Chapter 5 The Power Awakens

Aria could barely breathe.

The sharp pain in her chest spread through her entire body like fire, burning through her veins and making her knees tremble. Her fingers curled tightly against her shirt as another wave of strange energy pulsed through her.

“What… is happening to me?” she whispered.

The ground beneath her feet trembled again.

Across the clearing, the fight between the two Alphas suddenly stopped.

Alpha Kael’s silver eyes snapped toward her immediately, his sharp gaze narrowing as if he had just realized something important.

Alpha Damon followed his line of sight.

“What are you staring at?” Damon snapped impatiently before turning toward the crowd.

Then he saw her.

Aria stood in the center of the clearing, clutching her chest as a faint shimmer of power seemed to ripple around her body like invisible heat.

The wolves closest to her stepped back nervously.

“That… that’s not normal,” one of them whispered.

Aria’s breathing became shallow. The energy inside her was growing stronger, pushing against her skin as if something buried deep inside her wanted to break free.

Another pulse surged through her body.

This time the ground shook harder.

Gasps erupted from the pack.

Kael’s expression darkened with realization.

“Stop the fight,” he ordered suddenly.

Damon barked out a harsh laugh.

“You think I’m scared of an omega collapsing?” he mocked.

But Kael wasn’t looking at him anymore.

His gaze remained locked on Aria.

“Aria,” he called firmly.

The sound of her name made her lift her head.

His voice was calm, steady, but there was urgency behind it.

“Breathe,” Kael told her.

She tried.

She really tried.

But the pressure inside her chest only grew stronger.

Suddenly a powerful gust of wind exploded outward from her body.

The lanterns hanging around the clearing swung violently as a wave of invisible force spread in every direction.

Several wolves stumbled backward.

One of them fell to the ground completely.

Damon’s confident expression vanished.

“What the hell is that?” he demanded.

Aria’s vision blurred as dizziness washed over her.

“I—I can’t control it,” she whispered weakly.

Her heart pounded louder and louder.

Then something strange happened.

Deep inside her mind, something stirred.

For the first time in her entire life…

She heard a voice.

Low.

Powerful.

Ancient.

Finally…

Aria froze.

Her eyes widened as the voice echoed again inside her head.

You have awakened me.

Her breath caught in her throat.

“Who… who are you?” she whispered under her breath.

But before the voice could answer—

Another burst of power exploded from her body.

This time it was strong enough to knock several wolves off their feet.

The shockwave rippled through the clearing like thunder.

Dust rose into the air as the entire pack stared at her in stunned silence.

Even Damon looked shaken now.

Kael stepped forward slowly, his silver eyes glowing with intensity as he studied her.

“That,” he said quietly, “is not the power of an omega.”

Aria’s chest rose and fell rapidly.

Her mind was spinning.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Then the mysterious voice inside her spoke again.

Clearer this time.

Stronger.

I am your wolf.

A chill ran down Aria’s spine.

Her hands trembled as she whispered softly, “My… wolf?”

The voice answered without hesitation.

Yes.

And you… were never meant to be weak.

Across the clearing, Kael’s gaze darkened with realization as the truth slowly dawned on him.

The girl the entire pack had treated as the weakest wolf…

Was hiding something far more dangerous than anyone had ever imagined.