Chapter 1: Running in the Dark

Aria’s Point of View

I ran through the trees. My feet hit the cold ground and dry leaves. The night is dark, and the moon is big and shiny, like a silver coin in the sky. My heart was beating so loud I thought someone would hear it. I don’t want anyone to find me. I’m a wolf, but I don’t have a pack. I’m alone, and that’s how I like it.

I’ve been hiding for a long time. Other wolves are mean. They hurt me before, so I don’t trust them. I keep moving, never staying in one place too long. If I stop, they might catch me. I don’t want to be caught. Not again.

Tonight, I messed up. I ran too far. The trees look different here, taller and closer together. The air smells wrong, like it belongs to someone else.

This place belongs to another wolf , and I’m not supposed to be here. I know about Alphas. They’re strong wolves who don’t like strangers. This place belongs to a man named Darius. I heard his name once, whispered by other wolves. It made my tummy feel funny, like when you’re scared but I don’t know why.

I hear a snap behind me. My ears perk up. Footsteps. Heavy ones. I run faster, my breath puffing out like smoke in the cold air. My legs hurt, but I can’t stop.

The footsteps get louder. They’re close now. I dodge between trees, hoping to lose them, but I’m so tired. My body feels heavy, like I’m carrying a big rock.

Something grabs my arm. I shout and try to pull away, but the grip is strong. I turn and see two big wolves, but with sharp teeth and glowing eyes. They’re guards. They wear dark clothes, and their faces are hard, like stone. “Now I got you,” one says, his voice deep and scary.

I twisted myself, but I can’t free myself. My heart races. I want to scream, but my throat is tight. They drag me through the trees to a dark place. It’s a small building, like a shed, with no windows. The door creaks as they push me inside. The air smells like dirt and old wood. They lock the door, and I hear their boots crunch away.

I’m alone again, but not safe. I sat on the cold floor, hugging my knees. My body feels weird, like it’s too warm even though the air is chilly. Something tugs inside me, like a string pulling my heart.

I don’t know what it is, but it scares me. I close my eyes and try to breathe slowly. I tell myself I’ll find a way out. Like I always do.

The door creaks open again. I was filled with fear. A man steps inside. He’s tall, so tall he has to duck under the doorframe.

His skin is like the bronze pennies I used to find on the ground. His hair is short and dark, and his eyes were like gold, like the sun. He doesn’t smile. He just looks at me, and I feel like he sees everything. My dirty clothes, my messy hair, the way my hands shake.

I shift back until I hit the wall. “Don’t come closer,” I say, my voice was small but sharp. I want to sound brave, but I’m not. My tummy twists, and that warm feeling gets stronger. It’s like my body knows him, but I don’t.

He stops. He didn't move closer, just stood there. His eyes didn’t leave me. “I’m Darius,” he said. His voice was low, like a growl, but not mean. “You’re in my territory.”

I swallow hard. “I didn’t mean to come here. Let me go, and I’ll leave. I promise.”

He tilts his head, like he’s thinking. “Are you running from something bad? he asked. It’s not a question. I don’t answer. I don’t want him to know about the bad man, the one who hurt me. The one I ran from.

My body shakes, and I hug my knees tighter. The warm feeling is worse now, like fire under my skin. I don’t like it. It makes me feel weak, like I can’t control myself. I looked at Darius. “I don’t need your help. Just let me go.”

He didn't move. He just watched me, like he’s waiting for something. “You’re not safe out there,” he says. “Not like this.”

I wanted to shout at him, but my throat hurt. The fire in my body is getting hotter, and my head feels fuzzy. I looked away, staring at the floor. I don’t want him to see my eyes. They’re wet, and I don't like crying. I’m not a baby. I’m strong. I have to be.

He takes a step closer. I flinched, but he stopped again. “I won’t hurt you,” he says. His voice is softer now, like he’s talking to a scared animal. Maybe that’s what I am.

I don’t believe him. Wolves can lie. They will trick you, then they will hurt you. But when I look at him, his eyes aren’t mean. They’re bright, like they’re burning, but not in a bad way. It makes my chest feel tight, like I can’t breathe right.

“Why do you care?” I ask. My voice was shaking, and I hate that too. “You don’t know me.”

He was quiet for a long time. Then he said, “I know you’re scared. I know you’re running from other wolves. And I know you’re not just any wolf.”

My heart skips. What does that mean? I want to ask, but I’m too tired. The fire in my body is making it hard to think. I feel like I’m going to fall apart, like a toy that’s been dropped too many times.

Darius kneels down, still far enough that I don’t feel trapped. “You feel it, don’t you?” he says. “The heat. It’s not just you. It’s the moon.”

I frown. The moon? I looked up, but there’s no windows, no way to see the sky. Still, I know it’s full tonight. I felt it when I was running. It made my skin tingle, like it was calling me. “What’s happening to me?” I whisper. I don’t want to ask him, but I’m scared. I don’t understand my own body.

He didn't answer right away. His eyes were soft, like he felt bad for me. “You’re not alone,” he says. “I feel it too.”

My breath catches. I look at him, really look at him. His shoulders are tight, like he’s holding something back. His hands are clenched, like he’s fighting himself.

And his eyes were so bright, they almost glowed. My tummy flips, and the fire in me burns hotter. I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t want to need anyone.

“I don’t trust you,” I say, but my voice is weak now. I’m so tired. I just want to sleep, but the heat won’t let me.

“You don’t have to,” he says. “Not yet.”

He stands up and walks to the door. I think he’s going to leave, and part of me wants him to. But another part of me wants him to stay. It’s stupid. I don’t even know him.

He stops at the door and looks back. “Rest,” he says. “No one will hurt you here. I’ll make sure I keep you safe.”

He closed the door, and I’m alone again. The heat in my body doesn’t stop. It’s worse now, like I'm angry he’s gone. I curl up on the floor, my arms around my knees. I try to breathe slowly, but my heart won’t calm down.

I closed my eyes, and I saw him. Darius. His gold eyes. His strong hands. The way he looked at me, like I was more than a scared girl hiding in the dark.

Then I heard a howl, far away but getting closer. It’s not Darius. It’s not his guards. It’s a sound I know, one that makes my blood go cold. The bad man. The one I ran from. He’s found me.