Ariana opened her eyes slowly, she couldn't fully remember anything that happened previously, she remembered being exiled being attacked by rogues. Someone rescued her…a rogue…where was she?
The air was cold. Too cold.
She felt something soft under her body, like a blanket, but everything else hurt. Her back. Her arms. Her legs. It felt like her whole body had been stepped on and thrown into a wall.
She could hear fire crackling somewhere close, and it smelled like wood and smoke. Her eyes fluttered open slowly. Everything was blurry at first. Then she saw him.
The rogue.
He was sitting on a wooden stool by the fire, his back to her. His black shirt was torn near the shoulder and dried blood clung to the edge of his collarbone. His hair was dark and messy. His arms were crossed, and he was staring into the flames like he was thinking about something serious.
Ariana panicked.
She pushed herself up too fast and gasped. Her ribs ached, and she almost fell back down, but the movement caught his attention. He turned quickly, standing up.
"You're awake," he said.
His voice was rough but not cold. Not threatening.
Ariana's eyes darted around the small room. It was made of wood and stone. A fireplace on one side, a thick wool blanket over her, a single chair, and shelves filled with jars and herbs. There was only one door.
"Where am I?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
He walked toward her slowly, like she might run.
"A cabin," he said. "Not far from where you were attacked. I brought you here."
Ariana winced as she sat up more. "Why?"
He looked at her for a moment.
"You were about to die," he said. "I didn't feel like leaving you."
His words made no sense. No rogue would help someone like her. She was nothing. A rejected cursed orphan. Why would he care?
"I didn't ask for help," she whispered.
"I didn't wait for you to ask," he replied simply.
Ariana stared at him. He didn't flinch. Didn't smirk. Didn't seem to care what she thought of him.
"What's your name?" she asked, her voice still soft.
He hesitated.
"Lucien," he finally said.
Lucien.
She nodded, unsure if she should trust him or not. But she was in no shape to run. Her body was covered in bruises, and her ankle was wrapped tightly in cloth.
Lucien walked to a corner shelf and came back with a bowl of water and a cloth. He knelt beside her and carefully dabbed the side of her forehead.
"You had a deep cut here. It stopped bleeding yesterday," he said.
Ariana froze. "How long have I been here?"
"Two days," Lucien answered.
Her heart sank. Two whole days? She had no idea what had happened in that time.
"Did anyone come looking for me?" she asked, not sure why she even cared.
Lucien looked at her again. This time his face was unreadable.
"No one came," he said.
Of course they didn't.
Ariana felt a sharp pain in her chest that had nothing to do with her bruises. Her pack didn't care. Kael didn't care. They'd probably already forgotten her.
Lucien stood up and handed her a chunk of bread and a cup of water.
"Eat," he said.
She took it slowly, her hands still shaking. Her throat was dry, and the bread tasted like ash, but she ate it anyway.
Lucien didn't say anything else. He just sat back on the stool and watched the fire again.
Ariana sat in silence, trying to make sense of everything.
Two days ago, she had been tossed out like garbage.
She had been rejected by her mate in front of the whole pack.
Her wolf had howled in pain.
Then she was attacked.
Now she was sitting in a stranger's cabin, being treated by a rogue with gold eyes.
Was this her new life now?
She pulled the blanket tighter around herself.
"I'm Ariana," she said suddenly.
Lucien didn't move. "I know."
She blinked. "You do?"
He nodded slowly. "There are stories. A cursed girl from Blackthorn. The one the Alpha rejected. Some say you caused your mother's death. Some say you're part witch."
Ariana's hands tightened around the cup.
"Do you believe them?" she asked.
Lucien turned his head, his gold eyes finally meeting hers.
"No," he said. "I think people are afraid of what they don't understand."
She didn't know what to say to that.
Lucien stood and walked to the door. He opened it slightly and looked outside, sniffing the air like a real hunter. Then he shut it and locked the wooden bar across it.
"You're safe here for now," he said. "But only if you stay quiet and hidden. This area isn't safe for girls like you."
Ariana's head was spinning.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked again.
Lucien turned toward her, arms crossed.
"Because I know what it's like to be hunted."
He didn't say anything else.
That night, Ariana lay on the makeshift bed and stared at the ceiling. She tried to sleep, but her mind wouldn't shut off.
She kept thinking about Kael. About his cold eyes. The way he had said the word "reject" like she was dirt.
Her wolf whimpered softly inside her.
Then the dream came.
The same dream.
The silver-eyed wolf standing in a forest of mist and shadows.
"Ariana," it whispered.
She walked toward it. Her feet felt like air.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The wolf's eyes burned into hers.
"You are not broken. You are Moonfire."
The name sent a strange shiver through her.
"What does that mean?"
"You will awaken soon. The fire is inside you."
Ariana gasped and jolted awake.
She was sweating and shaking. Her breathing was fast.
Lucien burst into the room, knife in hand.
"What happened?" he asked quickly.
"Nothing," she lied. "Just a dream."
He narrowed his eyes. "You screamed."
She looked down. "Sorry."
Lucien sighed and stepped back. "Try to get more rest."
But Ariana knew she wouldn't sleep again.
Not with her wolf whispering secrets. Not with her blood feeling like it was starting to burn.
The next morning, Lucien packed a bag and put on a dark coat.
"I need to go check the borders," he said. "Stay here. Don't open the door."
Ariana nodded. Her ankle still hurt, but she could walk slowly now.
After he left, the cabin felt too quiet.
She sat by the fire and stared at the flames. Something inside her was stirring. She didn't feel like the weak girl from the pack anymore. Something was changing.
But just as she started to relax, she heard it.
Footsteps.
Coming from outside.
Not Lucien's.
She stood up slowly. Her heart pounded in her ears.
Voices. Two of them.
"She's in there. I smell her."
"The Alpha said to take care of it. No mistakes."
Ariana's blood turned cold.
Blackthorn.
They had sent men after her.
She grabbed the blanket and dove behind the fireplace wall, curling into a ball. Her breathing was shaky and fast.
The door creaked.
Someone kicked it.
"She locked it."
"We break it."
Then a loud bang.
The wood cracked.
Ariana held her breath.
Then a howl tore through the trees.
A giant black wolf slammed into the door from outside, sending both men flying backward.
Lucien.
He shifted midair, crashing down in front of the cabin, teeth bared. He attacked without mercy. One of the men screamed.
Ariana peeked out and saw Lucien tear into them like they were nothing. His wolf was strong and terrifying.
When it was over, both men lay unconscious or worse. Lucien stood panting, blood dripping from his jaw.
He shifted back behind a tree and returned to the cabin. His clothes were torn, and his eyes were glowing.
He looked at Ariana.
"They'll be back. We need to move."
She nodded. Her hands were still shaking.
"Why did they want me dead?" she asked.
Lucien looked at her for a long moment.
"Because you're not who you think you are," he said. "And someone is afraid of what you'll become."
Ariana's heart beat faster.
"What am I?" she whispered.
Lucien opened the pack and handed her boots.
"We'll figure it out. But first, we run."
She took the boots.
As she sat on the bed pulling them on, she glanced up at him.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Lucien gave a small nod. "Get some sleep. We leave at dawn."
But Ariana didn't sleep.
Because deep down, something inside her had already awakened.
And it was just getting started.