LUNAR LOCKED

Nova, a young lady, walked through the outskirts of Lockwood. At noon, where the sunlight was at its peak casting a warm golden glow on the landscape. The sky was a brilliant teal and a single cloud to disturb its perfection.

For a moment, She closed her eyes to take in the feel of the breeze against her skin. The air was overcome with the sweet scent of wildflowers and the smell of damp soil.

Her gaze fixed forward on the horizon as she walked. The hills of the dense forest loomed in the distance. She had been hunting in these woods for years and knew them like the back of her palm, every inch, including the hills and valleys. She had always loved this time of day but today, something felt off.

The forest seemed more quiet than usual, the birds chirped less, the trees stood still with their motionless branches. There wasn't any prey in sight. Nova's gut told her that something was watching her, but she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Nothing to worry about! she shrugged, telling herself that she was just being paranoid. After all, she was an expert huntress to a certain extent and knew how to take care of herself.

Besides, her trusty bow and bag of arrows were slung over her shoulder.

What could go wrong?!

As Soon as she crossed a small hill. she caught sight of her home in the distance. It was a small, old cabin rooted amongst the trees, with smoke drifting lazily from the chimney. Immediately, Her heart swelled with a deep sense of longing.

Throughout her life, Nova and her sister, Aria had lived together. They were each other's support system after their father died mysteriously and their mother died of heartbreak.

First, Nova paused when she heard leaves rustling nearby. Soon after, branches began to break, and the sound drew closer. Next, a deer leaped out, followed by a group of others. She felt a surge of relief as she watched them bound away, but then she noticed fear in one of the deer's eyes.

The deer leaped into the nearby bushes. Moments later, the forest became quiet again, the only sound heard was the distant snapping of twigs. Nova knew that a predator was nearby, but she wasn't about to find out what it.

She continued walking but instinctively quickened her pace, taking long strides. She couldn't shake the feeling that something closely followed her.Which sent cold shivers running down her spine. She paused to scan her surroundings, her senses heightened

Standing there, she froze in anticipation of what was to come.

Immediately, a low growl echoed through the forest. Nova's heart began to race as she recognized the sound. It was one she had heard before, one that sent chills down her spine.

A wolf, Nova thought, her mind began to race. She knew it was not just any wolf. This one was bigger, stronger, and more powerful than her. It was a werewolf!

Though Nova herself was a wolf, she was a lone wolf, meaning she wasn't part of any pack. A pack meant protection, security, and family. She was vulnerable to any sort of wolf attack. This was a matter of life and death.

She began to race with hands gripping the dagger sheathed at her waist. She knew she had to move fast. The wolf could catch up and attack at any moment.

She was being hunted!

She ran without stopping, her feet carried her effortlessly through the grass. She tripped on a rock hidden in the grass, then violently, fell to the ground.

she got back on her feet quickly, darting her head around with her hands still on the dagger at her waist. She realized she was close to her home. There was no wolf or predator in sight.

She let out a hard sigh and still needed to get away to feel safe.

Quickly,Taking long strides, she approached her cabin but noticed the door was slightly ajar. She frowned.

She wondered if she had forgotten to close it before she left for her hunt.

What a day! she thought as she pushed open the door, calling out to see if anyone was home. But there was no response. Quickly, she locked the door and took a deep breath.

"Aria! I'm home!" she called as she set her bow and arrows down. "You'll never guess what happened!" She giggled as she removed her coat.

No response.

"Ariaaaa!!"

She turned around the dimly lit cabin, everything was out of order. The tables were turned upside down, plates and pans littered the floor, knives were missing, and an inner door stood open. There was blood everywhere. Her heart skipped a beat.

Nova's instincts told her that something was wrong, her heart nearly jumped out of her throat when she saw something written in blood. It seemed to be a message. She thought it was poorly written or perhaps a code, and it read:

R∆k§

She couldn't understand the letters.Whoever had written this wasn't playing around. All she wanted was to make sure her sister was okay.

Frantically, she searched the cabin for her sister, her senses on high alert. Then she saw Aria, bloodied on the floor.

"ARIA!" she rushed toward her sister.

"ARIA, NO!" Tears streamed down her face as she knelt beside her sister. "Ariaaaa, no, please don't leave me!"

"Aria, please, please don't leave me," Nova's hands trembling as she reached out to check for a pulse.

There was a steady beat. It felt weak and slow. She felt a wave of relief spread over her.

Next, She gently turned her sister's head upward. Aria groaned in pain as she slowly opened her eyes. Then, she blinked "Nova?" she whispered.

"Yes, I'm here Aria," Nova spoke softly, almost in a whisper. "How are you feeling?"

"W..what... Water," Aria stuttered.

Nova sprang to her feet and rushed to the well nearby, after filling a jug with clear water. She returned to Aria's side and lifted her sister's head up gently and held the jug to her lips to take a sip.

Aria took a few sips with her eyes fluttering as the water calmed her thirsty throat. Nova held the jug steady, her gaze focused on Aria's face.

As Aria drank, Nova couldn't help but notice the extent of her wounds. She examined them closely. Aria's face was swollen and bruised, her lip was bleeding from different cuts. Her clothes were torn and dirty. Nova thought to herself that Aria had been attacked.

"What happened?" Nova could see the faint outline of a large bruise spread across Aria's ribcage."Who did this?"

"I think my rib is broken," said Aria, twisting her face in pain. "I was attacked."

"Who did this to you, Aria? And why?" Nova's fear and concern for her sister's safety intensified.

Aria ignored her.

"Aria, this is serious" Tears welled in Nova's eyes "You could have died"

"But I didn't," Aria argued as she gulped the water.

Nova gently lowered her sister's head back to the ground after Aria finished drinking from the jug. Aria slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Nova with a faint smile.

"Thank you, Nova," Aria whispered, her voice weak but filled with gratitude. "I'm alright."

Nova smiled back, her eyes filling with tears. "Anytime, Aria. I'm just glad you're alright." She scanned her sister's wounds.."

"Don't worry about me, Nova, I'll heal," She groaned in pain. "Help me up."

"Aria, what happened?" Nova asked again, her voice soft and gentle. "Who did this to you?"

Aria's lips moved, but no sound came out. Nova leaned in closer, her ear inches from Aria's mouth in a whisper so faint it was almost inaudible, Aria spoke a single word. "Ryker."

Nova's eyes widened in shock. "What?" The name Ryker was all too familiar to her. He was a ruthless Alpha, the leader of the rogue werewolves who had been terrorizing Lockwood for months. Nova had heard rumors that he was involved in dark magic and had a network of spies and informants throughout the land.

"I'm in serious trouble, Nova," Aria declares.

"Trouble? What exactly happened? What kind of trouble are we talking about?"

"Ryker... I owe him now."

"Was he the one who hurt you?"

"No, not him. He sent his goons after me," she sniffed. "I didn't know what to do, so I came home, and they followed me. But they are gone now."

"So, this was a warning?"

"Yes," Aria stated with conviction, locking eyes with Nova. "He explicitly threatened our lives if I didn't do what he wanted."

"Do what? Is that your blood on the wall?"

"Yeah, it is," Aria replied, her gaze fixed on her body. "It was intended as a message, but I won't let you get caught up in this."

"Involved?"

Nova exclaimed, "He hurt you! This just became personal!"

"Nova, I said you shouldn't worry about it"

Nova gently helped Aria get up and then stood up herself. Her eyes met the message written in blood.

"I think that idiot was trying to spell Ryker," Nova said, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger.

"There's absolutely nothing to worry about; I believe he has given me a second chance," Aria replied.

"I have told you countless times not to associate with the wrong crowd," Nova said, frowning. "They could be out there waiting to kill us in our sleep."

Nova became alert, looking around, She looked out the window. Something moved with speed.

"Whatever" Aria rolled her eyes

Nova realized that they were not alone.

"Shush...." she strained to listen. "Listen"

Aria's eyes opened "Something is coming"

Heavy footsteps were coming from the trees. The trees and the ground shook in its wake and it was getting closer.

"Aria, stay behind me." Fear gripped Nova as she flung into action swiftly positioning herself in front of Aria. They both quivered at the approaching footsteps. They were overwhelmed with fear.

Suddenly the door ripped open with brute force.

With Nova's hand still on the hilt of her dagger.

They watched as the door was taken apart. Next, They froze, and their hearts pounded in their chest as Nova tried to make sense of what was happening. Then, Aria gripped Nova's hand.

They watched the direction of the door, and a pair of glowing eyes appeared. It was coming close.

Aria's grip tightened as they both recognized the eyes- it was a werewolf, a big one.

"Who are you?" Nova demanded, her voice firm. She has seen those eyes before! But couldn't place where at the moment.

Immediately, they heard a low growl, coming right in front of them.

" What do you want?" They slowly backed away from the door, their eyes fixed on the werewolf.

Nova realized that it might have been the same wolf that chased her in the woods earlier.

"Why are you following me?" she guessed.

There was silence, only the sound of their breathing filled the room. The creature stopped.

Then, The wolf suddenly transformed into a human being- a man.

A tall dark man, his face hard. The face had noticeable cold blue eyes, which made him seem dangerous. He was naked. And there was something strapped around his wrist, but she didn't care.

For a brief moment, she took in the sight of the tall naked man that stood before her. His face was chiseled. Nova forgot to breathe. She forgot about the danger, forgot about Aria, forgot about everything except for the intense gaze of the man before her. She hadn't seen a naked man in a while. They locked eyes.

But Nova's senses kicked back in quickly. She remembered the danger, the chase in the woods, and the fact that they were in a dangerous situation.

She frowned at intrusive thoughts.

Nova's hand went to the hilt of her dagger to steady it. Her fingers wrapped tightly around it. She took a step back with her eyes never leaving the man's face. They stared at each other.

"Who are you?" Aria demanded, her voice firm. "What do you want?"

No response.

"What do you want?" Nova asked with her fingers still steady on the hilt of her dagger. " Did you follow me?"

The man didn't flinch, his eyes not leaving Nova's face. He studied her eyes as She studied his body.

"Yes," he said, his voice deep. "And I'm here to collect." His blue eyes shifted from Nova's face and rested on Aria's face.

"Collect what?" said Nova, shielding Aria with her body. Though Aria was taller than her, she was determined. Determination had always been her strong suit.

Aria knew Ryker had sent him. She knew how dangerous Ryker was.

"N...Nov..Nova," Aria tapped her from behind, her face frowning with regret. "I have to go. Remember, I told you about Ryker telling me to do something for him?"

Nova's eyes peered at the man, with her back still against Aria. Nova blurted out "Go Where? Why? What does that have to do with this?"

"Look at me," begged Aria, tugging at the helm of Nova's top, "I can do this... just let me go. Trust me".

"Are you sure?" Nova asked Aria.

Aria nodded and mumbled "Yes"

Nova still did not take her eyes off the man. She looked into his eyes and there was a glimpse of a smile or laugh. She wasn't certain.

"What's so funny?" Nova blurted, not too sure.

He laughed loudly, gesturing towards them.

"I came here to collect her," he said pointing a finger at Aria, " As collateral. The boss wants you to do the job" Then he pointed at Nova

"I told Ryker not to include my sister," she defended, breaking free of Nova's shield.

"Me? I won't do it," said Nova, folding her arms on her chest. "Tell your boss to leave us alone!"

He laughed and twisted his face in a cruel smile as he took a step closer to Aria, his eyes gleaming in a flash.

Then, He quickly gripped Aria's hair and pulled her closer to him.

"Too late to make demands," he sneered, his voice full of malice.

"No, please!" Aria begged while trying to struggle free. "Let me go!" She cried.

Nova sprang into action, launching herself at him as far as her body could go, in a fierce determination to free her sister. "Let her go!" she said, trying to grab Aria in the air. But He was too fast, and She fell flat to the floor.

He brought out what looked like a small bag that was strapped around his wrists and threw it at Nova.

She sat up on the floor, feeling frustrated.

The bag landed on her lap with a soft thud. Nova's eyes dropped to the bag on her lap, for a moment. It was a scroll.

"What's this for" she furiously asked

"There are instructions for you to follow in there if you want to save your sister." He emphasized " You must follow the instructions exactly as they are, with no exceptions"

"W..." she stuttered

Aria cried out " Novaa..."

"You're coming with me!" He tightened his grip and looked at Nova as if admiring her. "Leave now, and your sister might just live," he snarled as he continued, "Follow us, and you'll suffer the same fate as your precious sister."

Nova's eyes looked back up to the naked man. " No," she quickly stood up and took a step forward with her fists clenched. "I'll never leave her behind," she spat as her voice trembled with rage.

The naked man sneered, his grip tightening more around Aria's hair. "We'll see about that," he said, and with a sudden jerk, he dragged Aria outside.

"Please let her go! Take me instead" Nova as she bursts into tears. "I'll do anything"

"Good. Then Don't follow us!" he growled, he put his claws on Aria's neck. "If you do, I'll kill her"

Nova surrendered her hands in the air. "Okay, please don't hurt her," Aria cried out.

Nova cried as he dragged Aria away. Everything in her wanted to follow that strange naked man, but she couldn't risk Aria's life. She felt powerless just like her mother.

She watched as Aria was being taken by her hair and her hands were stretched towards her. She screamed her lungs out.

"Novaaaaaaaaaaa" she cried out

Nova screamed in anguish

She hated to feel powerless.

She could hear Aria's terrified screams echoing through the forest.

Nova's tears dripped down her cheeks as she stared in the direction where Aria was taken. One part of her wished that aria would emerge from the distance.

But she saw nothing.

As she knelt feeling helpless. She looked down at the scroll in her hand, wondering what instructions it held. Her mind went back to Aria. Hope she's safe! She thought as a sense of nostalgia spread over her. The only thing she could do was to follow the instructions.

Then she sobbed as she unrolled the scroll. A tiny sheet of paper fell out from the scroll, a letter. She examined it. It had a pale creamish hue and was full of writings and symbols on it. It read:

Dear Nova,

I apologize for any inconvenience caused before you received this letter. It was a necessary evil.

I require you to retrieve an amulet that was taken from me. It's the lunar amulet, and it is kept in the Crescent Manor. The map will guide you on this journey, you must bring me this item.

You must gain entry into the manor, there is an important upcoming event. It's a mating rite known as the Chase, which you should be aware of. You must disguise yourself as a maiden to participate. The maidens would arrive and set camp a day's walk from your cabin. You need to be among them.

There's also a location marked on the map that will indicate where you'll get what to wear.

Follow it.

Follow the instructions carefully. I can assure you that no harm will come to your sister. If it goes sideways, I will kill Aria, and I will find you!

Cheers,

Ryker.

She squeezed the paper and focused on the scroll. It revealed a map beside it. There was a note at the bottom, written in red ink.

Follow the map to the location. It read.

Nove sighed as she thought of the dangers out there. Rogue wolves, werewolf hunters, and other dangerous things she might not even know about. But knew that she had to follow the map.

No matter the danger! She had to save her sister!

She stood up with determination, wiped her tears, then gathered what she needed and set off toward the forest, following the map.

Shortly before entering the opening of a nearby bush, she stood in front of the cabin, her eyes fixed on it. Hesitant to take another step, she felt nostalgia spread over her.

The cabin held long-forgotten memories. In a split second, she thought back to a time when life was simpler, when the only worries were those of childhood. She remembered laughter, tears, warm summer days, and cold nights with her family. These were the good old days.

She began to shed a tear as the memories overwhelmed her. She wiped it off with the back of her palm. Nova's thoughts quickly snapped back to the present. She remembered why she was here, what she had to do.

I have to save Aria! She exclaimed

Aria was counting on her, and she couldn't let her down. Not now!

With a deep breath, Nova tried to calm herself as she took a step forward. And continued till The trees seemed to grow taller and closer together casting faint shadows on the ground with each step she took. The scent of damp soil and decaying leaves filled the air.

Nova's determination made her press on.

Moments later, the scent changed and it was sour. She knew she had just entered another wolf territory. The wolves do not take kindly to outsiders or humankind.

She heard a faint howling coming from a distance. In human form, those wolves would rip her apart instantly.

Nova moved deeper into the wolf territory, the howling grew louder. She could feel the vibrations of the wolves' cries through the ground.

One cry led by another. She could tell that they were far apart from each other. The howls were a warning sign. Had they sensed her trespassing in their territory?

Immediately, another one howled, it was too close to her. Soon, Panic set in. To be on the safer side, she decided to transform into a wolf.

Without a moment to waste, she wrapped the scroll on her wrist just as she had seen the naked man in her cabin do, but it was just too big for her wrist. Immediately, she strapped it around her waist.

Setting her legs apart, Her face elongated, her nose flattened. Her skin itched as furs replaced it and burst forth, covering her body in a thick, gray coat. Her teeth grew into razor-sharp fangs.

She closed her eyes as the transformation took hold, feeling every twist, every bone in her body snapping. She screamed in anguish. Then, a surge of power and strength spread through her body. She felt whole.

In a moment, She was no longer human but a wolf with all the instincts and abilities that came with it. Her senses were heightened. She could hear, smell, and see things from miles away. And she knew another wolf was nearby

Nova let out a low, rumbling growl and She instinctively howled, her voice blended with the chorus of the other wolves. The sound echoed through the forest.

The other wolves fell silent, their voices ceasing as they listened to Nova's response. For a moment, there was a tense silence as her howling echoed for miles.

That's how it's done! She thought as pride spread all over her. I'm safe!

Immediately, a figure emerged from a bush. A large, gray wolf with glowing yellow eyes, its fur scarred from countless battles.It was the wolf nearby.

The wolf padded towards Nova, its tail held high, its ears pointing upward. Nova froze in panic but still stood her ground, her tail held as high as possible, and her ears perked up in response.

The two wolves circled each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare and the atmosphere was filled with tension.

Nova knew that she had to be careful. Her heart was beating fast. She was in a foreign territory, most likely surrounded by hostile wolves who would not hesitate to attack her if they sensed any form of weakness. She tried to calm herself. Any wrong move could get her killed. But this wolf didn't seem too hostile.

Then, The wolf licked its paws and ran off into the bushes from the opposite direction it came out of.

Nova felt relieved that the wolf was just passing by. She padded forward through thick tall grasses. Her senses were still heightened in wolf form. The scent of the territory was more pungent and sour, a clear warning to outsiders to stay away. She ignored it.

With a quick shake of her fur, Nova stood tall, her eyes scanning the horizon. Not a sign of danger in sight.

Immediately, her ears perked up as she heard leaves rustling and twigs snapping .She stopped and listened. She knew that sound too well. It was the sound of a human, possibly a hunter, stalking their prey.

But she was wrong! There was more than one human, and they were closing in with shouts and laughter echoing through the forest. She could count up more than four different laughs. There were not just any hunters- wolf hunters.

"Over here," one said.

They were coming in her direction. They were hunting that wolf that she had come across earlier. But now she was the only wolf nearby. Nova's heart began to race as she realized that she might just be the prey. Wolf hunters hunt for sport and she had been so careful to avoid detection from the wolves, now she had humans to worry about.

Suddenly, Thawack!!! The arrows began to fly in her direction when they spotted her.

"What beauty!" one snorted.

"We need it alive," another one said, hitting the other with a bow in the head

Suddenly, she sprinted with her paws pounding on the damp soil. In a desperate attempt to get away from the hunters. The hunters chased her with weapons.

Now, she could hear the hunters behind her, their shouts and laughter echoing through the forest.

"You're def' not getting away from us that easily!" one of the hunters yelled.

"Get her!" another yelled.

They were getting dangerously close.

Suddenly she felt a searing pain on her shoulder. She had been hit on her shoulder. She kept running.

Thwack! The arrow went through her other shoulder, slowing her down.

She yelped in pain as she stumbled to the ground. She felt dizzy. She could feel the blood leaking from her shoulder. Everything was spinning around her as she lay on the floor.

"I think I got her" one guessed

"Get the net!" another hunter shouted, his voice echoing through the forest.

"Hurry!"

Her visions began to close. She saw the net coming and tried to dodge it but was too weak.

"Ah ha! We've got you now, you pesky wolf!" one of the hunters taunted, as he threw the net over Nova. The net landed on top of her, tangling her legs as She struggled to move.

"Ha!" one of the hunters exclaimed, standing over her with a cruel grin. "We've got ourselves a wolf!!"

"I told you it was a girl" another argued.

She was outnumbered, Nova snarled and snapped. She struggled to get free.

"Easy there, girl," one of the hunters said, holding up a tranquilizer dart. "We don't want to hurt you."

"You're going to make us a lot of money," one of the hunters teased.

" I think she's a werewolf" one guessed

"Then, We've got ourselves a prize wolf," one of the hunters gloated, as they continued to drag Nova away.

Slowly the tranquilizer took effect. Nova's vision began to blur. She felt dizzy and then felt herself being dragged away

At that moment, she thought of her sister's bright smile and laughter. She fought to keep her eyes open.

And then, everything went black.