Bed Locked

Nova, a young lady, walked through the outskirts of Lockwood. At noon, where the sunlight was at its peak casting a warm golden glow on the landscape. The sky was a brilliant teal and a single cloud to disturb its perfection.

For a moment, She closed her eyes to take in the feel of the breeze against her skin. The air was overcome with the sweet scent of wildflowers and the smell of damp soil.

Her gaze fixed forward on the horizon as she walked. The hills of the dense forest loomed in the distance. She had been hunting in these woods for years and knew them like the back of her palm, every inch, including the hills and valleys. She had always loved this time of day but today, something felt off.

The forest seemed more quiet than usual, the birds chirped less, the trees stood still with their motionless branches. There wasn't any prey in sight. Nova's gut told her that something was watching her, but she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Nothing to worry about! she shrugged, telling herself that she was just being paranoid. After all, she was an expert huntress to a certain extent and knew how to take care of herself.

Besides, her trusty bow and bag of arrows were slung over her shoulder.

What could go wrong?!

As Soon as she crossed a small hill. she caught sight of her home in the distance. It was a small, old cabin rooted amongst the trees, with smoke drifting lazily from the chimney. Immediately, Her heart swelled with a deep sense of longing.

Throughout her life, Nova and her sister, Aria had lived together. They were each other's support system after their father died mysteriously and their mother died of heartbreak.

First, Nova paused when she heard leaves rustling nearby. Soon after, branches began to break, and the sound drew closer. Next, a deer leaped out, followed by a group of others. She felt a surge of relief as she watched them bound away, but then she noticed fear in one of the deer's eyes.

The deer leaped into the nearby bushes. Moments later, the forest became quiet again, the only sound heard was the distant snapping of twigs. Nova knew that a predator was nearby, but she wasn't about to find out what it.

She continued walking but instinctively quickened her pace, taking long strides. She couldn't shake the feeling that something closely followed her.Which sent cold shivers running down her spine. She paused to scan her surroundings, her senses heightened

Standing there, she froze in anticipation of what was to come.

Immediately, a low growl echoed through the forest. Nova's heart began to race as she recognized the sound. It was one she had heard before, one that sent chills down her spine.

A wolf, Nova thought, her mind began to race. She knew it was not just any wolf. This one was bigger, stronger, and more powerful than her. It was a werewolf!

Though Nova herself was a wolf, she was a lone wolf, meaning she wasn't part of any pack. A pack meant protection, security, and family. She was vulnerable to any sort of wolf attack. This was a matter of life and death.

She began to race with hands gripping the dagger sheathed at her waist. She knew she had to move fast. The wolf could catch up and attack at any moment.

She was being hunted!

She ran without stopping, her feet carried her effortlessly through the grass. She tripped on a rock hidden in the grass, then violently, fell to the ground.

she got back on her feet quickly, darting her head around with her hands still on the dagger at her waist. She realized she was close to her home. There was no wolf or predator in sight.

She let out a hard sigh and still needed to get away to feel safe.

Quickly,Taking long strides, she approached her cabin but noticed the door was slightly ajar. She frowned.

She wondered if she had forgotten to close it before she left for her hunt.

What a day! she thought as she pushed open the door, calling out to see if anyone was home. But there was no response. Quickly, she locked the door and took a deep breath.

"Aria! I'm home!" she called as she set her bow and arrows down. "You'll never guess what happened!" She giggled as she removed her coat.

No response.

"Ariaaaa!!"

She turned around the dimly lit cabin, everything was out of order. The tables were turned upside down, plates and pans littered the floor, knives were missing, and an inner door stood open. There was blood everywhere. Her heart skipped a beat.

Nova's instincts told her that something was wrong, her heart nearly jumped out of her throat when she saw something written in blood. It seemed to be a message. She thought it was poorly written or perhaps a code, and it read:

R∆k§

She couldn't understand the letters.Whoever had written this wasn't playing around. All she wanted was to make sure her sister was okay.

Frantically, she searched the cabin for her sister, her senses on high alert. Then she saw Aria, bloodied on the floor.

"ARIA!" she rushed toward her sister.

"ARIA, NO!" Tears streamed down her face as she knelt beside her sister. "Ariaaaa, no, please don't leave me!"

"Aria, please, please don't leave me," Nova's hands trembling as she reached out to check for a pulse.

There was a steady beat. It felt weak and slow. She felt a wave of relief spread over her.

Next, She gently turned her sister's head upward. Aria groaned in pain as she slowly opened her eyes. Then, she blinked "Nova?" she whispered.

"Yes, I'm here Aria," Nova spoke softly, almost in a whisper. "How are you feeling?"

"W..what... Water," Aria stuttered.

Nova sprang to her feet and rushed to the well nearby, after filling a jug with clear water. She returned to Aria's side and lifted her sister's head up gently and held the jug to her lips to take a sip.

Aria took a few sips with her eyes fluttering as the water calmed her thirsty throat. Nova held the jug steady, her gaze focused on Aria's face.