The forest exploded with sound.
Branches snapped.
Leaves scattered.
Heavy paws pounded against the ground as shapes burst through the trees.
Wolves.
Dozens of them.
Aria's stomach dropped.
"There's too many," she whispered.
Kael turned sharply toward the forest, his eyes narrowing as more wolves poured into the clearing.
Rowan swore under his breath.
"Those weren't here before."
Marcus stepped forward beside Kael.
"No. They were waiting."
Across the yard, Darius spread his arms like a man welcoming guests to a celebration.
"Perfect timing," he said calmly.
Within seconds, the clearing filled with wolves.
Forty became fifty.
Then sixty.
Blackridge pack members tightened their formation, growling as they faced the new arrivals.
They were now heavily outnumbered.
Marcus counted quickly.
"…this is bad."
Rowan nodded.
"Very bad."
Kael's jaw tightened.
Darius slowly walked forward again, completely relaxed.
"You should have just handed her over," he said casually.
Kael's voice was ice.
"Not happening."
Darius sighed.
"You're very stubborn for someone who's about to lose everything."
Aria felt fear creeping into her chest again.
Her earlier burst of power had faded, leaving her shaky and uncertain.
"Kael…" she whispered.
He didn't look at her.
But she heard his voice clearly.
"Go inside."
"No."
"Aria."
"I'm not leaving you."
Kael's golden eyes flicked toward her.
For a brief moment, the Alpha mask cracked.
Concern.
But then he turned back toward Darius.
Rowan leaned closer to Kael.
"We can't win this head-on."
Marcus nodded.
"Not with those numbers."
Darius overheard them and chuckled.
"I'm glad you're being realistic."
Behind him, the newly arrived wolves spread out, forming a wide circle around the clearing.
They weren't just here to fight.
They were here to trap.
Aria noticed it instantly.
"They're surrounding us," she said.
Lena looked toward the edges of the clearing.
"…she's right."
The circle tightened slowly.
Wolf after wolf moved into position.
No escape.
Darius clasped his hands behind his back.
"Let's stop pretending this ends well for you."
Kael stepped forward slightly.
"You want her?"
Darius smiled.
"Yes."
"Then come get her."
The growl that followed shook the ground.
Kael shifted again.
His massive black wolf burst forward, slamming into the nearest rogue before the others could react.
The clearing exploded into violence again.
Blackridge wolves charged.
Claws slashed.
Teeth snapped.
Bodies crashed together.
Aria's heart raced as the battle erupted just yards away.
Marcus and Rowan shifted beside her and rushed into the fight.
Only Lena stayed.
"You need to move back," Lena said.
"I can't."
"You have to."
Another wolf slammed into the porch railing.
Wood splintered.
Aria stepped back instinctively.
Her senses were screaming with information.
Pain.
Anger.
Fear.
And something else.
Something deeper.
Her wolf stirred again.
They're threatening the pack.
"I know!"
You are their Luna.
"I'm not ready!"
You don't need to be ready.
Aria watched as Kael fought three wolves at once in the center of the clearing.
He was winning.
But barely.
More wolves kept joining the fight.
Then something caught her attention.
Darius wasn't fighting.
He was watching.
Waiting.
Her stomach twisted.
"He's not here for the battle," she whispered.
Lena looked at her.
"What?"
"He's waiting for something."
As if hearing her—
Darius suddenly moved.
Fast.
In the blink of an eye, he shifted into his massive gray wolf.
Before anyone could react, he sprinted straight toward the house.
Aria's eyes widened.
"He's coming here!"
Lena's head snapped toward the yard.
"Oh no."
Kael noticed too late.
He roared and tried to break free from the wolves surrounding him.
But two rogues slammed into him from the side.
Holding him back.
Darius was already halfway across the clearing.
Fast.
Too fast.
Aria felt panic surge through her.
"Lena—"
"Run!" Lena shouted.
But Aria didn't move.
Her wolf rose violently inside her chest.
Fight.
"I don't know how!"
You will.
Darius leapt onto the porch.
The wood cracked under his weight.
His glowing yellow eyes locked onto her instantly.
Predatory.
Victorious.
Slowly, his body twisted and shifted back into human form.
He stood tall on the porch, breathing steadily.
Only a few feet away.
Lena stepped in front of Aria.
"You're not touching her."
Darius barely looked at her.
"You're not important."
His eyes returned to Aria.
Up close, his presence was terrifying.
"You're even more impressive in person," he said calmly.
Aria's hands trembled.
"Stay back."
Darius smiled.
"Or what?"
Behind him, the battle still raged across the clearing.
Kael roared again as he tried to break through the wolves holding him back.
But he was too far away.
Darius took one slow step forward.
Then another.
"You know," he said casually, "this could have been easy."
Aria felt her wolf growl deep inside her chest.
"I'm not going with you."
Darius chuckled.
"That's the funny part."
He stopped directly in front of her.
Close enough to reach out.
"You don't get to decide."
Aria's breathing quickened.
Her wolf pushed harder.
Now.
"Now what?"
Fight.
Darius lifted his hand slowly.
And grabbed her wrist.
The moment his skin touched hers—
Something exploded inside her chest.
Power surged through her body like lightning.
Darius's eyes widened.
And for the first time that night—
The Alpha looked shocked.