Aria I sucked in a sharp breath as I wrapped the bandage tightly around my calf, trying not to focus on the angry red puncture wounds beneath the gauze. The bite from yesterday still throbbed, sending sharp jolts of pain down my leg every time I moved. “You can take today off,” Darren’s text had
With that, Liam hit ‘play’ and the footage began to roll. For the longest time, the lab was empty. Everything was as it should be. But then… One night, two figures walked into the lab—a man and a woman in ski masks and dark clothing. They weren’t alone. A scraggly stray dog followed them, led
Aria With two steaming cups of chamomile tea balanced in my arms, I reached out and knocked on the door to Darren’s office. There was a bit of a pause before he called out. “Come in.” His voice sounded gruff and tired, like he hadn’t slept all night. I nudged the door open with my shoulder and
“They trust me not to act rashly. If I made a decision like this, then they’ll know that it wasn’t for nothing.” He turned slightly, casting me a brief glance over his shoulder. “My son could have gotten hurt if it weren’t for you. Thank you.” “It was nothing,” I replied quickly, rising. I winced
Aria The office felt different the next morning. It felt lighter, thanks to Sarah and Arthur’s absence. For the first time in what felt like ages, I made my way into work feeling ready to take on the day, rather than fearful of what sort of shit those two might stir up. As I made my way to my de
“I should, uh... I should get back to work,” I said, forcing a tiny smile before quickly turning away and wishing I could just shrink into oblivion. What had gotten into me? “Aria...” The way he said my name made my heart stutter, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn around. I hurried past him, fee
Aria Sarah’s accusation hit me like a knife to the gut. “She’s the one who attacked me!” “Attacked you?” I sputtered. “What the hell are you talking about, Sarah?” She pointed at the angry bruise on her face. “Don’t play stupid, Aria. You followed me home last night, and for what? You alread
With that, I let my skirt fall back into place. “Or how about the time you cornered me in the barn?” My voice wavered, the memory of that day clawing its way to the surface yet again. “You attacked me, and if it weren’t for that stray dog I’d been feeding, you would’ve really hurt me that day.” Fo
Darren nodded to him. “You, go to the medical tent and have that bite looked at,” he instructed. “The rest of you, disperse. This is not a spectacle.”The werewolves obeyed, although reluctantly, many casting wary glances at the woman and her dog as they left. The humans lingered longer, eyeing us w
AriaI woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains, the events of the previous night slowly trickling into my memory. My left hand felt heavier than usual, and I lifted it to see the moonstone ring catching the morning light as I turned my fingers. The sight of it made my heart swell.Darren had
“Come on,” Darren said, taking my hand. “Let’s join them.”“But you know how I’m a terrible dancer,” I protested halfheartedly.He grinned, already pulling me toward the dancers. “Trust me, I know. But I’ll lead.”And he did, his hand warm at the small of my back as we moved among the others. For a
AriaWe led the wary and tired refugees into the village, showing them around the temporary shelters, village, and pack house. Humans and werewolves alike eyed each other suspiciously, but that was to be expected. This was a big change for everyone.“There might be more coming,” Bella murmured as we
When Darren stood to address the crowd, a hush fell over the room. He explained the situation in the city, the violence that had erupted, and finally, our proposal to offer sanctuary to those affected—human and werewolf alike.The reaction was immediate. Some voices rose in support, but many more sh
AriaThe footage playing on Darren’s laptop made my stomach churn. Lunar Labs had been reduced to smoldering ruins. The lab equipment was smashed, documents scattered and burned, walls blackened by fire.But worst of all were the messages spray-painted across what remained of the walls: “WOLF KILLER
“I was gathering footage for the documentary,” she began. “I wanted some shots of the forest at sunset. My crew had already headed back to the pack, but I stayed behind.” She swallowed hard. “And then I saw a man. A human man.”Darren and I exchanged wary glances. Alfira went on, “He was just... sta
AriaBy the time we reached the pack house, Alfira fading in and out of consciousness in Darren’s arms, the local doctor was already waiting for us at the front door. Darren whisked Alfira inside to be examined, and I followed, Lucas trailing behind me.The infirmary was a small room on the first fl
AriaThe moment I realized Lucas was gone, my heart stopped in my chest. One second, he was laughing with the other kids near the edge of the village square, playing make-believe knights with sticks as swords.And then the next moment, he was nowhere to be seen. My stomach dropped, a cold wave of dr