THE LOST PRINCESS:His rejected mate

The Threat

Aria sat stiffly on the hard wooden chair, the interrogation room silent except for the soft creak of the door hinges as they settled back into place. The torch flickered against the walls, throwing uneven shadows across her pale, tired face.

Her hands fidgeted in her lap. She had replayed Leon’s words over and over in her head, the way he had studied her, measured her, and seen through her lies. And then… he had left.

“We’re not finished.”

The memory of his eyes lingered, sharp and unreadable. He had promised he would return.

Now, alone, she felt the weight of the walls pressing in.

A soft rap at the door startled her.

“Aria,” Damon’s voice said from the other side. “Can I come in?”

She hesitated. “Why?”

“You need to know what’s happening. … listen, okay?”

She didn’t answer, just nodded silently. The guard moved aside, and Damon stepped in, glancing around nervously.

“The scouts—they spotted movement at the north tree line. Not animals.”

Aria’s heart thumped. “Rogues?”

“Yes.” Damon’s jaw tightened. “Too many for a small raid. They’re organized… moving in waves. I don’t know exactly what they want, but… they’re closing in.”

Aria swallowed hard, the weight of the words pressing against her chest. “And Leon…?”

“He went to assess the border. He left me here with you. He’s coming back. He always keeps his word.”

Her pulse quickened. She didn’t feel reassured.

“How long do we have?” she asked.

“Not long,” Damon admitted. “Minutes. Maybe an hour. Maybe less. It depends if the rogues change strategy.”

Aria’s fists clenched in her lap. Her mind raced. Her body felt trapped and useless, and the fire of frustration and fear flared within her.

“So… I just wait here?” she asked bitterly.

“For now,” Damon said. “Yes. But listen… if they break through before Leon returns, you need to be ready. I don’t know what kind of orders he’ll leave behind. He trusts you, though. He knows you can survive this.”

Aria blinked at him. “Survive… or die trying?”

Damon didn’t answer. His eyes softened briefly before hardening again.

“I’ll check on the perimeter, then report back. Keep your head down. Don’t make a sound.”

He slipped out, leaving Aria in silence again.

The wind howled faintly outside, carrying the distant sound of branches snapping, leaves rustling—movement. Aria’s ears strained. Every sound made her stomach twist.

Minutes passed. Then… a faint horn sounded from the edge of the border. Then another. Then another.

Warning signals.

Aria’s chest tightened. She had never imagined danger could feel this close, this immediate. Every instinct in her told her to run, to vanish into the shadows. But there was nowhere to go. The walls around her were too thick. The guards outside… she didn’t know if they could stop the rogues, or if the rogues would even listen.

She pressed her hands against the table, trying to steady herself.

A sudden banging on the main door made her jump.

“Aria!” Damon’s voice called again. “We’re holding them… for now. But they’re testing the gates. If anything changes, I’ll come back.”

She nodded mutely, biting her lip.

Outside, the shouting started. Low, guttural. Not words she could understand—just sounds of warning and rage. The rogues were closer than she had imagined. Her pulse throbbed in her ears.

Why me? she thought bitterly. Why do they want me?

Her gaze fell on the dagger Leon had left on the table, small and sharp. It wasn’t much, but it felt like a lifeline. She picked it up, fingers trembling, weighing it in her hand.

The door rattled again. She flinched.

“Focus,” she whispered to herself. “Just… focus.”

A horn blasted outside—a longer, more urgent signal. The sound reverberated through the walls. The rogues were moving into the perimeter. The attack had begun.

Aria pressed her back against the wall, trying to make herself small. Every instinct screamed at her: run, fight, hide. She wasn’t a wolf yet. She hadn’t shifted. She was just… her. A girl with a dagger and fear.

But fear wasn’t enough to stop her.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor. Then a voice — one of the guards outside shouting orders:

“Hold your positions! Don’t let them breach the gates!”

Aria’s pulse surged. The chaos outside reminded her: survival wasn’t just about hiding anymore. It was about enduring. She had been rejected, exiled, and left alone, but if she could survive this… maybe, just maybe, she could endure anything.

The door rattled again. The sound of the rogues testing the walls, testing the patience of the defenders. Aria gripped the dagger tighter.

Leon said he’d come back. She reminded herself. He’s coming back.