Chapter 2 Chap: The Hunted

Aria's paws pounded the forest floor, every heartbeat a frantic drum in her chest. Behind her, the black wolves howled, their snarls slicing through the night air. She didn't need to look back to know they were close-she could feel them, breathing down her neck.

The scent of blood, moss, and sweat filled her nose. Her muscles screamed, lungs burned. Still, she ran.

Up ahead, a break in the trees-moonlight spilling into a clearing like a spotlight from the heavens.

She pushed harder.

The moment she broke through, she spotted it: a narrow stream, cold and fast-moving, winding through the grass like a silver snake. Without hesitation, she leapt into the icy water, the chill biting into her bones. But it masked her scent. It bought her time.

She fought the current, heart thundering as the wolves paced the banks, growling in frustration. Their howls echoed behind her, furious and hungry.

Rounding a bend, she spotted shelter-jagged rocks and thick brush. A perfect hiding spot. She climbed out of the water, dripping and breathless.

Then she saw him.

A tall figure stood just beyond the thicket, bow slung across his shoulder, eyes sharp and scanning the dark.

Kael.

He hadn't noticed her-or the pack.

She didn't get a chance to warn him.

The wolves burst from the trees.

Kael spun, instincts flaring. His hand moved fast-arrow drawn, loosed. The string snapped with a sharp twang. One of the wolves yelped and dropped.

The others hesitated.

It was enough.

Aria stumbled forward, soaked and shivering, her voice barely a rasp. "Thank you."

Kael didn't lower his bow. His face was hard, unreadable. "Don't thank me yet. That arrow wasn't for you-it was for my dinner. You just ruined my hunt."

Aria flinched. "I didn't mean to-"

He sighed and finally relaxed, lowering the weapon. "Not your fault. I saw it. They were after you."

Her eyes met his. There was no judgment there, just curiosity-and something else. A flicker of understanding. Of instinct.

Kael's voice dropped, more serious now. "What did you do to draw them in?"

Aria hesitated. "I didn't... I mean-I didn't do anything. They're not just any wolves. They're Malakai's pack."

That name made his eyes narrow.

Before he could ask more, the distant howls rose again, echoing through the trees.

Kael turned toward the forest. "We have to move. Now."

She followed without question, her legs aching, her mind spinning. They slipped through the underbrush in silence, shadows stretching long under the moonlight. The forest felt like it was holding its breath.

Twigs snapped underfoot. Leaves brushed their shoulders. The only sounds were the rustle of movement and the occasional whisper of wind through the pines.

Finally, after what felt like miles, Kael led her to a waterfall. Behind it, mostly hidden, was a narrow opening in the rock.

A cave.

She followed him inside, ducking through the mist. The chamber beyond opened wide, its walls glittering with faint crystal under the warm glow of a fire.

A boy sat beside it.

He looked up the second they entered-young, alert, and eerily similar to Kael.

"Brother," he said, standing quickly. "Who is she?"

Kael stepped in beside her. "This is Aria. She's being hunted. I wasn't going to leave her out there."

Aria swallowed hard. She didn't want to speak, didn't want to relive it-but the words came anyway.

She told them everything.

Malakai. The attack. Her parents. The throne. The blood.

As she spoke, the warmth of the fire didn't touch her. Her hands trembled. Her voice cracked. But neither Kael nor the boy-Kieran-looked away. They listened. Really listened.

When she finished, the silence was heavy.

Then Kieran stepped forward.

"I'm Kieran," he said, his gaze steady. "And we're not letting you face him alone."

Kael nodded, the hardness in his expression softening just slightly. "You're safe here for now. Rest. We'll hunt. We'll plan. You're not alone anymore."