Chapter 4 4

The full moon was rising over Dunford, casting a pale glow over the quiet town and the thick forests that surrounded it. Mina stood in her cottage's small backyard, looking up at the sky, her mind swirling with the revelations Alec had shared that morning. Her conversation with him had left her shaken, but it had also left her with a strange sense of purpose. She could no longer deny the truth of what was happening around her.

Alec had explained everything-or at least, as much as he could bring himself to share. He was one of the Nightbound, cursed to shift under the full moon's light, his body caught between human and wolf, his mind divided between his instincts and his humanity. It was a legacy passed down through his bloodline, a burden he had learned to bear in silence.

"Most people in town don't know about us," he had told her, his voice low, almost reverent, as if he were reciting a sacred oath. "And those who do keep their distance, as they should. It's not safe for them, or for us, if they come too close."

Mina had listened, spellbound, as he recounted the lore of his people, the Nightbound. According to Alec, the curse had begun generations ago, when one of his ancestors made a desperate pact with the spirits of the forest to protect the family from invaders. The spirits had answered, but the price had been high: the family was bound to the wild, their blood mixed with that of wolves. They became protectors of the land, but they were forever marked by the curse, bound to the moon and the hunger it awakened within them.

Even now, Mina could hardly believe it. Part of her still wanted to write it off as superstition or some kind of trick, but when she looked into Alec's eyes, she could see the pain of his struggle, the burden he carried. She could feel the truth of it in her bones.

---

As the moon rose higher in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the landscape, Mina found herself drawn to the edge of the forest. The trees loomed like silent guardians, their branches twisted and dark against the night sky. She knew she should stay inside, but something deep within her urged her to step forward, to move closer to the shadows.

The forest was different tonight. There was a stillness to it, a heaviness that pressed down on her like a weight. She could feel the forest watching her, waiting. And somewhere in the distance, she heard the low, haunting sound of howling.

It was Alec. She knew it instinctively, as if some invisible thread connected them, pulling her toward him. She took a step forward, then another, the world around her blurring as she moved deeper into the woods. The branches seemed to reach out for her, brushing against her skin like whispers, and the air grew colder, filled with the earthy scent of moss and pine.

She stopped when she reached a small clearing bathed in moonlight. She was surrounded by towering trees, their branches casting strange, shifting shadows on the ground. The howling had stopped, and the silence was thick, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

And then she saw him.

Alec stood at the edge of the clearing, his form half-hidden in the shadows. He was shirtless, his chest rising and falling with deep, labored breaths. His eyes were wild, glowing faintly in the moonlight, and his hands were clenched into fists, as if he were struggling to hold something back.

"Alec..." she whispered, taking a step toward him.

He flinched, his gaze snapping to her, and she saw a flash of something feral in his expression. "Mina, you shouldn't be here," he said, his voice rough and strained.

She hesitated, her heart pounding. "I couldn't stay away. I had to see you... to see this."

Alec shook his head, his jaw tight. "It's dangerous. I can't control it, not when the moon is full." He took a step back, his muscles tense, his eyes darkening with an almost predatory gleam. "You should go."

But Mina didn't move. She felt a strange calm settle over her, a quiet certainty that she was meant to be here, to witness this part of him. "I'm not afraid of you, Alec," she said softly.

He let out a low, bitter laugh, his gaze never leaving her. "You should be. You don't know what I am, what I could do to you."

She took a step closer, her eyes locked on his. "I know enough."

For a moment, Alec stared at her, his expression torn between anger and desperation. And then, with a shudder, he seemed to lose the battle he had been fighting within himself. His body tensed, his muscles rippling as he hunched forward, his breathing coming in harsh, ragged gasps.

Mina watched, her heart aching, as he began to change. His bones seemed to shift and twist beneath his skin, his features becoming sharper, more angular. His hands lengthened, his fingers sprouting claws, and his skin darkened, covered in a fine layer of fur. His eyes glowed a fierce, unnatural yellow, and his mouth twisted into a snarl, revealing sharp, elongated teeth.

It was both horrifying and beautiful, a transformation that was as much a display of raw power as it was a glimpse into the depths of Alec's soul. And yet, even in this monstrous form, she could still see the man she knew-the same pain, the same vulnerability, the same yearning for acceptance.

He looked at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of hunger and sorrow, as if he were pleading with her to understand. Mina felt a surge of compassion, an almost overwhelming urge to reach out to him, to comfort him. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, her heart pounding as she reached up to touch his cheek.

Alec flinched, but he didn't pull away. His skin was warm beneath her fingers, rough with the beginnings of fur, and she could feel the tension in his muscles, the barely-contained strength that thrummed beneath the surface.

"It's okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm here."

For a moment, Alec seemed to relax, his gaze softening as he looked at her. But then, with a shudder, he pulled back, his expression contorted with fear and anger. "No!" he growled, his voice a guttural snarl. "You don't understand. I can't... I can't control it."

Mina's hand fell to her side, her heart sinking. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the way he fought against the beast within him, but she also knew that this was a battle he had been fighting alone for too long. And perhaps, she thought, he didn't have to fight it alone anymore.

Before she could say anything, Alec turned and bolted into the trees, his form blending into the shadows. She heard the sound of his footsteps, then the distant howl that echoed through the forest, filled with a mixture of rage and despair.

Mina stood alone in the clearing, the silence pressing down on her like a weight. She felt a pang of loss, a hollow ache in her chest that she couldn't explain. But as she looked up at the moon, still shining brightly overhead, she made a silent promise to herself.

She would find a way to help him. She didn't know how, but she was determined to try.

---

Over the next few days, Mina spent every waking moment researching the curse of the Nightbound. She returned to the library, combing through old records, legends, and stories that spoke of shapeshifters, curses, and the spirits of the forest. Harold, sensing her determination, provided her with any resources he could find, though he watched her with a look of quiet concern.

"What you're doing... it's dangerous, Mina," he warned her one afternoon, as she pored over a dusty tome filled with ancient rituals and incantations. "The Nightbound curse is not something to be taken lightly. Many have tried to break it, and none have succeeded."

Mina looked up at him, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve. "I don't care. Alec didn't choose this. If there's even a chance that I can help him, I have to try."

Harold sighed, shaking his head, but he didn't argue. He simply handed her another book, his expression somber. "Just... be careful. The forest has its own rules, its own power. And sometimes, the things we find there are more than we bargained for."

Mina nodded, her gaze returning to the pages in front of her. The legends spoke of ancient rites, offerings to the spirits, and the binding of souls to the natural world. She read about rituals performed under the full moon, sacrifices made in blood and bone, and whispered incantations meant to appease the forces that governed the land.

As she read, a plan began to form in her mind-a ritual that might, just might, allow her to connect with the spirits of the forest and plead for Alec's release from the curse. It was dangerous, and the instructions were vague at best, but it was the only hope she had.

The next full moon was only days away. Mina spent every moment preparing, gathering the necessary herbs and symbols, studying the incantations until she had them memorized. She knew that she was stepping into unknown territory, that she was risking her own life by invoking these ancient powers, but she was willing to take that risk.