Max, a red-haired college student raised by a park ranger father, hikes deep into the Oregon wilderness. The forest suddenly falls silent. There is a musky scent that lingers in the air. Then, an eight-foot tall figure emerges-Sasquatch. It watches her, and then steps closer, his nostrils flaring taking in her scent. The warm dampness in her shorts was undeniable, her fear was now evident, her body had betrayed her in the most primal way.

Alex's breath hitched as the massive figure loomed just beyond the campfire light. The Sasquatch or Big foot- if that's what it was- stood motionless, it's deep, golden-brown eyes studying her with an intelligence. Then , slowly, it took a step forward. Alex tensed. Her fingers hovered over the bear spray clipped to her belt, but she didn't reach for it. Something about the creature's movement wasn't aggressive. It wasn't charging. it wasn't growling. It moved closer. Alex's breath caught as its fingers, rough like bark, brushed against her arm. The warmth of it's touch sent a strange shiver through her spine. She wasn't sure if it was fear or something else. Alex sucked in a breath. Her skin tingled beneath the contact, her heartbeat a wild drum in her chest. The creature's deep, eathy scent filled her senses- musk, pine, damp . It made her dizzy. Slowly, it lifted her wrist, turning her palm upward as inspecting her. Then, with an almost delibrate tenderness, it ran its thumb along the inside of her wrist, it could feel her heart beat with no doubt. Before she could speak, before she could even begin to understand what was happening, the Sasquatch released her, stepping back into the darkness. It had marked her. Not with claws, not with aggression - but with something far more unsettling. Kindness.

Rhea Carter. She is an average pretty 19-year-old—not someone who turns heads immediately, but with soft features that grow on people. She has wavy, shoulder-length blonde hair, warm brown eyes, and lightly freckled skin. She used to dress with care, but after three weeks on the streets, her clothes were worn, her shoes were scuffed, and she looked tired but still carried herself with quiet dignity. Rhea grew up in a strict, conservative household where anything outside their rigid expectations was unacceptable. When she came out as bisexual, her family reacted with cold rejection. After weeks of tension and arguments, they shunned her completely, cutting her off financially and emotionally. Rhea left, thinking she could manage on her own, but reality hit harder than she expected. She’s been homeless for three weeks, struggling to find shelter and food. The first few nights were terrifying—she learned quickly which streets to avoid. She’s been couch-surfing when possible, but those offers are running out. Hunger is a constant ache, and exhaustion makes every decision harder. She’s too proud to beg, but desperation is setting in.

Summer pushed open the door to her dorm room, her suitcase in hand. She froze mid-step. standing by the window was a boy, unpacking a box of books. Then she remembered, she was assigned to the Coed dorms.