Hearthway Hollow

Ivan

Male Werewolf (cis) x Female Reader (Trans)

"What do you mean you're not coming back?" I roar into the phone.

Miranda sighs and I can almost hear her eyes rolling. "Just like I said. I'm not moving back. If you need my photography skills, you can reach me here, but I don't want to travel as much as I used to."

I'm in disbelief, ever since Miranda went on her last job she's been different. She came back with photographs of the Hearthway Forest looking like the cat who ate the canary. I had overheard her talking about how she met someone, but I still couldn't understand her unwillingness to come back to work like she was supposed to.

She moved! After returning and finishing the current job she had, she just up and left! She went back to Hearthway Hollow, claiming it was where she belonged.

Where she belonged? From what I could tell Hearthway Hollow looked like a retirement town or a tourist trap. It didn't look like the sort of place people 'belonged in'. Aside from a few websites that claimed Hearthway Hollow was a hotbed for paranormal activity, there seemed to be nothing exciting about the place!

"Listen," I try to reason with her. "You are the best photographer I've got-"

"I know," she replies. "But you have to understand. I'm getting married. I'm starting a family. Maybe in a few years, I can start taking longer jobs again."

"This isn't 'Bridges of Madison County'!" I blurt into the phone. "You can't marry some Italian housewife and act like nothing has happened?"

She scoffs. "Have you even read that book? And that's not the case. I fell in love. If you came to this town, I think you'd understand too."

"You grew up in New York!" I huff. "How do you go from that to some town I'm sure might be a cult."

"Goodbye boss, I'm glad we had this talk." Miranda hangs up the phone, and I slouch back in my chair. I'm at a loss. Miranda was the best photographer I had. I couldn't lose her to day trip jobs, and things around a town I was more than certain was a cult.

I decided I had to talk to Miranda face to face. I need to see her to understand what was going on. I needed to meet her fiance, know this place, and know why she's so stubborn about it.

Hearthway Hollow was a town nestled in the middle of the Hearthway Forest which is part of one of the biggest nature preserves in the country. The town started small but has grown to have its own college, museums, landmarks, nature tours, all sorts of shit. It was also increasing in notoriety because of a vlog claiming the town was full of supernatural activity and a breeding ground of werewolves. People will believe anything, but because of the enormous wolf population in Hearthway Forest, I could understand how people would fall for such a story as werewolves.

Ok so, the drive to Hearthway Hollow was a pretty one, but any hike through the Appalachia will give you the same feeling. The town looks bigger than it does in the photographs but other than that I'm not impressed much. I park in a great big parking lot in the downtown area. I then walk to the last address that Miranda gave me. It takes me to a florist's. Inside I see several girls arguing over a display counter.

"I'm looking for someone," I say when I realize they haven't seen me.

The girls continue to argue loudly.

"Excuse me-" I'm cut off my one who bangs her hands on the class counter.

"Ladies!" A booming voice comes from behind me. "You have a customer?"

The three girls turn and stare at me. They all have the same eyes and face shape, just different lips and hair.

"Oh shit," one girl gasps. "Hi!" She waves. "Welcome to Feth Floral!"