THE ALPHA WHO REJECTED ME

THE AWAKING

Chapter 2

third person pov

Aria woke up with a sharp breath, her eyes opening suddenly as she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above her. For a few seconds, she couldn't remember where she was. The room was quiet, but the sound of rain still echoed faintly outside. She tried to sit up, only to feel a strange weakness spread through her body.

The last thing she remembered was the forest, the creature, and the man in black standing between her and the danger. She remembered being pulled behind him, the terrifying eyes of the creature, and that strange voice inside her head telling her to run. Then everything had gone black.

Aria slowly looked around the room. She was lying on a large bed covered with a dark blanket. The walls were made of gray stone, and a small fireplace burned quietly on the other side of the room. Her jacket was gone, and someone had placed a clean blanket over her. She immediately wondered where she was and, more importantly, who had brought her there.

She pushed herself out of bed and almost fell when her feet touched the floor. Her head felt heavy, and for a moment the room seemed to spin. She grabbed the edge of the bed and waited until the dizziness disappeared. Something felt different about her body, but she couldn't explain what it was.

A soft sound came from the other side of the door.

Aria froze.

The door opened slowly, and the man from the forest stepped inside. He was no longer standing in the rain, but his expression was just as serious. His dark clothes were dry, and a small cut could be seen near his eyebrow. The moment Aria saw him, the memories of the previous night came rushing back.

She immediately stepped away from him and demanded to know where she was. The man didn't answer at first. Instead, he studied her carefully, as if he was trying to understand something about her. When he finally told her that she was safe, Aria didn't believe him.

Safe was the last word she would use to describe the situation.

She demanded to know what had happened in the forest, but he simply told her that she had been unconscious for several hours. Aria's eyes widened when she heard that. She remembered it being night, but she had no idea how much time had passed.

Then she remembered the creature.

Her voice became quieter as she asked what that thing was.

The man's expression changed immediately. He looked toward the door before returning his attention to her. He told her that there were things in the forest that normal people were never supposed to see, and Aria realized that he was carefully avoiding the truth.

She shook her head and insisted that she had seen the creature clearly. It had been huge, fast, and terrifying. More importantly, she had felt something inside her react to it.

The man took a slow breath and finally introduced himself as Kai. He told her that she had been lucky because he had arrived before the creature could reach her.

Aria wanted to thank him, but another question was already bothering her. She wanted to know why he had been in the forest in the first place.

Kai's silence was enough to make her suspicious.

Before she could question him again, a loud sound came from somewhere outside the room. It sounded like a distant howl, and the moment Aria heard it, her entire body went stiff.

The strange voice inside her head returned.

Run.

Aria's breathing became faster. She pressed a hand against her chest and tried to understand what was happening. Kai noticed the change in her immediately and stepped closer, asking if she could hear something.

Aria looked at him in confusion. She hadn't told him about the voice, yet the look on his face suggested that he already knew.

She asked him how he knew.

Kai stared at her for several seconds before quietly admitting that he had been afraid this would happen.

Aria felt a chill run through her.

She demanded an explanation, but Kai only told her that the forest had not attacked her by accident. Whatever had happened the night before had happened because something had recognized her.

Aria's heart began pounding again as she asked what could possibly recognize her.

Kai looked directly into her eyes and said that the answer was something she had spent her entire life believing did not exist.

Before Aria could ask what he meant, another howl shook the night outside.

This time, the voice inside her head didn't tell her to run.

It whispered her name.

Aria.