peter slightly on the chest.

"We...we shouldn't be doing this."

"Why? Because I didn't tell you I've had eyes on you since I got here?"

"Really?" She chuckled. "Well, you snooze you lose. A little compliment would have gone a long way."

"You mean a little hang out over coffee wouldn't hurt?" Peter winked, his cute face illuminated by the overhead orange bulb on the porch.

"Well, maybe." They both laughed.

"How 'bout tomorrow then? As soon as we're done with the victim's autopsy, we could head out. Watcha say, young lady?"

"With that accent, I'd say," he was moving closer again, aiming for her lips. She placed her arm in between, looking him in the eyes. "I'll think about it."

After a long moment of pause, he nodded in agreement.

"Fine. I'll get a response tomorrow, yeah?"

But Eden laughed, opened the door and went in shaking her head. She could hear his resigned sigh behind the door.

Flipping the light switch, what she saw made her skin jump out but also made her sigh in relief.

"Lowell!"