MOONLIGHT SAVIOR

TheRescue

When Aria opened her eyes again, the first thing she noticed was the smell—fresh pine, damp earth, and something darker, richer, almost intoxicating. She blinked against the dim light, disoriented. The soft crackling of a fire filled the room, and the warmth slowly seeped into her bones, easing the tension in her body.

She was no longer in the alley, no longer lying on cold concrete. She was in a small, rustic cabin, the walls adorned with rough-hewn wood and the windows barely letting in any light from outside. Everything was quiet, peaceful, almost too peaceful, considering the chaos she had just experienced.

As her eyes adjusted, she saw him again. Ethan, The man who had saved her. He was sitting in a worn armchair, his legs stretched out, his broad shoulders tense but relaxed in a way that made it clear he wasn’t used to being caught off guard. His golden eyes flickered to her as she stirred, his lips pressing into a thin line, as though he was still watching over her.

“You’re awake,” he said, his voice calm, deep, with that same commanding tone from before.

Aria swallowed, her throat was dried, as she slowly sat up. The movement made her head spin, but she fought through

It pushed her into a sitting position. Her neck throbbed where Viktor had bitten her, the pain, was a terrible reminder of the nightmare she’d just been through.

“W-What happened?” she asked, her voice hoarse, sounding alien to her ears.

“You were attacked,” Ethan replied simply, but the weight behind his words made it clear that there was more to the story. “By Viktor.”

The name struck her like a punch. Viktor. The man or beast who had nearly killed her. She tried to remember more of what had happened, but the memory was fragmented. The only thing that remained vivid was the glow of his yellow eyes, the overwhelming sense of danger as his teeth sank into her flesh.

“Viktor... why? Who is he?” Her voice trembled as she whispered the question, confusion clouding her mind.

Ethan leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing as if considering how much to say. "Viktor is a rogue wolf. Dangerous. A threat to us all." He paused for a moment, his gaze softening just enough to give Aria a sense of safety. "But you... you’re not out of danger yet."

Her heart skipped in her chest. "Wolf, I don’t understand. What do you mean?"

Ethan didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he looked at her

More closely, as though searching for something, his golden eyes traced over her features in a way that made her feel exposed, and vulnerable. But there was no judgment, no fear. Only an intensity that made her feel... seen.

“You were bitten,” he finally said, his voice low. “By Viktor. And now... you’ll be changing.”

Aria blinked, the words not fully registering at first. Changing?

“Changing into what?” she asked, her breath catching in her throat.

He hesitated, his jaw tightening slightly as he weighed how much to explain. “You’ve been marked by him. His bite— it’s not just a wound. It’s a curse.” He paused, watching her closely. “You’re becoming one of us.”

Her mind whirled. One of us? What was he talking about? She felt her pulse race in panic. “A werewolf?”

Ethan nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "Yes. The transformation is slow at first. But it will come. You’ll start to feel different. Your senses will sharpen. You’ll feel... stronger."

Aria’s heart hammered in her chest. This was impossible, wasn’t it? It couldn’t be real. She had to be dreaming. She had to be. She reached up to touch her neck, where Viktor’s teeth had been. The pain was still there, sharp and fresh, but

There was also something else—a faint, strange tingle running just beneath her skin.

“You’re not alone in this,” Ethan continued, his voice softer now, more reassuring. “I’ll help you. But you need to understand: Viktor won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”

“What does he want with me?” she asked her voice barely a whisper, dread settling over her like a heavy cloak.

Ethan’s expression darkened. “Viktor’s power comes from taking control. He’ll use your transformation to weaken me, to take my place as alpha. And the only way to stop him is to make sure you don’t fall into his hands. You’re important, Aria. More than you realize.”

She stared at him, her mind racing to process everything he was telling her. Her thoughts were chaotic and disjointed. A part of her wanted to scream, to deny everything, because if this was real, everything she knew about herself and her world was suddenly turned upside down.

But another part of her, the part she didn’t quite understand, felt a strange pull toward Ethan, a trust, a sense of connection she couldn’t explain. Maybe it was the way he looked at her like he had answers to questions she hadn’t even asked yet, or maybe it was the way he seemed to know things about her, even things she hadn’t said aloud.

“Do you know me?” she blurted out before she could stop herself. “I don’t—I don’t even know you.”

Ethan’s eyes softened, his gaze unreadable for a moment. “I’ve been watching you, Aria. I’m not sure how to explain it, but you’re connected to this world in a way you don’t yet understand. There’s a school nearby, a place where humans like you learn to live among us without even knowing it.”

Emilia blinked, her mind racing as she tried to piece together what he was saying. “A school? For... werewolves?”

He nodded. “It’s not just for werewolves. It’s for humans, too, those who are close to us, whether they realize it or not. It’s where you’ve been studying all along, Aria. You just didn’t know the truth.”

A wave of confusion and disbelief washed over her. The school... But that was impossible. She was just a regular university student. She had no idea about any school for werewolves.

Before she could ask more, Ethan stood up and moved to the window, looking out into the night. His posture was tense, his expression unreadable. "Viktor is a threat, but the real danger... is what’s coming next."

Aria watched him, feeling both scared and strangely comforted by his presence. She didn’t know what the future held, or how her life had suddenly been turned upside down. But with Ethan beside her, she knew one thing for sure. Her life would never be the same again.