Chapter 8

Darkness clouded the whole of Aria's vision. She was standing in between thick darkness that surrounded the whole place. Her body glowed brightly serving as the only source of light yet she couldn't see ahead as the light on her body was only limited to her space.

"Hello, is anyone here?" she called walking deeper into the darkness.

Suddenly she heard a soft growl from behind her, turning back she came face to face with a wolf as white as snow with deep blue eyes.

"You are pretty." Aria complimented.

"I'm snow, your wolf." she heard in her head.

Gasping she moved forward, "My wo... wolf?" she whispered touching the fur.

Snow nodded. "You are in my world."

Aria looked around. "But why is it so dark?"

"My source of light went of some weeks ago. I brought you here to help me find it."

"I will help you." Aria assured. Snow let out a loud growl and suddenly bright light appeared from behind Aria.

Aria turned back, the light almost blinding her vision, as the light went down, Aria saw two figures- Cain and Kael.

She gasped.

Cain stood to her left, solid and grounded, his presence calm yet burning with restrained power. His eyes were fixed on her, filled with worry… and a promise he looked ready to die for.

On her right stood Kael.

His aura was sharp, volatile, his eyes glowing with a hunger that made her chest tighten. The air around him felt unstable, as if one wrong breath could ignite everything.

They had two things in common- they were both reaching to her and they were both locked up in a cage.

"Cain!" she called out rushing towards his cage.

But Snow's voice in her head made her stop. "What are doing?"

Aria paused in her track, turning back to face Snow. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"That's not who you are meant to save." Snow said. "Kael is my light. You need to set him free."

Aria shook her head. "Why would I do that? He rejected me and hurt me. He made you shut down. After all he did, I found Solace in the new mate the moon goddess gave me. Tell me why I should go back to he who nearly made me die?!" she shouted.

"You will unlock him because I want him!!" Snow growled in her head.

Aria felt a ringing in her head, she held it like it was about to fall, her knees wobbling and threatening to give in to the ground.

"Noooo!!" she screamed.

Aria woke up with a sharp gasp, her heart pounding violently, sweat soaking her skin and dampening her forehead.

Her ears rang, she heard Snow's loud growling voice in her head. "I can feel two bond- one broken, one claimed. Yet only one will survive my awakening."

At that instant, she felt her wrist burn, the faded wolf mark on her wrist became slightly bolder, darker and clearer.

"Cain." she muttered.

*******

The training ground was quiet except for the sound of Aria’s breathing.

Cain stood a few feet away from her, arms crossed, eyes sharp and alert. This wasn’t the gentle training from before. There was no patience in his stance, no softness in his gaze. Enough of the child play, he had to strengthen her, he had to equip her and prepare her for the awakening of her wolf.

"Again," he ordered.

Aria tightened her fists and lunged forward, faster this time. Cain blocked easily, twisting her wrist and sending her stumbling back.

"Focus," he said. "Your body hesitates when your mind doubts. Try to see yourself as the enemy, only then can you surpass your limit."

She growled under her breath and attacked again.

This time, something shifted.

She thought back to her dream earlier and she frowned, she was her own enemy, the wolf in her was a friend yet her enemy if she didn't fight. She imagined herself setting Kael free and her wolf choosing him and she roared in anger fighting mire aggressively.

She did an high kick which met Cain in the jaw, proceeding she delivered Sharp sickening punches to his ribcage which sent him three steps away from her.

The air around them began to feel heavier. The ground beneath her bare feet vibrated. Her sense organ heightened and she could hear distant whispers, smell things from afar and sense the things in her surroundings. She was growing dangerous wild as her eyes continued to glow Bright but she continued to fight and target him.

Cain’s eyes widened. "Aria, stop."

She didn’t.

She felt the earth tremble more beneath her feet.

Cain was beside her instantly, gripping her shoulders. "Enough!"

The vibration stopped.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Aria swayed, dizzy but stubborn. "I'm fine," she insisted, though her voice trembled.

Cain observed her face, his fear carefully masked. "No, you're not."

She swallowed, lowering her voice to a whisper only he could hear. "I don't want to lose you."

She wrapped her hands round him, placing her head on his chest.

~~~~~~~

"Alpha Kael, What are we doing here?" Beta Tharren asked, looking round the surroundings. They stood in front of a blackened stone house that was covered in ruins, looking like it had been abandoned for years.

Kael smiled. "I'm here to get my mate back."

"Are you talking about Luna Aria? But she is Alpha Cain's mate and Luna." Tharren said, frowning.

Kael didn't respond he just simply walked into the house. Tharren sighed before following him.

A loud shrilling laughter echoed as soon as they got in.

"Alpha Kael, what brings you to my humble abode?" A voice said, emerging from the shadows.

An ancient seer who had lived for about three hundred years, dedicated his life to serving the goddess but got casted away by a gravely scene he had committed.

"I heard so much about you, and I have come to ask for help from you." Kael said.

The old seer sat down, legged crossed on an old knitted mat.

"The moon goddess striped me of my powers for performing dark rituals, so what can someone like me offer to you?"

"Dark rituals. I need a ritual to get my mate back from my brother."

"I'm lost definitely sure you rejected her, so why do you want her back?" The old seer asked.

Tharren gave an 'exactly my point' look to the seer.

"She was mine first. She was meant to be mine." Kael snarled.

"Yes, she was... until you destroyed that fate with your own hands." The old seer muttered. "You threw her away like dust and another person picked her like gold. You don't want her because you love her, but because you are driven by Ego and regret."

Kael growled lowly. "I don't need your advice. Prepare the rituals now. I want her back."

The old seer bowed. "You wish is my command Alpha. Luna Aria will be yours in few days."