The moment Darius grabbed her wrist, everything changed.
A surge of power exploded through Aria's body.
It felt like lightning racing through her veins.
Her chest burned.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
And then—
Darius was thrown backward.
Not pushed.
Not shoved.
Thrown.
His body slammed into the porch railing with a loud crack before he hit the ground several feet away.
For a moment, the entire clearing froze.
Even the wolves fighting stopped.
Darius slowly sat up, staring at Aria with wide eyes.
Shock.
Real shock.
Aria was breathing hard.
"I… I didn't do that."
Lena stared at her.
"Yes. You did."
Across the yard, Kael had finally broken free.
The moment he saw Darius on the ground, his massive black wolf charged forward like a missile.
Rogues tried to block him.
They failed.
Kael tore through them with brutal force.
Darius quickly stood up, wiping a streak of blood from his mouth.
Then he laughed.
Not angry.
Not upset.
Impressed.
"Well," he said slowly. "That confirms it."
Aria's heart was still racing.
"What confirms what?"
Darius looked at her with burning yellow eyes.
"You're not just a Luna."
Kael reached the porch and shifted back into human form instantly.
His chest rose and fell heavily as he stepped between them.
"You're done here."
Darius tilted his head slightly.
"You still think you're in control?"
Behind him, the battle was turning chaotic.
The rogues were still fighting, but many had started backing away.
Some of them were even looking at Aria nervously.
They had felt the power she released.
Kael noticed it too.
His eyes flicked toward her briefly.
Then back to Darius.
"Leave."
Darius smirked.
"You're very protective."
Kael's voice dropped dangerously low.
"She's my mate."
That made Darius laugh again.
"Your mate?"
He looked past Kael at Aria.
"That's unfortunate."
Kael's fists clenched.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Darius didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he glanced around the clearing.
Several of his wolves were now injured.
A few were retreating into the forest.
He sighed.
"This fight is getting messy."
Rowan and Marcus moved closer behind Kael.
Both of them were covered in dirt and scratches, but still standing.
Marcus cracked his neck.
"You can still leave, Darius."
Rowan nodded.
"Before this gets worse."
Darius looked at them calmly.
Then his gaze returned to Aria.
"You have no idea what you're carrying inside you, do you?"
Aria shook her head slowly.
"No."
Darius smiled slightly.
"That's what makes you so dangerous."
Kael stepped forward.
"That's enough."
Darius raised his hands casually.
"Relax, Alpha. I'm not taking her tonight."
Kael didn't look convinced.
"You think you can just walk away after this?"
Darius shrugged.
"I got what I came for."
Rowan frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Darius's yellow eyes gleamed.
"Confirmation."
Aria felt a chill run through her.
"Confirmation of what?"
Darius looked directly at her.
"That you're real."
Silence filled the clearing again.
Kael's voice was ice.
"You already knew that."
"No," Darius said calmly.
"I suspected."
He gestured toward her.
"But now I've seen it."
Aria's stomach twisted.
"Seen what?"
Darius's smile slowly returned.
"The power."
Behind him, the remaining rogues began retreating toward the forest.
The fight was ending.
But the tension hadn't gone anywhere.
Kael noticed.
"You're running."
Darius smirked.
"Strategic retreat."
Marcus muttered under his breath.
"Coward."
Darius ignored him.
His eyes stayed on Aria.
"You should be careful, Luna."
Aria stiffened.
"Why?"
Darius took a slow step backward toward the forest.
"Because now the world will know about you."
Kael's expression darkened.
"No one's leaving here with that information."
Darius laughed.
"Oh, they will."
Before anyone could stop him—
He shifted.
His massive gray wolf burst forward and sprinted toward the forest.
Several rogues followed instantly.
Kael growled.
"Stop him!"
Blackridge wolves lunged after them.
But the rogues were already disappearing into the trees.
Within seconds, the clearing was empty again.
The forest swallowed them whole.
The battle was over.
But the silence that followed felt heavier than the fight itself.
Marcus wiped blood from his arm.
"Well… that went great."
Rowan sighed.
"We drove them off, at least."
Lena looked at Aria.
"You okay?"
Aria nodded slowly.
"I think so."
But Kael wasn't relaxed.
Not even close.
He was staring at the forest where Darius had vanished.
His jaw tight.
His eyes dark.
Aria stepped closer to him.
"It's over, right?"
Kael didn't answer.
Rowan noticed the look on his face.
"What?"
Kael finally spoke.
"Darius didn't come here expecting to win."
Marcus frowned.
"Then why did he come?"
Kael's voice dropped into a grim whisper.
"To see her power."
Aria felt her chest tighten again.
"But he's gone now."
Kael slowly turned to look at her.
His golden eyes were filled with worry.
"That's the problem."
She blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Kael exhaled slowly.
"Now he knows what you are."
Aria swallowed.
"And that's bad?"
Kael's voice was quiet.
"Very bad."
From deep inside the forest—
A distant wolf howl echoed.
Long.
Dark.
And not from Darius's pack.
Rowan looked toward the trees.
"…that wasn't one of ours."
Marcus frowned.
"Then whose was it?"
Aria felt her wolf stir uneasily.
Because somehow—
That howl sounded like it was calling for her.