The forest no longer feels empty.
It breathes with whispers… with movement… with watching eyes.
Aria stands at the center of a hidden clearing, the night cloaked in silence except for the soft rustling of leaves. One by one, they emerge from the shadows—Alphas, Betas, warriors—leaders of packs long thought neutral… or too afraid to choose a side.
Now, they kneel.
Not to tradition.
But to her.
“This is madness,” one Alpha mutters, though he still bows his head. “If the Council discovers this—”
“They will,” another interrupts grimly. “It’s only a matter of time.”
Aria says nothing at first. She studies them, her gaze sharp, unreadable. These are not loyal followers. Not yet.
They are desperate.
And desperation is dangerous.
“Then we don’t give them time,” she finally says, her voi
