Gore

The forest was darker than Aria had imagined.

She'd been running for hours, her silver paws barely making a sound on the forest floor. The map Garrett had given her was tucked safely in her pack, but she'd memorized the route before shifting. Follow the stream north for half a day, then cut east through the pine grove, avoiding the rocky canyon where rogues were known to den.

Luna was tireless, driven by a desperate need to put distance between them and Silvermoon territory. But as the sun climbed higher, Aria felt her strength beginning to wane. She hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon, too nervous about the mate ceremony to keep anything down. Now her stomach cramped with hunger, and her muscles burned from the sustained sprint.

Need to rest, Luna whined in her mind. Just for a moment.

Aria slowed to a trot, then stopped beside the stream Garrett had marked on the map. She lapped at the cool water, grateful for the relief it brought to her parched throat. Around her, the forest was alive with sounds—birds calling, insects buzzing, small creatures rustling through the underbrush.

She should hunt. Catch something small to regain her strength. But the thought of stopping, even for an hour, made anxiety claw at her chest. What if Kade changed his mind about letting her go? What if he sent warriors after her, dragged her back to face exile or worse?

He won't come, Luna said softly. He made his choice.

The reminder sent a fresh wave of pain through Aria's chest. She could still feel the phantom ache where the bond had been, like a wound that refused to heal. How long would it hurt like this? Days? Weeks? Forever?

A branch snapped somewhere to her left.

Aria's head whipped around, ears pricked forward, every sense suddenly on high alert. The forest had gone quiet. Too quiet. The birds had stopped singing. Even the insects had fallen silent.

Something was wrong.

She backed away from the stream, hackles rising along her spine. Her wolf senses screamed danger, but she couldn't pinpoint the threat. Then the wind shifted, bringing with it a scent that made her blood run cold.

Rogues.

At least three of them, maybe more. The scent was unmistakable—unwashed bodies, madness, and the metallic tang of old blood. Rogues were wolves who'd been cast out of their packs or had chosen to leave, living without the structure and discipline of pack life. Some were harmless loners. But most descended into madness, becoming little more than feral beasts who killed for sport.

Aria's heart hammered against her ribs. She was badly outnumbered, and as an omega, she'd never been trained to fight. Her only advantage was speed.

She ran.

Behind her, she heard answering howls—hungry, eager sounds that spoke of the hunt. They'd scented her. A lone wolf, young and female, trespassing in their territory. She was prey now.

Aria pushed her legs harder, leaping over fallen logs and dodging between trees. Her pack bounced against her side, threatening to throw off her balance, but she didn't dare drop it. Everything she owned was in that bag.

The rogues were gaining. She could hear them crashing through the forest behind her, their growls growing closer. There were four of them—she could distinguish their individual scents now. All male. All larger than her.

Faster, Luna urged. We have to go faster!

But Aria was already at her limit. Her lungs burned, her muscles screamed in protest. She wasn't built for sustained running like this. Omegas were smaller, lighter. Fast in short bursts, but not built for endurance.

A massive grey wolf burst from the trees to her right, cutting off her path. Aria skidded to a halt, spinning to run the other way, but two more rogues had flanked her. She was surrounded.

The fourth rogue, the largest of the group, stalked toward her from behind. His coat was matted and scarred, one ear torn nearly in half. His eyes held no sanity, only hunger and madness.

Aria backed against a large oak tree, her options exhausted. Four against one. She had no chance.

The lead rogue shifted, bones cracking and reforming until a man stood before her. He was filthy, his body covered in scars and grime. When he smiled, his teeth were stained and broken.

"Well, well," he rasped. "What do we have here? A little omega, all alone in the big bad woods." His packmates circled closer, still in wolf form, their growls a constant threat. "You're far from home, little wolf. Lost?"

Aria shifted as well, pulling her pack in front of her like a shield. She was acutely aware of her nakedness, of her vulnerability. "I'm just passing through," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I don't want any trouble."

"Oh, but trouble found you anyway." The rogue leader took a step closer. "See, we don't get many visitors out here. Especially not pretty young she-wolves. You're trespassing in our territory."

"I didn't know," Aria said quickly. "I'll leave. Right now. You'll never see me again."

"Oh, I don't think so." His smile widened, becoming something predatory and cruel. "You see, we're hungry. Haven't had a good meal in days. And you..." He inhaled deeply, his eyes flashing yellow. "You smell delicious."

Terror flooded Aria's system. They weren't just going to kill her. They were going to eat her.

One of the other rogues, a russet-colored wolf, lunged forward with a snarl. Aria threw herself to the side, barely avoiding his snapping jaws. She shifted mid-roll, her wolf form more agile, and tried to run.

The grey rogue tackled her from the side, his weight crushing her into the ground. Pain exploded through her ribs. She yelped and thrashed, managing to rake her claws across his muzzle. He released her with a howl of pain.

Aria scrambled to her feet, but the russet wolf was already on her, his teeth sinking into her hind leg. She screamed—a high, agonized sound that echoed through the forest. Blood poured from the wound, hot and terrifying.

We're going to die, Luna whimpered. We're going to die here, alone, and he'll never know. He'll never care.

Something in Aria snapped at that thought. The idea that she would die here, in this forest, without ever proving Kade wrong. Without ever showing him—showing everyone—that she was more than just a weak omega.

Rage flooded her system, hot and fierce. She twisted in the russet wolf's grip and sank her teeth into his throat. He released her with a choked yelp, stumbling backward.

But there were still three more.

The lead rogue shifted back to wolf form—a massive black beast with yellow eyes. He stalked toward her slowly, savoring her fear. This was it. Aria was injured, exhausted, and completely outmatched.

Then, from somewhere in the forest, a howl split the air.

It wasn't the mad howling of rogues. This was different—powerful, commanding, filled with unmistakable authority. An Alpha's call.

The rogues froze, their heads swiveling toward the sound. Aria's heart leaped with desperate hope. Someone was coming. But was it friend or foe?

A huge wolf exploded from the tree line—larger than any of the rogues, his coat a deep chocolate brown with auburn highlights. His eyes glowed green with Alpha power. He hit the lead rogue like a freight train, his jaws closing around the other wolf's throat.

Two more wolves burst from the forest behind him, clearly his warriors. They engaged the remaining rogues with brutal efficiency.

Aria collapsed against the tree, her injured leg giving out. Blood pooled beneath her, and the world began to tilt and spin. Through her fading vision, she saw the brown wolf—the Alpha—finish the rogue leader with a vicious shake of his head. The rogue went limp.

The fight was over in minutes. The rogues were dead or fleeing, their blood staining the forest floor. The Alpha shifted back to human form and rushed toward Aria. She tried to shift as well, but her body wouldn't cooperate. The blood loss was too severe.

"Easy, easy," a deep, warm voice said. Strong hands touched her fur, gentle despite their size. "You're safe now. I've got you."

Aria's vision blurred. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was a pair of kind hazel eyes, filled with concern.

Then everything went black.