The forest held its breath.
Red eyes glowed between the trees like scattered embers in the darkness. They moved slowly, circling the pack grounds, patient and deliberate.
Aria felt the weight of their gaze even from where she stood.
Her wrist pulsed again.
Hot.
Bright.
Alpha Kael stepped forward, his tall frame standing like a wall between Aria and the approaching wolves. The warriors formed a line beside him, their bodies tense, ready to shift at a moment's notice.
No one spoke.
The only sound was the wind whispering through the leaves.
Then a wolf stepped out from the trees.
He shifted mid-step, bones twisting until a tall man stood where the wolf had been. His armor bore the same red crescent symbol Aria had seen carved into the tree earlier.
Magnus's symbol.
The soldier smiled slowly.
"Well," he said, spreading his arms slightly. "This must be Alpha Kael's territory."
Kael's silver eyes burned with controlled fury.
"You are trespassing."
The soldier tilted his head.
"And you must be Kael."
He studied the warriors, then his eyes moved to Aria.
The moment he saw the glowing mark on her wrist—
His smile widened.
"Ah."
There was something deeply unsettling about the way he said it.
"So the rumors are true."
Kael's voice dropped into a dangerous growl.
"Speak your purpose and leave."
The soldier laughed softly.
"You really think I came here to leave?"
Behind him, more wolves stepped from the shadows.
Five.
Then eight.
Then twelve.
The pack warriors tensed.
Aria felt the air grow colder.
Ikechukwu stepped quietly beside her, his wooden staff resting against his shoulder.
"Oga Alpha," he said calmly.
Kael sighed without looking at him.
"Translate."
"It means you may soon have a small problem."
Kael smirked slightly.
"Small?"
Ikechukwu shrugged.
"I am trying to stay positive."
The soldier chuckled.
"You must be the traveler."
Ikechukwu raised an eyebrow.
"And you must be the one who enjoys standing in places he was not invited."
The soldier's smile faded slightly.
"Careful."
Ikechukwu leaned lightly on his staff.
"My friend, if I were careful all the time, life would be very boring."
Aria almost smiled despite the tension.
But the soldier's attention returned to her quickly.
"Magnus will be very pleased," he said quietly.
Kael's patience snapped.
"You will not speak his name again."
The soldier raised his hands mockingly.
"Relax, Alpha."
Then his voice lowered.
"We didn't come to fight your entire pack tonight."
Kael frowned slightly.
"Then why are you here?"
The soldier's eyes gleamed.
"To deliver a message."
The wind suddenly grew stronger.
Leaves scattered across the clearing.
The soldier looked directly at Aria.
"Alpha Magnus sends his regards."
Aria's stomach tightened.
"And he says…"
The man's voice grew colder.
"The Moon Vessel belongs to him."
Kael moved so fast the air cracked.
In an instant he was in front of the soldier, gripping his throat with terrifying strength.
The warriors behind the man growled.
But none of them moved.
Kael's silver eyes burned like molten steel.
"You will take a message back to Magnus."
The soldier struggled slightly but continued smiling.
"Oh?"
Kael's voice became ice.
"If he wants the Moon Vessel…"
His grip tightened.
"…he will have to take her from me."
For a moment the clearing was completely silent.
Then Ikechukwu chuckled softly.
"Hmm."
Kael shot him a look.
"What?"
Ikechukwu smiled.
"In my country, we say something when two stubborn men meet."
Kael sighed again.
"Translate."
"It means the ground is about to shake."
The soldier laughed even as Kael held him.
"Good."
His red eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Magnus loves a challenge."
Kael released him suddenly, throwing him backward.
The man landed easily on his feet.
He looked around the clearing once more before stepping back toward the forest.
"This was only the first visit."
His gaze returned to Aria.
"The next time we come…"
More wolves began shifting back into the trees.
"…we will not come to talk."
Within seconds they vanished into the forest.
Silence returned again.
The warriors remained tense.
Aria looked at Kael.
"They're not afraid of us."
Kael watched the dark forest carefully.
"No."
Ikechukwu tapped his staff lightly on the ground.
"That is because they believe they are winning."
Aria felt the mark on her wrist pulse again.
"But they're wrong," she said quietly.
Kael glanced at her.
"Oh?"
Aria lifted her glowing wrist slightly.
"The moon chose me for a reason."
Ikechukwu smiled faintly.
"Now you are beginning to understand."
The wind blew through the trees once more.
But this time—
It carried the scent of war.