"Why didn't you run?"
Dante's voice was low, but there was an edge to it, something darker lurking beneath his words. He stood just a few feet away, his broad chest still heaving from the fight, his eyes locked on Aria as if trying to decipher something he couldn't understand.
Aria met his gaze, her breath steadying but her heart still racing. She hadn't expected the question, and she certainly wasn't going to answer it the way he wanted.
"Run?" She scoffed, wiping the blood from her hands onto the grass beneath her. "I don't run."
Dante's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he took a step closer. The tension between them crackled like static in the air, but Aria held her ground. She wouldn't flinch. Not after everything she had been through.
"You should have," he said, his voice hard. "They weren't ordinary rogues. You had no idea what you were facing."
"I knew enough," she shot back, refusing to look away. She could feel the raw power still coursing through her veins, the bloodlust that had surged when she snapped the rogue's neck. It had been intoxicating, that rush of adrenaline and control. And now, standing here, with Dante's eyes burning into hers, she felt more alive than she ever had before.
Dante stared at her for a long moment, his eyes scanning her face, searching for something she wasn't ready to give. Then, without a word, he turned away, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
"That power," he muttered, almost to himself. "It shouldn't be possible."
Aria's heart skipped a beat, but she kept her expression neutral. She couldn't let him know how much his words affected her, how much they reminded her of the Moon Goddess's whispered promise just before she had been thrust back into this second chance at life.
"It doesn't matter what's possible," she said, her voice steady. "What matters is that I'm still standing. And I'm not going anywhere."
Dante stopped, turning back to face her. His eyes darkened, something unreadable flickering in them. For a moment, the forest around them seemed to still, the sounds of the night fading into the background as the weight of his gaze pressed down on her.
"You don't know what you've done," he said quietly, his tone carrying a warning. "You're drawing attention, Aria. And not the kind you want."
She felt a shiver run down her spine at his words, but she didn't show it. "I'm not afraid of attention."
"You should be," he said, his voice dropping even lower. "This isn't a game. You don't know what you're up against. There are forces in play here that will tear you apart if you don't tread carefully."
Aria lifted her chin, meeting his gaze head-on. "I've already been torn apart once. There's nothing left for them to take."
The words slipped out before she could stop them, and for a moment, the weight of what she had just said hung heavy between them. Dante's eyes flickered, his expression shifting, but he said nothing. Silence settled over them, thick and suffocating.
Aria swallowed hard, the memories of her death crashing into her mind like a wave. Logan's cruel smile. The blade piercing her skin. The blood pooling beneath her. And the agonizing betrayal that had ripped her heart apart.
But she was different now. Stronger. And she wasn't going to let anyone—especially not Dante—see the cracks in her armor.
Before either of them could speak again, a soft rustle in the trees behind them broke the silence. Aria tensed, her senses sharpening as she turned toward the sound. But it wasn't another rogue. It was something else.
A figure emerged from the shadows, tall and lean, with eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness. Aria's breath caught in her throat as the figure stepped closer, his lips curling into a slow, dangerous smile.
"Ah, Dante," the man said, his voice smooth like velvet. "I see you've found yourself a little pet."
Aria's stomach twisted at the words, but she kept her face impassive, refusing to let the stranger see how much they affected her.
Dante's expression hardened, his body tensing as he stepped protectively in front of Aria. "What are you doing here, Luca?"
Luca's smile widened, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I could ask you the same thing, but I'm guessing it has something to do with this... intriguing little wolf you've got here." His gaze flickered to Aria, and she felt the weight of his attention settle on her like a heavy cloak.
She didn't flinch, though every instinct in her body screamed to be on guard. This man—Luca—was dangerous. More dangerous than any rogue she had faced so far. But she wasn't about to show fear. Not now. Not ever.
"Stay away from her," Dante growled, his voice low and menacing.
Luca chuckled softly, the sound sending a chill down Aria's spine. "Oh, Dante. You know I don't take orders from anyone. Especially not you."
Aria's eyes narrowed, her pulse quickening as the tension between the two men thickened. It was clear there was a history here, something dark and unresolved. And whatever it was, she was now caught in the middle of it.
Luca's eyes flicked back to her, and his smile softened into something more dangerous, more intimate. "You're different," he said, almost thoughtfully. "I can smell it on you."
Aria's skin prickled, but she held her ground. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Luca's smile didn't falter. "Oh, I think you do."
Dante moved before she could react, stepping between them, his body tense, muscles coiled as if ready to strike. "I said stay away from her, Luca."
Luca's eyes darkened, and for a moment, the playful smile vanished, replaced by something cold and deadly. "Careful, Dante. You're treading on dangerous ground."
Dante didn't flinch. "I'm not afraid of you."
Luca's smile returned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You should be."
Aria's heart raced, her instincts screaming at her to be ready for anything. But before she could react, Luca turned on his heel, disappearing into the shadows with a final, lingering glance in her direction.
For a long moment, neither she nor Dante moved, the tension from the encounter still hanging in the air like a storm about to break.
Finally, Dante turned to her, his expression hard. "You need to stay away from him."
Aria crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow. "Is that an order?"
Dante's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond. Instead, he simply stared at her, his eyes filled with something she couldn't quite place. Something that made her pulse race in a way she didn't want to admit.
"Stay out of trouble, Aria," he said quietly before turning and walking away, leaving her standing in the dark, her mind spinning with questions and her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and something else she couldn't name.