The days that followed were filled with uneasy silence. Despite Aria's growing strength, despite Kael's leadership and Nyla's watchful eyes, there was a chill running through the heart of the resistance camp.
Someone among them was a traitor.
Aria trained harder than ever. Her body grew leaner, faster—her senses sharper. Kael pushed her beyond her limits, not out of cruelty but necessity. The war was coming.
But even as she mastered her inner wolf, her dreams became darker.
She saw flames. Her own claws soaked in blood. Kael, standing at the edge of a cliff, eyes hollow. And always—always—the sound of laughter that wasn't hers.
One morning, Eira summoned her to the circle of stones.
"The spirits speak of betrayal," Eira whispered, eyes clouded. "It is close. Too close."
"Who?" Aria demanded.
Eira's voice dropped. "One who has earned your trust. One who hides behind kindness."
Aria's heart dropped.
She left the circle feeling cold.
---
Later that day, Kael assigned her a new mission: a relic buried deep within the Shadowwood, said to grant protection against mind-control spells.
"You'll go with Kellan, Nyla, and… Lira," Kael said.
Lira.
Aria had always liked her—one of the first warriors to greet her with a smile. Gentle voice, fierce blade, soft eyes. She was a healer, a storyteller… a friend.
Could it be her?
The journey to Shadowwood took two days. The forest was darker than the rest of the land, thick with ancient magic. Whispers followed them. The wind was heavy with unseen eyes.
Aria couldn't shake the unease. She caught Lira watching her more than once—too intently.
They reached the temple by moonlight. Crumbled stone, vines strangling columns, a giant wolf statue with ruby eyes guarding the entrance.
Inside, the air was warm and smelled of old blood.
The relic lay atop an altar: a silver band marked with runes that pulsed faintly.
Nyla examined it. "It's real. But it's warded."
"I can break it," Lira said. "Just give me a moment."
She stepped forward, hands glowing faintly.
And then—her face changed.
Her eyes darkened. Her posture shifted.
She snatched the relic and bolted.
Kellan cursed. "She's the traitor!"
They ran after her through the temple ruins, magic exploding around them. Lira moved with unholy speed, leaping over fallen stones, blasting away vines that tried to stop her.
Aria shifted mid-chase, fur erupting from her skin as she surged forward on four legs.
She tackled Lira beneath a collapsed arch.
Lira slashed her across the side with a hidden blade. "You don't understand, Aria. Mircella offered me a place in the new world. You… you're just a phase."
Aria growled. "Then die with the past."
Her fangs closed around Lira's shoulder. The woman screamed. Kellan reached them and struck her with the flat of his sword.
Lira fell unconscious.
---
Back at camp, Kael's face was grim. "We trusted her."
Aria sat beside him, bandaged but strong. "We'll trust again. But more carefully."
They were alone in his tent. The candles burned low.
He reached for her hand. "I almost lost you."
"You won't."
His lips brushed hers. The kiss deepened.
She climbed into his lap, fingers tangled in his hair. Their breath mingled, skin burning.
He kissed her neck, then lower, lips tracing each scar like a promise.
They made love slowly—desperately—as though the world might end before sunrise.
When they lay tangled in the aftermath, he whispered, "You're my moon, Aria."
"And you're my fire."
Outside, a raven watched from the trees.
It flew back to the manor.
And Mircella smiled.
To be continued...