SILVERED- EYED WOLF

Aria didn’t mean to fall asleep.

She had been sweeping the floor after spending the whole day washing clothes, carrying water, and trying to keep her aunt’s temper calm.

Her body was too tired, too weak, too hungry. She sat for a moment to rest her back and the next thing she knew, everything went dark.

When she opened her eyes again, the house was silent.

Her aunt had gone to the market hours ago. The sun was already setting.

Aria blinked in panic when she realized she had fallen asleep on the floor right in the middle of the dirty bowls she hadn’t washed.

Before she could stand, the door burst open.

Her aunt stormed inside, baskets in her hands, her face twisted with anger the moment she saw Aria.

“YOU USELESS GIRL!” she screamed. Her slap came so fast Aria didn’t even see it. Her head snapped to the side, her cheek burning.

“You slept while the house looks like this?!”

Another slap.

“And the dishes?!”

Another slap.

Aria stumbled, tears filling her eyes. “I didn’t mean…..”

“I don’t care what you meant!” her aunt yelled, grabbing Aria by the arm and dragging her to the door.

“Get out of my house! Lazy, good-for-nothing orphan!”

She shoved Aria so hard she fell onto the dusty ground outside.

The door slammed shut.

Aria sat there, trembling. The village was quiet.

Everyone had gone inside. Doors were locked. Lamps were out. No one looked her way. No one asked if she was okay. No one cared.

The sky darkened. The cold night breeze brushed her skin. She hugged her knees to her chest and waited… hoping her aunt would open the door.

She didn’t.

Hours passed.

Her stomach growled painfully. Her arms hurt from carrying water all day. Her cheek stung. Her eyes were heavy, but she was too afraid to sleep on the floor outside.

She stood slowly.

She had no home. No friend. No family.

Nothing.

So she walked.

One step… then another…

moving away from the house, away from the village. The farther she went, the more the air changed.

Something tugged at her chest soft, strange, like a whisper calling her name.

Her feet moved on their own.

Soon, she reached the edge of the forest. The trees stood tall, dark and heavy, like they were watching her. She swallowed, wanting to turn back, but the pull in her chest grew stronger.

She stepped inside.

The forest was close to silent, except for the sound of branches rustling. Aria hugged her arms around her body.

“H…Hello?” she whispered.

Her voice shook.

“Is… is someone there?”

A low growl answered.

Her blood froze.

She turned, and her breath caught in her throat.

Two wolves no, not wolves. They didn’t look like wolves at all. Their fur was patchy and scratched, their bodies skinny but dangerous, their mouths twisted with hunger. Their eyes were wild, glowing yellow in the dark.

Rogues.

And Aria who had never seen wolves in real life could only think one thing:

Monsters.

Real, terrible monsters.

Her legs shook as she stepped back.

“Please… stay away…”

The rogues growled deeper, circling her.

One lunged.

Aria screamed. She stumbled and fell, dirt scattering around her. The rogue’s mouth opened wide, teeth sharp, heading straight for her neck.

She shut her eyes tightly.

“Please… please… someone…”

A sound cut through the dark forest.

A sound that made the earth tremble.

A roar.

A powerful, furious roar that shook the leaves and the air and even Aria’s bones.

Something massive rushed past her fast, fierce, unstoppable.

Aria opened her eyes.

Another wolf stood between her and the rogues. But this one… this one was nothing like them.

He was HUGE. Broad shoulders, thick dark fur that shimmered under the moonlight, a body strong enough to break trees and his eyes

Silver.

The same silver from her dreams.

Aria’s lips parted.

“It’s you…” she whispered.

He moved like a shadow full of rage. With one strike, he sent the first rogue flying into a tree. The second tried to escape, but the great wolf pounced, ending the fight in seconds.

Silence returned.

Aria’s whole body shook as the massive wolf slowly turned toward her.

He didn’t look wild like the rogues. He looked… aware. Alive. Almost human in the way his eyes softened when they met hers.

Silver eyes.

The ones that watched her every night.

The ones that bowed to her in her dreams.

The wolf stepped closer.

Aria wanted to run, but her legs refused to move. Her heart beat so loudly she thought he could hear it.

He lowered his head, almost like he recognized her.

Then something changed.

A sharp, painful shift ran through his body. His breath hitched. His claws dug into the ground. He shook as if something inside him snapped loose.

His silver eyes glowed brighter.

Brighter…

Brighter…

And before she understood what was happening

His teeth sank into her shoulder.

Not deep, but enough to break skin.

Aria gasped.

Pain shot through her body.

Her knees buckled.

Her vision blurred.

The massive wolf jerked back immediately.

He whimpered.

Actually whimpered.

Lowered his head the way a guilty child would.

As if he was ashamed.

As if he was saying I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry.

Aria tried to breathe, but everything grew heavy,

Warm, Dark.

The last thing she saw was the silver eyed wolf bowing his head toward her…

Just like in her dreams.

Then her eyes closed.

And the world disappeared.