Chapter 3: Taken and Forsaken

Aria’s POV

I needed to get away!

Away from the suffocating house, away from the pain of his betrayal, away from the image of Olivia smirking in the seat that used to be mine! Get away from that person who wants to kill me!

The cool night air stung my skin as I ran through the trees, the shadows swallowing me whole. My lungs burned, but I kept going, clutching my stomach.

“W-Who was that?”

His voice… it was familiar, but I couldn’t see his face clearly…my vision was still spinning.

A sharp snap cracked through the silence, shattering my thoughts.

Before I could move, a rough hand clamped over my mouth and yanked me backward. My scream smothered into a muffled gasp. Panic exploded inside me. My legs kicked, my arms thrashed, my nails clawed at the air—but the grip only tightened.

“Stay still,” a low, growling voice rasped against my ear.

The stench hit me. It was unwashed sweat, blood, and the feral musk of wolves who had long abandoned the laws of any pack.

Nightstalkers.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Another pair of hands grabbed my wrists, jerking them behind me. The rope bit into my skin, rough and unyielding, tightening until I hissed in pain.

“W-What are you going to do to me?! Who are you?!” The plea slipped from my lips, muffled and broken.

But they didn’t care.

“Don’t bother. Your Alpha doesn’t care about you anymore,” one of them sneered, his voice thick with contempt.

Laughter followed, cruel and mocking. “He’s too busy with his new mate.”

“Good thing we caught her. That bastard couldn’t even finish the job.”

They dragged me through the forest, my feet stumbling over roots and rocks, until we reached a clearing. A battered truck sat there, its back opened like the maw of a cage.

“Get in,” one barked.

I hesitated, terror clawing at my throat. What did they want with me? Ransom? Revenge?

Another rogue raised his hand, claws glinting under the moonlight. My heart lurched, and I climbed in, forcing my body to obey. The door slammed shut behind me.

The truck roared to life, rattling down uneven paths. Every jolt sent sharp stabs through my body, but worse than the physical pain was the suffocating dread pressing on my chest.

“She’s worth a lot,” one muttered outside. “An Alpha’s mate? Packs will pay.”

“Or the Black Fang,” another said with a chuckle. “They’d love to get their hands on a Luna.”

“Shut it,” the leader snapped. “We wait for orders.”

Orders? From who?

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. I couldn’t rely on anyone to come. Not Aiden. Not my pack. I was alone.

Hours passed like years before the truck ground to a halt. They dragged me out and shoved me into a damp, rotting cell. The air stank of mildew and dried blood, clawing at my throat until I gagged.

The ropes cut deeper as I twisted my wrists, ignoring the burn. I had to get free. I had to fight. My twins needed me!

At last, the fibers loosened just enough. I yanked my arms free.

“What the—?!” one shouted, storming toward me.

I didn’t think. My foot shot out, slamming into his groin. He dropped with a howl. Another lunged at me, but I ducked, ramming my shoulder into his gut and sending him sprawling.

Adrenaline screamed through me as I darted for the door.

“She’s running away again!”

Branches whipped across my face and arms, tearing my skin and cloth, but I didn’t stop. I ran until I saw the faint outline of the border in the distance. Relief burst in my chest.

A blur slammed into me, crushing me to the ground.

The impact knocked the air from my lungs. I struggled, clawing at the earth, but the weight pinning me down was immovable.

“Going somewhere, Luna?” The nightstalker's voice dripped with cruel amusement.

Hot tears burned my eyes. “No—please! Let me go!”

He bared his teeth, the glint of fangs inches from my throat. My body trembled violently, every instinct screaming of death.

Then—

Snap.

The sound cracked through the forest.

The nightstalker froze. His body stiffened as footsteps echoed in the shadows.

Someone emerged from the darkness.

“Enough,” the voice said softly. “Not yet, my pets.”

The nightstalker stepped back immediately, their snarls quieting to obedient silence.

My chest heaved as I scrambled backward, every instinct screaming for me to run. The forest around me blurred with shadows, and the damp earth seemed to grip my feet as if it wanted to hold me there.

“W-Who are—” I stammered, trying to lift my gaze to see the figure standing in front of me. But before I could even catch a clear glimpse, the person moved with unnatural speed.

“Shut up.”

My breath hitched as a sharp, icy pain shot through my body. My veins burned as if frost and fire had collided inside me. My limbs grew dull, my strength draining away with every heartbeat. I tried to lift my arms, to push back, but my muscles refused to obey.

My vision swam, and the forest spun around me in a dizzying blur.

“Bring her body to my lair.”

The words froze me in place. My stomach knotted, and my mind raced. Who was this? What did they want with me?

“Make sure no one will know and follow you.”

That was the last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me.