Bound to The Boy Who Turns At Midnight

The first thing she felt… was cold. Not the gentle kind. The kind that seeped into your bones and made you wonder if you were already dead. Lina tried to move. Pain exploded through her body. A weak gasp slipped past her lips as her fingers twitched against the rough ground beneath her. Gravel. Wet. Sticky. No… Not water. Blood. Her blood. Her eyes fluttered open, barely. Darkness swallowed everything, but the faint glow of the moon revealed broken shapes—trees, shadows, and the faint outline of a road far away. How did she get here? Her heart pounded weakly. She couldn’t remember. Not her name. Not her home. Not anything. Just emptiness. And pain. A sound broke through the silence. Low. Deep. A growl. Her breath hitched. Slowly - too slowly, she turned her head. At first, she thought it was a shadow. Something crouched in the distance, unmoving. Watching. Then it stepped forward. And the world stopped. It wasn’t human. Too big. Too wild. Its eyes glowed under the moonlight - bright, terrifying, locked onto her like she was prey. Her body screamed at her to run. But she couldn’t move. The creature stalked closer, each step deliberate, powerful. Closer. Closer. Until it stood right in front of her. She could feel its breath. Hot. Deadly. Her lips trembled. “P-please…” The word barely came out. The creature tilted its head. Studying her. Like it was deciding something. Then— It growled. Loud. Violent. Final. Lina squeezed her eyes shut. This was it. She was going to die. ..... But the killing blow never came. Instead..... A sharp, cracking sound filled the air. Bones shifting. Breaking. Reforming. A strangled breath escaped her as she forced her eyes open again. And what she saw… Made even less sense. The creature was changing. Shrinking. Twisting. Until..... A boy stood where the monster had been. Tall. Barefoot. Breathing hard. His chest rose and fell as if he had just fought himself - and almost lost. Lina blinked weakly, her vision blurring. Was she dreaming? He stepped closer. Moonlight fell across his face. Sharp jaw. Dark hair. Eyes still glowing faintly… Not normal. Nothing about him was normal. He looked down at her, expression unreadable. Cold. Detached. Dangerous. “You’re still alive,” he said quietly. His voice was deep… calm… like what she had just seen wasn’t impossible. Lina tried to speak, but her throat burned. He crouched beside her. Close enough that she could see something glinting on his finger.... A ring. Dark. Strange. Almost… alive. His gaze lingered on her face. Searching. Frowning slightly. Like he recognized something he shouldn’t. Then his eyes hardened. “You saw me.” Not a question. A statement. Fear clawed at her chest. She wanted to deny it. To lie. But she couldn’t even form words. Silence stretched between them. Heavy. Deadly. Then he stood. And turned away. Just like that. Like she meant nothing. Like he was leaving her there to die. Her chest tightened. So this was it. Not killed by a monster… But abandoned by one. Her vision began to fade. Darkness closing in again. But just before everything went black— She heard his voice. Low. Sharp. Annoyed. “…damn it.” Footsteps. Fast. Returning. Strong arms suddenly lifted her from the ground. Her body screamed in protest, but she was too weak to fight. “Don’t die,” he muttered, almost irritated. “Not after seeing me.” Her head fell against his chest. The steady, powerful beat of his heart echoed faintly in her ears. Warm. Alive. The opposite of everything he was. And then.... Nothing. .... Beep. Beep. Beep. The sound dragged her back. Slowly. Painfully. Lina’s eyes fluttered open. White ceiling. Bright lights. The smell of antiseptic. Hospital. Confusion hit instantly. Where…? Her head throbbed as she tried to sit up..... “Don’t.” The voice froze her. Deep. Familiar. Her breath caught as she turned her head. And there he was. Sitting beside her bed like he belonged there. The boy from the forest. Clean now. Dressed in black. Calm. Composed. Like he hadn’t turned into a monster hours ago. Like he hadn’t almost let her die. Their eyes met. And something shifted. Recognition. Fear. Something else she couldn’t explain. He leaned back slightly, watching her. Silent. Studying. Waiting. Her lips parted, voice trembling. “W-who… are you?” For a moment, he said nothing. Then.... The corner of his lips tilted slightly. Not a smile. Something darker. More dangerous. “Someone you shouldn’t have seen.” Her heart skipped. Her fingers tightened around the hospital sheets. Memories flashed... Glowing eyes. Blood. The monster. Her breathing quickened. “You....” She stopped. Her voice shaking. “You’re the one who....” He leaned forward suddenly. Close. Too close. His eyes locked onto hers, sharp and warning. “Careful.” One word. Soft. Deadly. A chill ran down her spine. Silence filled the room. Thick. Suffocating. Then.... He reached for her wrist. Her body tensed instantly. But he didn’t hurt her. He just held it. Firm. Possessive. Like he was checking something. Or claiming something. His gaze dropped briefly… then returned to her face. And this time.... There was no doubt. No hesitation. Just a quiet, terrifying decision. “You’re coming with me.” Her heart stopped. “What…?” His grip tightened slightly. Not enough to hurt. Enough to warn. “You saw what you weren’t supposed to see,” he said calmly. “And now…” His eyes darkened. “You don’t get to walk away from it.” She stared at him, panic rising fast. “I......1 don’t even know you!” A pause. Then his voice dropped. Lower. Colder. More dangerous than before. “That’s the problem.” He leaned closer, his words brushing against her ear like a threat. “Because I know exactly who you are.”