Chapter 4 — Claws of Betrayal

Ellen Carter

The Moonlit Clearing was nothing like Ellen had imagined. She had pictured a peaceful forest meadow, tranquil and serene under the light of the full moon. Instead, it felt like stepping into another world—one humming with tension and an eerie, almost oppressive energy. The towering trees formed a natural cathedral, their canopies filtering moonlight into jagged shards of silver that cut through the gloom. The air was alive, thick with the scent of earth, moss, and something sharper—like static before a storm.