Moonbound Prophecy

3 THE GREEN EYED ROGUE

When Aria came to, her head throbbed, and her vision swam. She was lying on a cold, hard surface, the smell of damp earth filling her nostrils. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she realized she was in a small, dimly lit room—an old cellar, perhaps. Thick ropes bound her wrists behind her back, chafing against her skin.

“Finally awake?” The rogue’s voice cut through the haze, sending a jolt of anger through her. He stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the faint glow from above. “I was starting to think you’d miss all the fun. Aria struggled against her bindings, glaring at him. “What do you want with me?” she spat; her voice raw but defiant.

“Me? Not much,” the rogue said casually, stepping closer. “But my employer has plenty of questions for you. Questions about your Alpha, your prophecy, and that mark of yours that shines so brightly.” He paused, his eyes narrowing with a hint of reverence—and fear. “They say even shadows have masters, little lamb. And yours is coming.” He crouched down to meet her eyes. “Talk, and this can all be over quickly. Refuse, and…” He trailed off, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

Aria said nothing, the rogue’s smile faltered for a moment before he nodded, almost as if he expected her defiance. “Have it your way, then.”

He stood and motioned to someone unseen. Heavy footsteps echoed in the room, and another figure stepped forward—a hulking brute with cruel eyes. Aria’s pulse quickened, but she forced herself to remain calm. She would not show fear.

“Let’s see how long your resolve holds,” the rogue said, his voice cold. “Welcome to the hard way, little lamb.” As they moved closer, Aria closed her eyes, focusing on her breath and the flickering bond she felt with Caden. She had no idea if he could sense her distress, but she poured every ounce of her hope into that connection. She would fight, endure, and survive—because giving up was not an option.

She had no inclination of how long she had been there, but her hunger and thirst for water made her imagine it must be at least two days now. She was closing her eyes when she heard a commotion. A large bang and screaming from up the stairs startled her awake. “Where is ARIA?” She heard a loud booming voice, Caden? She thought to herself. She could barely keep her eyes open at that point.

Footsteps pounded down the stairs, quick and determined, and Aria’s heart leapt with a flicker of hope she hadn’t dared to feel in days. Her head lolled to the side as the cellar door crashed open. Light flooded the room, and through blurry eyes, she saw Caden framed in the doorway, radiating fury and desperation. “Aria!” he shouted, his voice rough with emotion as he scanned the room, his eyes finally locking on her crumpled form. Relief washed over his face, but it was quickly replaced by a cold, dangerous resolve. He rushed forward, cutting through the haze of chaos.

One of the rogues lunged at him, but Caden was ready. With swift, precise movements, he dispatched the attacker, his movements fueled by a mix of rage and fear for Aria. Another rogue tried to intercept, but Caden’s fists connected with brutal efficiency, and the attacker crumpled to the ground.

Caden dropped to his knees beside Aria, his hands trembling as he cupped her face. “Aria,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “I’m here. You’re safe now.” She managed a weak smile, the world fading in and out. “Took you… long enough,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

“I’m getting you out of here.” He pulled a knife from his belt and quickly cut through the ropes binding her wrists. Gently, he lifted her into his arms, cradling her as if she might shatter.

As he carried her up the stairs, Aria’s head fell against his chest. She could hear the strong, steady beat of his heart—a rhythm she clung to as darkness threatened to pull her under again. “I knew… you’d come,” she whispered, her eyes closing.

“Always,” Caden replied, his voice soft but fierce. “You’re not alone. Not ever.”

With that promise echoing in her mind, Aria let herself drift, knowing that whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

Aria awoke to bright lights and loud beeping, scanning the room she saw machines that belonged in a hospital. Looking down she saw the scratchy covers of a hospital bed and the tubes that were coming from an IV that was filling her with fluids that she desperately needed. She rolled her head to the right and saw Caden, sleeping soundly on the horribly uncomfortable couch tucked in the corner of the room.

She saw cuts and bruises on his face and began to retrace what had happened before she closed her eyes. A rouge? She thought to herself. As if the prophecy wasn’t enough to deal with already, now she has rouges after her. Aria couldn’t shake the rogue’s words from her mind. Even shadows have masters. The phrase echoed in her thoughts, bringing back the memory of her nightmare: the shadow wolf with its glowing, malevolent eyes. It felt like more than a bad dream now; it felt like a warning.

Sighing, she began to lift her legs to let them hang off the side of the bed. Right before she stood up, she felt a hand on her arm – looking up to see Caden’s concerned and tired face hovering over her. “Aria, you shouldn’t be moving,” he said softly but firmly, his grip gentle yet insistent. His eyes, dark with exhaustion, held a mix of relief and worry.

“I have to,” she replied, her voice raspy. “Lying here won’t solve anything.” Caden shook his head, kneeling beside her bed. “You need to rest. You’ve been through hell, and your body needs time to recover.”

Aria’s shoulders sagged as she fought back a wave of frustration. “How long have I been here?”

“Two days,” Caden said quietly, his jaw clenching. “You were barely hanging on when we got you out. The healer said… it was touch and go for a while.” He looked away, as if the memory pained him too much to bear. “I almost lost you.” The raw emotion in his voice made Aria’s chest tighten. “I’m here,” she whispered, placing her free hand over his. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Caden’s gaze met hers, and the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable. “The rogues knew exactly who you were,” he said, his tone shifting from relief to determination. “This wasn’t random. They were after you because of the prophecy.”

Aria nodded, her mind racing. “I know,” she said, a shiver running down her spine. “They wanted information… about us. About what the bond means.” Caden’s expression darkened. “We have to find out who sent them and why. No one threatens you—or our pack—and gets away with it.” She squeezed his hand, drawing strength from his resolve. “Then we fight back,” she said, her voice firm despite the weariness in her bones. “Together.”

“Together,” he agreed, his grip tightening as if anchoring them both to that promise again. Aria managed a faint smile, the exhaustion momentarily lifting. “But first, I need to get out of this bed.”

Caden chuckled softly, the sound a welcome relief. “Then let’s make sure you’re ready. No more trying to get up on your own right now, okay?” “Deal,” Aria replied, feeling a spark of hope ignite.

The first pack members she saw as she was leaving the hospital was her parents. “Aria!” Her dad and mom both shouted at the same time. “We were so worried about you” her dad said before turning to Caden, “Thank you Caden for saving our little girl”. Caden shook her father’s hand “It was my honor – thank you for making such a wonderful daughter.” They shuffled Aria into the car, carefully placing her in like a egg that could c***k at any moment.

“Aria, we will be staying at your house until you are fully recovered” her mom said. Aria rolled her eyes, “yes mom” she knew there was no winning this battle. Her mother gave her a stern look, but her eyes were soft with concern. “Don’t roll your eyes at me, young lady,” she said, but her voice lacked any real bite.

Aria sank into the car seat, exhaustion weighing down her every limb. She knew her parents meant well, but the thought of being hovered over made her feel suffocated. Caden climbed into the seat beside her, his presence a quiet comfort. The car ride home was a mix of chatter from her parents about her recovery plan and awkward silences where Aria felt like everyone was afraid to say too much. She leaned her head against the cool window and watched the scenery blur by. Everything felt different now, even familiar places, as though her encounter had left a permanent mark on the world around her.

Caden’s hand found hers, and she gave him a small, grateful smile. His touch was warm, steady, a reminder that she wasn’t alone in all of this. Before she could dwell on the thought, Caden leaned down and whispered, “One step at a time. You’re stronger than you think.” His words made her heartbeat just a little faster, and for the first time in a while, she allowed herself to believe it.

Once they got Aria home, her parents began cooking her favorite meal – meatloaf and buttery mashed potatoes. Aria let the nostalgic meal fill her nostrils. She hadn’t felt this excited for food since…well what feels like forever! Caden was joining them for dinner and had set the table with plates and utensils, he was now discussing pack politics with her father. Aria had managed to get down the stairs by herself and felt as though she was beginning to reach normalcy again. After dinner and her favorite dessert, bread pudding, Caden and her decided they would go to the pack library and see what they could find on this prophecy. The rouge had wanted answers, but to be honest, they had no answers of their own.

The prophecy felt like a puzzle with pieces scattered to the wind, and without a clearer understanding, they were flying blind.

The next morning, Aria rubbed her temples as they walked through the woods toward the large stone building that housed the pack’s most ancient texts. "I never imagined we'd be searching for some old prophecy," she murmured. "I always thought that kind of stuff was just… stories." Caden's expression grew serious. "I guess stories always have a kernel of truth," he said. "And whatever this is, it's big enough to have put you in danger. We can’t take any chances."

The pack library was nestled in a clearing, ivy curling around its ancient walls, making the building feel like part of the forest itself. As they stepped inside, the familiar scent of old parchment and polished wood greeted them. Shelves upon shelves of dusty tomes and scrolls loomed above, each containing the history and knowledge of their kind.

Aria felt a shiver run down her spine. "Where do we even start?" she whispered.

Caden squeezed her hand gently. "We start at the beginning," he said, leading her to a section marked "Prophecies and Legends." Aria’s fingers brushed over a faded passage in one of the ancient tomes. The words were barely legible, but she managed to make out: Beware the shadow that walks in the light. It takes many forms, but its heart is always dark. A chill ran down her spine. Was this a clue to the true nature of their enemy?

The words seemed to glare down at them, heavy with the weight of everything they still didn't know. Together, they began pulling out volumes, searching for anything that might shed light on the prophecy the rogue had mentioned. As they flipped through the fragile pages, Aria couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever they were about to discover would change everything.