The moon was my only companion as I wandered deeper into the Silverwood Forest. Shadows danced among the ancient trees, their gnarled branches twisting like skeletal fingers toward the star-strewn sky. My feet crunched over fallen leaves and twigs, the sound eerily loud in the stillness.
Lunaris was far behind me now, its glow swallowed by the dense foliage. My heart felt heavy, but my resolve grew stronger with every step. I had no destination in mind, only the desperate need to escape—to leave behind the suffocating judgment and pain of rejection.
The air grew colder, the night's chill seeping through my thin cloak. My wolf stirred within me, her presence a quiet comfort amidst the solitude. She was still weak from Kade's rejection, her sorrow a mirror of my own.
We'll survive, I told her silently. We have to.
Hours passed, or maybe it was minutes—it was hard to tell. Time seemed to blur in the forest's endless expanse. I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice the faint rustle behind me until it was too late.
A low growl rumbled through the air, freezing me in place. My pulse quickened as I turned slowly, my eyes scanning the shadows.
A pair of glowing red eyes emerged from the darkness, followed by the hulking form of a rogue wolf. Its fur was matted, its teeth bared in a menacing snarl. Rogues were outcasts, wolves who had abandoned or been exiled from their packs. They were dangerous, unpredictable—and this one had clearly decided I was its next target.
My instincts screamed at me to run, but my legs felt like lead. The rogue lunged, and I barely had time to dodge, its claws grazing my shoulder. Pain shot through me, but I couldn't stop. I scrambled to my feet and ran, the wolf's snarls echoing behind me.
The forest blurred around me as I pushed myself to move faster, my lungs burning with each breath. The rogue was gaining on me, its growls growing louder, closer.
You have to fight, my wolf urged, her voice faint but insistent. You can't keep running.
I skidded to a stop, spinning to face the rogue. My hands trembled, but I clenched them into fists, drawing on the last reserves of my strength.
The rogue charged again, its claws swiping toward my chest. I ducked and lashed out with a kick, catching it in the side. It stumbled but recovered quickly, its growl deepening.
Before it could attack again, a deafening howl rang out, reverberating through the forest. The rogue froze, its ears twitching. Another wolf appeared from the shadows, this one larger and more imposing, with midnight-black fur and piercing gold eyes that seemed to glow with an inner fire.
The rogue hesitated, its growl faltering, but the newcomer didn't. With a swift and fluid motion, the black wolf lunged at the rogue, their bodies colliding in a blur of teeth and claws. The fight was brutal, the air thick with snarls and the sound of ripping flesh.
I pressed myself against a tree, my heart racing as I watched the black wolf overpower the rogue. With one final snap of its jaws, it drove the rogue back, sending it fleeing into the night.
Silence fell, broken only by my ragged breaths. The black wolf turned to me, its golden eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then, before my eyes, the wolf shifted. Its form melted and stretched, fur giving way to smooth skin, until a man stood before me.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark hair tousled and his sharp features illuminated by the moonlight. A faint scar ran along his jawline, adding to his air of quiet menace.
"Are you injured?" His voice was deep, steady, with a hint of concern that caught me off guard.
I hesitated, my hand going to the shallow cut on my shoulder. "It's nothing," I said, my voice trembling.
He stepped closer, his golden eyes studying me intently. "What are you doing out here alone?"
"I…" I faltered, unsure how to explain. "I left my pack."
His brow furrowed. "You're a rogue?"
The word stung, but I nodded. "I didn't have a choice."
His gaze softened, though his expression remained guarded. "This forest isn't safe for someone like you. Rogues, hunters, worse things—you won't survive on your own."
"I can take care of myself," I said, though the shakiness in my voice betrayed me.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "What's your name?" "Aria," I replied hesitantly.
"Aria," he repeated, as if testing the sound of it. "I'm Lucian."
The name sounded vaguely familiar, though I couldn't place why.
"You need to come with me," he said, his tone leaving little room for argument.
I bristled. "I don't need your help."
"Maybe not," he said, his golden eyes glinting with something unreadable. "But if you stay out here, you'll die. And I'd prefer not to leave you to the rogues."
I hesitated, my instincts warring with my pride. Lucian didn't seem like a threat, but I had no reason to trust him. Still, the memory of the rogue's red eyes and the pain of its claws were fresh in my mind.
"Fine," I said finally. "But just until I figure out where I'm going."
A faint smile touched his lips. "Fair enough."
He turned and began walking, his movements smooth and confident. I followed, my steps faltering as exhaustion began to set in.
As we walked, I couldn't shake the feeling that Lucian was more than he seemed. There was an air of authority about him, a quiet power that reminded me of Alpha Kade—but without the coldness that had made Kade's rejection so unbearable.
The forest thinned as we reached a clearing, and in the distance, I could see the faint outline of a settlement—a place I didn't recognize.
"Welcome to Shadowhaven," Lucian said, his voice low. "You'll be safe here."
For the first time that night, a flicker of hope sparked within me. Maybe this was the beginning of something new—a chance to rebuild, to find strength in the ashes of what I'd lost.