Moonbound Fate

Branches lashed at Sumaya's arms as she tore through the dense forest, her breath ragged, her legs burning with every desperate stride. The uneven ground threatened to send her sprawling—roots jutting out like traps, damp leaves slick beneath her feet—but she didn't stop. She couldn't.

The jeering voices behind her had faded, swallowed by the thick canopy above. Still, she ran, pushing deeper into the forbidden woods. The towering trees loomed like silent sentinels, their gnarled branches clawing at the sky.

Only when her legs threatened to give out did she skid to a halt, chest rising and falling in ragged breaths as she fought for control. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, loud and unrelenting. Then—silence. No footsteps. No pursuit. They wouldn't dare follow her this deep into the forest.

Slowly, she turned, scanning the darkness between the trunks. The forest didn't seem dangerous at all. In fact, an eerie peace settled over her, a stark contrast to the chaos she'd just escaped.

"Why was this forest off-limits?" She wondered.

She backed up against the nearest tree and slid down its rough bark, pressing her trembling palms against the cool earth. She needed to wait, to be sure they were really gone before she dared creep back.

The forest was quiet —too quiet, the type of silence that made every whisper seem amplified.

That's when she heard it. A soft, broken whimper. Her muscles tensed, her head lifted slightly, as she strained to listen.

Was it a dog?

The sound came again, but this time, there was a strange, almost human edge to it—pain, desperation. A ragged cry followed, then... laughter. Dark. Deep. Malevolent.

A chill snaked down her spine, every instinct screamed at her to run, to leave the forest immediately. But the thought of Amanda and her lackeys waiting for her outside made her hesitate.

The last thing she wanted was to face them—again. But this sound... it gripped her heart. There was something in it, something so raw and desperate, it gnawed at her like a relentless force.

Her pulse quickened as the sound came again, more frantic now, and without thinking, she made her decision.

Step by step, she crept forward, careful not to snap a twig or rustle the leaves beneath her feet. Every muscle in her body coiled with dread and curiosity, shadows stretched long and jagged around her as she followed the voices through the tangled undergrowth.

Her breath caught in her throat as she reached the clearing. The scene unfolding before her was something she never imagined she would ever witness.

A massive wolf, struggled violently against a silver-colored iron net. The way the metal dug into its thick fur and flesh made her stomach twist. Every movement only tightened its bindings, sending fresh waves of agony through its body.

It whimpered, the sound was guttural and raw—a plea that clawed at Sumaya's heart.

Four men stood around it. Their black tactical gear was a stark contrast against the dim backdrop of the forest, their boots crunching the fallen leaves with casual brutality. Their gloved hands gripped weapons with chilling precision, and despite the shadows cast by their caps, their cruel smiles were unmistakable.

They looked like mercenaries, that were merely hunting for game.

One of the men pressed a strange looking taser against the wolf's side, a crackling surge of electricity lit up the air. The wolf's body convulsed, a guttural yelp tearing from its throat. The men laughed, sick amusement glinting in their eyes.

Sumaya's fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms, as she fought the surge of terror and rage threatening to overwhelm her.

Was a wolf supposed to be that big? No—impossible. It was nearly the size of a man, its powerful limbs coiled with muscle, its brown fur matted with blood.

How had they even managed to capture something like that?

But what unsettled her the most wasn't its monstrous size. It was its eyes—flickering with something disturbingly human.

She should turn back. Walk away. Pretend she hadn't seen anything. This was dangerous—far beyond her. But her feet stayed rooted to the spot.

She wasn't afraid of the wolf. No, the real monsters were the ones standing over it, grinning as they inflicted pain.

They reminded her of Amanda. Of her father. Heartless. Cruel.

Without realizing it , she was already moving. Her hands scrambled for sticks, rocks—anything she could find, to stop the nightmare unfolding before her. And then she started throwing.

A sharp crack echoed through the clearing as a thick branch struck one of the men's shoulders.

"Stop hurting him, you miserable monsters!" Sumaya shouted, her voice shaking with fury.

Silence descended like a predator, the men's laughter stilled as their heads swiveled toward her.

Their smirks vanished. Their expressions darkened. Dread coiled in her stomach.

"Well, well…" The tallest of the four took a slow, deliberate step forward. His dark eyes gleamed with cruel amusement. "What do we have here?"

The others chuckled, low and menacing.

"How did she even get here?" one sneered.

"She must think she's in a fairy tale," another hissed, eyes narrowing. "Did you really think you could just waltz in and save the big bad wolf?"

Sumaya frantically shook her head, her throat locking up with fear.

The leader's smirk widened. "What's wrong, savior of the beast? Cat got your tongue? Or should I say… wolf got your tongue?"

Their laughter rang through the clearing like a cruel symphony.

Sumaya took a shaky step back. Her legs trembled. Then, without warning, the man lunged.

A scream barely left her lips before she hit the ground, bracing for the impact—

But it never came. The air exploded with a deep, guttural snarl. A monstrous growl so fierce and primal it sent icy shivers down her spine.

What the hell was that? Sumaya cracked her eyes open. The men, who had been so confident just moments ago, now looked pale. Their hands trembled around their weapons.

"Shit... it's him," one of them cursed under his breath, eyes wide with fear.

Then—something massive stepped into view. A wolf. No… a beast. It was even larger than the one in the net. Its thick black fur as dark as the night, eyes blazing like molten gold. Its massive frame rippled with muscle, fur bristling like a thousand raised knives as it fixed its murderous gaze on the men.

Where the hell are these wolves coming from? Sumaya thought.

Snap. The net tore apart with a vicious clang.

The first wolf, now free, shook its massive body. Blood dripped from its wounds, but the fire in its eyes only grew. It turned its gaze onto the men. Rage radiated from its enormous frame.

"Oh shit… shit… shit…" one of the men stammered, fumbling for something at his waist. A metallic canister hit the ground with a clang.

A sharp hiss filled the air and a thick, acrid smoke billowed out, stinging Sumaya's eyes and forcing the black-furred wolf to recoiled with a snarl.

The freed wolf did the same, retreating from the thick fog. Their low snarl turned into pained whimper.

When the smoke finally cleared, the men were gone—vanished like wraiths into the misty shadows of the forest.

Sumaya's ragged breaths filled the silence as she faced the impossible truth. She was alone. Alone with two wolves, their fierce eyes fixed solely on her.