ARIA’S POV
The forest was dense, and I had no idea where I was, and sitting here was getting me nowhere. The darkness seemed to press down, surrounding me. I hated to admit it, but I was getting a little scared. Every rustle of the forest was grating on my nerves and making it worse. I just wanted to go home—and not home to Ronan’s or Caden’s, but to Grandma Jo’s. Where I was safe from mates, kidnappers, and decisions, where I could just be myself and let my guard down, I wanted to go home.
Suddenly, a loud bang in the forest made me jump to my feet. Looking around and seeing nothing, the sound came again. Whack. Without thinking, I took off. I was running away from the sound that seemed to be behind me. As I started running, tripping over roots and running through branches, the whacking
