Moonbound Fate

Author's Note:

The prologue and first five chapters have been fully revised to provide a smoother and more enjoyable reading experience. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you for your understanding, and happy reading! (February 4th, 2025)

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"This is definitely not the way I planned to start 11th grade."

Sumaya thought as her back hit the cold metal of her locker, the impact rattled through her bones, a dull ache settling between her shoulder blades. Around her, the hallway buzzed with voices—lockers slamming, students murmuring, some lingering just to watch. Not because they enjoyed the spectacle, but because stepping in meant putting themselves on the line. And no one was that brave.

Not against Amanda Prescott.

The self-proclaimed queen of the school stood in front of her, a cruel smirk tugging at her glossy lips.

Her fake blonde waves cascaded over her shoulder like she was in some kind of shampoo commercial, not in this dimly lit corridor where she played executioner. She twirled a strand of hair around one manicured finger, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"What's wrong, Sumaya? You've been avoiding us."

Sumaya pressed her lips together. Avoiding them was an understatement. She had mapped out escape routes, sprinted out of class the moment the bell rang, taken the longest, most inconvenient paths just to stay out of their way. But it was never enough. No matter how carefully she planned, they always caught her.

Like wolves hunting prey.

Amanda's cronies, Jenna and Bree flanked her sides, their presence closing in like a tightening noose. Jenna leaned lazily against the lockers, inspecting her nails with exaggerated boredom.

"That's not very nice, you know," Amanda drawled. "We missed you over the holidays, and you went and hurt our feelings by running off like that."

"I didn't know you had any," Sumaya wanted to say, but she bit her tongue.

Amanda Prescott wasn't just a mean girl—she was the mayor's daughter.

And that meant power. Control. Untouchable.

Students knew it. Teachers knew it. No one wanted to end up on her bad side. Sumaya had learned that lesson the hard way. The few classmates who had dared to stand up for her freshman year? The next day, their parents mysteriously lost their jobs.

And reporting them? Useless. Because—

A sharp snap of fingers in front of her face jerked her out of her thoughts.

"Don't zone out now," Amanda chided, her voice dripping with amusement. "What, were you cursing us in your head?"

She stepped closer, her designer perfume thick and suffocating. "Come on, Sumaya. You know the drill."

Sumaya clenched her jaw, staying silent. She had learned long ago—they weren't looking for answers. Reacting only made things worse.

Bree scoffed, her dark eyes narrowing. "Why isn't she saying anything?"

"Maybe she finally learned her place," Jenna sneered.

Amanda tilted her head, feigning concern. "Or maybe," she whispered, "our little freak thinks she's better than us now."

That word. Freak.

Sumaya flinched, heat prickling at her skin.

She knew why they tormented her. It wasn't just for fun—it was because she wasn't normal.

Her body… healed too fast. Too perfect.

Bruises that should last weeks vanished in minutes. Cuts sealed themselves as if they had never been there. The first time it happened, she thought it was strange. But her mother called it a gift. "The gods love you too much to let a single scar mark your skin," she had said.

But to Amanda and her pack of wolves, it made her a monster.

And that was why reporting them was useless. Because the moment she walked away from this, there wouldn't be a single scratch left on her body.

A hand suddenly shoved her. Hard. Sumaya's shoulder slammed into the lockers with a loud clang. She winced but didn't make a sound.

Jenna gasped dramatically. "Oops."

Bree snickered. "Oh no, is she hurt?" She pouted mockingly before her face twisted into a wicked grin. "Oh wait. That's right. You don't get hurt, do you?"

Sumaya looked up, her jaw tightening.

"Oh, she's glaring," Jenna snickered, tossing a glance at Amanda.

"I'm not glaring, fool. Can't I look up again?" Sumaya thought bitterly. But, of course, she wouldn't dare say it out loud.

Amanda's smirk deepened. "Don't look at us like that," she mocked. "It's not like we're actually hurting you. Your freakish body will just heal everything, right? No matter how much damage we do, it'll all be gone in a minute."

She laughed, and right on cue, Jenna and Bree joined in, their cackles scraping against Sumaya's nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

Her fists clenched at her sides, nails biting into her palms.

She could take it. She always did. But today… today, something inside her snapped.

Before she could second-guess herself, she shoved Bree aside and bolted.

"Hey!" Amanda's sharp voice rang out behind her.

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she sprinted down the hallway, shoving past lingering students. She didn't care where she was going—only that she needed to get away.

"Wait up, Freak!" Jenna's voice rang out, footsteps pounding after her.

"We're not going to hurt you!" Bree taunted, her laughter laced with cruelty.

Sumaya didn't stop. She pushed her legs harder, burning with every step, until she burst through the school's back exit. The cold evening air hit her like a slap, but she didn't slow down.

She barely had time to think. Instinct took over. The shortcut—the only way she could lose them—was through the restricted area behind the school.

She veered left, then right, her eyes locking onto the barbed wire fence at the school's edge. A faded warning sign dangled from it: NO TRESPASSING.

Did she care? No.

Her fingers latched onto the fence, ignoring the sting as the sharp edges bit into her palms. She hoisted herself up, legs swinging over, landing on the other side with a harsh exhale.

She turned just in time to see Amanda, Jenna, and Bree skid to a stop at the fence, their faces twisted—not with anger, but amusement.

Amanda cocked her head, a slow, satisfied smirk spreading across her lips.

"She actually ran in there?" Bree scoffed.

Jenna snorted. "She's so dead."

Amanda didn't say anything. She just crossed her arms and watched as Sumaya disappeared into the dark forest beyond the fence.

Her laughter was the last thing Sumaya heard before the trees swallowed her whole.