Aria returned to the cabins before dawn, mud streaked across her legs, her hair damp and clinging to her face. The glow on her wrists had faded to a faint warmth, a soft reminder that the power inside her was alive, restless, and waiting. She tried to steady her thoughts, but images of the forest, the stones, the mysterious wolf, and Damon’s presence twisted endlessly in her mind. The bond pulsed, relentless, refusing to be ignored. He had rejected her, yet she felt it everywhere, scorching and insistent, a tether she could not sever.The cabins were quiet. Her mother slept, unaware of the storm Aria had walked through—both outside and inside her chest. Aria sank onto the edge of her bed, brushing damp strands of hair from her face. Her hands tingled faintly, a soft pulse under her skin. She clenched them into fists, willing the glow to return, searching for guidance, for control. But the forest had been her only teacher, and it remained silent.A soft knock at the door startled her.
Last Updated : 2025-08-17 Read more