Aurora's hands trembled as she stepped back into the crowded, chaotic arena. The silver wolf was gone, but the fear he'd left behind hung thick in the air. People were shouting, pushing each other as they tried to escape, guards were barking orders, and the announcer stood frozen, his face pale.
Elise grabbed her arm, whispering, "We need to leave. Now."
But Aurora couldn't move. Her mind spun, replaying the moment the wolf had looked at her, something fierce and powerful flashing in his eyes. She felt that she had unleashed something she didn't understand, and that it was tied to her in ways she couldn't explain.
A hand closed around her shoulder. She turned to see her father's chief guard, Sir Alden, his gaze hard. "Princess, this is not a place for you. You should not have come here," he said, his tone accusing.
Aurora swallowed, but before she could answer, another roar cut through the air. It came from another werewolf, one still chained and trapped in his cage. His red eyes glared with rage, and his claws dug into the floor as he strained against his bonds. The crowd gasped, fear spreading.
"A second one… loose?" someone whispered nearby.
The announcer, finally snapping out of his shock, shouted for order. "Enough of this!" he cried. "The show is over! Everyone return to your homes!"
But the crowd didn't listen. People jostled each other, panicked, looking back at the cages, as if worried that all the wolves might break free. The air was thick with fear.
Sir Alden grabbed Aurora's arm tightly. "You have to leave now, Princess. Your safety is my duty."
He began leading her toward the exit, his grip firm. Elise followed, her eyes wide with terror. But as they neared the exit, a sudden chill went down Aurora's spine. She felt like she was being watched. She turned, glancing back over her shoulder.
There, in the shadows near the entrance of the arena, stood a figure cloaked in darkness. His stance was tall and strong, his gaze locked on her with piercing intensity. She recognized him instantly—the silver wolf. Only now, he was a man.
Aurora gasped, freezing as their eyes met. His face was sharp and rugged, his expression unreadable but intense. He looked nothing like the beast she'd seen earlier, but there was no mistaking him. This was the same creature. Somehow, he had transformed.
Her heart raced as he took a single step toward her, his gaze still fixed. She couldn't move, trapped by those fierce, dark eyes. Sir Alden's voice brought her back to reality.
"Princess, hurry!" he urged, tugging her away.
But before they could leave, the man moved, disappearing into the crowd. Sir Alden didn't notice, too focused on getting her out. Aurora glanced back one last time, but he was gone, like a shadow slipping through the night.
Once outside, Sir Alden ordered several guards to surround Aurora and Elise as they escorted them back to the castle. The night was dark, the air thick with tension. Aurora's thoughts raced. She couldn't shake the image of the man who had once been the silver wolf. How could he be both man and beast? The stories she'd been told of werewolves seemed like fairy tales, but tonight, she had seen them come to life.
As they approached the castle gates, Aurora felt a strange pull to look behind her again. She resisted for a moment, but the feeling grew stronger. Finally, she glanced back.
Far down the dark road, she saw him. The man, the silver wolf, was there, standing under the shadow of a tree. His eyes glowed faintly, catching the moonlight. He was watching her, unmoving.
Her breath caught. What did he want with her? Why hadn't he just run and vanished into the night?
The guards pushed her forward, and soon the castle doors closed behind them, shutting her away from the dark, from the strange wolf-man who now haunted her thoughts. But as she walked through the grand hallways back to her chambers, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over.
Later that night, alone in her room, Aurora paced restlessly. She had been on edge ever since they'd returned, her mind replaying every moment from the arena. The fight, the fear, the silver wolf breaking free, and then… him.
The memory of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine. She didn't know if it was fear or something else that stirred within her. His eyes had been wild, dangerous, but there had been something almost… familiar, like he had seen her, really seen her, in a way no one else ever had.
Unable to calm herself, she went to the window and looked out over the castle grounds. The moon was high, casting a pale light over everything. And there, beyond the walls, by the line of trees, she saw him again.
The silver wolf stood there, watching her. Only now, he was fully a wolf again, his massive form silhouetted against the night sky.
Aurora's heart pounded as she realized he wasn't going to disappear this time. He was waiting. Watching. The unspoken message was clear: he hadn't come to harm her, but he wasn't going to leave either.
She didn't know what he wanted. She didn't know why he kept coming back. But deep down, she felt something strange—a thrill, a sense that her world was about to change forever.
And, for the first time, she felt something she had never felt before.
Freedom.
The wolf turned, disappearing into the trees, but Aurora knew he'd be back. This was only the beginning.