Hannah_grace

The night was thick with mist, the full moon casting an eerie glow over the dense forest. Shadows stretched and twisted between the towering trees, whispering secrets carried by the wind. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled—a deep, mournful sound that sent a shiver down Lena’s spine.

She shouldn’t have been here. The warnings were clear. No humans were to step beyond the boundary of the village after dark. Yet here she was, standing at the edge of the unknown, her pulse hammering in her ears.

A snap of a twig behind her made her whirl around, heart pounding. But before she could react, a figure emerged from the darkness—a man, tall and imposing, his silver eyes gleaming like molten steel in the moonlight.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he murmured, his voice a dangerous mix of warning and curiosity.

Lena took a step back, her breath catching. There was something unnatural about him, something untamed. She could feel it in the way the air around him crackled with energy, in the way his gaze pinned her like a predator studying its prey.

“I—” she started, but the words died on her lips when he took a step closer.

His presence was overwhelming, his scent a mix of earth and something wilder, something that made her stomach twist in ways she didn’t understand.

Then, as if the universe itself had decided to intervene, the clouds shifted, allowing the full moon’s light to fully illuminate him.

And in that moment, Lena saw the truth.

He wasn’t just a man.

He was something else entirely.

Something that shouldn’t exist.

MOONBOUND: Love, War and Destiny

The rumors spread faster than wildfire.

By midday, nearly everyone in the village was whispering about the attack. People spoke in hushed voices, their eyes darting toward the dark line of trees that separated our world from the unknown. Some swore they had heard growls in the night, others claimed to have seen glowing eyes watching from the shadows.

But I didn't know what that truth meant.

The village had always feared the beasts. Parents warned their children about them. Hunters set traps on the outskirts, hoping to catch whatever haunted the woods. And yet, no one had ever truly seen them. They were whispers, shadows, stories passed down through generations.

Until I stood in that clearing, staring into silver eyes that held secrets I wasn't meant to understand.

I spent the afternoon helping Elise's mother at the bakery, kneading dough with shaky hands, trying to push away the weight of last night. The scent of warm bread filled the small shop, grounding me in something familiar. But no matter how much I focused on the task, the questions haunted me.

Why had I gone into the woods?

And why did I feel as if something inside me had changed?

"You've been quiet today," Elise's mother commented, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. "Not like you."

I forced a small smile. "Just tired."

She hummed, unconvinced, but didn't press further.

Elise had left earlier to help her father reinforce the fences around their farm. More and more villagers were taking precautions, worried that whatever had attacked the livestock might strike again.

The tension in the village was palpable.

By the time the sun dipped lower, streaking the sky with shades of orange and red, I found myself wandering toward the edge of the village. The forest loomed ahead, its presence both ominous and familiar.

The trees stood tall and unmoving, but I could feel something lurking beyond them. A presence.

Instead, I felt drawn to the shadows, to the place where the world blurred between what was real and what was legend.

I wrapped my arms around myself, watching the way the last light of day melted into darkness. Somewhere beyond those trees, he was there. Watching. Waiting.

And I had a feeling it was far from over.

The Rumors