Chapter 7: The stranger’s Secret (part1)
664 Words
Chapter 7: The Stranger’s Secret (Part 1)
The forest remained eerily silent long after the mysterious man disappeared.
Aria couldn’t take her eyes off the place where he had vanished.
The trees swayed gently in the midnight breeze, but there was no sign of him.
It was as if he had melted into the darkness.
“Miss Aria.”
Rowan’s voice snapped her back to reality.
He lowered his bow, though his sharp green eyes continued scanning the forest.
“We need to return to the pack.”
Aria slowly nodded.
“Who was he?”
Rowan exchanged uneasy glances with the warriors behind him.
“No one knows.”
“But he saved your life before.”
She frowned.
“You knew?”
Rowan hesitated.
“When our patrol found you in the forbidden forest, they saw traces of another warrior. Whoever he was, he killed almost every Shadow Beast before disappearing.”
Aria’s heartbeat quickened.
“So… he really did save me.”
Rowan didn’t answer.
Instead, he gestured toward the village.
“Alpha Lucian is worried.”
As they walked back beneath the moonlit trees, Aria couldn’t stop thinking about the stranger’s final words.
“You still have it.”
What had he meant?
She instinctively touched the silver crescent pendant hanging around her neck.
She had never questioned where it came from.
Ever since waking up in Mooncrest, it had been around her neck.
She had assumed the healer placed it there after rescuing her.
But what if…
It had always belonged to her?
⸻
The mansion was brightly lit when they returned.
Lucian stood in the entrance hall with his arms crossed.
His usually calm expression disappeared the moment he saw Aria.
“Where were you?”
His voice wasn’t angry.
It was worried.
Aria lowered her head.
“I’m sorry.”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“So you decided to wander into the forest where rogues have been hunting you?”
She bit her lip.
“I wasn’t thinking.”
Lucian sighed deeply.
For several seconds neither of them spoke.
Finally…
He stepped forward.
Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her.
Aria froze.
“I’m just glad you’re safe,” he whispered.
She slowly relaxed.
His heartbeat was steady.
Warm.
Comforting.
She hadn’t realized until that moment how frightened she had been.
Lucian stepped back almost immediately.
“I’ll double the night patrols.”
“There will be no more sneaking into the forest.”
Despite everything, Aria smiled faintly.
“Yes, Alpha.”
⸻
The next morning…
Mooncrest’s council gathered in the Alpha’s meeting hall.
A large map covered the stone table.
Red markings surrounded the borders of the territory.
Lucian rested both hands on the table.
“Report.”
A warrior stepped forward.
“We’ve found five more rogue camps.”
Another added,
“Entire villages have been abandoned.”
“The rogues aren’t attacking for food anymore.”
“They’re searching.”
“For Aria.”
Silence filled the room.
Rowan finally spoke.
“They already know she’s here.”
Lucian nodded.
“Which means we don’t have much time.”
One of the elders cleared his throat.
“There may be another solution.”
Every head turned toward him.
“We could hand the girl over.”
The room erupted.
Rowan slammed his fist against the table.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“If we surrender one innocent girl today, who will they demand tomorrow?”
The elder remained calm.
“My duty is to protect this pack.”
Lucian’s amber eyes turned icy.
“My duty is to protect everyone in this pack.”
He looked around the room.
“That includes Aria.”
“No one will hand her over.”
The meeting ended immediately.
But not everyone agreed with their Alpha.
Hidden among the council members…
Someone quietly slipped from the room.
A spy.
And before sunset…
The Shadow Alpha would know every word spoken inside Mooncrest.
- Writer
