I chased a black wolf into the ruined courtyard of the castle where I worked, only to find a man waiting for me in the shadows.
Part 2
I stumbled backward, my hand flying to my neck where a single drop of blood welled against my skin.
Tyler’s pale eyes widened in absolute horror at what he had just done.
He didn’t advance, didn’t try to stop me as I scrambled out of the candlelit room.
I ran blindly through the pitch-black corridors, the ancient stone walls seeming to close in around me like a tomb.
When I finally burst through the heavy wooden door into the frigid night air, I couldn’t stop running until I reached the safety of the cabin.
Heather was still fast asleep, completely oblivious to the terrifying truth I had just uncovered.
The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache and a strange, phantom ache throbbing at my pulse point.
I stood in front of the cracked bathroom mirror, fully expecting to see twin puncture wounds.
There was nothing but smooth, unbroken skin.
Had it all been a vivid hallucination brought on by exhaustion, grief, and the stress of Craig’s death?
But the silver crescent moon pendant rested heavily against my collarbone, a cold, solid reminder that the night had been entirely real.
I dragged myself through the motions of our morning routine, unable to shake the lingering scent of pine and winter air from my memory.
When we arrived at the castle gates, Dan was already there, leaning against his motorcycle with a dark scowl that deepened the moment he saw me.
He was talking to a group of men in sharp, tailored suits, their hushed, urgent voices carrying across the empty courtyard.
One of them handed Dan a thick manila folder, and as he flipped it open, I caught a glimpse of a familiar black and white photo.
It was the torn painting from the hidden room—the one featuring the black wolf and the faceless woman in the emerald gown.
Dan’s gaze snapped up, locking onto me with a terrifying, predatory intensity.
He dismissed the suited men with a sharp, dismissive nod and stalked toward me, his heavy boots loudly crushing the gravel beneath his feet.
He stopped just inches away, deliberately invading my personal space until I had to tilt my head back to meet his furious glare.
His voice dropped so low that Heather, standing only a few feet away, couldn’t hear him.
“I warned you to stay away from the castle after dark, Megan.”
My breath hitched, panic flaring in my chest as I realized he somehow knew exactly where I had been.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied, my voice betraying a slight tremble that I couldn’t suppress.
Dan reached out, his rough fingers brushing the silver pendant at my throat before his grip closed tightly around the metal.
If the monster in the castle was truly the danger, why did my soul feel so inextricably tied to his, and what would Dan do when he finally uncovered the truth?
Part 3
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Disclaimer
This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. If you would like to share your story, please send it to [email protected].
