Chapter 16

ARIA'S POV

I blinked slowly, allowing my eyes to adjust to the soft light coming through the unfamiliar curtains.

For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was or how I had gotten there. Then, as the fog of sleep cleared, I realized I wasn't alone.

Gathered around my bed were familiar faces I hadn't seen in years - my father and the highest-ranking elders of our wolf tribe. They all looked at me with a mixture of worry and relief.

"Aria," my father's deep voice rumbled, filled with emotion. "You're finally awake."

I tried to sit up, but my body felt heavy and slow. "Dad? What... what's going on?"

He leaned forward and took my hand in his. His touch was warm, familiar, yet strange after so long apart. "You've been out for a while, sweetheart. We were starting to worry."

Elder Marissa greeted with a warm smile. "It's good to have you back, child. The pack hasn't been the same without you."

"Yeah," Elder John chimed in, his usually hard voice softening. "It's been downright boring around