THE EYES IN THE FOREST
Aria stood still for several seconds after hearing the voice.
Her fingers tightened around the empty basket she was holding. The cold morning air brushed against her skin, but the strange feeling crawling down her spine had nothing to do with the weather.
The forest ahead of her looked the same as it always did.
Tall pine trees.
Thick shadows.
Fallen leaves covering the ground.
Yet something felt different.
Aria slowly stepped forward, her eyes scanning the dark line of trees.
"Hello?" she called out quietly.
Her voice sounded small.
The wind moved gently through the branches, making them sway and whisper, but nothing answered her.
She waited.
One minute.
Two.
Nothing.
Aria frowned slightly.
Maybe she had imagined it.
She had been tired lately. With the Moon Ceremony coming, everyone in the pack had been giving her more work than usual.
Cooking.
Cleaning.
Running errands.
Preparing decorations.
Perhaps her mind was simply playing tricks on her.
Still, that strange feeling refused to leave.
The feeling that someone had been watching her.
Aria shook her head and forced herself to move again. Standing outside doing nothing would only get her into trouble.
She began walking toward the smaller building beside the pack house where the laundry room was located.
The wooden door creaked softly as she pushed it open.
Inside, the room smelled faintly of soap and fresh water. Sunlight slipped through the narrow window and fell across the long table where piles of clothing were already waiting to be washed.
Aria placed the empty basket down and sighed quietly.
More work.
She rolled up her sleeves and dipped a cloth into the tub of water.
The cold water made her fingers sting, but she ignored it and started scrubbing.
As her hands moved automatically, her thoughts slowly drifted back to what Lila had said earlier.
The Moon Ceremony is tomorrow night.
Excitement had been spreading through the entire pack for days.
Young wolves whispered about their possible mates.
Some were nervous.
Some were confident.
Others had already convinced themselves they knew exactly who their mate would be.
Aria had listened to those conversations silently while sweeping floors or carrying supplies.
No one ever asked her what she thought.
Why would they?
Everyone believed the same thing.
A girl without a wolf could not have a mate.
She pushed the thought away and continued washing.
One shirt.
Two.
Three.
Time passed slowly.
Outside, the sounds of the pack moving through their daily routine drifted faintly through the window.
Training.
Talking.
Laughter.
Aria worked quietly through it all.
Eventually, the pile of clothes beside her began to grow smaller.
She reached for the last piece of clothing in the basket.
A deep black cloak.
Aria paused.
This cloak didn't belong to anyone she recognized.
The fabric felt heavy and expensive beneath her fingers, softer than anything the pack usually wore.
She frowned slightly.
"Who does this belong to...?"
She turned the cloak over, looking for a mark or symbol.
And then she saw it.
Embroidered carefully near the collar was a symbol she had never seen before.
A silver crown.
And beneath it-
A crescent moon.
Aria's heartbeat quickened.
Something about the symbol felt... important.
Powerful.
Almost royal.
But before she could think about it longer-
The laundry room door suddenly opened.
Aria quickly looked up.
Lila stood there, her expression impatient.
"Why are you moving so slowly?" she demanded.
Aria immediately lowered the cloak.
"I'm almost finished."
Lila stepped inside and glanced around the room.
Her eyes suddenly landed on the black cloak in Aria's hands.
For a brief moment-
Something like shock flashed across her face.
Then it disappeared just as quickly.
"Where did you get that?" Lila asked sharply.
"It was in the laundry basket," Aria replied.
Lila walked forward and snatched the cloak from her hands.
"You're not supposed to touch this."
Aria blinked in confusion.
"I didn't know-"
"Of course you didn't," Lila cut her off. "Just focus on the work you're actually capable of."
She folded the cloak carefully over her arm.
For some reason, she suddenly looked nervous.
Almost uneasy.
Aria noticed the change but said nothing.
Lila turned toward the door but paused before leaving.
"Oh," she said casually, glancing over her shoulder. "The Alpha's son is returning to the pack today."
Aria's hands stopped moving.
"The Alpha's son?"
Lila smiled slowly.
"Yes. Kael Blackwood."
Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
"The future Alpha."
Aria had heard the name before.
Everyone in the pack had.
Kael rarely stayed in the territory. He spent most of his time training with other packs and learning how to lead.
Some said he was the strongest wolf of their generation.
Some said he was ruthless.
Others said he was impossible to approach.
But one thing everyone agreed on-
He would become the next Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack.
Lila looked pleased as she continued speaking.
"And since the Moon Ceremony is tomorrow night..." she added, her smile widening, "there's a very good chance my mate could be him."
With that, she left the room.
The door closed behind her.
Silence filled the laundry room again.
Aria stared down at the water in the tub.
For some reason, the strange feeling from earlier returned.
A quiet uneasiness she couldn't explain.
Outside, the wind suddenly picked up again, rustling through the trees surrounding the territory.
Far away, deep within the forest-
Two glowing golden eyes opened in the darkness.
Watching.
Waiting.
And somehow...
They were watching her.