Once discharged from the hospital, Aunt Carol took me back home and tucked me under the sheets while warming up some leftovers from yesterday. We were tight on everything—financially and mentally. My aunt worked at the local supermarket, she had mixed shifts and had always struggled with being stable. When my parents passed away, they left a lump sum of money in her name which she used to take care of me over the past few years. Till now, everything was going well until that sum of money was over.

We both had to work on our own to keep the house running.

"I had made it yesterday." She came inside the room and offered me.

"I'm not hungry." I shook my head and denied her. "Just need some water." I reached for my side table and picked up the bottle of water from it before chugging it down.

Aunt Carol sat beside, near the bed and she began eating while laid under the covers. "I hope you're feeling better."

"I do." My eyes closed for a second but they struck open when my thoughts went racing. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure?"

"You have been living here for a very long time, right?" My brow quirked.

"Yes."

"You must know about King Emerson then?" I glared at her, watching her expression tighten with my question.

"Indeed." She nodded before returning her gaze at the bowl resting on her lap. "I had seen him since he was born to Katherine Emerson. He was their firstborn and was spoiled a lot through his young years until something terrible occurred in the town." A questionable look spread across her face.

"Terrible?" I furrowed my brows.

"There was a time, many many years ago when we were asked to evacuate the town for a couple of months. I almost forgot about it," She placed her hand over her head and laughed. "It was a tough time for everyone. We forced to move out to the nearest town."

I was shocked.

There wasn't much history about Frostford nor I ever intended on learning about it. Coming here was temporary, I barely peeked into the chaos or the history of the town.

"Why was that?" I asked Aunt Carol while sitting up straight and against the bedpost. Suddenly, I was eager to know more.

She shrugged in response, "The reasons were unknown—to date. I moved out and lived with your parents for a few months. I hope you remember that." She glanced at me, waiting for my memories to strike and make me remember what I've forgotten.

"Yes. Those months. It was winter and every night Mom and you would sit outside on the porch and drink coffee. When I tried to insert myself, I was always kicked back to my room and forced to sleep." I laughed while the memories came to me. Then, I was barely a teen. "I thought we were having girl's night every night." Another giggle slipped out of my lips while I shook my head at my younger, naïve self.

Aunt Carol was always around Mom. I saw her through most of my childhood. Both my parents loved her. She was always around to help us in little things. We took her as a part of our family since she was unmarried and didn't have any children. She filled a hole in our lives and we filled a hole in her life until my parents were murdered.

Then all was in ruins.

"Yes, well, those were good times." Carol sighed and narrowed her eyes to the bowl. "I spent the entire winter with you and your parents. People slowly began returning here after it was safe to live here. This was seven years ago and no one had heard about the Emerson's after the evacuation."

"So the family disappeared?" I raised my chin and wondered.

"I assume so. It wasn't until two years later King Emerson was all over the global news. He was thriving and successful while his family was nowhere to be spotted. The Emersons were filthy rich from the beginning but not as much as King had become. Till date, no one knows where his family is—at least I don't." Aunt Carol gave her shoulder a push before shrugging.

"Do you think they are dead?" I asked in a low whisper.

"Maybe. We really don't know."

A brittle silence spread in the room. I blew out a cold breath and pulled the covers over myself before laying back on the bed. It was a scary world. At least, I knew something about the man I was going to have a date with tomorrow. It was would be one of the first dates since I broke up with Bryce.

"Why do you ask, Eos?" Aunt Carol snapped me back to reality.

"Nothing..." I trailed off.

"His return has been all over the local news," She stood up and walked over to the TV before switching it on. King's images flashed across the scene. "He may be charming and a billionaire but he is a mysterious man, possibly dangerous. People around here fear him for reasons no one knows about." She whispered with terror in her voice.

Fear him?

I stayed silent and waited for Aunt Carol to leave. She switched off the TV, gave me a warm hug, and then departed from my room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I fiddled with the blanket over me for a long good minute before standing up and walking to the window.

The night was still young. The clock was striking to midnight. I moved the curtain aside just a little bit and spotted the wolf, at its spot, looking at my window, waiting for me to come out and face him like I had done that evening. I let myself get bitten. If I had fought, his teeth wouldn't have pierced into my skin and he wouldn't be stalking me.

But the question remained.

What did he want from me?

Another piece of my flesh for him to devour?