(Aria's POV)
I didn't sleep.
How could I?
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.
His eyes — glowing gold and wild. His voice — low, pained, not human.
And then… the moment our gazes locked right before everything exploded into chaos.
Lucian.
I sat on the edge of my bed, clutching the blanket like it could somehow keep me from unraveling. The morning light crept through the curtains, painting the room in soft gold. It should've felt peaceful, but my chest was a mess of thunder.
He wasn't human.
And yet, every part of me refused to believe he was a monster.
I touched my wrist — right where his hand had grabbed me before he shifted. My skin still tingled there, warm, like something was burning underneath.
When I tried to shake it off, a sudden dizziness hit me — a flash of gold in my mind, a heartbeat that wasn't mine.
What's happening to me?
I stumbled toward the mirror. My reflection stared back — pale skin, messy hair, the faintest shimmer beneath my collarbone. It disappeared as fast as it appeared, but it left me cold all over.
The door creaked open.
"Aria?" It was Mia, my best friend and roommate. Her voice was cautious. "You okay? You look like you haven't slept in a week."
I forced a weak smile. "Just… a bad night."
"Let me guess — forest walk again?" she said, arms crossed. "You and your mysterious woods obsession."
If only she knew.
If only I could tell her what I saw.
"Something happened," I whispered before I could stop myself.
Her teasing grin faded. "What kind of something?"
I hesitated. The words got stuck in my throat. A man turned into a wolf in front of me and killed another one wasn't exactly a normal morning conversation starter.
So I lied. "Nothing. Just… saw something weird, that's all."
Mia frowned but didn't press further. She handed me a mug of coffee, then left for her morning shift.
The moment the door shut, I exhaled shakily.
Weird didn't even begin to cover it.
---
By afternoon, I couldn't stay still anymore.
Something in me — a whisper, a tug, a pull — was leading me back to the forest.
I told myself it was curiosity, or fear, or maybe just closure. But the truth was simpler.
I needed to see him again.
The forest was quiet when I reached the clearing. The air was heavy with pine and dew, the kind of silence that made you feel like you weren't alone even when you were.
I found his cabin easily this time. My heartbeat quickened. I didn't even knock — just pushed the door slightly open.
Empty.
But the scent hit me — warm, earthy, faintly musky. Him.
I stepped inside slowly, eyes scanning the small, shadowed space. Broken furniture. Blood on the floorboards. Claw marks on the wall.
And something else — a torn shirt draped over the chair. I picked it up. The fabric was rough, still warm.
"Why are you here?"
The voice came from behind me, deep and sharp.
I froze.
Then turned.
Lucian stood in the doorway — bare-chested, bruised, eyes darker than I remembered.
My breath caught.
He looked like sin wrapped in stormlight — dangerous, exhausted, but painfully real.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, stepping closer
"I came to make sure you're okay," I managed, though my voice shook.
He laughed once — bitter, humorless. "You think I'm the one who needs saving?"
"I saw what happened last night," I said. "I saw what you— what you turned into."
His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Then you know why you should stay away."
"I don't want to."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
For a moment, neither of us moved. The air between us tightened — sharp and magnetic. I could feel it again, that pull. Like gravity had found a new center, and it was him.
Lucian's jaw tensed. "You don't understand what I am, Aria. What I could do to you."
"Then explain it," I said quietly. "Because right now, all I understand is that you saved me. Twice."
He looked at me then — really looked. His gaze lingered on my lips before he cursed under his breath and turned away.
"You should leave."
But I didn't. I stepped closer instead, until I could feel the heat of his skin.
"Lucian," I whispered.
He froze. His eyes snapped to mine, and for a heartbeat, I swore the whole world stopped breathing.
Then he grabbed my wrist — not roughly, just firmly enough to make me feel his strength. His eyes glowed faintly gold again.
"Don't say my name like that," he rasped. "You don't know what it does to me."
And then , as if drawn by an unspoken command, Lucian leaned in, his hands trembling as they found the curve of my face. Our lips met—soft at first, hesitant, then firmer, a silent conversation of longing and uncertainty. Time blurred; every sound faded except the pulse pounding between us. My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, both of us lost in the sudden, fierce connection.
When he pulled away, his breathing was ragged. His hands were shaking.
"This can't happen," he said, voice breaking slightly. "You're human, Aria. And I'm… not."
He walked past me, slamming the door open as if he needed air.
But even as he left, I knew one thing for sure —
No matter how much he pushed me away, the pull between us wasn't going anywhere.