The forest never slept. Even in the dead of night, Ravencrest's woods whispered with life the flutter of wings, the shuffle of unseen paws, the soft crackle of branches under weight too heavy to belong to deer. Tonight, however, the forest's song was darker. Wolves weren't the only predators gathering beneath the pale moon.
Aria crouched near the infirmary window, her eyes fixed on the trees beyond. Damien lay unconscious on the cot behind her, his body still weak from the Trial by Fire. His breathing was steady but shallow, each rise of his chest sending a pang through her heart. He had fought until his body broke, and still the Council doubted him. Still they doubted her.
Lila slipped into the room, shutting the heavy oak door behind her. Her face was grim, shadows darkening her sharp cheekbones. "We have a problem," she whispered.
Aria turned, voice taut with worry. "What kind of problem?"
"The kind that bleeds into war." Lila crossed the room, lowering her voice even more. "The hunters aren't working alone anymore. Viktor has made a pact with them."
The words struck Aria like a blow. "What? That's...no, that doesn't make sense. Hunters hate wolves. They've spent centuries trying to kill them."
Lila's jaw tightened. "Hatred makes strange allies. The Council intercepted scouts at the border hunters carrying weapons dipped in wolfsbane, guided by information only an Alpha could've given. Viktor is feeding them everything they need."
Aria's stomach twisted. Images from her dreams the forest on fire, wolves torn down by steel and silver flashed before her eyes. "So it's true," she whispered. "The fire wasn't just a dream. It was a warning."
Lila nodded grimly. "And now it's a race. If the hunters breach our borders with Viktor at their side, we won't survive without spilling half the pack's blood."
Aria turned to look at Damien, sleeping fitfully. His face, usually so strong, was pale with exhaustion. She wanted to protect him, to shield him from everything, but she knew he would wake and throw himself into the storm again. That was who he was.
Her hands tightened into fists. "Then we fight back. We don't wait for them to burn us alive."
Lila's eyes softened, but there was steel in her voice. "Aria, war isn't that simple. Viktor's pack is vicious and disciplined. The hunters fight like shadows, with weapons wolves can't heal from. If we meet them on their terms, we lose."
Before Aria could reply, the door creaked open again. Elder Kaelen entered, flanked by two other council members. His presence filled the room like a storm, the weight of centuries pressing down. His piercing silver eyes scanned Damien on the cot before settling on Aria.
"You," he said coldly. "The outsider. The reason this war brews."
Aria stiffened, fury sparking through her veins. "This isn't because of me. It's because Viktor is a power-hungry tyrant who can't stand Damien's leadership."
Kaelen's lips curled in disdain. "And yet it is you who stirs his obsession. It is you who fractures the bond of the pack, distracting our Alpha and weakening his command."
Her hands trembled, but she lifted her chin. "I'm not leaving him."
"Then you may doom us all." Kaelen turned sharply, his cloak snapping like a lash. "The Council will deliberate. But hear this, girl if war comes, your blood will stain this soil first."
The door slammed shut behind him.
For a long moment, only silence remained, heavy and suffocating. Damien stirred faintly on the cot, his golden eyes fluttering open. His voice, weak but steady, broke the stillness. "I heard… enough."
Aria rushed to his side, pressing her hand to his. "You shouldn't be moving"
He squeezed her fingers, faint but firm. "If Viktor and the hunters have joined forces, then the Council must prepare for war. But they won't listen. They'll bicker, they'll stall, and while they waste breath, our enemies will cut us down."
His words, though strained, carried the same command that had silenced entire packs. He struggled to sit upright, his breath ragged, but determination burned in his eyes. "We can't wait for the Council. We need our own allies."
Aria's brow furrowed. "Allies? Who? Everyone's too afraid of Viktor."
Damien's mouth curved in a humorless smile. "Not everyone. There are packs on the borderlands who despise Viktor as much as I do. If we can reach them before the hunters strike, we stand a chance."
Lila crossed her arms, frowning. "That's a dangerous gamble. And you're in no state to lead."
"I'll heal," Damien growled, though his voice cracked with pain. "I don't have a choice."
Aria looked between them, her heart pounding. She could feel the weight of fate pressing down, the same weight that had haunted her dreams. This wasn't just about Damien anymore. This was about all of them. Wolves, humans, hunters they were pieces in a game older than she could comprehend. And somehow, she was at the center of it.
She touched Damien's cheek, her voice low but resolute. "Then we'll go together. Whatever comes, we face it as one."
His gaze softened, golden light flickering in his eyes. "Aria…"
The moment hung heavy between them, fragile and powerful. For the first time, she didn't just feel the bond pulling her to him. She chose it. She chose him.
But before she could speak again, the ground beneath them shuddered. A faint rumble, distant but growing, rolled through the earth. Lila stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "That's no storm."
Aria's breath caught. "Hunters?"
Lila moved to the window, her voice sharp. "No. Not yet. Scouts. Wolves." She turned, her expression grim. "Viktor's pack. They've crossed the border."
Damien tried to rise, groaning with effort. Aria and Lila rushed to steady him, but he pushed their hands away, his pride as unyielding as stone. His voice dropped to a growl. "So it begins."
The three of them stood together, the flickering torchlight casting long shadows against the stone walls. Outside, the forest groaned with the weight of approaching enemies.
The hunters lurked beyond, steel and fire in their hands. Viktor's wolves prowled closer, their howls splitting the night.
And for the first time, Aria realized what the bond between her and Damien truly meant. Not just love. Not just fate. But war.