The aftermath of the fight felt oddly quiet. The crackle of distant fires and the groans of the wounded were the8 only sounds that filled the air. The pack, once pushed to the brink of defeat, now began to regroup, tending to the fallen, their spirits shaken but resolute.
Aria stood at the edge of the clearing, her eyes fixed on the horizon. The battle had ended, but the real war had just begun.
Her body was still humming with power, her connection to the earth still pulsing under her skin. She felt it—an overwhelming surge of energy that had come to her in a rush, a flood of raw potential. But with it came a storm of doubts, fears, and questions.
What have I become?
The thought haunted her, swirling in her mind. She had accepted her destiny, yes. But what did that mean for her? She could feel the ancient power inside her, a force that could level mountains or break hearts. It was wild and untamed, just like the wolves she had always known, but it was also something more. Something... dangerous.
"Aria," Lucien's voice broke through her thoughts. His presence was unmistakable as he moved closer, his steps light but purposeful. His eyes were dark, unreadable, but there was something in the way he looked at her that made her feel exposed, as though he could see right through the walls she had built around herself.
She turned toward him, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "What is it?" she asked, her voice sounding too distant, even to her own ears.
Lucien studied her for a long moment before speaking, his tone steady but serious. "We need to talk."
A chill ran through her. She had been expecting this. They had all been expecting this. The prophecy, her powers, the constant looming threat—there was no escaping it. But the question still gnawed at her.
"About what?" Aria asked, though she already knew the answer. It was about her. About the part of her that had changed, that had come into her own too quickly.
Lucien's gaze softened, just a fraction. "You've accepted what you are," he said. "But accepting it doesn't mean you're ready for what comes next."
"I don't need a reminder," Aria snapped, the words sharper than she intended. She hadn't meant to bite back at him, but the weight of her thoughts was making her restless. She wanted peace, even if it was just for a moment.
"I'm not here to lecture you," Lucien replied, his voice calm. "But we both know that this power inside you—it's not just a gift. It's a burden."
The words hit her harder than she anticipated. A burden. The weight of her own abilities, the fear of what she could become, the endless pressure of being the one everyone looked to.
"I can handle it," Aria said, more to herself than to him. She tried to reassure herself, to silence the doubts that screamed within her. But the truth was, she wasn't sure she could. She wasn't sure anyone could.
Lucien didn't push further. Instead, he gave her a small nod and walked a few paces away, his expression distant.
"I've seen what happens when someone isn't ready for their power," he said quietly, as though talking to himself. "It destroys them."
Aria turned away, feeling the weight of his words settle heavily on her chest. She understood what he was trying to say—she had seen it too. The darkness that came with unchecked power. The destruction. The violence.
"But I'm not like that," she murmured, almost pleading with herself.
Lucien paused but didn't respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was softer, almost like a warning. "You don't know that yet, Aria. None of us do. That's why you need to learn to control it. To understand it. You can't just rely on instinct. It won't always protect you."
"I'm trying," Aria said, her voice thick with frustration. "I'm trying, but it's like the more I learn, the more I feel like I'm losing myself."
There was a long silence between them, one that stretched far longer than either of them had expected. Lucien didn't answer, and Aria didn't know if she wanted him to. She didn't want him to tell her she was fine. She didn't want him to brush it off, or make her feel like she had it all together. Because she didn't.
She was breaking.
But she didn't have time to stop. The world was moving forward, the prophecy unfolding, and there was no turning back. Her destiny was waiting, and she had to face it.
"I need to go," Aria said suddenly, her voice unsteady but determined. "There's something I need to do."
Lucien didn't stop her this time. Instead, he gave a brief, understanding nod. "We'll be here when you return. But be careful, Aria. The path ahead is not as clear as you think."
Without another word, Aria turned and walked away, leaving the pack behind for the moment. She needed space. Time to breathe. Time to think.
The night air was cold as she stepped out of the clearing and into the woods, the trees whispering as they swayed in the breeze. Aria moved through the darkness, her mind racing, her heart a chaotic mix of emotions.
What am I doing?
The question haunted her as she walked deeper into the forest. She had been chosen. The prophecy had spoken of her. She could feel the weight of it—the eyes of the world upon her—but she still wasn't sure who she was supposed to be. Not yet.
The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting long shadows on the ground. She could feel the pull of the earth, the same pull that had connected her to this world ever since she had first stepped foot in this forest. It was alive, humming beneath her feet, a reminder that she wasn't just a wolf anymore.
She was something more.
And it was both a gift and a curse.