---
The moon hung low in the sky as I sat at the edge of Shadowhaven, the night air cool against my skin. The forest stretched endlessly before me, its dark shadows beckoning. I couldn't help but feel like a stranger in this new world, my thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear.
The events of the past few days had left me shaken. After the rogue attack, I'd spent the remainder of the day recovering in the safe house, hidden away from the chaos. Lucian had returned later, his face grim but unwavering, and for a moment, I thought he might have seen through the cracks in my façade.
I was more than just scared—I was terrified. Not only of the rogues but of the life I was expected to lead here in Shadowhaven. A life I hadn't chosen.
I wrapped my arms around my knees, staring into the darkness, as if I could see answers in the night.
"You're thinking too much again."
The voice came from behind me, soft and familiar. I turned to find Selene standing a few paces away, her arms crossed.
"Can't help it," I muttered, standing up slowly. "I just… I don't know what I'm doing here."
She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing with what I could have sworn was sympathy. It was brief, gone almost before I could register it.
"You're here because you belong here," she said simply. "You're one of us now."
I shook my head. "I don't feel like I belong anywhere. I'm just some… stranger."
Selene sighed and sat beside me, her movements swift and graceful. "The moon doesn't choose its wolves by blood, Aria. It chooses them by heart. You're here because you were meant to be."
Her words lingered in the air, and for a brief moment, I almost believed them. But doubt gnawed at me. How could I be one of them when I didn't even understand what being a wolf meant?
"I don't know how to be this," I admitted quietly. "This… wolf."
Selene didn't reply at first. Instead, she studied the forest with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "You'll learn," she said, finally. "But first, you need to learn to control it. The wolf inside you is powerful, Aria. But it's untamed, wild."
I looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean? How do I control it?"
She looked at me then, her gaze softening just enough for me to see the truth in her eyes. "You've been running from something for so long, haven't you? That's why you're so lost. You need to face it. Let it go. Only then will you find your strength."
I swallowed hard, my throat tightening. She didn't know what I had gone through. No one did. How could they?
"I'm not running," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I don't even know what I'm running from anymore."
Selene was silent, and for a moment, I thought she might say something else, but she didn't. Instead, she stood, brushing the dirt off her clothes.
"We'll start your training tomorrow," she said. "The moon will show you the way. Just trust yourself."
Her words hung in the air, and I wasn't sure if I believed them. But as she walked away, I found myself nodding, as if something inside me had already begun to stir.
The night deepened, and I stayed there a while longer, watching the forest and listening to the whispers of the wind. The howl of distant wolves reached my ears, and a strange feeling washed over me.
The world outside Shadowhaven seemed so far away, but here, in the midst of this pack, there was something... comforting. Maybe Selene was right. Maybe this was where I belonged.
But the journey to find out would be harder than I could ever imagine.