A Dark Warning
803 Words
Chapter Nine – A Dark Warning
The morning sun rose slowly over the Hollow, lighting up the trees with a soft golden glow. Aria stood in the training field, the cool earth under her bare feet. Around her, the other wolves gathered, waiting for Evelyne’s orders.
Evelyne’s voice was firm. “Today, we train your bodies and minds.”
Some wolves shifted uneasily, but no one argued.
Aria took a deep breath. She had won her first fight, but she knew that survival here meant more than one victory.
Kieran leaned against a tree nearby, watching her closely. His dark eyes held something unreadable, as if he was waiting for her to prove herself again.
Evelyne raised a hand. “Shift,” she commanded.
All around, wolves transformed. Bones cracked, fur replaced skin, and soon, the clearing was full of powerful, shifting bodies.
Aria hesitated.
She had shifted many times before, but doing it here, in front of them, made her uneasy. Would they sense her weakness? Would they smell the rejection still lingering inside her?
Kieran’s voice was calm, but challenging. “What’s wrong, little wolf?”
Aria gritted her teeth. No. She wouldn’t let them see any doubt.
She closed her eyes and let the change take over.
Pain shot through her as her body shifted. Her limbs stretched, her skin burned, and then fur covered her body. When it was over, she stood on all fours, her silver coat shining in the early light.
Evelyne didn’t say anything. Instead, she pointed toward the forest.
“Run.”
The wolves leaped forward, their paws hitting the ground in a fast rhythm. Aria ran with them, feeling the wind rush past her. She pushed harder, trying to keep up with the strongest wolves.
Lukas, his dark fur blending into the trees, ran ahead. Aria narrowed her eyes and sped up.
But then—
A sharp, rotten smell hit her nose.
She skidded to a stop, her claws digging into the dirt.
The other wolves slowed too, their ears twitching. Something was wrong.
Ahead, lying among the fallen leaves, was a body.
A wolf.
Aria’s stomach clenched. She shifted back into her human form, her breath coming fast. The wolf’s fur was thick with dried blood, its body twisted painfully.
Lukas cursed under his breath. “Rogues?”
Evelyne crouched beside the body, her sharp eyes scanning the wounds. “No.”
Aria stepped closer, the scent hitting her hard.
Not just any wolf.
A Midnight Howl wolf.
Her past had followed her.
And it had brought death with it.
Silence fell over the Hollow’s wolves. The dead wolf’s scent was clear now—Midnight Howl. Aria’s old pack. The past she had tried to escape had found her.
Her heart pounded as she stepped closer. The wolf’s body was twisted, its fur matted with dried blood. Deep claw marks ran along its side, but something was strange. This wasn’t just an attack. This was a message.
Lukas growled. “Why is a Midnight Howl wolf here?”
No one answered. The air felt heavy.
Evelyne stood, her face unreadable. “We need to burn the body. We can’t leave it here.”
Aria swallowed hard. “But shouldn’t we find out what happened first?”
Evelyne’s sharp eyes met hers. “We already know enough. This wolf didn’t come here by accident.”
A shiver ran down Aria’s spine. She knew what Evelyne meant. Someone had brought this wolf here. Someone wanted them to find it.
Kieran finally spoke. “If this is a warning, we need to be ready.”
Evelyne nodded. “We will be. But first, we handle this.”
The wolves worked quickly, gathering dry wood. Aria helped, though her hands trembled slightly. She didn’t want to admit it, but fear had settled deep in her chest.
As the fire grew, the smell of burning fur filled the air. The flames crackled, consuming the body. The wolves stood in a circle, watching.
When it was over, Evelyne turned to the group. “Training is done for today. Stay alert. We don’t know who else might be watching.”
The others nodded, then scattered back to the Hollow.
Only Aria, Kieran, and Evelyne remained.
Evelyne looked at Aria. “This was meant for you.”
Aria’s throat tightened. “I don’t understand. Why now?”
Evelyne sighed. “Whoever did this knows where you are. They want you to know they haven’t forgotten.”
Aria’s hands clenched. “I won’t run again.”
Kieran studied her. “Good.”
Evelyne gave a slow nod. “Then be ready, little wolf. Because this is just the beginning.”
Aria looked at the smoldering ashes, her jaw tight.
She had come here to escape.
But now, war was coming to her.
- Writer
