Bound by the moon

Bound by the moon

Affrotg

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BLURB:I came to Moonshadow chasing folklore and found a mystery far greater than I bargained for. One night with Ethan Blackwood-a man as dangerous as he is alluring-was supposed to be a fleeting indulgence. But when he turned his back on me, cold and distant, I vowed to forget him. I failed. Now, I'm back in Moonshadow with secrets of my own-two growing lives tied to the man who rejected me. But something sinister stalks the shadows of this town, and my investigation is drawing me into a world I never believed existed. Ethan is hiding something, and no matter how hard he tries to keep me away, fate keeps pulling us closer. His icy facade cracks when the danger circles too near, and I discover his truth-a truth that explains everything. Ethan Blackwood isn't just a man. He's a beast bound by laws older than the moon. And now, those laws threaten to destroy us both. When the rogue wolf finally reveals its true target, I'll have to decide: can I trust Ethan to save me and the children he doesn't even know he's fighting for? Or has he already doomed us all?

Chapter 1 Arrival

Chapter 1: Arrival

Leah's POV

"Are you sure you want to do this? Because once you step into Moonshadow, there's no turning back."

Rain hammered against the windshield as we crept along the winding road. The dim headlights barely pierced the swirling mist, and the forest on either side loomed like shadowy sentinels.

I hesitated, unsure how to respond. The air in the car was thick with the scent of damp leather and stale coffee, and something about his question felt unsettling, almost like a warning.

"Not really," I said finally, though my voice sounded uncertain even to me.

The driver chuckled, a sound that was more rasp than mirth. "Well, Moonshadow has a way of making believers out of skeptics."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, glancing at the GPS on my phone. No signal. The tiny dot that was supposed to represent me was frozen on the edge of nowhere. I clenched the device tighter, wishing it could offer some reassurance.

"How much longer?" I asked, hoping to steer the conversation to safer ground.

"Not far," he replied, his eyes never leaving the slick road. "But I'd keep your wits about you. The storm's only half the trouble out here."

I opened my mouth to ask what he meant, but he fell silent, his attention fixed on the road ahead.

The car lurched suddenly as a massive branch crashed down in front of us, its gnarled limbs clawing at the ground like fingers. I gasped, gripping the edge of my seat as the driver slammed on the brakes.

"Looks like this is where your ride ends," he said, his tone oddly calm as he threw the car into park.

"What do you mean? We can't stop here!" I protested, but he was already reaching for the door handle.

"You'll have to walk the rest of the way. Just follow the path." He nodded toward a barely visible trail that disappeared into the dark woods.

"Are you serious?" My voice wavered between disbelief and panic.

"Dead serious." He stepped out, grabbing my bags from the trunk and setting them on the muddy ground. "Moonshadow Manor's just up ahead. You can't miss it."

Before I could argue, he climbed back into the car, the door slamming shut with finality.

"Wait!" I called out, but the taillights were already fading into the distance, swallowed by the storm.

I stood there, the rain soaking through my coat, staring at the shadowy forest ahead. A shiver crept down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

With no other choice, I hoisted my bag over my shoulder and started down the trail. Each step squelched against the muddy ground, the sound unnervingly loud against the whisper of the wind and the steady drum of rain.

The trees seemed to press closer the further I went, their skeletal branches intertwining above me like a canopy of claws. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.

"Just nerves," I muttered to myself, though the words offered little comfort.

A distant howl sliced through the air, long and mournful. I froze, my breath hitching in my throat. Wolves. The thought sent my mind spiraling. I hurried my pace, nearly tripping over an exposed root as the trail twisted and turned.

Finally, the trees parted, and I stumbled into a clearing. There it was-Moonshadow Manor.

The house loomed like a dark monolith against the stormy sky, its towering spires reaching toward the heavens. Lightning flashed, illuminating the cracked stone façade and ivy-covered walls. The windows glimmered faintly, like eyes peering out into the night.

I swallowed hard and approached the front door, my hand trembling as I reached for the brass knocker shaped like a snarling wolf's head. Before I could grasp it, the door creaked open on its own, revealing a dimly lit foyer.

"Hello?" My voice echoed through the cavernous space, but no answer came.

I stepped inside, the door closing behind me with a soft thud. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and something faintly metallic, like rust-or blood.

The hallway stretched before me, lined with flickering sconces that cast dancing shadows on the walls. A grand staircase spiraled upward, its banister polished to a dark sheen.

"Is anyone here?" I called again, my voice trembling.

A low growl resonated from somewhere deep within the house, the sound vibrating through the floorboards.

I spun around, my eyes scanning the shadows for the source. Nothing moved, but the growl came again, closer this time.

"Miss Winters," a voice purred, smooth and deep.

I whipped around to find a man standing at the foot of the staircase. He was tall and lean, his dark hair slicked back, and his piercing eyes seemed to glow faintly in the dim light.

"You startled me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"My apologies." He stepped closer, his movements almost predatory. "I wasn't expecting you to arrive tonight, not in this storm."

"Neither was I," I replied, my nerves fraying further. "The driver-he said I had to walk the rest of the way."

His lips curved into a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "You're here now. That's what matters."

Something about him unsettled me, though I couldn't quite place it. There was an intensity in his gaze, as if he were sizing me up.

"You must be exhausted," he said, gesturing toward the staircase. "Let me show you to your room."

I hesitated, every instinct screaming at me to refuse. But where else could I go? The storm was raging outside, and the manor, for all its eerie atmosphere, offered shelter.

"Thank you," I said, forcing a smile.

As I followed him up the staircase, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into a trap.

We stopped at a heavy wooden door near the end of the hall. He pushed it open, revealing a spacious room with a canopy bed and a crackling fireplace.

"Get some rest," he said, lingering in the doorway. "Tomorrow, we'll talk about why you're really here."

Before I could respond, he turned and disappeared down the hall.

I closed the door and leaned against it, my heart racing. The fire cast flickering shadows on the walls, and for a moment, I thought I saw a figure moving in the corner of the room.

"Get a grip, Leah," I muttered, shaking my head.

But as I turned toward the bed, a voice whispered, so faint I almost missed it:

"You shouldn't have come."

My blood ran cold.

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