Aria ran through the darkened forest, her breath ragged and her heartbeat a deafening roar in her ears. The prophecy Kael spoke of wasn't new to her—she had heard it before.
Long ago.
Back when she was still trapped in the nightmare that was her old pack.
She had buried it deep, convinced it was nothing more than a cruel story meant to scare her. But now?
Now, she had to face it.
The only one who could give her answers was Kael's grandmother, the old witch who had sealed his fate centuries ago.
She wasn't even sure how she knew where to go, but something inside her—an unseen force guiding her steps—pulled her forward.
But she wasn't alone.
The wind shifted, and her senses flared.
Something—or someone—was watching her.
She stopped, inhaling deeply, catching a familiar scent. A scent that sent a cold shiver down her spine.
Then, a voice.
"You shouldn't be here, little wolf."
Aria froze.
The voice was smooth, laced with amusement. Mocking.
She turned toward the trees, eyes narrowing as a shadowy figure stepped into the moonlight.
Caleb.
Her former mate. The one who had rejected her.
His golden eyes gleamed with something unreadable, his smirk confident, as if he had been expecting her.
"Running off into the woods alone at night?" Caleb tsked. "That's dangerous, don't you think?"
Aria clenched her fists. "Stay out of my way."
Caleb raised a brow, clearly entertained. "And where exactly are you going in such a hurry?"
She didn't answer.
He took a slow step forward. "You're looking for the witch, aren't you?"
Aria's pulse quickened.
He knew.
Of course, he knew.
Caleb was the Beta of her old pack—the one who had always been one step ahead of her, the one who had manipulated and tormented her in ways no one else had.
She hated him.
And yet, he still had the nerve to act as if they were playing some kind of game.
Caleb sighed dramatically. "Poor, foolish Aria. Do you really think you'll find answers there?"
Her jaw tightened.
She didn't care what he thought.
She shoved past him, but he caught her wrist, his grip like iron.
"Let go," she growled.
His eyes darkened. "You're making a mistake."
Aria yanked free, her power flaring beneath her skin. "No. The mistake was ever trusting you."
Then, before he could stop her, she ran.
Caleb didn't chase her.
But his voice followed, drifting through the trees like a curse.
"She won't tell you what you want to hear."
Aria didn't look back.
She would find the truth herself.
---
The Witch's Cabin
By the time Aria reached the base of the mountains, the sky had begun to shift, the edges of dawn creeping in.
Her legs ached, but she didn't stop.
The air grew thick with the scent of herbs and magic, the kind that made her wolf restless.
She was close.
A small, weathered cabin came into view, smoke curling from its chimney. The door creaked open before she could knock.
Inside, an old woman sat near the fire, her silver eyes gleaming with knowing.
"You're late."
Aria hesitated at the threshold.
The witch gestured to the chair across from her. "Sit, child. I've been expecting you."
Aria stepped inside cautiously, the warmth of the fire doing little to ease her nerves.
The old woman studied her for a long moment before speaking.
"You know the prophecy."
It wasn't a question.
Aria swallowed. "Is it true?"
The witch's lips curled. "All prophecies are true… in some way."
Aria's fingers curled into fists. "That's not an answer."
The old woman sighed, stirring something in a pot over the fire. "You seek the truth, but you already know it."
Aria's breath hitched.
The witch's gaze lifted, locking onto hers. "You've always known, haven't you?"
A shudder ran through Aria.
Yes.
Deep down, she had.
She had spent years denying it, running from it.
But the moment she met Kael, the truth had started unraveling.
And now?
Now, she could no longer look away.
The witch leaned forward, her voice barely above a whisper.
"There are two paths before you, child. One leads to love. The other…"
She trailed off, letting the silence speak for itself.
Aria's heart pounded.
The other leads to death.
She already knew which one the world expected her to take.
She just didn't know if she had the strength to fight it.