Chapter Three: The Stranger and the Light

Maya stared at him like she’d just watched him fall from the sky.

Which, frankly, wouldn't have even made the top five weirdest things to happen tonight.

She didn’t say a word. Just stood there, wide-eyed, swaying slightly, eyes flicking between the strange man and the now-empty forest around them. The golden flash was still burned into her vision, trailing like afterimages on water. And the wolves… were gone.

Vanished.

Not dead. Not retreating.

Just—gone.

The man shifted slightly, rocking on his heels. “Uh… hi again,” he said, smile nervous but warm. “You okay?”

Maya opened her mouth. Closed it again.

“I—what was that?” she finally asked, voice unsteady. “That light…”

“Oh! The light!” he nodded quickly, pointing at the chest pocket of his hoodie. “Yeah, that was my flashlight. It’s kind of… customized. I made it myself. Super bright. Sorry about that, it can be a little dramatic sometimes.”

He beamed like that explained everything.

Maya narrowed her eyes. “A flashlight.”

“Yep.”

“That blinds wild animals. And makes them flee. And glows like a sunburst.”

“Well… high-intensity LED,” he said with a shrug. “You know, hunter tricks.”

“Huh.”

Jack swallowed hard. He wasn’t a good liar, not really, but he’d spent enough time around Sam and Dean to know how to spin a believable story when it counted. And this counted.

“I’ve actually been tracking those werewolves for a couple of weeks,” he said, shifting to a slightly prouder tone. “They’ve been bouncing around small villages near here. Took me a while to find their den. You were… you were kind of right in the middle of it.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Pretty lucky I showed up when I did, huh?”

Maya didn’t answer right away. She was still staring at him like she was trying to solve a puzzle no one had asked her to finish. And maybe she was.

Her brows furrowed slightly. “Wait. We’re speaking English.”

Jack blinked. “We are.”

“You… started speaking English.”

“I did.”

“And I replied in English without thinking.”

“You did!” he pointed at her, eyes brightening. “That was amazing, by the way. Your pronunciation’s perfect. Like, really good.”

Maya blinked, slightly thrown off.

“Your prayer wasn’t in English,” Jack added. “So I wasn’t sure you’d understand me. But then you did! Super fluent. Honestly impressive.”

“…Thanks,” she said slowly.

The praise was unexpected. Sincere. And so cheerfully delivered, she didn’t quite know what to do with it.

She looked away, cheeks warm. “Well. Thanks for the save. But I’m fine now. You can… go.”

Jack tilted his head, catching the subtle sway in her stance. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’ve had worse.”

“Still bleeding, though.”

“I can handle it,” she insisted, brushing him off.

She took a step forward—and immediately stumbled, ankle twisting, body tipping forward faster than she could catch herself.

But Jack was there.

He caught her easily, steady hands gripping her arms as if she weighed nothing. She froze, heart skipping, pressed awkwardly against his chest. He smelled like sun and pine and something vaguely metallic, like starlight.

“You okay?” he asked gently.

She swallowed hard. “Let go.”

He didn’t.

“Look, I know you don’t want help,” Jack said quietly. “But I’m not letting you limp through a forest alone. I’ll carry you if I have to. I’m stronger than I look.”

Maya tensed in his arms. “You’re not carrying me.”

“Why not?”

“I’m… not exactly lightweight,” she muttered, looking away, face flushing with embarrassment. “Not built like some tiny forest nymph you can just toss over your shoulder.”

Jack blinked. “So?”

She glanced back at him. “So?”

“I mean, that’s not even close to a dealbreaker,” he said matter-of-factly, smiling like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’re hurt. That’s all I care about right now.”

She hesitated, clearly unsure how to respond. It was so casual. So unbothered. Like he didn’t even register her worry.

“…You don’t even know my name,” she mumbled, trying to deflect.

Jack’s smile twitched awkwardly. “I don't need to, if u don't want to tell me."even though he already knew her name, even last name, family members, friends...just God things.
He cleared his throat and gently adjusted his grip. “Now, can I get you somewhere safe? Or do I need to argue you into it?”

Maya exhaled. Her pride was bruised, her leg was worse, and this guy—whoever he was—had just saved her life and somehow made her feel seen without making her feel small.

“…Fine. But don’t drop me.”

“Never,” Jack said with a grin.