The blood moon pact

The wind howled through the dense forest, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and pine. The moon, swollen and red, hung low in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the treetops. Selene Cross tightened her jacket around her body as she hurried down the narrow dirt path, her breath visible in the crisp autumn air.

She wasn't supposed to be out this late. Her grandmother, a woman full of old tales and superstitions, had warned her to be home before the Blood Moon rose. But Selene had always been stubborn, dismissing the warnings as nothing more than folklore passed down through generations.

Now, she wasn't so sure.

A rustling in the underbrush made her stop in her tracks. Her pulse quickened. She turned, eyes scanning the darkness, but saw nothing beyond the shifting shadows.

"Probably just a deer," she whispered to herself, forcing a nervous chuckle.

Then, the growl came. Low, guttural, and too close.

Selene's stomach dropped. She took a cautious step back, her heart hammering in her chest. The stories her grandmother told her as a child came rushing back-tales of beasts that prowled under the Blood Moon, hunting those foolish enough to wander alone.

Another growl, this time accompanied by the unmistakable sound of heavy footfalls.

Selene ran.

Branches slapped against her arms as she sprinted down the path, her boots kicking up loose dirt. She didn't know where she was going-all she knew was that she had to get away.

A shadow moved in her peripheral vision. Too fast. Too big.