Talia Hart woke up on the twenty first of December with that familiar ache in her chest, the quiet reminder that Christmas was coming whether she was ready or not. The calendar on her wall glittered with tiny gold stars she had stuck on it back in October, hopeful and starry-eyed, imagining this year would somehow feel different.
It didn't.
Her apartment sat cold and soft in the morning light, the air smelling like cinnamon candles and the peppermint mocha she'd left half-finished on the counter last night. A string of pink fairy lights glowed faintly above her TV stand, giving the whole room a warm blush. She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and stared at her Christmas to-do list taped on the fridge:
Buy decorations Make gingerbread Try new traditions Do something exciting
It was that last one she circled twice last night, hoping the universe would throw her a sign. Something exciting… something that didn't involve watching Christmas rom-coms alone until 2 a.m. while repeating I don't need a boyfriend, I don't need a boyfriend, even though her heart whispered otherwise.
She padded into the kitchen, her fuzzy socks slipping on the tiled floor, and sighed at her reflection in the microwave door. Messy hair. Bare face. Oversized, sweater slipping off one shoulder. She looked like every cozy Christmas heroine, minus the handsome stranger waiting to kiss her under the mistletoe.
"Maybe this year I'll at least bake cookies without burning them," she muttered, opening the fridge.
But what she really wanted, though she'd never admit it aloud, was a spark. Something fun. Dangerous in a safe way. Something to wake up her pulse. She loved romance, but reality had yet to give her anything close to the fantasies in her head.
She stirred her coffee, staring at the falling snow outside her balcony window.
"That's it," she whispered. "This year… I'll do something different."
And the universe, in its dramatic sense of humor, seemed ready to answer.
Her phone buzzed.
New Notification: WinterRole :"Christmas Fantasy Event Now Open."
Talia blinked. WinterRole… that role-play app her friend had recommended months back. She'd downloaded it, lurked for a bit, but never actually used it. Too shy… Too unsure. Too…her.
She sipped her coffee.
Do something exciting, she reminded herself.
Her heart fluttered with a mix of nerves and curiosity as she opened the app. The screen lit up with a festive themes, now drifting across her display, soft music chiming like tiny bells.
Choose your Christmas Persona:
BUNNY
DEER
KITTEN
WITCH
FAIRY
And under them:
PREDATOR ROLES:
WOLF
VAMPIRE
FOX
DRAGON
DEMON
She snorted a small laugh. It was silly. Cute. Ridiculous. Exactly what she needed.
She tapped BUNNY.
Soft. Harmless. Playful.
A role she knew well.
A second screen appeared:
Searching for compatible predator…
Talia rolled her eyes. "I swear, if it matches me with a vampire"
The screen flashed.
Matched with: WOLFKING
Role: Alpha Wolf
Distance: Within 5 km
Reputation: (Top 1% Role-Player)
"Oh."
Oh no!.
Oh yes?
His profile loaded:
WOLFKING:"I don't pretend. I take."
Her mouth went dry.
That was… a lot.
She tapped into the chat, fingers shaking just slightly.
Before she could even think of a greeting, a message popped up.
WolfKing: Little bunny… I see you chose me.
Talia nearly choked on her coffee.
She typed back quickly:
BunnyGirl: I didn't exactly choose YOU. The app matched us.
Three dots appeared.
Blinking. Slow. Like he wasn't in a hurry at all.
WolfKing: If a wolf wants a bunny… he always gets her.
Talia pressed her knees together under the counter, warmth blooming in her cheeks.
Okay.
He was good at this.
Dangerously good.
BunnyGirl: Bold of you to assume the bunny doesn't bite.
WolfKing: Oh, sweetheart… I'm counting on it.
Her face flamed.
She typed again:
BunnyGirl: This is my first time using this app, so go easy on me.
WolfKing: Mmm. A first-timer.
WolfKing: Don't worry, little bunny. I know exactly how to handle you.
She swallowed.
He was probably just some guy role-playing. Probably sitting in sweatpants eating chips. Definitely not as smooth in real life.
Right?
BunnyGirl: You sound very confident for someone I haven't even met.
WolfKing: Confidence is natural when you're what others fear.
WolfKing: And what bunnies run from… or crawl to.
Her heart skipped.
She leaned back in her chair, trying to regulate her breathing. The snow outside looked brighter, the fairy lights warmer. Something inside her stirred… curiosity, playfulness, thrill.
She decided to push back.
BunnyGirl: If I'm the bunny… what exactly are you supposed to do to me?
His reply came instantly.
WolfKing:Find you.Chase you.Corner you.Breathe down your neck.And see if you tremble… for fear.
Or something sweeter.
"Oh my God," Talia whispered aloud.
Her body heated.
Her toes curled against the floor.
This was still just play.
Just fantasy.
Safe.
She typed with trembling fingers:
BunnyGirl: Okay, that's… intense.
WolfKing: I can be gentle.
WolfKing: If you ask nicely.
WolfKing: Do you want me gentle, little bunny? Or do you want me hungry?
Talia shut her eyes and inhaled sharply.
Why was she reacting like this?
She barely knew him.
It was just text.
But the way he wrote…
The way he felt through words…
It was like he could see her.
She exhaled and typed:
BunnyGirl: Maybe I want you somewhere in between.
WolfKing: Good.
WolfKing: Because that's exactly where I want you too.
Her stomach fluttered.
A notification popped up:
Would you like to reveal your Christmas fantasy to your partner?
She tapped Yes before she could overthink.
Her screen lit with a pink glow:
BunnyGirl's Fantasy:
"I want someone to chase me… but not to hurt me.
I want danger that won't really kill me.
I want a thrill.
I want to feel wanted."
She swallowed. Hard.
This was the most honest thing she'd ever typed.
His response took longer this time.
Long enough to make her chest tighten.
Finally:
WolfKing:
Then you're perfect.
Because I want a bunny who runs.
Who pretends she's afraid.
Who pretends she doesn't like the chase.
And melts the moment I catch her.
Talia grabbed a pillow and shoved her face into it to muffle a squeak.
Holy molly!!!!
This was crazy.
She shouldn't be doing this.
She really shouldn't.
But she typed:
BunnyGirl: Okay… now your fantasy.
WolfKing: Mine is simple.
WolfKing: I want a bunny who thinks she's safe.
WolfKing: Until she realizes she walked straight into my forest.
WolfKing: And I decide she's mine for Christmas.
Her breath stuttered.
He followed up:
WolfKing: And I want her crawling to me.
WolfKing: Soft. Willing. Curious.
WolfKing: Like you are now.
Talia pressed a hand to her chest.
Her heart wasn't beating normally… it was skipping. Tumbling. Running.
She typed slowly:
BunnyGirl: You're assuming a lot about me.
WolfKing: No.
WolfKing: Just observing.
WolfKing: Your typing patterns changed. Your pauses are longer.
WolfKing: You hesitate before you speak. That means you're flustered.
WolfKing: And bunnies only get flustered when they're tempted.
Her eyes widened.
"Typing patterns??" she gasped.
He was either:
Scarily perceptive
A stalker
Or very good at reading people online
She shook her head and laughed breathlessly.
BunnyGirl: Or maybe I'm just cold because it's December.
WolfKing: Then let me warm you.
She bit her lip.
This was escalating.
She should stop.
She should be responsible.
She should
A new message appeared.
WolfKing: Meet me.
WolfKing: Snow Park. Midnight. Tonight.
WolfKing: Wear something warm… and something pink.
WolfKing: Little bunny.
Talia froze.
Her stomach flipped, heart hammering.
Meet him?
In person?
Was she insane?
She typed:
BunnyGirl: That's… fast.
WolfKing: I won't touch you unless you want it.
WolfKing: But I want to hear your voice when you call me wolf.
WolfKing: And I want to see if your legs tremble when I take a step toward you.
WolfKing: Just a step, bunny. Nothing more.
WolfKing: Yet.
Her breath left her in a rush.
Her cheeks burned.
Her pulse was racing in a way she couldn't explain.
It was just a meeting. In a public park. Not a hotel room. Not a private place.
Safe enough.
She typed:
BunnyGirl: Fine. Midnight.
WolfKing: Good girl.
Talia nearly dropped her phone.
She scrambled to type back:
BunnyGirl: Don't call me that.
WolfKing: You didn't say please.
She stared at the screen, helplessly smiling.
This man was dangerous for her heart.
She could feel it already.
He sent one last message before going offline:
WolfKing: Midnight. Don't be late, little bunny. I don't like chasing what doesn't want to be caught.
Talia stood slowly.
Looked at her Christmas tree.
Her fairy lights.
The snow outside.
What was she doing?
She grabbed her pink coat from the closet.
Doing something exciting.
That's what.
She turned off the lights, her heart thundering with anticipation.
Tonight, she wasn't going to be lonely.
Or boring.
Or safe.
She was going to be a bunny.
And someone out there…
Someone very confident…
Wanted to be her wolf.