Moon Valley: The Hidden Contract

Chapter 2; Marked

Claire POV.

I’d run away to escape, yes—but my life in the city was never that dangerous. I had no debts, no enemies, no secrets that could be worth enough to pay off an entire island just to track me down and take me. I’d only wanted peace, only wanted to fade into a quiet life where no one knew my name. How could someone have marked me long before I even stepped foot on this shore?

My chest heaved, and I stared at them with burning, confused eyes—still fighting, still refusing to break, even as the truth settled in: I hadn’t found a safe haven at all. I’d walked straight into something I didn’t even understand.

The cloth over my mouth muffled my breaths, but my mind was racing faster than ever. The anger still burned hot beneath the fear, every thought looping back to the same questions: Marked? Why me? Who could have reached me all the way here?

I watched them closely, my eyes fixed on every small movement. The man who had spoken earlier shifted his weight, then reached into the pocket of his worn trousers and pulled out a mobile phone. It looked old and scratched, but it worked well enough—he pressed a few buttons, lifted it to his ear, and waited.

It only rang twice before someone answered.

“Hello? Yeah, it’s us,” he said, his voice shifting from rough to formal, almost respectful. “We have the goods exactly as you specified. Untouched, just like the terms said.”

He fell silent then, only nodding occasionally as whoever was on the other end spoke. I strained my ears, trying to catch even a single word from the other line, but I heard nothing but the hum of the bulb.

After a moment, he spoke again, his tone turning demanding. “Right. But before we bring her over—make sure the money is transferred to our accounts first. And don’t forget the arrangement we agreed on; the job and protection you promised us here. We want that settled before we hand anything over.”

He went quiet again, listening.

At first, his expression stayed confident, even a little smug. But slowly, that sneer faded away. His jaw tightened, the color drained from his face, and his fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles turned white. What he was hearing clearly terrified him—his eyes went wide, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

“Y-yes… I understand,” he stammered, all the arrogance gone. “I’m sorry… we didn’t mean to ask too much. We’ll bring the goods right now. Immediately.”

He ended the call and stuffed the phone back into his pocket, his hands visibly shaking.

I lay there, my heart sinking deeper into confusion. What is happening? I thought to myself, my mind spinning. I left everything behind in the city to escape a life I never wanted—one filled with pressure, expectations, and emptiness. I thought coming to Moon Valley would give me a fresh start, somewhere I could breathe and finally be safe. But instead, I walked right into this nightmare. Did I trade one kind of prison for something far worse?

For the first time since waking up, I felt a sharp, heavy twist of regret. Maybe I should have stayed… maybe anything was better than this.

The man who made the call turned and nodded sharply at his partner. “Let’s move. Now.”

Panic surged through me again as they both stepped toward the bed. One reached for the ropes binding my wrists, the other went for my ankles. The moment the last knot came loose and my limbs were free, I didn’t hesitate.

I swung my arms wildly, throwing punches and scratching, my legs kicking out hard. “Get away from me! Let me go!” I screamed, the words coming out hoarse and loud.

“Damn it, she’s feisty!” the second man cursed, grabbing my arm roughly. “Hold still, you little brat!”

When I didn’t stop struggling, he raised his hand and slapped me across the face with all his strength. My head snapped to the side, and I tasted copper—blood seeping from my split lip. The pain flared hot and sharp, but I refused to give in; I twisted and kicked again, aiming for his legs.

That was the last straw. His patience snapped completely. “You’ve asked for this!” he snarled, and before I could react, his fist connected hard with the side of my face.

A blinding flash of white light exploded behind my eyes. The pain exploded through my skull, and my limbs went limp. The room began to spin, sounds fading into a dull roar, and my consciousness slipped away—darkness swallowing me whole.

A dull, throbbing ache spread through every part of my body as I slowly drifted back to awareness. My head felt like it had been split open, and my limbs were heavy and stiff, as if I’d been lying in one position for hours. Beneath me was not the soft mattress from before, but something hard, smooth, and icy cold—stone or concrete floor, sapping what little warmth I had left.

For a few seconds, I was completely disoriented. Where was I? Why did everything hurt so much? Then the memories crashed back in one sharp wave: waking up tied to the bed, the ropes, the men, the phone call, the punch that had sent me into blackness.

Right… I’ve been abducted.

I tried to open my eyes, but there was only darkness—thick and absolute. A rough cloth was tied tight over my eyes, and another pressed firmly against my mouth, stopping every sound I might make. My hands and feet were bound again, too, though in a different position this time.

I held perfectly still, listening hard.

“…So, when do we get to meet the buyer face to face?”

I recognized that voice instantly—it belonged to the man who had hit me, the one with the short temper.

A pause followed, and then came a voice that sent a chill straight down my spine. It was deep, steady, and colder than the floor beneath me—no warmth, no emotion, just quiet authority.

“You are not qualified even to glance at him. Do not ask for what you have no right to see.”

The other man—the first one, his brother—snarled in anger, his voice rising sharply.

“Oh, is that so? If we don’t even get to meet the man paying this much, then what guarantee do we have? If he’s not going to show himself, then we’re walking away. We won’t hand over the goods blindly.”