MasukThe wind blew through the trees. The moon was high, cold, and white.I stood there, my heart beating so fast I could hear it in my ears.Ivar didn’t move. He just looked at me with that strange smile.“I’ve been watching you,” he said again. “I’ve noticed that you are a pathetic loser, and I’ve observed everyone hates you—well, including me. I came back recently and heard Jason saved a girl. Well, I was surprised because Jason has never saved anyone before, so I decided to observe you for a while, and just as I expected, you are a loser. I actually thought maybe you were his mate; that’s what made him interested in you, but an alpha cannot mate someone like you. He would lose his respect and trust, so I’m going to kill you.”I took a small step back. “W-why?”He tilted his head, still smiling. “Why? Because I was curious. You’re the girl my brother keeps locked in his land. The one he saved when he should’ve left her to die. The girl that killed my father and my brother. The girl that
The sun rose slowly that morning, but the light felt weak. I woke up with pain all over my body. My arms hurt. My back hurt. Even my heart felt heavy. The small room was cold and smelled like old wood and smoke. I looked around. The blanket on the floor was torn. My clothes were still wet from last night. I tried to sit up. My head spun a little. For a moment, I wished I could just disappear. I had dreamed again. The same dream — the forest, the red eyes, the sound of breathing behind me. But when I opened my eyes, it wasn’t a dream anymore. I still felt like someone was watching me. --- Mira was already awake. She was by the fire, making porridge. When she saw me, she frowned. “Lazy girl,” she said. “Still sleeping? The sun is up.” I stood up quickly. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to—” She waved her hand. “Enough! Go wash those dishes outside. And don’t you dare touch anything with those dirty hands until you finish.” I picked up the plates and went outside.
ARIA The house stood far from the pack’s main homes, half-hidden by tall, dead trees. It looked old and tired — like even the walls wanted to give up. When I arrived, Mira stood at the door with her arms folded. Her eyes scanned me slowly, like I was dirt she didn’t want on her floor. Behind her, her husband, Garret, leaned on the wall, silent, watching. “So,” Mira said, her voice hard. “You’re the Alpha’s little guest?” I swallowed. “I’m not a guest.” She raised a brow. “Good. Because guests are treated better.” Garret stepped aside, nodding slightly. “Come in. Alpha’s orders.” The house smelled of smoke and soup. A small fire burned weakly in the corner. I stepped inside, holding my hands close to my body. My torn dress brushed against my legs. Mira’s daughter, Clara, came down the stairs just then — blonde hair neat, clean dress, eyes full of something sharp. “So this is her?” she said, tilting her head. “She doesn’t look special, and she’s not worth being her
The meeting hall buzzed with anger. Voices clashed like thunder, chairs scraped, and the air smelled of tension and hate. “She brought the danger to us!” Markus shouted, his fist hitting the table. “You all saw it! The rogues came for her, we must end her before she ends us she killed our former alpha and now she wants to do the same with us her coming here was planned by the silver claw she deserves death for putting our men In danger. Caleb growled. “She’s a curse! Her pack slaughtered ours. Why is she still breathing?” I sat there, arms crossed, watching my pack argue like wild dogs. Their anger was loud, but I understood it. Her bloodline had taken everything from us — my parents, my brother, my peace. “She’s just a girl,” Lena, our healer, said quietly. “She doesn’t even have her wolf yet.” “Doesn’t matter!” Caleb snapped. “That cursed blood is still inside her.” The hall filled with more angry mutters. I could hear their hate — it was almost a living thing. My wolf g
The words hit me like a storm. “They know she’s here.” For a second, I couldn’t speak. The fire in my study crackled softly, and the wind outside howled through the trees. Aria’s scent still lingered in the air — sweet and wild. Now, mixed with the word rogues, it made my chest tighten. “Where are they now?” I asked, my voice deep and cold. Draven stood tall, his jaw set. “Not far. A few miles east. The scouts say they’re moving fast. Maybe ten of them. Maybe more.” Ten rogues. That many meant trouble. And if they were looking for her… I looked toward the hall where her room was. I could almost hear her heartbeat, slow and calm, unaware of the danger that was racing toward her. “Get the guards ready,” I said. “No one crosses that border.” Draven nodded and left quickly, his footsteps fading. I stayed still for a moment. My hands gripped the desk until my knuckles turned white. I didn’t understand it — this feeling burning inside me. Why did I care so much abo
Aria stood in the doorway, her face pale and her lips trembling.My jacket hung loosely on her shoulders. Her hair was still damp, and her hands shook as she held the frame of the door.For a moment, I couldn’t move.My wolf was growling in my chest, restless, desperate.He kept whispering one word — Mate.But my mind refused to believe it.No. It couldn’t be her.It shouldn’t be her.“Aria,” I said slowly, trying to hide the storm and my hatred for her inside me. “What’s wrong?”She stepped forward weakly. “I… I don’t know. My heart feels strange. It’s beating so fast. I feel hot, but cold at the same time.”She pressed a hand to her chest. I could see her pulse racing beneath her skin.The scent of her filled the air — soft, sweet, warm — and my wolf went wild.I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay still.“Sit down,” I said roughly. “You’re still weak. You need rest.”She nodded and sat on the edge of the couch. Her eyes lifted to mine, and for a second the room grew silent —







