Aria

The quite one who watched

Selene did not believe in coincidences.

And Aria?

Was one walking mystery.

From the balcony overlooking the night training grounds, Selene’s eyes glowed faintly gold as she replayed every moment.

The forest reaction.

The answering howl.

The way Ryan was already starting to orbit her.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Selene’s fingers tapped slowly against the railing.

“If you are what I think you are…” she murmured softly.

Her lips curved …not quite a smile.

Not quite kind.

Because if Aria truly was rare…

Then she wasn’t just a threat.

She was leverage.

Training that afternoon was intense

Ryan had paired Aria against three wolves

Testing.

Pushing.

Watching.

The pressure.

The way her wolf was growing more reactive by the second.

By the third round

Something snapped.

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t dramatic.

But the air

The air pulsed.

Sharp.

Wrong.

Ancient.

Every wolf in the training ring froze.

Ryan’s head lifted slowly.

Too slowly.

His eyes locked on Aria.

And for the first time…

There was no mistaking the alertness there.

“…Aria,” he said quietly.

Her stomach dropped.

Because she felt it too.

That thing under her skin.

Waking up.

From the upper balcony, Selene observed everything.

Every glance.

Every shift in body language.

Every dangerous second of silence between them.

Her expression remained perfectly composed.

But her fingers tightened slightly on the railing.

“…well,” she whispered softly.

This was progressing faster than expected.

Below, Aria took a careful step back from Ryan but Selene didn’t miss the way the girl’s wolf still strained forward.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Selene’s eyes cooled.

Because whatever Aria was…

She was becoming a problem.

And problems…

Needed to be handled early.