Chapter 3 – THE SUMMONS

I stayed on the edge of my bed long after leaving my father’s study.

The envelope sat on the desk.

Black wax. Blackridge’s mark.

My future, sealed before I even knew it existed.

I reached for it and broke the seal.

The paper inside felt thick. It carried the faint scent of another pack.

I unfolded it. My eyes moved across the first lines.

To Aria, the chosen mate of the First Son of Blackridge…

I stopped breathing. I read it again. Then again.

Aria.

Not Malia.

A strange feeling spread through my chest.

Relief.

Real, overwhelming relief. Blackridge did not know about my family’s plan. They were expecting Aria. They had chosen Aria.

Which meant everything my parents had arranged could fall apart before it even began.

A small smile almost reached my lips.

“So you don’t even know,” I whispered.

I read the rest of the letter.

Aria was expected at Blackridge territory tomorrow for a formal introduction with the First Son. The mating arrangement would be discussed before the coming full moon.

I leaned back in the chair.

Tomorrow. I could go myself. I could tell them the truth. I was not Aria. I was not the woman they had summoned. And I had no interest in becoming anyone’s mate.

For the first time since I overheard my parents, my shoulders relaxed.

Maybe I had been afraid too soon. Maybe I would not have to fight my father at all. Maybe Blackridge would simply just reject me.

I folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope.

A quiet laugh escaped me. “They’re going to be furious.”

For once, I did not care. I changed into my night clothes and climbed into bed.

My wolf, restless all evening, finally settled under my skin.

Tomorrow I will go to Blackridge. I will tell them my name.

Malia.

Not Aria.

And then I would come home. With that thought, I closed my eyes.

For the first time in weeks, I slept with relief.

The next morning, a knock came from my door.

I opened my eyes.

For a moment I forgot where I was. Then I remembered the letter.

A small smile touched my face.

“Who's there? Mom?”

The door opened. My father stood there. “You’re leaving in ten minutes.”

I sat up. “Ten minutes?”

He nodded. “Warriors are waiting outside.”

I frowned. “That quickly?”

“You were summoned, didn't you read the letter?”

“I did. I overslept.”

I climbed out of bed. Something about his calm face bothered me. He was not angry. He was not worried. He was not even surprised.

He looked like a man who already knew how the morning would end. “Father?”

He stopped at the door. “Why aren’t you worried?”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “About what?”

“About me going to Blackridge.”

“You’re going where you were ordered to go.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

He stared at me for a moment. Then he said, “Get dressed.”

He walked away. I watched him disappear down the hallway.

My uneasiness returned. If Blackridge expected Aria, why was he so calm about sending me?

Unless he knew something I did not.

I dressed quickly and grabbed the envelope. When I stepped outside, three warriors waited beside two horses.

One of them lowered his head. “Lady Malia.”

I nodded. “Where’s Aria?”

No one answered.

I looked toward the house. My father stood on the porch. So did my mother. Aria was nowhere in sight.

I walked over to him. “Why isn’t Aria coming?”

“She has other matters to attend to.”

I almost laughed. I know he was lying. “She’s the one Blackridge summoned.”

His face stayed unreadable. “Just go, Malia.”

I stared at him.

There was something behind his eyes. Something he was not telling me. “You know they’re expecting her, don’t you?”

He said nothing.

My stomach tightened. “Father?”

“Enough.” His voice was firm. “Go.”

I looked at my mother. She would not meet my eyes.

That was all I needed. I had this feeling they had another plan prepared in case things did not go well. I just did not know what it was.

I turned away. “Fine.”

I mounted the horse.

The warriors rode on either side of me as we left the pack territory.

The journey stayed quiet.

Too quiet.

I kept thinking about the letter tucked inside my clothes.

Aria, the chosen mate of the First Son.

Whatever my family had planned, Blackridge had not agreed to it.

That gave me hope. Hours later the forest began to change. The trees grew taller.

The air turned colder. Even the birds seemed to disappear. One of the warriors slowed his horse. “We’re close.”

I looked ahead. Beyond the trees stood a line of ancient stones covered in black markings.

The Blackridge border. My wolf stirred. I frowned. She had been strangely quiet the whole journey.

Now she was alert. Very alert.

“What is it?” I whispered.

She did not answer. I crossed the border.

The moment I did, something changed. My entire body went still.

My wolf stopped pacing. Stopped growling. Stopped everything.

It felt like she had frozen under my skin. I pulled on the reins.

The horse stopped. “What happened?” one of the warriors asked.

I did not answer.

I could not. A strange pressure filled my chest.

Then the forest went completely silent. No birds. No insects.

Nothing.

And then—

A howl exploded through the trees.

Deep. Powerful and terrifying.

The sound rolled through the forest like thunder. My horse reared beneath me. I grabbed the reins tightly.

The warriors looked calm for some reason. My heart hammered against my ribs.

I had never heard an Alpha howl before. Not like that. The sound was not simply loud.

It carried power and authority.

Something inside me answered before I could stop it.

My eyes burned. I blinked.

The warriors stared at me. One of them whispered, “Your eyes…”

I touched my face. My fingers trembled. My wolf finally moved.

And my eyes glowed. Bright blue like it was alive I stared into the dark forest ahead. Whatever had just howled was close.

And for some reason, my wolf was not afraid. She was listening. Waiting.

As if she already knew exactly who was calling.