Moonlight Redemption

CHAPTER FOUR: Moonbound

The field was uncannily quiet.

It was a wide ground with a foggy weather. The Seer's hut sat at the center, an ancient, crooked building made of twisted bamboo woods and moss, looking like the earth had swallowed part of it.

The spiky long grass brushed against Melissa's legs as she stepped into the clearing, she was trembling with fear.

A faint trail of smoke oozed out from the chimney, the scent of herbs and something more distasteful like blood was hanging faintly in the air.

Melissa walked until she got to a few steps to the entrance then paused. A thousand doubts whispered through her mind.

This is a mistake

Maybe she should just go back.

But then she thought of the nightmares that haunted her, her pack, Devon...

She had to know.

Gathering her courage, she approached the hut and knocked lightly on the wooden door.

At first, there was no answer.

She rubbed her hands nervously on her dress and knocked again.

Then, a hoarse voice called from within.

"Come on child of moon and bone"

The door creaked open without her touching it.

Melissa took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The interior was dim, lit only by a fire pit in the center of the room. There were strange herbs and gothic artwork of wolves hung from the rafters. Bones made rattling sounds in the smoky breeze. And in the corner, hunched over a large pot, sat the seer.

She was very old, older than Melissa could imagine. Her hair was thin silver and her puffy cheeks were as rough as the walls of the hut. Her eyes were pale but at any slight glance, you could feel power. On her left arm was a large tattoo of a wolf's head.

"You seek answers Melissa", the seer said without turning around. "You seek truth and purpose"

Melissa nodded, she was too nervous to speak.

The seer finally looked at her, those clouded eyes boring straight into her soul.

"You are not the first to come seeking their place in the call of fate", she whispered. "Nor shall you be the last".

Melissa stepped closer, desperate " Then tell me my place in this call of fate. Let me know what to answer. The nightmares... The prophecy. Does it involve me?"

The seer chuckled.

"The prophecy speaks of one who shall redeem the broken, bind the shattered, silence the enemy, redeem the wounded, and awaken the blood of the ancients. One born of loss and longing.... touched by the old magic before the world forgot its name".

Melissa's hands trembled at her sides. "But who is this one born of loss and longing? How will we know?."

The Seer's eyes darkened and the pot in front of her started emitting hot steam.

"You will know when the storm rises and the earth weeps, you will know when betrayal cuts deeper than any blade. When love becomes a weapon.... and hope, a deadly curse."

Melissa's heart hammered painfully. She became confused. None of it made sense and yet, somehow, every word made too much sense.

"And the one destined, what will happen to them?" Melissa whispered

The seer smiled eerily, sorrowful.

"They shall bleed for their pack

They shall burn away their past and toss the ashes in the air

They shall lose... before they can ever truly win".

An outflow of cold wind blew through the hut, extinguishing the fire pit.

Darkness took over the room.

When Melissa blinked and the shadows cleared, the seer was gone, vanished.

The only thing left behind in the room was a single piece of paper, the edges were burnt. Melissa stooped and picked it up.

On it were the written words

"THE MOON MARKS YOU THE BLOOD BINDS YOU THE ENEMY FINDS YOU THE FATE AWAITS".

Melissa staggered back, clutching the paper to her chest, her breath became shallow.

And in that moment, she felt it, a tearing sensation at the center of her back. Like something burning into her skin.

She cried out in pain and fell to her knees, her hands exploring her back where the pain came from.

There, carved just below her shoulder blade was a faint glowing mark.

A mark she had never seen before.

A mark shaped like a crescent moon entwined with an ancient symbol of flame.

The prophecy wasn't just real,

It has already chosen her.

**********

Devon wiped away the blood from his knuckles as he turned away from the patrol he just corrected at the south border. His wolf stirred beneath his skin, restless and impatient.

He thought about Melissa. Every second away from her was a risk.

As he crossed back to the main clearing, he caught right of Gan the elder, standing by the bonfire with a group of other pack members. Beside him was Dan, lurking in the shadows with his arms crossed - watching.

Devon felt a prickle along his spine. There has always been something off about Dan that he could not fish out, but he felt he could trust him because of Melissa - They are close friends.

But something about Dan's gaze was too unsettling for him but he didn't mind him. He had more important things to do.

He approached the group and motioned for Gan to follow him away from the others.

"Gan," Devon began in a low voice. "We need to speak. About... The prophecy".

Gan's eyebrows furrowed

"You fear it", he asked simply.

"I fear what it will do to her" Devon growled. "Melissa doesn't deserve to be tangled with ancient curses or some stupid prophecy. She deserves peace".

Gan placed his hand on Devon's shoulder

"You cannot fight the will of the gods, Alpha," said Gan. "The redeemed has been chosen and it is not for you or me to change that".

Devon's heart stank

"I'll protect her. Even if it is to protect her from herself".

Gan sighed deeply

"You can guard her body, but her would has already heard the call... you can't protect her from fate".

The words chilled him, but he said nothing.

As he was about to leave, a young girl ran towards them panting.

"Alpha!! Melissa. She's in danger"

Devon's wolf stirred up with anger

"What happened... where is she!?"

"She was found at the Seer's field looking helpless but she's currently at her pack house, she needs help"

"Take us there" Gan summoned.

Melissa was covered with a white blanket on her bed. Her skin looked pale with her lips dry. Her forehead was covered with wet face towels so as to help reduce her body temperature which was drastically high.

Devon slammed the door open and went to where she lay. At the edge were two maids, taking care of her.

"What happened to her?" Devon asked

"We have no idea, she had an encounter with the seer, and seems she must have shifted. Her body is very hot". One of the maids replied

"Give us space please" Gan instructed the maids. They left.

He went closer to her, folding the arm of his oversized cloak to his shoulders. He bent over her and felt her pulse.

"What is wrong with her is she alive?" Devon yelled

"Yes she is," Gan replied. "She just fainted and will regain consciousness soon"

Devon held one of her hands.

"I don't like this for her" He whispered

Suddenly Melissa's hand moved and her eyes opened. Her eyes had lost the spark it always carries and her palms began to shake.

"So this is it" she whispered in a shivering voice

"Are you okay?" Gan said

She looked at Gan, shifted the gaze to Devon, and sat upright. She managed to get her hands behind her back and lowered her zipper, searching for the mark inscribed on her back. Then she felt it and turned to Gan.

Devon tightened his fist.

"The moon marks me, the blood binds me, the enemy finds me. I have to face fate" Melissa muttered then she turned to Gan.

"I am the redeemer".

Meanwhile, outside Melissa's room, Dan smiled to himself as he was eavesdropping the whole conversation. He disappeared into the shadows.