The air outside the house felt heavy.
Thirty wolves stood across the yard, their glowing eyes locked on the pack house.
And standing in front of them was Alpha Darius.
Aria's heart pounded as she stared through the window. Even from inside the house, she could feel the power rolling off him. It was darker than Kael's power—sharper, colder.
Dangerous.
Kael stepped forward toward the door.
Rowan immediately grabbed his arm.
"Don't go out there alone."
Kael didn't look away from Darius.
"He's challenging the territory."
Marcus cracked his neck beside them.
"So we answer."
Lena folded her arms, her expression serious.
"This isn't just a visit. He came prepared."
Another wolf stepped out beside Darius.
Then another.
More shadows moved between the trees.
Aria swallowed.
"There's more than thirty," she whispered.
Kael glanced back at her.
"How many now?"
She focused, listening carefully.
Paws shifting in the leaves.
Low growls.
Heavy breathing.
"Forty… maybe more."
Marcus cursed quietly.
Darius suddenly laughed loudly from the yard.
"Alpha Kael!" he called.
His voice carried easily through the night.
"You're being very rude."
Kael opened the front door.
Cold air rushed inside immediately.
Rowan sighed.
"Here we go."
Kael stepped outside slowly, closing the door behind him.
The moment he appeared, several wolves in the yard growled.
But Darius simply smiled.
"Well," Darius said calmly. "There you are."
Kael stood tall at the edge of the porch.
"You're trespassing."
Darius shrugged.
"Relax. I'm just here to collect something."
"You're not collecting anything."
Darius chuckled.
"You're very confident for someone who's outnumbered."
Kael's golden eyes flashed.
"You brought rogues onto my land."
"Temporary allies," Darius corrected.
Inside the house, Aria moved closer to the window.
Marcus stood beside her.
"You should stay back."
"I want to see."
Outside, the tension was thick enough to choke on.
Darius slowly began walking forward.
One step.
Then another.
The wolves behind him stayed perfectly still.
"You know why I'm here," Darius said.
Kael didn't answer.
"You have something very valuable hidden in that house."
Kael crossed his arms.
"You're mistaken."
Darius stopped walking.
Then he tilted his head slightly.
"Aria," he said suddenly.
Inside the house, Aria froze.
Her heart skipped.
Darius smiled wider.
"Yes," he continued. "That's your name, isn't it?"
Kael's body went rigid.
"You don't get to say her name."
Darius laughed softly.
"Oh please. Every Alpha within a hundred miles knows her name by now."
Rowan muttered behind Aria.
"That's bad."
Outside, Darius lifted his chin.
"A hidden Luna appears out of nowhere," he said loudly. "Did you really think that secret would stay quiet?"
Kael stepped off the porch.
"Leave."
Darius spread his arms slightly.
"Or what?"
Kael's voice dropped into a dangerous growl.
"Or I remind you whose territory this is."
For a moment, the two Alphas simply stared at each other.
The wolves behind Darius shifted restlessly.
Marcus whispered from inside the house.
"This is about to explode."
Darius suddenly sighed.
"You know what disappoints me, Kael?"
Kael didn't respond.
Darius pointed toward the house.
"You're wasting her."
Aria felt her chest tighten.
"You have a Luna powerful enough to command packs," Darius continued, "and you're hiding her like she's fragile."
Kael's eyes burned with anger now.
"She's not yours."
Darius smirked.
"Not yet."
Inside the house, Aria felt the wolf inside her growl.
Enemy.
Her hands curled into fists.
Outside, Darius took another step forward.
"Bring her out."
"No."
"Let me see her."
"No."
Darius sighed again.
"You're making this difficult."
Rowan suddenly spoke behind Aria.
"Kael's stalling."
"Why?" she asked.
"To give the rest of the pack time to arrive."
Almost as if on cue—
A long howl echoed from the forest behind the house.
Then another.
And another.
Aria's eyes widened.
Marcus grinned.
"There they are."
Shapes began emerging from the trees behind Kael.
Wolves.
Dozens of them.
Members of the Blackridge pack.
They spread out across the clearing, forming a line behind their Alpha.
Now both sides stood facing each other.
Wolf against wolf.
Darius glanced around slowly.
Then he smiled again.
"Ah," he said. "Now it's a party."
Kael's voice was cold.
"You have five seconds to leave my territory."
Darius tilted his head.
"And if I don't?"
Kael's wolf flashed briefly behind his eyes.
"Then we fight."
The clearing went completely silent.
Every wolf waited.
Darius looked toward the house one more time.
Directly toward Aria's window.
Then he said something that made her stomach drop.
"You know what the best part is, Kael?"
Kael didn't respond.
Darius's smile grew darker.
"She's not just your Luna."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
Darius's voice dropped into a quiet, chilling tone.
"She belongs to every Alpha who can take her."
The growl that ripped from Kael's chest shook the entire yard.
And in the next second—
He shifted. 🐺