MINE?
The word echoed in Aria’s mind.
I belong to him.
Her fingers tightened around the letter.
“That’s insane,” Rowan muttered immediately.
The messenger only smiled calmly.
“I’m just delivering the message.”
The Alpha King’s hand shot forward.
He took the letter from Aria and scanned it quickly.
His jaw hardened.
Then he crumpled the paper in his fist.
“You can take that message back,” he said coldly.
The messenger raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
The Alpha King’s voice dropped dangerously.
“She belongs to no one.”
Aria felt something strange stir in her chest when he said that.
The messenger chuckled softly.
“My master expected you to say that.”
Rowan folded his arms.
“Then your master should expect a war.”
The man shrugged.
“He already does.”
Silence stretched across the gate.
The fortress warriors watched the exchange nervously.
Aria stepped forward again.
“I have a question.”
The messenger looked pleased.
“Of course you do.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Why does your master think I belong to him?”
The man studied her for a moment.
Then he smiled.
“Because he created you.”
The courtyard exploded with reactions.
“That’s impossible,” Rowan snapped.
Darius stepped forward, his expression dark.
“You’re lying.”
But the messenger only looked at Aria.
“Am I?”
Aria’s heart was pounding.
Her wolf snarled in confusion.
Created?
“That doesn’t make any sense,” she said.
The messenger tilted his head slightly.
“Doesn’t it?”
He gestured toward the destroyed fortress gate.
“You’ve already seen what my master can create.”
Aria felt a chill run through her.
“But I’m not a monster.”
“No,” the man said calmly.
“You’re much more valuable.”
The Alpha King stepped forward again.
His patience was clearly gone.
“Your message has been delivered.”
The messenger smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
The Alpha King’s golden eyes burned.
“So leave.”
The man looked back at Aria one last time.
“My master is very excited to meet you.”
Aria crossed her arms.
“Tell him I’m not interested.”
The messenger chuckled.
“That won’t matter.”
He turned and began walking away from the fortress gate.
But after a few steps he paused.
“Oh… one more thing.”
Everyone tensed again.
The messenger looked over his shoulder.
“My master also said to warn you.”
Rowan frowned.
“Warn us about what?”
The man’s smile widened.
“The next creature he sends won’t be a test.”
Aria felt her stomach drop.
Then the messenger disappeared into the darkness beyond the gate.
The heavy iron doors slowly closed again.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Then Rowan rubbed his face.
“Well.”
“That was disturbing.”
Aria turned toward the Alpha King.
“You don’t believe that, right?”
The Alpha King was quiet.
Too quiet.
Her chest tightened.
“You don’t actually think that man created me?”
The Alpha King finally looked at her.
His expression was serious.
“No.”
Relief rushed through her chest.
But then he added quietly—
“I think he believes he did.”
Rowan groaned.
“That’s not better.”
Aria sighed and rubbed her forehead.
“This night just keeps getting worse.”
Darius looked toward the dark mountains beyond the fortress walls.
“If the Blood Emperor truly thinks she belongs to him…”
His voice trailed off.
Aria frowned.
“What?”
Darius glanced back at her.
“He won’t stop.”
The Alpha King’s gaze hardened again.
“He can try.”
Aria looked between all of them.
“So that’s it?”
“We just wait for the next monster?”
Rowan shrugged.
“More or less.”
But before anyone could say another word—
Aria suddenly felt it.
A sharp burning sensation in her chest.
She gasped.
Her knees nearly buckled.
“Aria!” Rowan grabbed her arm.
“What’s wrong?”
Her wolf panicked inside her mind.
Something’s happening.
The burning spread through her body like fire under her skin.
Her eyes widened.
“I… I don’t know.”
The Alpha King stepped closer instantly.
“What do you feel?”
Aria clutched her chest.
“It feels like—”
She suddenly froze.
Her eyes lifted slowly.
Toward the dark forest beyond the fortress.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“He’s here.”