PREVIOUSLY ON CURSED BLOODLINE:
Raven discovered the truth behind her father's disappearance and her own cursed legacy. Her transformation under the full moon almost exposed her to the entire town, but she was saved by a stranger—Lucas, a lone wolf with secrets of his own. Now, the Council of Elders has sensed the awakening of a cursed bloodline—and they are coming.
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Episode 5 – Moonbound Secrets
The moon hung heavy in the sky, even though it was no longer full. Raven felt it tug at her insides like a thread being pulled slowly—steadily unraveling the girl she used to be.
Lucas walked beside her through the dense forest, his boots crunching softly over fallen leaves. Neither of them spoke. Silence had become their strange bond. But tonight, something felt different. The shadows around them weren't just quiet—they were watching.
"You feel that?" Lucas asked, stopping abruptly.
Raven nodded. "Like something's following us."
He reached for her hand without thinking, his touch grounding. "We're not alone. Stay close."
They darted off the trail and crouched behind a thick wall of brambles. Raven's breath hitched as figures moved in the distance—dark-robed, their steps light, their faces obscured.
"Council Scouts," Lucas whispered. "They're getting closer."
Raven's heart pounded. "Why now? They weren't here before."
Lucas didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out a small silver locket and handed it to her. "This belonged to your father. He gave it to me the night he vanished."
Raven's fingers trembled as she opened it. Inside was a faded photo—her father, younger, standing beside Lucas and a woman with Raven's eyes. On the opposite side, a strange rune glowed faintly.
"This rune—what is it?"
Lucas's voice was grim. "It marks you as Moonbound. The curse in your blood is ancient. Your mother was the last known Moonbound—until you."
"I thought my mother died giving birth."
"She did," he said. "But not before she sealed part of her power inside you. That's why the Council is after you. If they harness your power, they can control all wolfkind. No more free packs. No more lone wolves. Just one empire—under their rule."
Raven blinked back panic. "Then what do we do?"
He took a breath. "We run. But not aimlessly. There's someone who can help—an old friend of your father's. She lives in the abandoned town beyond Hollow Creek. But the journey is dangerous. And…"
"And what?"
"She's not exactly… sane."
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The Journey Begins
They traveled all night, staying off the roads, avoiding human contact. The woods grew thicker the closer they got to Hollow Creek. Raven began to notice strange carvings on trees—symbols similar to the one in the locket.
By morning, fog blanketed everything. The air was colder, laced with whispers only Raven could hear.
"She's calling me," Raven murmured.
Lucas frowned. "Who?"
"I don't know… but it's coming from that direction." She pointed toward a collapsed stone gate covered in moss and vines.
Lucas hesitated. "That's the entrance to Hollow Creek. Be ready."
As they crossed into the ghost town, Raven felt a chill creep down her spine. The houses were half-eaten by time. Windows shattered. Doors creaked in the wind. Yet something pulsed in the earth beneath them—alive.
Suddenly, a scream split the air.
They rushed toward it, finding a girl—no older than ten—backed against a wall, fangs bared, golden eyes glowing.
"A pup," Lucas whispered.
Before he could move, another figure appeared—a woman, cloaked in black, her hair silver-white and wild.
"Well, well… if it isn't Lucas the Lone," she said with a crooked smile. "And the cursed girl finally awakens."
Raven stepped forward. "You knew I was coming."
"I've known since the day you were born." The woman turned to her. "Your mother sent me dreams. She said you would come here when the time was right. I am called Morrana."
Lucas stepped protectively in front of Raven. "Morrana, we need your help. The Council is coming."
Morrana nodded slowly. "Yes. But they're not your only threat. There's something worse lurking in Raven's blood."
Raven froze. "Worse?"
"The curse is only half of what she carries," Morrana said. "The other half… is prophecy."
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The Prophecy
Inside the ruins of what used to be a temple, Morrana painted symbols on the stone with ash and blood. Raven watched as the walls glowed faintly, revealing an ancient mural hidden beneath grime and moss.
It depicted a girl with fire in her eyes and wolves bowing at her feet. Above her, a figure cloaked in shadows loomed—marked with the same rune in her locket.
"The Moonbound heir shall rise when the blood moon falls," Morrana recited. "She shall walk between the living and the cursed, the chosen key to freedom or destruction."
Lucas stared at the mural. "She's the heir."
Morrana nodded. "Yes. And now the Council will do everything to control her—or kill her."
Raven's voice cracked. "I never asked for this."
"No one ever does," Morrana said gently. "But destiny doesn't wait for permission."
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The Attack
They didn't have long. By dusk, the fog grew heavy again—and this time, it carried danger.
The Council's Enforcers arrived silently, moving like wraiths. Raven felt their presence before she saw them. Her heart roared in her chest, and her bones began to shift—unwillingly.
"No, not now," she gasped, doubling over as claws pushed from her fingertips.
Lucas caught her, holding her steady. "Fight it! You control the wolf, not the other way around!"
"I can't—" Her body convulsed, but instead of pain, something new surged through her. A calm. A strange light.
Morrana's eyes widened. "She's channeling the Moonbound!"
Raven stood, transformed—not fully wolf, not fully human. Her eyes glowed silver-blue. Her voice echoed with a power that wasn't hers alone.
"Stand down," she commanded the Enforcers.
To everyone's shock… they did.
One by one, the black-cloaked wolves fell to their knees. Lucas stepped back in awe.
"You're not just cursed," he said quietly. "You're their Alpha."
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To Be Continued…