The moment Kael shifted, the night exploded.
His body twisted violently as bones cracked and fur burst through skin. Within seconds, the Alpha of Blackridge stood in the yard as a massive black wolf, his golden eyes burning like fire in the darkness.
The growl that rolled from his chest shook the clearing.
Across the yard, Darius only smiled.
"Well," he said calmly. "That didn't take long."
Behind him, several of his wolves lowered their bodies, muscles tensing.
Ready.
Inside the house, Aria's heart pounded so hard it hurt.
"Is this really happening?" she whispered.
Marcus gave a grim nod.
"Oh yeah."
Rowan was already moving toward the door.
"Time to join the party."
Lena grabbed his arm.
"Wait."
Rowan looked at her.
"What?"
"Look at Aria."
Everyone turned.
Aria hadn't moved from the window.
But something about her had changed.
Her silver-blue eyes glowed brighter than before.
Her breathing had slowed.
And the air around her felt… charged.
Marcus frowned.
"You feeling okay?"
Aria didn't answer.
Her focus was completely outside.
On Kael.
And Darius.
Outside, the tension snapped.
One of Darius's wolves lunged first.
A gray blur shot across the clearing straight toward Kael.
Big mistake.
Kael moved like lightning.
His jaws snapped shut around the attacker's neck before the wolf even reached him.
A sharp crack echoed across the yard.
The body dropped instantly.
Dead.
The clearing froze.
Even Darius raised an eyebrow.
"Well," he said slowly. "That was fast."
But the moment was over.
Chaos erupted.
Wolves from both sides lunged forward at once, crashing together in a violent explosion of fur, claws, and teeth.
Growls filled the air.
Bodies slammed into the ground.
The clearing became a battlefield.
Inside the house, Marcus grinned.
"Alright. Now we go."
Rowan opened the door.
"Stay inside," he told Aria.
But Aria was already shaking her head.
"No."
Lena stepped in front of her.
"You're not ready."
Aria's eyes flashed.
"They're fighting because of me."
"That's not your fault."
"Maybe not," Aria said quietly. "But I'm not hiding."
Another roar echoed outside.
Aria turned toward the fight.
Kael had just slammed a massive brown wolf into the ground.
But three more wolves immediately jumped him from the side.
Her chest tightened.
"Kael!"
Her wolf stirred violently.
Help him.
Aria clenched her fists.
"I can't shift," she whispered.
You don't need to.
Outside, Kael ripped one wolf off his back and threw it across the clearing.
But another one lunged straight for his throat.
Before it could reach him—
A powerful growl shook the yard.
Every wolf froze.
Even the ones mid-fight.
The sound hadn't come from Kael.
It had come from the house.
Slowly… every wolf turned.
And saw her.
Aria stood in the open doorway.
Her silver-blue eyes glowed like moonlight.
Power rolled off her in waves.
No one moved.
Not even Darius.
The clearing had gone completely silent.
Aria didn't understand what she had just done.
She only knew that every wolf in the yard was staring at her now.
Even the enemy wolves.
Marcus whispered beside her.
"…what did you just do?"
Aria shook her head slowly.
"I don't know."
Outside, Kael stood frozen in his wolf form.
His golden eyes locked onto her.
Then something incredible happened.
One of Darius's wolves slowly lowered itself to the ground.
Submission.
Another wolf followed.
Then another.
Rowan stared in disbelief.
"They're bowing…"
Lena whispered the word under her breath.
"Luna."
Across the yard, Darius's smile slowly disappeared.
His yellow eyes burned as he watched the wolves around him lowering their heads.
Even his own rogues looked confused.
Darius stepped forward angrily.
"Stand up!" he barked.
A few wolves obeyed.
But several remained lowered.
Aria felt the strange power in her chest grow stronger.
Her wolf spoke again.
They recognize you.
Her voice trembled.
"I'm not doing anything!"
You are.
Across the yard, Kael slowly walked toward her.
Still in wolf form.
Still powerful.
But now something in his posture had changed.
Respect.
Pride.
When he reached the porch, he shifted back into human form.
His golden eyes were filled with something she had never seen before.
Awe.
"You just commanded them," he said quietly.
Aria blinked.
"I did what?"
Before Kael could answer—
Darius suddenly started laughing.
The sound was cold and furious.
"Well," he said slowly. "That confirms it."
Kael's expression darkened.
"Leave."
Darius ignored him.
His yellow eyes locked onto Aria.
"You're even stronger than the rumors said."
Aria felt a chill run down her spine.
Darius's smile returned.
But now it looked dangerous.
"Which means I definitely can't leave you here."
Kael stepped forward.
"You're done here."
Darius tilted his head.
"Am I?"
Then he raised his hand slightly.
And whistled.
A sharp signal.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then suddenly—
Aria's ears picked up something new.
Fast.
Moving through the forest.
Many of them.
Her eyes widened.
"Kael…"
He turned toward her.
"What?"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"There's more."
Rowan frowned.
"More what?"
Aria's heart started racing again.
"More wolves."
Marcus looked toward the trees.
"How many?"
Aria listened.
Branches snapping.
Paws pounding.
Too many to count.
Her stomach dropped.
"…a lot."
And then the forest behind Darius erupted with movement.