Aria's feet splashed through the shallow water as she ran.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. The woods seemed to close in around her, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.
Mara's words repeated in her head: "You don't belong here. You never will." The river emerged through the trees like a silver ribbon.
Aria dropped to her knees on the rocky bank, gasping for air. Her image stared back at herwild hair, tear-streaked face, eyes that looked too old for eighteen. "I'm nothing," she whispered to the water. "Just like she said." The sound of footsteps made her freeze. Heavy boots crunched on leaves behind her.
Aria's muscles tightened, ready to run again.
"Don't." The voice was deep, familiar.
"Please." She turned slowly. Kael stood ten feet away, his dark hair messy, his shirt torn at the sleeve. His eyes found hers and held them. "You followed me," she said. "I had to."
He stepped closer, careful, like she might bolt. "After what happened back there" "Nothing happened."
Aria stood up, putting her arms around herself. "Mara was right. I'm just an omega who got lucky with a freak link. That's all." Kael's jaw clenched. "That's not true."
"Isn't it?" She laughed, but it sounded broken. "Look at me, Kael. Really look. I'm nobody special. I can't even shift right half the time." He moved closer. The space between them shrank to just a few feet.
"You're wrong." "Am I?" Her voice cracked. "Then why does everyone treat me like I'm invisible? Why does Mara hate me so much? Why do I feel like I'm drowning every single day?" Kael's eyes flashed with something fierce. "Because they're afraid of you." Aria blinked.
"What?" "You heard me." He took another step. "They're afraid of what you might become. What you already are." "I'm nothing" "Stop." His voice cut through her words like a blade. "Stop saying that." Before she could reply, he reached out. His fingers touched her hand. The world exploded. Lightning shot up Aria's arm. Her vision went white-hot. Every nerve in her body screamed alive. The bond between them roared to life like a flame, burning through every wall she'd built around her heart.
Kael gasped, his hand tightening on hers. His eyes went wide, pupils blown black.
"Aria" She felt everything. His strength. His fear.
His frantic need to protect her. The way he saw hernot as a weak omega, but as something strong and dangerous and beautiful.
"I can feel you," she breathed. "I know." His voice was rough. "I've been feeling you for days. Every time you hurt, every time you cry, every time you smile. It's like you're living inside my chest." The electricity between them pulsed.
Aria's wolf stirred, raising its head for the first time in weeks. She felt stronger, more alive than she had in ages.
"This is crazy," she whispered. "Yeah." Kael's thumb traced across her fingers.
"But I don't care." They stood there, linked by touch and something deeper. The river bubbled beside them. Wind rustled the trees. But all Aria could focus on was the warmth spreading from where their skin met.
"Mara will kill me," she said. "No." Kael's voice turned deadly serious. "She won't. I won't let her." "You can't promise that." "I can. I am." He stepped closer, their joined hands the only thing between them.
"I'm promising you right now, Aria. I will protect you from everyone who wants to hurt you. Mara, the pack, anyone. I don't care who they are." "Even your father?" Something dark flashed in his eyes.
"Even him."
Aria's breath caught. "Kael" "I mean it." His free hand came up to cup her face. "You're not nothing. You're not unseen.
You're mine." The possessiveness in his voice should have scared her. Instead, it made her wolf purr with pleasure. "What about your brothers?" she asked. Pain flickered across his face. "I don't know. The link is so confusing. But this" He squeezed her hand.
"This feels right. This feels real." Aria wanted to believe him. God, she wanted to believe him so badly it hurt. But doubt crept in like poison.
"What if you're wrong? What if I really am just some mistake?" "Then we'll figure it out together." His face touched hers.
"But I don't think you're a mistake, Aria. I think you're exactly what this pack needs." Before she could ask what he meant, a howl split the air. Long, sad, angry. It came from the direction of the pack house.
Kael's head snapped up.
"Kieran." Another howl answered. This one higher, crazier. "Kade." Fear iced through Aria's veins. "Something's wrong." Kael's hand tightened on hers.
"We need to go. Now." They ran through the trees, still linked by their joined hands. The electricity between them made Aria faster, stronger.
Her wolf surged forward, eager for whatever came next. But as they reached the edge of the forest, Aria saw smoke rising from the pack house. Dark, thick smoke that smelled wrong.
"Oh no," she breathed. Kael pulled her behind a tree. "Stay here." "What? No" "Aria." His eyes were angry, desperate. "Please. I need to know you're safe before I can think about anything else." She wanted to fight. But the look on his face stopped her. This wasn't about her being weak. This was about him being afraid of losing her.
"Okay," she whispered. He kissed her forehead quickly, roughly. "I'll come back for you. I promise." Then he was gone, moving mid-run. His wolf vanished into the smoke and chaos ahead. Aria crouched behind the tree, her hand still tingly from his touch.
The link between them stretched like a rubber band, pulling her forward. She could feel his fear, his drive, his love Love? The thought hit her like a truck. But before she could understand it, another scent caught her attention.
Sweet, syrupy, wrong. Magic. Dark magic. And it was coming from right behind her.
Aria spun around, but it was too late. A figure stepped out of the shadows, face covered by a hood.
"Hello, little omega," a voice whispered. "We've been waiting for you." Everything went black.