Moonlight : The bloody hybrid

The full moon cast its silver glow over the mountains, painting the night sky with dark shades of blue. The air was crisp and clean, scented with the sweet fragrance of blooming wildflowers. Ethel couldn't help but smile as she gazed up at the starry canvas, her heart racing with excitement. She had been dreaming of this night for so long. She was to mate with Jack the moment she turned 17 and the day she had been longing for was finally here, the culmination of a love that had been years in the making. Jack and Ethel grew up together in those mountains, their footsteps tracing the same paths, their laughter echoing off the same trees. They shared a special connection, one that went beyond words. As they stood deep in the forest, by the waterfall, under the night sky, their eyes locked in a gaze that felt like they could see right through each other's soles. Jack's eyes sparkled with love, and his deep, husky tone sent shivers down Ethel's spine as he whispered, "Close your eyes, Ethy." His warm breath brushed against her cheek, and she closed her eyes waiting for a gentle touch of his lips on her skin. But instead, his touch escaped her, leaving her with a cold, deafening silence. Her eyes snapped open, and her gaze was met with a gruesome sight. Jack's head lay severed from his body, his eyes frozen in a permanent stare. The moon, once a silver crescent, had vanished behind a veil of clouds, plunging the surroundings into an inky darkness. The air was heavy with the metallic scent of blood and the sweet aroma of blooming wildflowers, now tainted by the stench of death. Ethel's mind reeled, her body paralyzed with shock. She couldn't tap into her power, her magic seemingly frozen within her. Her breath came in short gasps, her heart racing. She was never the strongest witch in her coven, And her mother's words echoed in her mind: "Your power is yet to bloom, my sweet little thing." But her mother's healing powers were renowned, but unfortunately, she did not inherit her mother's strong magical talents. As a hybrid, she was doubly disadvantaged. Her mother was a powerful witch and her father a fierce werewolf, but Ethel struggled in both aspects. She couldn't cast strong spells, and her inner wolf had yet to immerge, leaving her weak and vulnerable. Jack had become her shield of protection. As the strongest boy in the pack, he was the perfect mate for her to hide her weaknesses behind. Ethel's inability to cast spells and her delayed wolf transformation made her vulnerable, but with Jack by her side, she felt safe and protected. But now, Jack lay lifeless, his head a mere few steps away. Ethel's focus fixed on his glassy eyes, her mind struggling to comprehend the horror before her. The sound of snapping twigs and approaching footsteps shattered the silence, breaking her concentration. The rustling grew louder, and Ethel's heart sank. She knew she was no match for whatever had attacked them. The darkness seemed to be closing in, suffocating her. Her eyes were fixed on the approaching threat. The footsteps grew louder, heavier, and she could sense the ground trembling beneath her feet. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her magic still elusive, and her heart heavy with grief and fear. She stood frozen, awaiting the inevitable, as the darkness closed in around her. Her body went numb, her limbs heavy with a paralysis that seemed to seep into her very bones. Her heart raced like a wild animal, pounding in her chest with a deafening intensity that threatened to consume her. A dark figure emerged from behind the trees, as the figure loomed closer, its presence seemed to fill the air with an unspeakable horror, a malevolent force that crushed the breath from her lungs. Ethel's mind reeled, struggling to comprehend the unthinkable tragedy that had unfolded before her eyes. A dull ache spread through her body, a numbness that seemed to seep into her very marrow. Her vision blurred, and her legs buckled beneath her. With a faint cry, Ethel collapsed to the ground, her body trembling with shock and fear. The world around her faded into a dark, silent void as she fell unconscious. Ethel was unconscious for a couple of hours and when she woke up, the horror increased as she saw her father's lifeless body being dragged to a pile of dead bodies in front of her in the town square. Her scream was short-lived, her voice hoarse from the despair that gripped her throat. "Father!" She cried out, but her plea was met with silence, with an image of her father's face, his eyes frozen in a permanent stare forever imprinted on her brain. The darkness closed in, and Ethel collapsed onto the ground, her strength sapped from her body. As she lay there, helpless and broken, Ethel realized she was the only survivor. The question echoed in her mind, tormenting her: "Why are they keeping me alive?" She wished to live no more, but death eluded her, leaving her to suffer in a living nightmare. Two men grasped her limp body, lifting her effortlessly from the ground. With a cruel disregard, they hurled her into the wagon, her body landing with a jarring thud, as if she were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. The horses pulled the caged wagon away from the burning village, and Ethel's gaze was fixed on the smoldering ruins of her life. A solitary tear fell from her eye, her body trembling with grief as she was dragged further away from the only life she knew. The darkness seemed to close in, a shroud of despair that threatened to consume her. Ethel did not realize that she fell unconscious, overwhelmed by grief that rendered her senseless. The next moment, when she came to, she found herself lying on a cold, dirty floor, with hinges on the door and bars on the tiny square window. The putrid smell of urine filled the air, and she realized she was lying in a pool of it. Her body ached all over. The creaking of the hinges on the door was like a knife to her ears. Barely able to keep her eyes open, she saw black copper boots walking into the room, accompanied by faint voices in the background. The high-pitched ringing sound in her ears made it hard for her to hear what they were saying. Three men entered the room, their shoes the only visible feature from Ethel's vantage point on the floor. The one wearing black leather boots, Sedrick, squatted beside her, his face a mask of indifference. "Hi, my name is Sedrick," He said, his tone devoid of emotion. "I'm the one that brought you here." He paused, his eyes gleaming with a cold intensity. "Do you know why you're here?" Ethel's voice was barely audible, her strength sapped from her body. Sedrick nodded to the other two men, and they lifted her up, binding her to a chair with rough ropes. A deluge of ice water struck Ethel, sending chills down her spine. She gasped for air, her body shivering violently as the frigid liquid soaked through her clothes. Sedrick's calm tone was a stark contrast to the torment he was inflicting. "I'm going to ask you again, try to answer, okay?" He stood motionless, his hands tucked into his pockets, his eyes gleaming with a sinister intensity. "Do you know why you've been brought here?" He repeated, his tone devoid of empathy. She remained unresponsive, her body shivering uncontrollably. The torment continued, with repeated dousings of ice water, until she finally muttered something incoherent. Sedrick leaned in, straining to hear her faint whisper. "Just...end it." Her voice trembled, barely audible. Sedrick's gaze locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. Just as he raised his hand, poised to deliver a cruel blow, a loud banging on the rusty door interrupted him.