Chapter 4 Four

Aria's POV

The night was cold, and the stars were hidden behind clouded skies as the rain threatened to fall.

The forest was terrifying at night, and my eyes stayed sharp as I made my way through twisted branches and looming trees.

The hoot of a night owl startled me so badly I almost screamed, but the bird vanished into the shadows.

I had no clue where I was going. This was my first time outside my own pack alone and worst of all, right in the heart of the forest.

How my father didn't object to Killian's decision was beyond me, but maybe he understood the cost of disobeying his Alpha.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden snap of a branch. My heart began to pound in my chest as I scanned my surroundings.

"Who... Who's there?" I stammered.

From the corner of my eye, I caught the movement of a shadow slipping between the trees, and panic set in. My legs trembled beneath me.

"Ah!" I screamed the moment my eyes caught a glint of something metallic nestled in the branches. More of those glints appeared, and then I heard the sound of footsteps closing in.

My breath caught in my throat as I realized what I was facing wolves. But not just any wolf rogues. Their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, fixed on me like I was their next meal.

"Please, don't kill me," I pleaded, stumbling backward as they approached slowly, deliberately, like predators enjoying their hunt.

My foot snagged on something, and I fell hard onto the forest floor. Pain shot through my side, but I scrambled to turn and found myself completely surrounded.

A loud crash echoed nearby, and the rogues turned toward the noise.

From the thick bushes, a massive white wolf burst out, crashing into one of the rogues and snapping its neck with terrifying force. The others lunged, but the white wolf tore through them with ease.

Shakily, I rose to my feet, eyes fixed on the creature. It turned its gaze on me before shifting into human form.

A pale woman in a flowing white gown emerged, her eyes locked on mine with a strange gentleness. She smiled.

"You look exhausted," she said softly after examining my face.

"Who are you?" I asked, still breathless.

"You'll find out soon enough. Right now, you're weak and still shaken by the attack. Come with me," she offered and turned to walk away.

I didn't move.

She paused and looked back. "My name is Morgana. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it already after I killed those rogues. You're safe."

Something inside me wanted to trust her, even though every rational part of me screamed to run.

In the end, I followed her.

We journeyed deeper into the forest until we arrived at a small hut. There was something unsettling about it, but I needed shelter and right now, that was all that mattered.

"Have a seat. I'll fetch you some water to wash off the dirt," Morgana said with a smile as she disappeared into the next room.

I used the moment to scan the room, looking for any clue that might reveal who or what she really was. But nothing stood out... until my eyes landed on a staff in the corner. An owl was perched on its top.

There was only one explanation for this eerie decoration.

She was a witch.

There was no way I could stay. I'd already faced one witch before and I knew just how dangerous they could be.

I got up quietly and tiptoed out of the hut, sprinting into the bush in search of safety.

My steps quickened, my hands parting the leaves blocking my path. That was until I crashed straight into something solid.

Or... someone.

I looked up and froze.

It wasn't a tree I had bumped into. Morgana stared down at me, disappointment flickering in her eyes.

"Is your trust really that fragile? After I saved your life?" she said, shaking her head.

"You're a witch," I said flatly. "Why should I trust a witch?"

"Because I saved you," she replied calmly. "You must have been fed lies. Not all witches are evil."

Morgana extended her hand. "You either come with me, or you take your chances out here with the rogues."

I didn't want to die. And whether I liked it or not I needed help.

"Please, I..."

"You're pregnant. I know," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "And that's why I want to help you. A child can't grow inside a mother who's running for her life."

That was all it took. I followed her back to the hut. She handed me a cup of tea.

"It'll give you strength," she said.

I sniffed it, glancing up at Morgana with suspicion.

She rolled her eyes and took a sip from her own cup.

"Which witch made you this scared?" she asked, watching as I hesitantly took a sip.

"The one who stole my fiancé and lied to everyone that they were mates," I replied bitterly, the memory of Seraphina stinging like a wound that hadn't healed.

"Wait... You're talking about *Seraphina*?"

I stared at her, stunned. "How do you know her?"

Morgana set her cup down and met my gaze. "Because Seraphina and I were from the same covenant. I broke away from her the moment I saw the darkness she was chasing. It didn't sit right with me."

"Tell me more," I urged, fully alert now.

"South Park Coven was once the strongest of all covenants. We had everything we needed to thrive but territory was always our weakness," she explained.

"What do you mean by territory?" I asked.

"I left because more witches were joining the coven, and Seraphina started convincing them we could take over a pack's land."

My eyes widened.

Her words meant only one thing.

Seraphina didn't just lie about being Killian's mate; she was planning to invade the pack with her kind.