Moonbound

The Warning

Luna stood there, staring at Ryder, the weight of his words sinking in. The parking lot around them felt eerily quiet, as if the world had stopped for a moment. The idea of an ancient power within her felt surreal, yet here she was, a teenage girl with a dangerous secret, standing on the edge of something far bigger than she could have ever imagined.

Ryder's eyes scanned their surroundings before leaning closer. "We can't stay here too long. The pack that's after you—they're close, Luna. Really close."

Her throat felt tight, and fear crept up her spine. "What should we do? If they want me because of this... this power, how do we fight them?"

Ryder straightened, his face tense. "We don't face them alone. The pack needs to know. We have to bring Alex, Jake, Maya—everyone. This isn't just about you. If this pack succeeds, it's going to destroy everything, Luna."

Luna's heart sank. She had tried so hard to protect her friends, to keep them out of the chaos that her life had become. But now it was clear that they couldn't stay on the sidelines any longer. They were already involved, and Luna knew deep down that they would stand by her, no matter the cost.

The rest of the day felt like a blur. Luna moved through her classes, but her mind was elsewhere—on the looming full moon, the ancient power Ryder had spoken about, and the pack that was hunting her. By the time the final bell rang, she felt more anxious than ever.

After school, she met up with Alex, Jake, and Maya in their usual spot behind the gym. The others looked at her expectantly. Ryder hadn't come with her, but she knew that what she had to say couldn't wait.

"We need to talk," Luna began, trying to keep her voice steady. "Something's coming. Something bad."

Alex crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. "We've known that for a while now. What's changed?"

Luna glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in. "There's another pack. They're after me—after something inside me. Ryder says it's some kind of ancient power, something they think I have."

Jake's eyes widened, and Maya's mouth dropped open in shock. "Ancient power?" Maya repeated, her voice barely a whisper.

Luna nodded, her stomach twisting into knots. "I don't know what it means, but this pack is coming for me, and they're not going to stop until they get what they want."

Jake shook his head, clearly frustrated. "This is insane. We're high school students. Why is all of this happening now?"

"Because we're not just normal anymore," Alex said darkly. "Ever since we changed, our lives were never going to be the same. We need to prepare."

Maya looked at Luna, concern etched into her face. "Do you really think this power is real? Could it be dangerous?"

Luna swallowed hard. "I don't know. I don't even know if it's inside me, but I can't risk finding out the hard way. We need to stay together."

Just as Alex was about to speak, Ryder appeared, walking briskly toward them from across the field. His face was set in a grim expression, and Luna could tell from the way he moved that something had happened.

"They're here," Ryder said, his voice low. "I can smell them in the woods. They're watching us."

A chill ran down Luna's spine. She glanced toward the edge of the school grounds where the dense trees of the Forbidden Forest began. She couldn't see anything, but Ryder's words made her senses go on high alert. She could feel something, something lurking in the shadows, just out of sight.

"We don't have much time," Ryder continued, his voice urgent. "We need to make a plan."

Alex was the first to react, stepping forward. "We'll take shifts watching the forest tonight. If they're going to make a move, it'll be during the full moon. That's when they'll be strongest, but so will we."

Jake hesitated. "And what if they attack? We don't know how many of them there are."

"We fight," Alex said firmly. "We fight, or we run. Either way, we stay together. No one gets left behind."

Luna felt a surge of determination. Her fear was still there, but it was now mingled with resolve. She wasn't going to let this mysterious pack tear her life apart. She wasn't going to let them hurt her friends.

As the group made their way toward the forest to scout, Luna fell into step beside Ryder. "What if I can't control whatever this power is? What if it makes things worse?"

Ryder glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Then we'll deal with it. Together."

Luna nodded, trying to believe in his words. But deep down, the uncertainty gnawed at her. What if Ryder was wrong? What if the pack that was coming after her knew more about her than she did?

The moon hung low in the sky as they approached the edge of the forest. The shadows seemed to stretch longer, darker, and Luna's heart pounded in her chest. The wolves were out there, somewhere. Waiting.

Alex motioned for the group to stop. "We'll split up," he whispered. "Stay close, but cover more ground. If you see anything, don't engage. Just come back here."

Luna's breath came in short, shallow gasps. The air was thick with tension as they fanned out into the trees, their senses sharp. Every sound, every movement made her jump.

And then she felt it—an overwhelming surge of energy, like a pulse running through her veins. Her vision sharpened, her hearing intensified, and she could smell everything—the damp earth, the pine trees, the faint scent of something... unnatural.

It was them.

Before she could warn the others, a figure stepped out from behind a tree, barely ten feet away. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes that glowed an eerie gold in the dim light. He smiled, a predatory grin that sent chills down Luna's spine.

"You must be Luna," he said, his voice smooth and dripping with menace. "We've been waiting for you."

Luna took a step back, her body tensing. She could feel her wolf rising to the surface, ready to fight. But there was something about the stranger that made her hesitate—something dangerous, yet strangely familiar.

"We?" Luna managed to ask, her voice steady despite the fear gripping her.

The man tilted his head, his grin widening. "Oh, we're just the beginning."

From the darkness, more figures emerged—five, six, seven of them, all with the same glowing eyes. They moved silently, like shadows, surrounding Luna and her friends.

Her heart raced, but she stood her ground, her fists clenched. She wasn't going to let them take her. Not without a fight.

And then, from behind her, she heard Alex's voice, strong and unwavering. "You've messed with the wrong pack."

The battle had begun.