Bound by the Moon Fated by Destiny

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.