Behind the willow

Sweet dreams

That night, as Sophia lay in the soft glow of moonlight streaming through her bedroom window, her thoughts lingered on James—the way his quiet intensity seemed to fill the room, the way his voice carried both strength and vulnerability. Her eyes grew heavy as sleep claimed her, and she drifted into a dream that felt as vivid as reality.

Sophia stood in the middle of a vast forest, the towering trees bathed in silvery moonlight. The air was cool and fragrant, carrying the scent of pine and earth. She was barefoot, the moss beneath her toes soft and damp. There was a stillness around her, as though the world itself was holding its breath.

Then she heard it—a low, resonant howl in the distance. Her heart leapt, the sound awakening something deep within her. Without thinking, she began to move, her feet carrying her through the forest with an urgency she couldn’t explain.

The trees blurred past her as she ran, her breath steady, her steps sure. She didn’t know where she was going, only that she had to reach the source of the howl. It called to her, pulling her forward like a thread woven through her soul.

Finally, she emerged into a clearing bathed in moonlight, the willow tree from James’s home standing at its center. Beneath its sweeping branches stood a wolf, its fur dark as midnight, its golden eyes glowing with an intensity that stole her breath.

“James,” she whispered, the name escaping her lips without hesitation.

The wolf tilted its head, its gaze locking onto hers. Slowly, it stepped closer, its movements deliberate and graceful. As it approached, the wolf’s form began to shift, its limbs lengthening, its fur receding, until James stood before her, the same golden eyes watching her with a mix of longing and restraint.

“You came,” he said, his voice low and filled with something she couldn’t quite name.

“I had to,” she replied, her voice steady despite the rapid beating of her heart. “You called me.”

James reached out, his hand brushing against her cheek. His touch was warm, grounding her even as her surroundings seemed to shimmer and blur.

“This is dangerous, Sophia,” he murmured, his fingers lingering against her skin. “You don’t know what you’re stepping into.”

“I don’t care,” she said firmly, her eyes never leaving his. “I’m not afraid.”

James closed his eyes for a moment, as though waging an internal battle. When he opened them again, they were filled with raw emotion. “You should be.”

Before she could respond, the forest around them began to change. The trees swayed violently, their branches reaching toward her like grasping hands. The ground beneath her feet trembled, and the air grew thick with tension.

“Stay with me,” James said, his voice commanding.

Sophia reached for him, her fingers curling around his arm. As the chaos around them grew, James pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her protectively. She felt the strength of his body, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and the overwhelming certainty that he would never let her go.

The world dissolved into light, and just before she woke, James’s voice echoed in her mind:

“Find me, Sophia. When you’re ready, find me.”

Sophia woke with a start, her heart racing, her skin tingling with the memory of his touch. The room was silent except for the faint sound of the waves outside. She sat up, pressing a hand to her chest as she tried to steady her breath.

It wasn’t just a dream. She knew that now.

James’s world was calling to her, and she would answer.