Edge of extinction

ARIA’S POV The whole place stinks of fresh blood. The cohesion in the way the drummers drum makes the ground shake like an earthquake is about to unravel. Thousands of wolves in human form kneel under the bright red moon. It hangs above us, too red, too heavy, like it’s bleeding into the sky. I watch on from the bushes at the edge of the crowd. I must not be seen around here. Rogues must remain spotless at the Blood Moon Ceremony. But I am here anyway—hoping to get my hand on food before anyone notices. A little boy chases a floating kite made of silver dust, his laughter is soft with a bright sound in a place consumed by silence and rules. Everything seems perfect for a moment. Then he lets out a scream. The kite drops. Someone in a hood is charging at him, his knife pointed in his direction. My instinct takes over. I run. I move before the crowd can react. I dive into the air and slam my shoulder into his side. His knife cuts my palm as I knock it away from his grasp. Another man races towards me from the other side of the fire before I can catch my breath. He swings his blade towards me. I slide down across the ground with my knees and grab a handful of dirt, and blind his eyes with it. I spear my shoulder into his stomach and send him sprawling. The ceremony is filled with chaos, screams, and loud growls. Bodies shift — bones break and reshape as wolves emerge. Someone grabs me from behind. His sword meets my throat. “Who sent you?” a rough voice demands. “I—no one sent me!” I stutter. His grip becomes firmer. The sword bites my skin. I bury my elbow into his ribs, then I smash his face with a stone near me. He groans and falls, blood oozing from his nose. The man disappears before I turn — but the little boy is still there, lying behind a fallen tree. I drop to his side. “You’re safe. Stay quiet.” Another assassin steps out from behind a pillar. His focus is on the boy. He’s going for him. “NO!” I throw myself between them. I scream as the knife runs through. Blood spills from my waist, the man pulls his blade out and lifts it again — A roar tears through the chaos. The roar shakes the ground— it’s not human. The assassin freezes. Then he’s ripped backward. A huge hand grabs the assassin’s wrist and breaks it like a twig. The man shouts, another hand grabs his neck, bones crunch and the assassin goes silent. He throws him into the fire. I lift my head. Alpha Veyron stands over me. We lock eyes. For a second, time stops. And everything changes. My heartbeat goes back to normal, and the noise dissipates. The world narrows to minimize the space between us. The air around us forms a wind, leaving our hair swimming in it. We both feel something. The mate bond. How is this possible? How can someone like me be tied to someone like him? But I sense it deep inside me, my heart pounding against my chest. Veyron steps closer. “Who are you?” he demands. I open my mouth, but confusion consumes me, nothing comes out. “Alpha!” a soldier shouts. “More attackers!” He turns away. “Stay down.” He shifts. I stay low watching, as his bones c***k and reform, fur replacing his skin. A huge black wolf with glowing golden eyes forms. He jumps into the chaos, cutting through the assassins with the speed of a freight train. I apply pressure to my bleeding side. The boy cries, his feet struggling to stay still. “Come on,” I whisper. “We have to move.” “But—” “No buts. Run!” I ran through the smoke with him on my back. Wolves clash behind us. I bring him to safety—a fair distance from the fight. “ Don’t look back, just keep running” He nods and disappears into the trees. The smell of burning fur fills the air as I hear screams. It’s no longer a ceremony but a m******e. A soldier blocks my path, his wild gaze strikes me. “You!” he snarls. “What did you do to the Alpha?” I blink. “What do you mean?” “After he touched you, something happened. A rogue is not welcome here." “That child would be dead if not for my presence,” I shout. He grabs my arm and drags me back toward the clearing. I can’t free myself— he’s too strong. “Let go!” “Orders from the Alpha,” he replies. That makes me freeze. “He—he asked you to do this?” He doesn't answer. The rest of the pack form a circle, silent and tense. Veyron appears, standing in human form again. His gaze finds me. “Bring her,” Veyron yells. The soldier forces me to bend my knee. My chin stays high, refusing to bow. My heart hammers against my chest so hard– I can hear it beat in my ear. Veyron walks around me in a circle, trying to find something he wishes wasn’t there. “You're forbidden from gatherings like this,” he says finally, his voice barely above a whisper. I stare back at him. “And yet, here I am.” His jaw tightens—he doesn’t know which emotion to display. He turns to the soldiers beside him. “Take her to the cells.” “What?” I breathe. “I didn’t—” “She’ll give us answers to what has happened tonight.” His tone is final. The crowd steps aside as the guards haul me up and drag me towards the Stronghold. I try to break free but they strengthen their grip. I glance over my shoulder one last time. The Blood Moon still burns overhead, too red. And Veyron—he’s still watching me, his jaw tight, his eyes stormy. He’s not angry. He is afraid. Afraid of what the spark between us means. Deep inside me, beneath the pain and confusion, I know the night has only begun.