21 - Shadows on the Wind

Aria POV

The scent of antiseptic and wolfbane lingered in the air, sharper than usual as Aria moved through the infirmary’s eastern corridor. The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows, casting golden slashes of light across the tiled floors.

People murmured in passing, their steps hurried. Tension threaded through the air, so thick it prickled against her skin.

She passed Ryker’s room—empty now. He’d been discharged that morning, though begrudgingly. Aria had double-checked his bandages before he left, ignoring the flirtatious grin he’d thrown her way more than once and the meaningful glances.

Aria paused outside her father’s office door, where she heard muffled voices—low, serious, and unmistakably her father and Alpha Theron.

“I want you to prepare for the worst,” Theron was saying. “Kael is returning to Moonfang for another meeting.”

“Do you believe he’s coming to provoke us?” her father asked, his voice steady.

“No,” Theron said. “But rogues are moving. I feel it in my bones. There’s something shifting in the shadows, something organized. He thinks we can work together against them”

Aria’s breath caught. She leaned in slightly.

“If this turns into war,” Theron continued, “Moonfang will be the center of it. Nightclaw might be full of warriors, but we both know why they’ll look to us—we’re known for our healers and doctors. Your infirmary is the best in the region, Aldric. I need you to begin preparations. Medical kits. Supplies. We may be facing mass casualties.”

Her father’s pause was long, then, “Understood.”

Aria backed away before she was caught eavesdropping, her heart thudding against her ribs. War. The word struck her like a slap. She’d heard murmurs from the guards, from the trainees, but this was confirmation—from the Alpha himself.

She hurried down the hall and stepped out into the open air, blinking against the brightness. The scent of pine and sun-warmed stone grounded her, though only slightly. Everything felt too loud now. Too fast.

She turned down the main path toward home, her thoughts swirling—only to stop abruptly when she say her best friend.

“Finn?”

He stood a few feet away near the training barracks, half in shadow, his back to her. When he turned, she immediately noted the tightness in his expression, the way his shoulders were drawn taut.

“Well, look who it is,” Aria said, offering a cautious smile. “You’ve been scarce.”

Finn blinked, as if surprised to see her. “Aria. Hey. Sorry, I’ve just—things have been hectic. Training. Patrols. You know.”

She stepped closer. “You missed Ryker’s discharge. I thought you two had some kind of secret competition going.”

Finn huffed a laugh, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, well… priorities shifted.”

Aria frowned. “Are you okay?”

He nodded too quickly. “Fine. Just tired. Alpha’s pushed all soldiers to increase training rotations. Sunrise to sundown.”

Aria studied him. His uniform was rumpled, and there were dark smudges beneath his eyes. But there was something else—something twitchy and guarded in his stance.

“Where are you headed now?”

He jerked his thumb vaguely behind him. “Need to help check the southern perimeter.”

Aria turned slightly, brow knitting. “That’s the northern path.”

Finn’s mouth opened, then closed. “Right. I meant—I was going to swing past the training pit first. Grab something I left behind.”

Aria didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. The awkward shift of his feet said everything.

“I’ll see you later, yeah?” Finn said, already walking away.

She didn’t answer, just watched him go, her stomach twisting. Something was off.

As she turned and continued walking toward home, her thoughts returned to what she’d overheard in the infirmary. Her father’s voice had been calm, but she knew him—there was tension in his restraint. And Theron… he was rarely uncertain, rarely cautious with his words. But today, there had been something different in his tone. Urgency. Fear?

Her boots crunched along the dirt path, the afternoon breeze lifting her hair as she walked. Children ran past on the road, laughing, but their joy felt far away—like it belonged in a different world than the one her heart was rooted in.

What would a war with the rogues look like? Would Moonfang survive it?

And then there was Kael.

She closed her eyes for a beat, remembering the weight of his gaze, the warmth of his voice. The way her wolf, Nyra, had surged the moment he walked into Ryker’s room, recognizing him without question. Mate.

He’d be back soon. She knew it now, and that settled deep in her bones.

But what did that mean?

Would she see him again? Speak to him?

What if he came only for diplomacy? What if he kept his distance for the sake of peace?

Or worse—what if he decided the bond was too complicated to honor?

She pushed open the front gate of her family’s house and stepped onto the porch.

Lyra wasn’t home yet. Her sister had taken to wandering the pack lands lately, sometimes in search of Theron, sometimes just to get away from the suffocating tension that surrounded their pack like a fog.

Aria slipped inside, tossing her satchel beside the door. The quiet of the house wrapped around her, but it wasn’t comforting. Not today.

She made tea on instinct, setting the kettle on the stove and lighting the flame. As it heated, she moved to the window and stared out at the forest.

Moonfang’s territory stretched deep into the eastern woods—tall pines and ancient oaks that whispered with wind and wolfsong. Somewhere beyond those trees, Kael would be preparing his return.

Her fingers tightened on the windowsill.

She couldn’t stop thinking about what Lyra had said days ago—about healing more than just bodies. About fate choosing them not just for love, but for balance. For unity.

But how could unity be possible when everything was so fragile?

The kettle whistled. She poured the hot water over the dried leaves and let the steam fill her lungs.

As she sipped, Nyra stirred.

He’s coming back, the wolf whispered.

“I know,” Aria murmured aloud. “I just don’t know if he’ll come for me.”

Nyra didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. The truth pressed in on all sides.

The world was shifting. The rogues were circling. Moonfang and Nightclaw stood on the edge of something vast and dangerous. And at the center of it all—Kael. Her mate. Her storm-eyed, warrior-hearted match.

Whether she was ready or not, the next time they met might change everything.

And Aria couldn’t help but wonder—when he looked at her again, would he see the same fire she felt inside? Or would duty burn it away before it ever had the chance to truly ignite?