Pov Daria
A cold breeze drifted through my window, and the night felt so lonely—one of those nights when peace clings to everything like fog.
Lying on the roof, the wind caressed my fur. I loved this time of day, when the world seemed to belong to me alone; just me and the chilly breeze stirring the leaves of those trees that hid the beauty of the forest... or perhaps they were hiding us.
Too bad those moments always come to an end.
When I returned to my room, the guards were changing shifts. It had become a habit to watch the night sky, but I still couldn't let them see me in wolf form. The truth was, Shaleen had been with me since I was twelve. We didn't know why, but we both agreed—we couldn't tell anyone.
In a few weeks, I'd come of age, and we'd be free to run with the pack.
"Shift back before they catch our scent."
"They won't," Shaleen replied confidently through our link. "If they could smell us, they would've found out long ago."
Once back in my human form, I grabbed the clothes on my bed and wrapped myself in the sheets. I was just about to fall asleep when a sound made me tense. It came from the balcony.
I got up and saw him—shaking leaves off his clothes as he walked toward the balcony door.
What was he doing here? It didn't matter.
HE WAS HERE.
My best friend for as long as I could remember… but also the one love I could never have. We were inseparable. His being here could only mean something had happened back home.
I opened the door and met Aram's gaze. He was still holding onto the railing.
"Daria, seriously? Stop staring and help me—I got stuck on a branch," he said, while Connor ignored us completely and walked straight into my room.
Breathing hard from the climb, Aram gave Connor a sarcastic look.
"Thanks for the help."
"You shouldn't even call yourself a future alpha with strength like that."
"I got stuck, okay? It wasn't a strength issue. Daria saw it—didn't you?"
His voice searched for validation. For an alpha, having your strength questioned is like a stab in the back. If Aram didn't consider Connor a friend, I doubt he'd stay so calm.
"Enough fighting. What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Daria, don't leave me hanging. Tell him it's true," he pleaded, flashing a sweet look. He grabbed my arm like a kid with a toy.
"Connor, don't tease him. Can't you see how adorable he is?" I cupped Aram's face delicately, as if it might shatter. "Besides, he's right. He probably twisted his ankle. Let me check."
He melted into my touch and leaned his cheek into my hands, clearly enjoying Connor's annoyance.
He sat at the edge of the bed while Connor kept calling him dramatic. Aram didn't flinch—until I exposed his ankle. It was swollen and turning an alarming shade. Even in the dim room, the "elephant ankle" was obvious.
Connor burst out laughing.
A knock at the door shattered the scene.
It was my brother. I would've sensed his scent if I hadn't been so focused on Aram's foot.
I tried to pretend I was asleep. Useless. He was the beta, after all.
"Come on, open up. I know the guys are in there. I can hear their heartbeats. Aram's about to die of a heart attack before I even walk in."
Our faces turned to stone. I got up to open the door. Calming my heartbeat was pointless. I met my brother's eyes, lit faintly by the moonlight streaming through the balcony.
He looked at me for a second… then at the boys.
"Future Alpha Aram, what brings you so far from your pack at this hour?" His voice was coated with fake kindness. "I imagine Alpha Denovan wouldn't be too pleased to hear about this."
His quiet threat turned the room tense.
"If he doesn't hear about it..." I tried to sound calm, but my heart was racing.
Aram gulped. Connor, naturally, didn't help.
"Don't get him in trouble. He just came for a little free medical care... and some cuddles," he added, eyeing the swollen ankle.
"Connor!" I glared at him, but it was like yelling at a wall.
My brother crossed his arms.
"Cuddles? Since when does the clan's little princess patch up broken wolves in her bed?"
"Since they fall on my balcony and I don't let them die like they deserve," I said, raising a brow. "Besides, he's my best friend."
"Just a friend?" he asked, tilting his head as if reading something deeper in my expression.
Aram straightened up, flushed and flustered.
"It's not what it looks like," he said quickly.
"And what does it look like?" my brother pressed.
Connor stifled a laugh. Aram growled. I just wanted to turn into mist and vanish.
"Nothing. It looks like they're annoying me while I'm trying to sleep. Can I have five minutes without pack drama or diplomatic threats?"
My brother looked at me with those eyes that always saw more than words. Finally, he sighed.
"Five minutes. Then Aram leaves the way he came. And you—" he pointed at Connor— "stop provoking. It's not funny when someone ends up with a broken leg… or a broken neck."
Connor raised his hands. "Peace and love, beta."
When he left, I shut the door with a sigh longer than a moonless night.
"Alright," I said, turning to Aram, "do you want me to bandage that foot, or should I grab a shovel and dig your grave for showing up at this hour?"
The door had barely closed when we heard three sharp knocks on the balcony window.
Not like Aram's—these were clean, deliberate. A code.
Connor and Aram looked at each other. I froze.
"That's the night patrol, isn't it?" I asked, already knowing.
Connor nodded, his face suddenly serious. Aram stood, wincing in pain.
"Don't!" I warned, but he'd already reached the window.
When it opened, a hooded figure slipped inside silently. It was Neris, one of the pack's scouts. Her face was pale, pupils wide from adrenaline.
"No time for greetings," she said quickly. "Humans. Three. Armed. They crossed the northern boundary less than thirty minutes ago."
Aram's expression darkened.
"Did they see anything?"
"We don't know. But… there are tracks. Ours. In human form."
A chill ran down my spine. If the humans found signs of wolves in human form far from the settlement, it wouldn't just compromise our territory—it would risk our greatest secret: that we truly exist.
"And the guards?" Connor asked.
"They're tracking their path. But if the humans reach the clearings where we practice shifting... we might not be able to hide it."
"I'll go!" Aram tried to move forward but stumbled.
Connor caught him.
"You're a mess. You're not going anywhere—alpha-to-be or not. You'll leave a trail of evidence behind," he said firmly. "Besides, this is unofficial. It's not your pack's concern."
Aram didn't argue. He just stood there, lips tight, eyes fixed on mine. His silence hurt more than words. I knew those words stung... but I couldn't let Connor go alone.
Our wolves surface when emotions take control—and right now, Connor was far from calm. I could hear it in his breathing, see it in the wild glint in his eyes. If he crossed paths with a human in that state, our secret wouldn't last the night.
I was already pulling on my boots.
"I'll go."
"You?" Neris asked, hesitating.
"I don't have a wolf yet. No one expects me to get involved. If the humans see me, I'm just a lost girl in the woods. They won't think I'm... one of us."
I used the one thing they didn't know—my wolf.
They didn't know what it meant for me to stop being just Daría, even for a few hours. They didn't know that every time she came out—my other half, wild and cunning—it wasn't just shifting. It was surrendering.
"You're not going alone," Connor said instantly.
"Yes, I am," I shot back. I looked at Aram, who stared at me with a storm of fear, frustration, and pride.
"Daría..." he whispered, knowing he couldn't stop me.
"Connor, listen to me." I stepped in front of him. "You can't go. Not this time."
"And you can? You're really cutting me out just like that?" he snapped, jaw tight.
"This isn't about leaving you out," I said firmly. "It's about control. If either of us loses it out there... it's over."
Connor looked away, biting down hard.
"I'm going alone. I just need Neris to cover the tracks if anything goes wrong." I turned to her. "Can you do that?"
Neris nodded, though she clearly wished someone else would go with me. But she understood the stakes.
Aram said nothing. But I saw it. I saw the slight tremble in his hands, the fire in his eyes—that blend of quiet rage and fear masked as pride.
I stepped closer and took his hand—the one not shaking from pain.
"I promise I'll be back before sunrise."
"I will be back," I said just for him. "I'm not that easy to lose, remember?"
"That's not what I'm afraid of," he murmured, not meeting my eyes.
"Then what are you afraid of?"
He looked at me at last. And in his gaze, there was no anger—just something deeper. Something only someone who's forced to watch what they love walk away without stopping them can carry.
"That you won't come back as you."
I swallowed hard. I didn't know what to say. No promise could soothe that fear.
So I just held his hand again—this time without caring who saw.
"Then remind me who I am. Just in case."
I let go before he could stop me. And without another word, I slipped out onto the balcony, leaving behind a room heavy with thoughts none of us dared speak aloud.