The Cursed Luna's Second Chance

I could grab hold of their meaning. They'd been the same for weeks now, these haunted dreams. Every time I thought I might finally understand them, they vanished, leaving

d came into focus. The forest around our Moonshadow Pack's grounds was cloaked in mist, the thick, silvery fog trailing around the towering pine trees. I leaned against

The pack didn't know about the curse. They didn't understand the way it followed me like a shadow. But I was used to that. With a deep breath, I pulled my thick,

, shifting uncomfortably, as though being near me might rub off whatever misfortune they believed clung to me. The mix of reactions didn't surprise me; it was the same every morning. Years of whispers about my fami

my water canteen and shrugged off my jacket, taking a few moments to stretch and center myself. My m

na," a famili

ng voice and a quiet strength that made the other warriors respect him. I'd trained with him for years, a

I replied, flash

a slightly raised e

" I said, leaving out the dreams.

hout question. "All right. Let's see if we

in a way that few things were, feeling the resistance against my knuckles, pushing myself harder each time. With each punch, each kick, I could almost feel the whispers fading

glanced down, my heart sinking as I saw the familiar mark glowing faintly beneath my skin. It was a twisted, looping symbol

lse had noticed. I couldn't let them see. Not that anyone

muscles throbbing with the satisfying ache of effort. A few of the others were watching me with wary glances, and I caught snippets of whispered

pot, tucked away among the trees, where the water lay calm and still, reflecting the early morning sky li

't my face looking back at me-it was someone older, with shadows under her eyes and a haunted expression. She looked... tired, broken, as though she had seen more than

and pale, the morning mist swirling around me. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to slow my breathi

clung to me like the fog, persistent and heavy. Maybe I was just tired. Maybe i

nge, longing gaze. But deep down, I knew that whatever I'd seen wasn't just some trick of the light.