Chapter 5: The Wolf in the Shadows

Aria’s Point of View

My heart was beating like it wanted to jump out of my chest. The woman’s hand held my wrist, pulling gently, but I couldn’t move. My eyes were stuck on the big wolf in the shadows. Its eyes glowed like fire, not like Darius’s gold or Roman’s eyes. They were red, deep and scary, like blood. It stared at me, and my skin felt cold, even though the heat in my body was burning me up.

Roman’s voice cut through the air. “You can’t hide her, Darius,” he said, stepping closer. His boots crunched on the dirt floor. He didn’t see the big wolf behind him. Nobody did, except me.

Darius stood tall in front of me, his shoulders wide, like a wall. “She’s not yours,” he growled. His voice was strong, but I saw his hands shake a little. He was scared, too, even if he didn’t show it.

The woman tugged my wrist again. “Aria, come on,” she whispered. Her voice was soft, but it sounded like she was scared. “We have to go now.”

I looked at her. Her gray hair was messy, and her eyes were wide, like she knew something bad was coming. I didn’t know her, but she knew my name. She said she wanted to help, but I didn’t trust her. I didn’t trust anyone. My head was spinning, and the fire inside me made it hard to think. My wolf was clawing inside, like it wanted to run, but I didn’t know where to go.

The big wolf in the shadows took a step forward. Its fur was black, so dark it blended with the night. Nobody else saw it. Not Darius, not Roman, not the woman. I wanted to scream, to tell them, but my throat was tight. The wolf’s red eyes locked on me, and I felt like it could see inside my heart, where all my scared feelings hide.

“Aria,” Darius said, his voice sharp. He turned his head just a little, his gold eyes finding mine. “Stay behind me.”

I wanted to, but the woman’s hand was still on my wrist. She pulled harder. “He can’t save you,” she whispered. “Not from that.”

I yanked my arm free, stumbling back. “What’s that?” I asked, pointing at the big wolf. My voice was loud, too loud. Everyone turned to look.

Roman frowned, his cold eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?” he snapped. He looked at the shadows, but the wolf was gone. Just like that, it vanished. My tummy twisted. Was this an imagination? The heat was making my head fuzzy, but I knew what I saw.

Darius glanced at me, then at the shadows. “What did you see?” he asked, his voice low.

“A wolf,” I said, my voice shaking. “Big. With red eyes. It was right there.”

Roman laughed, a mean sound that made my skin crawl. “She’s losing it,” he said. “The heat’s breaking her. Give her to me, Darius. I’ll take care of her.”

Darius growled, stepping closer to Roman. “You’ll never touch her,” he said. His fists were tight, like he was ready to hit something.

The woman grabbed my arm again, pulling me toward the crack in the wall. “Aria, we don’t have time,” she said. “That wolf is

not normal. You’re not safe here.”

I pulled away, my heart racing. “Stop it!” I shouted. “I don’t know you! I’m not going anywhere!”

Darius turned, his eyes wide. “Who’s she talking to?” he asked, looking at the crack. He couldn’t see the woman, just like he didn’t see the wolf. My head hurts. Was I going crazy? The heat was so bad now, I felt like I was burning from the inside out.

The woman’s face got sad. “Aria, please,” she said. “I’m trying to save you. Like I promised.”

“Promised who?” I asked, my voice small. I didn’t understand. Nothing made sense. The fire in my body, the big wolf, the woman, everything was wrong.

She opened her mouth to answer, but a loud crash stopped her. The door flew open, and one of Darius’s guards came in. His face was bloody, and his arm was bent funny. “They’re coming!” he shouted. “Roman’s pack! They’re breaking through!”

Darius cursed, a bad word I wasn’t supposed to hear. He grabbed the guard’s arm, pulling him up. “How many?” he asked.

“Too many,” the guard said, his voice weak. “We can’t hold them.”

Roman smiled, his teeth sharp in the dim light. “You should’ve given her to me,” he said. “Now you’ll all pay.”

I backed up, my back hitting the wall again. The woman was still there, her hand reaching through the crack. “Aria, now!” she said, her voice loud for the first time.

I looked at Darius. His eyes were on Roman, but he glanced at me, just for a second. “Run,” he said. “Get out through the back.”

I shook my head. “I can’t leave you!” My voice cracked. I didn’t know why I cared, but I did. He was fighting for me, and I didn’t want him to get hurt.

Roman laughed again. “She’s not going anywhere,” he said. He took a step toward me, and Darius moved fast, blocking him. They stood close, their chests almost touching, like two big dogs ready to fight.

I looked at the woman. Her eyes were begging me to come with her. I looked at Darius, his back strong but his arm still bleeding. I looked at Roman, his cold eyes promising pain. My heart was beating so fast, I thought it would explode. The heat in my body was worse than ever, making my legs shake.

Then I heard it again.a low growl, deep and scary, coming from the shadows. The big wolf was back. Its red eyes glowed, and this time, everyone saw it. Roman froze, his face pale. Darius turned, his eyes wide. The woman gasped, her hand pulling back.

“What is that?” Darius whispered.

The wolf stepped forward, its fur black like a night. It was bigger than any wolf I’d ever seen, taller than Darius, its head almost touching the ceiling. Its eyes locked on me, and I felt that tug inside again, like my wolf was waking up. But it wasn’t just waking up, it was scary.

Roman backed up, his hands up. “That’s not one of mine,” he said, his voice shaky for the first time.

Darius grabbed my arm, pulling me behind him. “Stay back,” he said, his voice hard. He faced the wolf, his body strong, like he was ready to fight it.

The woman’s voice came again, softer now. “Aria, it’s here for you,” she said. “You have to come with me. It’s the only way.”

I shook my head, tears in my eyes. “What is it?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

She didn’t answer. The wolf growled again, low and deep, I took another step. Its claws scraped the floor, leaving marks. My heart stopped. It wasn’t just a wolf. It was something else, something old and strong, like the stories my mom used to tell me about the moon.

Darius pushed me toward the crack in the wall. “Go with her,” he said. “Now!”

I stumbled, my legs weak. The woman grabbed my hand, pulling me through the crack. It was tight, and the wood scratched my arms, but I didn’t care. The wolf’s growl followed me, loud and close. I looked back, just for a second, I saw Darius facing the wolf, his eyes glowing gold.

The woman pulled me into the dark, away from the shed. The trees were tall around us, and the moon was bright above. My body was still burning, and my wolf was clawing inside, scared and confused. “Who are you?” I asked again, my voice shaking.

She stopped, turning to me. Her face was clear now in the moonlight, and my breath caught. I knew her. Her gray hair, her kind eyes, it was my mom. But before I could say anything, the ground shook under my feet, and a loud howl filled the air. It wasn’t Roman. It wasn’t Darius. It was the big wolf, and it was coming for me.