Behind the willow

Twisted dreams

The Dream Begins, as Sophia falls in to a deep sleep.

Sophia stood alone in a dense, fog-covered forest. The trees loomed above her, their twisted branches stretching out like fingers, as if the forest itself was alive and watching. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine. She tried to call out, but her voice was swallowed by the silence, leaving her feeling isolated, vulnerable.

From the corner of her eye, she saw movement—quick, fluid. A shadow flitted between the trees, just beyond her reach. A part of her wanted to run, but her legs were frozen, as though the forest itself had gripped her with invisible chains.

Suddenly, she heard a voice, low and smooth, drifting from the darkness.

"Sophia…"

She stiffened, the sound of her name drawing her attention.

Ronan stepped into view, his silhouette framed by the fog, his figure tall and commanding. His eyes gleamed in the darkness, like twin pools of moonlight.

"Why are you hiding from what you are?" he asked, his voice a soft caress against her ear. "You can feel it, can’t you? The wildness inside you. It’s calling to you."

Sophia swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. The dream felt too real, the air too thick with tension. "This isn’t real," she whispered, trying to convince herself. "You’re not real."

But Ronan only chuckled, the sound low and knowing. "You’ve always known, Sophia. You’ve felt it your entire life. The wolf inside you, the power you’ve been hiding from. It’s not a curse—it’s a gift. The pack is holding you back. James is holding you back."

Ronan's Temptation

The fog around them thickened, swirling like a storm. Ronan moved closer, his footsteps soundless, and suddenly, it felt like the entire forest was closing in, the trees leaning toward them as if waiting for his next move.

"You’re not like the others," he said, his voice dripping with dark promise. "You were meant to run wild, to follow the call of the moon, to claim your true power. The willow is nothing but a prison, keeping you from becoming who you were always meant to be."

Sophia's breath hitched. The weight of his words settled heavily in her chest, stirring something primal within her. The wolf within her stirred in response, a restless, hungry feeling deep in her bones. It was as though the dream itself was trying to unlock something inside her, something she had tried to suppress.

"You’re stronger than you think," Ronan continued, his voice a seductive whisper that echoed through the dreamscape. "You can choose your own path. Let go of the chains James has placed on you. Come with me, and I’ll show you what freedom really feels like."

He stepped forward, his hand reaching out toward her. It was impossible not to notice how effortlessly powerful he looked, how his aura seemed to draw her in, pulling her closer with an invisible force.

The Struggle

Sophia took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to trust her instincts, to turn and run, but the pull of Ronan’s words was strong. She could feel the wolf inside her thrumming, its hunger intensifying. She knew this was dangerous—she had always been warned to stay away from him, from his kind. Yet, there was a flicker of temptation, a whisper of freedom that beckoned her, promising power, release, and control.

"No," she whispered, forcing her legs to move, to step back. "I won’t listen to you."

But Ronan’s gaze hardened, his eyes glowing with an intensity that made her feel exposed, as though he could see every part of her soul. "You think you can fight it?" he asked, his voice dark and knowing. "You’re already part of this world, Sophia. You always have been."

Sophia’s legs trembled as her wolf fought to break free, the call of Ronan’s power resonating deep within her. She tried to breathe, to calm herself, but the dream felt all too real, too consuming.

"Wake up," she murmured desperately, her voice breaking. "This isn’t real."

Suddenly, the fog cleared, and Sophia found herself standing in front of the willow, bathed in the soft glow of its branches. The familiar comfort of the tree was a sharp contrast to the chaos of the dream.

James’s voice echoed in her mind: "Stay close to the willow, Sophia. It will protect you."

Sophia’s heart raced as she realized she was no longer in the forest with Ronan. But his presence lingered, his words lingering in her thoughts like an echo. She woke with a start, sitting up in her bed, her body drenched in sweat. Her breathing was shallow, her heart still hammering in her chest.

The remnants of the dream faded, but the feeling of Ronan’s pull—his temptation—lingered, a lingering shadow in her mind.

The next morning, Sophia couldn’t shake the dream’s weight. Ronan’s voice kept echoing in her mind, making her wonder if he was right, if James was really keeping her from her true self. The tension between her loyalty to the pack and the dangerous allure of Ronan’s promise gnawed at her, making it difficult to focus.

She couldn’t forget the way Ronan had looked at her, the way his power had radiated, pulling at her wolf. She had resisted in the dream, but the feeling of freedom he offered was intoxicating.

Would she be able to keep her distance from him? Or was Ronan’s influence already beginning to take hold, weaving a dangerous seed of doubt in her heart?

The path ahead was unclear, but one thing was certain—Ronan would stop at nothing to claim her. And Sophia, unsure of where her loyalties truly lay, would have to decide if she could trust the pack and the willow... or if the wild freedom Ronan offered was something she couldn’t resist.