THE BOND AWAKENS
“He’s here.”
The words left Aria’s lips in a quiet whisper, but everyone around her heard them.
Rowan’s grip on her arm tightened.
“Who’s here?”
Aria didn’t answer.
Her eyes were still fixed on the dark forest beyond the fortress walls.
The burning in her chest grew stronger.
Her wolf stirred restlessly.
Something is coming.
The Alpha King stepped closer to her, his golden eyes sharp.
“What do you feel?”
Aria swallowed.
“It’s like… something is pulling me.”
Rowan frowned.
“Pulling you where?”
She slowly raised her hand and pointed toward the forest.
“There.”
The courtyard immediately filled with tension.
Several warriors moved closer to the gate, their weapons ready.
Darius narrowed his eyes.
“You think the messenger was lying?”
Kael shook his head.
“No.”
His voice was quiet but certain.
“He warned us.”
Rowan growled softly.
“Great. So the next monster is already here.”
But Aria shook her head.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
“That’s not it.”
The Alpha King studied her carefully.
“Then what is it?”
Aria pressed a hand against her chest.
The burning sensation was turning into something else now.
A strange warmth.
Confusing.
Unfamiliar.
Her wolf whispered softly in her mind.
That feeling…
Aria frowned.
“What?”
I think… it’s the bond.
Her heart skipped.
Bond?
Before she could ask anything else—
A loud howl suddenly echoed from the forest.
Every wolf in the courtyard froze.
The sound carried power.
Raw.
Dominant.
Even the fortress warriors instinctively lowered their heads.
Rowan’s eyes widened slightly.
“That’s…”
Darius finished the sentence quietly.
“An Alpha.”
Aria’s stomach twisted.
Another Alpha?
The Alpha King stepped forward slowly, his expression unreadable.
The howl came again.
Closer this time.
Then the forest trees began to move.
Branches snapped.
Leaves rustled.
Something large was approaching the fortress.
The warriors along the wall tensed.
“Movement!” one of them shouted.
Aria’s heart pounded faster.
The strange warmth in her chest grew stronger with every passing second.
Her wolf sounded confused.
This isn’t fear.
“No,” Aria whispered.
“It’s not.”
The Alpha King’s eyes flicked toward her.
“You feel it too?”
Aria nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
Rowan looked between them.
“Feel what?”
Neither of them answered.
Because at that exact moment—
A massive silver wolf stepped out of the forest.
Moonlight spilled across its fur.
The wolf was enormous.
Nearly as large as the Alpha King himself.
Its icy blue eyes scanned the fortress calmly.
Warriors immediately surrounded the gate.
Weapons raised.
But the silver wolf didn’t attack.
It simply stood there.
Watching.
Aria’s breathing slowed.
The warmth in her chest suddenly flared.
Her wolf gasped inside her mind.
That’s him.
Aria blinked.
“What do you mean?”
Our mate.
Her entire body went still.
What?!
Before she could react—
The Alpha King suddenly stepped in front of her.
His massive black wolf burst from his body as he shifted instantly.
He landed between Aria and the silver wolf.
Golden eyes burning.
A deep, threatening growl rolled from his chest.
The silver wolf didn’t look afraid.
Instead—
It looked amused.
Its icy blue eyes moved past the Alpha King.
Straight to Aria.
And in the next moment—
The silver wolf shifted into human form.
A tall man stood there now.
Dark silver hair.
Cold blue eyes.
And a slow, confident smile.
His voice carried easily across the silent courtyard.
“Well…”
His gaze locked onto Aria.
“It took me long enough to find you.”
Aria’s heart pounded violently.
The warmth in her chest exploded.
Her wolf whispered again.
Mate.
The man tilted his head slightly.
“Hello, Aria.”
His smile widened.
“I’m your mate.”