Chapter 4: The Whisper in the Wall

Aria’s Point of View

I stared at the crack in the wall, my heart beating so loud I could hear it in my ears. The shadow moved again, and those eyes were bright and sharp looking right at me. They weren’t mean like Roman’s, but they weren’t kind like Darius’s either. They were strange, like they knew something I don't know. The voice whispered my name again, soft and sneaky. “Aria.”

I shift back, my hands scraping the dirt floor. “Who are you?” I asked, my voice shaky. I didn’t like this. The heat in my body was still there, burning my skin, making my head fuzzy. I wanted Darius to come back, but he was outside, dealing with the growls I heard.

The shadow didn’t answer right away. I saw a hand reach through the crack, thin and pale, like it hadn’t seen the sun in a long time. “Don’t be scared,” the voice said. It was a woman’s voice, quiet but strong. “I’m here to help you.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know you. Go away!” My voice was loud, but it cracked at the end. I didn’t want anyone else near me. I don't trust anybody, not after Roman, not even with Darius saying I was his mate. That word mate made my tummy twist, like I was falling from a high place.

The hand pulled back, but the eyes stayed, watching me. “You don’t remember me,” the voice said. “But I know you, Aria. I’ve been watching you for a long time.”

My breath stopped. Watching me? That made my skin feel cold, even with the fire inside me. “Why?” I asked. “What do you want?”

The woman’s voice got softer, like she was sad. “I want you to be safe,” she said. “You’re special, Aria. More special than you know.”

I frowned. Special? I wasn’t special. I was just a girl who ran away, a wolf with no pack, always hiding. “You’re lying,” I said. “Everybody lies.”

She was quiet for a second, then she said, “I’m not lying. I made a promise to keep you safe. A long time ago.”

I don't know what she meant, but her words made my chest feel tight. I wanted to ask more, but the growls outside got louder. I heard shouts now, and something heavy crashed, like a tree falling. My heart was beating like a drum. Was Darius okay? Was Roman here? I looked at the door, then back at the crack in the wall. I didn’t know what to do.

The woman spoke again, faster this time. “Listen, Aria. You can’t stay here. The bad man is coming, and he won’t stop. I can get you out.”

I shook my head hard. “I’m not going with you. I don’t even know you!” My hands were shaking, and the heat in my body was so bad I felt like I was going to explode. I pressed my back against the wall, how I wish I could disappear.

“You don’t have to trust me,” the woman said. “But you can’t stay. The moon’s making you weak, and he knows it.”

The moon again. Darius said it was making me feel this way, all hot and shaking. I didn’t understand it, but I knew she was right about one thing.I wasn’t strong right now. My legs felt like jelly, and my head was spinning. I looked at the crack, trying to see her face, but it was too dark. “Who are you?” I asked again. “Tell me your name.”

She didn’t answer right away. I heard another crash outside, and Darius’s voice, loud and angry. “Stay back!” he shouted. My tummy flipped. He was fighting. For me.

“I’m someone who cares about you,” the woman said finally. “That’s all you need to know right now. Come with me, Aria. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

I bit my lip, hard enough to hurt. I didn’t want to go with her, but I didn’t want to stay here either. Roman’s howl was still in my head, and the fire in my body was making it hard to think. I stood up, my legs were shaking, and took a step toward the crack. “How do I know you’re not with him?” I asked. “With Roman?”

The woman laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. “I hate him as much as you do,” she said. “He took something from me, too.”

I stopped. Her voice sounded true, like she really meant it. But I still don't trust her. I looked at the door again, hoping Darius would come back. The growls outside were quiet now, but I could still hear them. My skin tingle, like my wolf was trying to wake up inside me. It wanted to run, to fight, but I was too tired.

“Okay,” I said, my voice small. “But if you’re lying, I’ll run. I’m good at running.”

“I know you are,” the woman said. “Come closer. I’ll make the hole bigger.”

I walked to the crack, my heart was beating like a drum. The woman’s hands pushed at the wood, and it creaked, splitting wider. I saw her face now, just a little. She had gray hair, tied back, and her eyes were kind but tired, like she’d seen too many bad things. She reached out her hand. “Take it,” she said. “Hurry.”

I hesitated. The heat in my body was so strong, I could barely stand. My wolf was clawing inside me, like it was trying to get out. I didn’t know if she wanted to go with her or stay with Darius. I looked back at the door, then at her hand. I didn’t know what to do.

Then I heard it. A loud bang, like something broke the door. I spun around, my heart in my throat. Darius stumbled in, his shirt torn, blood on his arm. His gold eyes were wild, like he was scared and angry at the same time. “Aria, stay back!” he shouted.

I froze. Behind him, I saw shadows moving. Big wolves, their eyes glowing in the dark. One of them stepped forward, and my blood went cold. It was Roman. His face was hard, his eyes like ice. He smiled, but it wasn’t nice. “There you are,” he said, his voice making my skin crawl. “You can’t run forever, Aria.”

Darius stepped in front of me, his body tense. “She’s not yours,” he growled. “Get out.”

Roman laughed, a mean sound that made my tummy hurt. “She’s mine,” he said. “And you can’t stop me.”

I backed up, my back hitting the wall near the crack. The woman’s hand was still there, waiting. I looked at her, then at Darius, then at Roman. My head was spinning, and the fire in my body was so bad I could barely think. I didn’t know who to trust, who to run to.

Darius turned his head, just a little, his eyes meeting mine. “Stay with me,” he said, his voice soft but strong. “I’ll protect you.”

Roman took a step closer, his smile gone. “You can’t protect her,” he said. “She’s already mine.”

I felt the woman’s hand grab my wrist, gentle but firm. “Now, Aria,” she whispered. “Come now.”

I looked at her, then at Darius, then at Roman. My heart was racing, and the heat was making my vision blurry. I had to choose to stay with Darius, fight Roman, or go with the woman I didn’t know.

Then I saw something move in the shadows behind Roman. Another wolf, bigger than the others, with eyes like fire. It wasn’t with Roman’s pack. It wasn’t with Darius’s either. It was something else, something old and scary, and it was looking right at me.