The forest feels alive.
Not with nature—
But with control.
Hundreds of wolves stand in silence, their eyes empty, their bodies still. No growls. No shifting. No hesitation.
Just waiting.
Waiting for him.
Aria stands at the center, her silver aura flickering—not weak, but strained. For the first time since her awakening, her power doesn’t feel limitless.
It feels… tested.
Kael steps closer, his voice low but urgent. “We can’t fight all of them. Not like this.”
Aria doesn’t respond immediately.
Because she knows he’s right.
This isn’t a battlefield.
It’s a trap.
The man watches her carefully, studying every reaction, every shift in her energy.
“You’re beginning to understand,” he says softly. “Strength alone cannot save you here.”
Aria’s eyes narrow.
“Then what do you want?”
