The clearing stayed silent long after Alder finished speaking.
The words hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Every Alpha who knows the legend.
Aria's heart felt heavy in her chest.
She stared at the ground, trying to process everything she had just heard.
Moonveil.
Her pack.
Her father.
Slaughtered.
And she didn't remember any of it.
Marcus broke the silence first.
"Well… that's a lot."
Rowan nodded slowly.
"Yeah. That's definitely a lot."
Kael didn't speak.
His golden eyes were fixed on Aria.
She looked… shaken.
Not weak.
But like someone who had just learned the ground beneath their life was built on lies.
Lena stepped closer to her.
"Aria."
Aria looked up.
"You okay?"
Aria took a slow breath.
"I don't know."
Her voice was quiet.
"My whole life… I thought I was just a stray wolf who got lucky."
No one spoke.
Aria's hands trembled slightly.
"But now you're telling me I had a family."
Alder nodded.
"Yes."
"A pack."
"Yes."
"And they all died because of me."
Kael stepped forward immediately.
"That's not what happened."
Aria looked at him.
"But they came for me."
"They came for power," Kael said firmly.
"That's different."
Alder agreed.
"Your father knew what you were the moment you were born."
Aria frowned.
"How?"
"Because the moment you were born… the entire pack felt it."
Marcus blinked.
"Felt what?"
Alder looked at Aria.
"Your presence."
Aria shifted uncomfortably.
"That sounds dramatic."
"It was."
Alder's voice remained calm.
"True Lunas don't appear often. The last one before you was almost two hundred years ago."
Rowan whistled quietly.
"So she's basically… wolf royalty."
Marcus smirked.
"Guess that makes us the royal guards."
Lena elbowed him.
"Not the time."
But Marcus's joke had eased the tension slightly.
Aria still looked overwhelmed.
Kael noticed.
"Enough for tonight," he said.
Alder raised an eyebrow.
"You think time will solve this?"
"No," Kael said.
"But exhaustion won't help either."
Rowan nodded.
"We've got injured wolves and a half-destroyed porch."
Marcus looked at the broken railing.
"…yeah that was expensive."
Kael looked back at Alder.
"You said you've been searching for her for ten years."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Alder answered without hesitation.
"Because someone had to make sure she survived."
Aria blinked.
"You were protecting me?"
"From a distance."
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And yet Darius found her."
Alder's expression darkened.
"That wasn't supposed to happen."
Marcus folded his arms.
"Clearly."
Alder looked toward the forest where the rogues had escaped.
"Darius is ambitious."
Rowan muttered.
"That's a polite word for insane."
Alder nodded slightly.
"He won't stop now."
Kael's voice hardened.
"He'll try again."
"Yes."
"And next time," Alder added, "he won't come alone."
Aria felt the fear creeping back.
"How many Alphas know about me?"
Alder thought for a moment.
"Before tonight? Maybe three or four."
Marcus frowned.
"And now?"
Alder gave a small, grim smile.
"Probably dozens within a week."
Marcus groaned loudly.
"Oh fantastic."
Rowan rubbed his face.
"We're going to have Alphas knocking on the door like it's a job interview."
Lena crossed her arms.
"They won't be asking politely."
Kael looked at Aria again.
His voice softened slightly.
"Which is why you're not leaving the pack house for a while."
Aria frowned.
"I'm not a prisoner."
"I didn't say you were."
"Then don't treat me like one."
Their eyes locked.
Marcus quietly leaned toward Rowan.
"Uh oh."
Rowan whispered back,
"Alpha argument."
Kael sighed.
"You just discovered half the wolf world might try to kidnap you."
"I know."
"And your response is to wander around?"
"I'm not wandering."
Aria's eyes flashed slightly.
"I just don't want to hide."
Alder watched the exchange with quiet interest.
Then he spoke.
"She's right."
Kael turned sharply.
"Excuse me?"
Alder remained calm.
"Hiding her will only make things worse."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"You have a better idea?"
"Yes."
Marcus muttered,
"This should be good."
Alder looked at Aria.
"Train her."
Aria blinked.
"Train me?"
"Yes."
Kael frowned.
"For what?"
Alder's silver eyes were serious now.
"For what's coming."
Rowan raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly is coming?"
Alder answered simply.
"War."
The word landed heavily.
Marcus let out a slow breath.
"…great."
Aria felt her stomach twist again.
"Because of me?"
Alder shook his head.
"No."
He looked around the clearing.
"The wolf world has been unstable for years."
Then he looked back at her.
"You're just the spark."
Silence fell again.
Kael rubbed the back of his neck slowly.
"We need sleep before this conversation gets worse."
Marcus nodded immediately.
"Best idea you've had tonight."
Rowan pointed toward the house.
"Everyone inside. Medical checks first."
The pack members slowly began moving.
Injured wolves were helped toward the house.
Others shifted back and started cleaning up the clearing.
Lena guided Aria toward the porch.
"Come on."
Aria walked slowly.
Her mind was still spinning.
Just before she reached the door, she stopped.
Kael noticed.
"What is it?"
Aria turned back toward Alder.
"You said my father erased my memories."
Alder nodded.
"Yes."
"Are they gone forever?"
Alder studied her for a moment.
Then he said something that made her heart skip.
"Not necessarily."
Aria stepped closer.
"You mean I could remember?"
"Possibly."
"How?"
Alder's silver eyes held hers.
"Memories locked by Alpha power can sometimes return."
"Sometimes?"
"Yes."
"When?"
Alder's voice was quiet.
"When something strong enough breaks the seal."
Aria frowned.
"What kind of thing?"
Alder answered with one word.
"Trauma."
Aria felt a chill run through her.
Marcus muttered from behind her,
"Let's hope we skip that option."
But Alder's gaze had drifted toward the dark forest again.
His expression suddenly serious.
Kael noticed.
"What now?"
Alder's voice was low.
"We're not alone anymore."
Everyone froze.
Rowan turned toward the trees.
"What do you mean?"
Alder's silver eyes narrowed.
"Someone else has been watching this entire conversation."
A cold wind moved through the clearing.
And from the shadows of the forest—
A slow clap echoed.