Chapter 3–The hunter’s shadow.

Aria stumbled back as the beast lept at Elias.

It slashed through the fire with its long claws, sending sparks flying through the air. Elias dodged the hit, blade falling.

Aria’s heart started pounding, she grabbed a burning branch and swung wildly at the beast.

It dodged the flame and snarled in fury.Then it turned to her.

Her wolf fell within her, still and panicked.Her vision turned blurry.

The beast struck hard—and she screamed.

Silver light exploded from her palms, a burst of moonfire which threw the rogue backward into the trees.The forest blazed with silver light for a moment then went dark and quiet again.

Elias stood frozen, eyes wide in fear and surprise all at the same time.

He gasped at her.“What did you do—Aria…”

She stared at her hands trembling.“I don’t know—it just happened.”

Far away, Dax froze while walking.His eyes widened.

Moonfire.

He felt it miles away from them.A wave of energy swept through his blood, his wolf howled within him in response.

He gritted his teeth and pressed his hand on his chest.

The feeling was wrong—too intense and too familiar.

“What in the name of the gods is wrong with me…” He muttered. 

He suddenly began to run, his body obeyed the pull.

Branches tore at his cloak, rain hit his face but that didn’t stop him.The strength of power guided him like a thread

 When he reached the spot where they had been, the fire was already gone but the air still shimmered with silver light.

He saw footprints—they were of two people.

He crouched, sweeping his fingers through the damp earth, her scent was even more stronger now.

And beneath it lay something else.

Another heartbeat.

He drew back,  startled.“Impossible.The Luna is not alone,” he murmured.“She is carrying.”

A few miles away, Aria and Elias moved through the shadows quietly. Aria’s body ached with exhaustion.She could still feel her hands tingle from the release of moonfire.

Her gaze fell on her faint reflection on the river.Her face was pale.She felt different.She knew deep down that  something was changing inside her.Something she couldn’t explain.

“Elias, what if the prophecy was wrongly interpreted?” She mumbled.“What if it’s not about a monster being born…but something being awakened?”

He frowned.“You mean?”

She didn’t respond.Her gaze drifted to the distant horizon.Somewhere out there Kael’s vision of unity had turned into blood.Somewhere the truth lay hidden, waiting to be revealed.

Somewhere closer than she could think, a hunter followed her scent, bound to her by fate neither of them could yet know.

The storms were over, but the forest still stunk of wet earth and blood.

Aria moved quietly through the midst, every single step calculated.Her tattered cloak clinged  to her body.

The least sound made her flinch—the crack of a branch, the rush of water, the sound of insects.Her wolf stirred beneath her ribs, uneasy and scared.

Something or perhaps someone, was watching them.

Elias took a few steps ahead, his senses sharper than ever.

“We are close to the southern ridge,” he said.

“We cross it, and  we are out of council territory.”

Aria nodded, but her mind was still not at rest.She continuously pondered over the changes in her body.Every heartbeat felt double, her senses were intense and her body was too hot.

And at times, she could swear she felt someone following her closely.Not the way a prey senses a predator but something deeper, like her soul was being drawn to another soul.

She stopped all of a sudden.“Elias,” she whispered.

He turned, sensing danger.

She didn’t speak, she only pointed at a spot among the trees where the branches swayed.The forest went still.

No birds chirped, no insects, only the slow but steady sounds of footsteps.

Elias stepped in front of her,drawing his dagger.“Stay behind me.”

Before he could say another word, a low voice cut through the midst.

“Drop the weapon.”

Aria froze at the sound of the voice.

It was deep, rough and far too composed to be that of a rogue’s.

  

A tall figure emerged from behind the trees in a black cloak with silver-grey eyes that glinted under his hood.

He carried himself like someone born to lead.There was something about his scent that made her wolf rear up in confusion.

Elias tightened his grip on his dagger—ready for whatever was coming.“Who are you?”

The man didn’t give him an answer, but rather turned to look at Aria.

That single look stirred up something in her.

Her wolf surged forward, wanting to come out.And she could hear her heartbeat thundering in her ears.What was this feeling? 

The stranger’s eyes flicked silver— for a moment—then he narrowed.

He quickly turned away from her as if the sight of her scorched his eyes.

Elias stepped in front of her.“I said—who are you?”

The man turned his gaze back at him, cold.

“I am Dax Riven.Tracker and  enforcer of the council.”

Elias froze.“The council’s hunter.”

Aria’s eyes widened.

So this was him—the wolf without mercy.

“Luna Aria Veyne,” Dax said boldly.“By order of the council, you are under arrest for the murder of Alpha Kael Draven.”

Aria took a step backwards, shaking her head in tears.

“No no you don’t understand.I didn’t kill Kael.”

“That is none of my business.”

His voice was stiff and emotionless.

Elias stepped forward to protect her, but Dax was faster.

With one swing of his sword, he sent Elias’s weapon spinning into the dirt.

He then raised Elias by the throat and slammed him back first against a tree.

“Stop!” Aria screamed.“Please, don’t hurt him!”

 Dax ignored her.“You interfere with council business again, and you’ll share her sentence.”

Elias choked, “You don’t know… what you’re doing, you’re making a…mistake.”

Dax’s grip tightened.

Arias wolf screamed within her.Her palms burned, “let him go”, she shouted.She raised her palm at him and silver light burst from it, hitting Dax hard and hurling him backwards into the dirt.

The impact was so strong, he rolled, landed hard on his back causing his hood to fall.For the first time Aria caught a glimpse of his face—strong jaw, a scar across his cheek and his eyes, the color of storm clouds.

He looked up at her, confused.“What—”

He stopped.His eyes now locked on her.

The world froze.