The moment the words left his mouth, something inside Aria shattered. “No… this is the system activating.”
A violent force slammed into her chest. Aria gasped, her body jerking mid-air as her power twisted around her, no longer a willing ally. The energy that once obeyed her now coiled with intent.
“What did you do to me?” she demanded, her voice cracking under the pressure.
The man stood unfazed. “I did nothing,” he replied. “This has always been inside you.” Aria’s breath quickened.
That was when she felt it. Something cold slithered beneath her skin. Not her power. Not her wolf. Something else.
It coursed through her veins, lurking, waiting. “Get out,” she whispered, her voice trembling. It ignored her. A voice sliced through her mind.
“System active.”
Her entire body tensed.
