Don't Leave Me ALPHA

Chapter 1: Twilight at the Edge of the World

"What are you doing here?! Do you want to die?"

Aria flinched. Her breath hitched as the voice echoed in her ears—deep, raspy, and filled with fury. She turned around, only to find a pair of golden eyes staring at her from the darkness of the forest.

"I... I didn't mean—"

"Leave!" the voice thundered, sending tremors through the towering trees around them.

But Aria didn’t move. Even as her heart pounded violently in her chest, she stood her ground beneath the slivers of moonlight piercing through the leaves. She swallowed hard, forcing down the tremor in her limbs.

"I just wanted to know," she said, her voice steadier than she expected. "Every night, I hear sounds coming from the forest. Groans, howls… like someone is in pain."

The figure remained silent, his heavy breaths the only sound breaking the eerie stillness.

Aria took a hesitant step forward, but before she could get any closer, he moved. In an instant, he was mere steps away from her.

She froze.

A tall man with tousled black hair and glowing golden eyes stood before her. His face was striking—handsome yet edged with something wild. There was danger in his gaze, a warning to run. And yet, something about him pulled her in instead of pushing her away.

"I warned you, human." He lowered his head slightly, inhaling the air between them before murmuring, "You reek of fear."

Aria clenched her fists. "I'm not afraid of you."

A smirk tugged at his lips—mocking. "A terrible lie."

She steadied her breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She knew she should run, leave this place, but there was something in his eyes—an anguish hidden beneath the threat and fury.

"You're not human," she whispered.

He arched a brow, as if assessing her courage. "Then what do you think I am?"

Aria hesitated for a moment before breathing, "A werewolf."

The instant the word left her lips, he moved.

He vanished into the shadows, only to reappear behind her in the blink of an eye. A shiver ran down Aria’s spine as she felt his breath ghost over her neck.

"In that case, you should run," he whispered.

But Aria remained still.

He sighed, stepping back. "Leave. This place is not for you."

She turned to face him, her gaze unwavering. "I'll be back tomorrow."

His body tensed. "Don't."

But Aria only gave him a small, knowing smile before walking away, leaving him in the darkness of the forest.

---

The next night, as promised, Aria returned.

This time, she carried a small vial of herbal medicine—an old remedy her grandmother used to treat wounds. It was foolish, she knew. Werewolves surely had their own way of healing. But still, she wanted to bring it.

"You’re either brave or incredibly foolish to come back," a familiar voice greeted her from the shadows.

Aria smiled slightly. "I said I would."

The werewolf—Lorian, as she had learned his name—emerged from behind the trees. His golden eyes were still sharp but lacked the wildness from the night before. He eyed the small bottle in her hands with confusion.

"What’s that?"

"Herbal medicine. For your wounds."

Lorian frowned before lifting his arm—and Aria’s breath caught. A deep gash ran down his forearm, one she hadn’t noticed before. The wound looked fresh, as if inflicted by another beast.

"You fought something?" she asked.

Lorian only stared at her before replying, "The world is not as safe as you think."

Aria held out the vial. He hesitated before taking it, his expression unreadable.

"You do know I can heal on my own, don’t you?"

"But you're still bleeding," Aria said softly. "Maybe I can’t do much, but at least I can do something."

Lorian studied her for a long moment before the corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly.

"You’re a strange one, human."

Aria only smiled in return.

---

Days passed, and Aria found herself returning to the forest more often.

She and Lorian sat by a small river, talking about many things—her village, the world beyond, and Lorian’s life in the shadows.

"Why do you hide?" she asked one evening.

Lorian gazed up at the moon. "Because I have no place in this world."

Her heart ached at his words.

"You don’t have to be alone."

He turned to her, golden eyes softening. "And do you think I can live among humans? They would hunt me down the moment they found out what I am."

Aria knew he was right. In her village, stories of creatures like him always ended the same way—with a hunt and death.

"But I'm not hunting you," she whispered.

Lorian stared at her, something shifting in his gaze. For the first time, someone saw him not as a monster but as something… more.

Yet their fragile happiness was short-lived.

On the third night after their meeting, Aria returned to her village—only to find it in a state of alarm.

Torches blazed, weapons gleamed, and frightened voices filled the air.

"There were massive wolf tracks near the village!" an old man shouted.

"We can't let that beast come any closer!" another villager added.

Aria’s blood ran cold.

They were talking about Lorian.

And they were going to hunt him.