Sabina’s Journey
The night was quiet, heavy with mist and strange whispers from the woods as Sabina rode along the crooked path leading away from Dam-Nighade Pack. Her heart pounded violently — every sound, every rustle of leaves made her clutch the reins tighter.
She had never been this far from home, and never on such a dangerous errand. The Luna’s order echoed in her mind like a curse.
“Find a sorcerer… before dawn.”
As the moon slipped behind thick clouds, she reached the border of Brothstone Pack — a land shrouded in rumors of witchcraft and forbidden dealings. Sabina dismounted, leading her horse by the reins as the forest swallowed her whole.
For hours, she wandered through thick mist until she reached a faintly glowing cottage tucked beneath an ancient willow. Strange charms hung from its branches — bones, feathers, and shimmering stones that hummed softly in the night air.
Sabina hesitated at the door, her hand trembling as she knocked.
A low, raspy voice answered from within.
“Come in… traveler.”
The wooden door creaked open on its own.
Inside, the air was thick with incense and the sharp tang of herbs. Glass bottles lined the walls — some filled with glowing liquids, others with things that seemed to move on their own.
A tall, grey-haired woman sat before a dim cauldron, her eyes clouded but piercing.
“You seek something forbidden,” the witch murmured without looking up. “You smell of fear… and the scent of Luna’s silk.”
Sabina froze, her voice catching. “You— you know who I am?”
The witch smiled faintly. “I know who sent you.”
From behind the cauldron curtain, a second figure emerged — a younger woman with sharp eyes and a sly smile. Sabina’s breath hitched in shock.
“M–Menar?” she gasped.
Menar’s eyes narrowed as she studied the maid’s face. “Do I know you?”
“I serve Luna Mina of Dam-Nighade Pack,” Sabina explained nervously. “I was sent to find a sorcerer who can reveal… things hidden by the Moon Goddess. My mistress seeks a lost child.”
Menar froze for a heartbeat, then a cruel smile spread across her face.
“So… she’s looking for that child,” she whispered.
Sabina blinked, confused. “You know about the child?”
“Oh, I know more than you think,” Menar said softly, stepping closer, her eyes glinting with a vengeful gleam. Finally… Samantha, your death will not go unanswered.
The witch chuckled, the sound dry as sandpaper. “Sit, child. I will tell you what you came to know.”
Sabina sat hesitantly on a low stool, her hands clasped tight in her lap as the witch’s bony fingers traced strange symbols in the smoke above the cauldron. The air grew heavy — darker, almost suffocating.
“The child you seek,” the witch began, “was sold not far from your own borders. She lives still — but the fates guard her path. Her destiny is bound to her father’s blood… and one day, it will lead her back to him.”
Sabina’s eyes widened. “Then… she can be found?”
The witch nodded slowly. “Yes. But only through death can that destiny be severed.”
Sabina shivered. “Death?”
The witch’s smile turned wicked. “If you wish your Luna’s line to remain unchallenged, the child must die before she is found. Otherwise… she will rise, and everything your mistress holds dear will crumble beneath her feet.”
Sabina’s voice faltered. “How… how will we know her?”
At that, Menar stepped forward. Her face was calm, but her tone dripped with quiet satisfaction.
“She bears a mark,” she said. “A leaf-shaped symbol… at her waistline. I was there when she was born — I saw it myself.”
Sabina’s heart pounded as she took in every word. “A leaf mark… at the waistline,” she repeated softly.
The witch nodded, her eyes glimmering like dying embers. “Remember that well, servant. When you find her, do not hesitate. The moment she is found, the chain of destiny will begin. And once it does… nothing can stop what is meant to unfold.”
Sabina rose shakily to her feet, bowing deeply. “I will tell my mistress.”
As she turned to leave, Menar caught her wrist and leaned in close, her whisper cold against Sabina’s ear.
“Tell your Luna this,” she murmured. “The child is the shadow of her doom. And the longer she lives… the sooner the Alpha will forget her.”
Sabina’s face paled, her stomach twisting with fear. Without another word, she stumbled out into the misty night, clutching her cloak tightly around her.
Behind her, the witch’s laughter echoed through the forest — low, cruel, and filled with dark promise.
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The Return
By dawn, the mist had thinned, and the forest paths gleamed faintly under the pale gold of morning light.
Sabina’s cloak was soaked, her feet blistered and raw, yet she didn’t stop. Every echo of the witch’s words replayed in her mind, twisting like poison.
A leaf-shaped mark… at the waistline.
A child destined to ruin her Luna.
Kill her before she is found.
The words clawed at her thoughts with every step she took.
By the time she reached the high iron gates of Dam-Nighade Pack, her face was ashen and her eyes hollow with exhaustion. The guards let her in without question, for Luna Mina had been restless all night, pacing her chambers in silence, waiting for news.
When Sabina entered the Luna’s chamber, Mina turned sharply from the window. Her golden hair, once smooth and elegant, hung in loose strands, her eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep.
“You found the sorcerer?” Mina asked, her tone clipped and cold.
Sabina dropped to her knees. “Yes, my Luna.”
“Speak, then.”
Sabina swallowed hard, lowering her gaze. “The witch said… the child lives, but she is not far from our lands. Her destiny is bound to your mate’s blood. And if she ever finds him, nothing will stop her rise.”
Mina’s breath hitched slightly, but she composed herself, pressing her nails into her palm. “So the child does exist.”
“Yes, my Luna.”
“And… did the witch tell you how to stop her?”
Sabina hesitated, her hands trembling. “She said… only by death can the child’s destiny be ended. If she lives long enough to meet Alpha Theo, the bond between them will destroy all you’ve built.”
For a long moment, the room was silent except for the faint crackle of the fireplace. Mina stared into the flames, her expression unreadable. Then she whispered, “And how do we recognize this child?”
Sabina looked up slowly. “The witch’s apprentice — a woman named Menar — said she was there when the child was born. She claimed the girl bears a mark… a leaf symbol at her waistline.”
At that, Mina froze. Something dark flickered in her eyes. “A leaf…” she murmured. “Nature’s healer’s mark.”
Her lips curved into a cold smile, almost amused by fate’s cruelty.
“Good,” she whispered. “Now we have something to look for.”
Sabina swallowed uneasily. “My Luna… the witch warned that the child’s path will lead her here, whether we seek her or not.”
Mina’s head tilted slightly. “Then let her come.”
Her voice was calm — too calm — as she turned toward the window, gazing at the horizon where the rising sun painted the sky in hues of crimson and gold.
“If destiny dares to challenge me,” she whispered, “then I’ll burn it before it takes its first breath.”
Sabina bowed deeply and hurried out, her heart heavy with dread.