CHAPTER 5

Chapter 5: Shadows of Betrayal

ARIA POV

I entered the courtyard in the brisk morning air, still troubled by the Moon Goddess's enigmatic warnings. I became acutely aware of the faces surrounding me as every whispered word stuck to me like a second skin. "Trust your gut," she had said. Those closest to you should be avoided.

From the training grounds came a faint murmur of voices, urgent yet subdued. My intuition became more acute, and I slipped into the barracks' shade and off the main route.

It wasn't meant to go that far, I assure you.

The voice was deep and strange, bearing the weight of an unimaginable entity.

"You believe I'm unaware of that?" Another, harsher, angrier voice answered. However, the Alpha issued the directive. We took the necessary action.

My veins became icy with frigid blood. As they spoke, I came in closer, leaning my back against the hard stone wall.

The first voice said, "She didn't deserve it." "The girl... she believed in us."

"She posed a danger," the second voice yelled. "And she would have destroyed everything if she had discovered the truth."

I took a deep breath and swallowed. I mean, how could they possibly be discussing me?

The first speaker questioned, "You think she's onto us?"

"It doesn't matter," said the second. "She is no longer a concern for us. Darius took care of it. Or so he believed.

My knees almost gave out. Darius?

"So why are rumors that she will return circulating?" The first speaker pushed, a hint of anxiety in his voice.

A lengthy silence ensued, laden with ramifications. Finally, the second voice said, "If that's true, then we've got bigger problems." And this time, she poses a danger to all of us, not just Darius.

The two voices became quiet when a piercing clang broke the mood. I slipped behind the corner as two pack warriors with sad faces came out of the training grounds. They walked by without seeing me, their words lingering like a storm cloud, their talk already forgotten.

Struggling to keep my breathing regular, I put a palm to my chest. It had not been an accident that I had died. It had not even been a heedless act of treachery. It was prearranged.

And Darius had participated in it.

I pushed myself to proceed even though the realization was threatening to break me. Standing still in terror would not lead to answers.

I was startled back to reality by the distant cry of a wolf. It was a warning sound rather than one of victory. Once again, the rogues were near.

I started running and made my way to the middle hall, where Killian was probably. After hearing that talk, I was unable to trust anybody else, even though I detested the thought of depending on him.

As I got closer to the main hall, the smell of iron and burning wood flooded my senses. The entry guards were so preoccupied with the growing hostility between the wolves that they hardly gave me a look.

The air within was heavy with anxiety. Killian argued with one of his lieutenants while standing at the far end of the room with his arms folded. Despite the turmoil, his tall size and keen features made him a captivating presence.

His cold blue eyes narrowed as he saw me. "You appear to have seen a ghost."

I tried to sound cool, but my voice was shaking as I answered, "Not a ghost." "A plot."

He gestured for his lieutenant to go, raising an eyebrow. "Continue."

I paused and looked around the room. "Not in this place."

He guided me to a smaller room off the main hall without saying anything. His look was opaque as he leaned against the wall after the door had been closed. "Speak."

I gave a detailed account of what I had heard. As I spoke, his jaw tensed, and his eyes flickered with something menacing.

When I was done, he continued, "So, someone in your pack wanted you dead." "And now you believe they are pursuing you once more."

My palms clenched into fists as I nodded. "They are; I don't simply think so. And they're doing it by utilizing rogues.

Killian looked at me intently for a time. "You understand that this puts me in a challenging situation."

I said, "I didn't come here to make things easier for you." "You are the only one who has no motive to kill me, which is why I came."

Although it didn't reach his eyes, he grinned. "You're not incorrect."

Another wolf, closer than the previous, howled in the distance, piercing the atmosphere. Killian's face hardened as he straightened.

He shouted, "They're here," and walked up to the window.

My heart sank as I followed his gaze and saw the dark figures shifting at the forest's edge.

I replied, "We don't have time for this." "You'll need to decide now if you want my assistance."

His eyes met mine as he turned to face me. "And which option is that?"

"To keep me safe," I answered forcefully. "Or to let me deal with this alone."

Killian took a step forward, his heat almost overpowering. "Ariana, do you want protection? After that, we do it my way.

"What direction is that?" My question was hardly audible above a whisper.

A sly smirk curved his lips as he drew closer. "You do your share. Be my partner.

The ramifications of the statements were as weighty as the storm that was building outside.

A warrior rushed in with a look of terror on his face as the door sprang open before I could react.

His voice trembled as he said, "They've broken through the perimeter." "And they're pursuing her."

Killian's smile turned to a lethal seriousness as his eyes suddenly met mine. "It appears that your decision has become much more difficult."

And as the screams became more intense and the shadows drew nearer, I understood that there was nothing I could do to avoid the danger that was pursuing me.