CHAPTER TWO

The night was still, and the forest loomed above us like a living creature, black and cold. Those piercing golden eyes were gone.

My father's palm clutched mine tightly, pulling me through the shadows as the Silverfang pack's domain faded behind us.

The moon above glinted silver, mocking me with its tranquility as all I knew and trusted lay in ashes.

I didn't speak because I didn't want to. Words had failed me once, betraying me in front of the pack, Kael, and Lyra. I would never give them that power again.

Finally, he came to a halt; a black SUV waited at the boundary of the land, its shiny surface reflecting the moonlight. The engine remained silent, but danger clung to it like a fragrance.

My father responded, "Get in." His voice was low, harsh, and devoid of warmth.

I climbed inside, trembling not from cold but from humiliation, fury, and rage. My father got into the driver's seat without saying anything further, and the quiet between us was as oppressive as the woodland air.

Finally, I broke it. "Do one thing for me," I asked, my voice raspy. "Make me disappear. Change everything. I need a new name based on my papers and identity. And remove Aria Vale from existence. Help me cut off the past, Dad; help me survive."

His jaw tightened, and without saying anything, he removed a stack of documents from the glove compartment.

He tossed them across the console and muttered, "Done." 

"Your new identity, all of it, is legal and official; nobody will find you."

I was stunned by how shocked I felt, but I didn't care how he accomplished it so quickly; all I wanted was to leave everything behind and start over.

I drew a pair of scissors that Dad had treasured, shaking with tiredness and determination. My chestnut hair, which had been my pride, tenderness, and relationship with the girl they thought they owned, fell in clumps on the leather floor.

Each lock removed was like a knife through the Aria Vale, leaving behind something sharper, angrier, and stronger.

I placed a binding cloth across my chest, flattening it and wiping away the remaining vestiges of the girl who had been betrayed, humiliated, and framed. I gazed at my reflection in the glass. My eyes were flaming, my jaw was set, and I was no one anymore.

"I am Arian Vale," I whispered, glancing at the documents on my thighs. The words tasted like iron and vengeance. "And I will never bow to a man again."

I have no idea if I meant that because I don’t know what is waiting for me.

The SUV roared to life before coming to a stop in front of a massive barrier. Moonveil Academy waited on the outskirts of the northern regions, an institution for elite wolves that controlled through strength, cunning, and influence. Those who survived thrived, while those who failed disappeared.

The ride was long and quiet. Every mile took me further away from Aria Vale and deeper into Arian Vale, the boy molded from betrayal and anger.

The academy's gate loomed like a fortress, carved with runes that glowed faintly in the moonlight. Students of all ranks moved through the courtyards. Some shifted imperceptibly, some glared, and some laughed with teeth as sharp as knives. I felt vulnerable, like a person surrounded by hunters, as if I were prey among predators.

My father did not speak as he handed me my new documents. "Survive," he said, financially. "Grow stronger, and one day… You may return, but not yet."

We didn't hug, nor did we say anything else. The air between us was thick with silence. Then he left, leaving me alone at the gates of my new life.

The initial days were difficult; I was human, vulnerable, and underappreciated. Wolves challenged me at every step, circling and mocking, daring me to shatter. Their strength was intimidating, but I refused to submit, even if I lacked the strength to fight them.

A week after my arrival, in the courtyard, I realized how defenseless I was and how deadly the world was. Even though I have stayed invisible and unknown to anyone, I consider myself a stranger in their midst to this day.

“And how many times must I remind you to keep your claws to yourself and cease pursuing the females?”

The hall exploded with laughter; I recognized that voice. The Veylar twins, sons of the alpha, dominated the southern territory, Crescent Moon Park, one of the world's most powerful territories, and had remained in power for centuries without engaging in conflict.

Rowan Veylar, the younger one, was wild and the epitome of evil, and I felt sorry for the guy who had fallen into his trap.

Rowan's growl was deep and predatory, teeth gleaming in the moonlight. One of his companions moved, half-formed claws scratching the cobblestones, ready to strike.

The youngster flinched, his anxiety radiating like raw, bare heat. My gut knotted as I remembered the horror I had felt in the Silverfang courtyard the night I was betrayed.

"Back off!" I said, my voice harsh and piercing. I couldn't take it anymore. My entire body trembled as I stood my ground.

Rowan, the thin, wide-eyed youngster barely bigger than a pup, stumbled away, but no one noticed. All eyes were now focused on me.

"Did the new kid just?..."

"Is he hoping for a death wish? No, Rowan is going to kill him." Everyone broke into whispers, chuckles, and laughter. I remembered that I lacked strength, claws, and an inner wolf that I could use to defend myself if things got out of control.

But I held my chin up; my body trembled, but I concealed it with the same fire that had kept me upright when the pack spat on me.

Rowan turned slowly. His glance stroked me up and down, settling on my slim body. Gosh, he was both lovely and terrifying in one breath. He was tall and confident, with golden eyes, and brutally amused. "Well, well…" he replied, teasingly deep and smooth. "This is… pathetic, the new boy playing hero."

Heat poured through my chest, rage sharpening every nerve, as everyone laughed at what he said, although nothing was amusing about it.

"And I don't care what you think; just because you are an alpha in training doesn't mean you should use your powers to oppress others," I said, my voice cutting, fire sharpening each syllable.

Rowan chuckled, a shrill, harsh sound that drew attention from all sides of the courtyard. "Oh? Look at him!” he said, gesturing dramatically. “You don’t even smell like a wolf. By the way, you aren’t human, are you?”

“Who’s that?”

“Looks human…”

“Wrong place.”

I felt my heart coming out of my mouth. How sharp could his wolf senses be? How does he know I was wolfless, something I had tried hiding, and that these clothes smell like one?

“It’s none of your business,” I snapped back, avoiding his eyes, as he glared at me like he could see right through me.

“What’s with your voice?” He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “You sound like a girl.”

Gasps, soft laughter, and a few nudges were heard following what was occurring.

“Does that matter? You must be hard of hearing.” I shot back, lifting my chin. "Or are your ears merely decorative?"

The crowd erupted into whispers again. Rowan’s grin widened, all teeth. But beneath it, I saw his expression twitch, a flash of irritation.

He leaned closer, his breath brushing my cheek. “You’ve got a smart tongue, rabbit. Shame it won’t save you.”

I swallowed, forcing myself not to flinch. “Better a smart tongue than an empty head.”

The courtyard went still. And for a moment, nobody moved, then Rowan’s laughter broke the silence, low and cruel.

“You don’t know who I am, do you?” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Or maybe you do, and you just don’t care about living.”

He was so close now I could see the faint scar running along his jaw, the heat of his body rolling over me. He smelled like wild earth and smoke; my pulse hammered in my throat.

My mistake was letting my eyes flicker, and Rowan saw it, his grin sharpened.

“You even look like a girl when you blush.” He mumbled, loud enough for the crowd to hear, “pathetic.”

The laughter returned, sharper this time. Anger surged in me, hot and reckless.

 My voice came out steady despite the tremor in my hands. “Better pathetic than predictable. You’re just another bully with Daddy’s name to throw around.”

And that did it; Rowan's smile vanished. His hand twitched, bones snapping, claws sliding from his fingers like knives. The shift wasn’t full, but it was enough, enough to gleam under the moonlight and silence the crowd instantly.

My stomach dropped. He moved faster than I could track, a blur of shadow and fury, and his clawed hand lashed across my face, the impact cracking through my skull like thunder.

Pain exploded all over my body; my knees weakened. The world tilted, the cobblestones cold and unforgiving against my palms as I fell. Blood filled my mouth, sharp and metallic, so I had to spit it out.

The crowd gasped, a hundred voices sharp with shock.

Rowan loomed over me, his claws dripping red. His chest rose and fell, his wolf fighting to break free, his eyes glowing with the savage light.

“You should’ve stayed quiet.” He growled, his body tensed, ready to pounce. My breath caught; I couldn’t fight him, not like this, not when I’m human.

The courtyard held its breath, and then…a hand shot out, catching Rowan’s arm mid-strike.