The Forbidden Forest was nothing like the stories.
It was worse.
Aria Nightshade stood at the edge of the trees, staring into the darkness that seemed to swallow everything beyond it.
The wind pushed against her back, carrying the distant howls of wolves from the direction of the Shadow Moon Pack.
Her old home.
Her former pack.
Her heart clenched.
She had spent her entire life hearing stories about these woods.
Children were warned never to come near them.
Warriors were forbidden from entering without permission.
And every full moon, mothers told their pups that monsters lived beneath the ancient trees.
Aria had always thought they were simply stories meant to frighten children.
Tonight, she wasn’t so sure.
She tightened her fingers around her mother’s pendant.
“I can do this.”
Her voice sounded small in the darkness.
She took one step forward.
Then another.
The moment she crossed beneath the trees, the sounds of the pack disappeared.
No music.
No voices.
No wolves.
Nothing.
Just silence.
Aria swallowed.
“Wonderful.”
She adjusted the strap of her bag and continued walking.
The forest seemed strangely alive.
Branches twisted overhead like skeletal fingers.
Silver moonlight slipped between the leaves in narrow streaks.
Every few seconds, something moved in the bushes.
Aria stopped.
“Who’s there?”
Nothing answered.
She waited.
A branch snapped behind her.
Aria spun around.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Nothing.
She exhaled shakily.
“Get yourself together.”
She continued deeper into the forest.
After nearly an hour, her feet began to ache.
She found a large tree with exposed roots and decided to rest.
She lowered herself onto the ground and pulled her knees against her chest.
For the first time since the rejection ceremony, she allowed herself to cry.
Quietly at first.
Then the tears came harder.
She covered her mouth to silence her sobs.
Damon’s face appeared in her mind.
His cold eyes.
His voice.
I reject you.
Aria squeezed her eyes shut.
“Why?”
She had loved him for years.
She had defended him.
Trusted him.
Dreamed about standing beside him as Luna.
How could he throw her away so easily?
A sudden pain twisted through her chest.
She gasped.
The broken mate bond.
The wound hadn’t disappeared.
It felt like someone had carved a hole directly into her soul.
Aria pressed her palm against her chest.
“I hate you.”
She wasn’t sure whether she was talking to Damon…
Or herself.
A low growl suddenly rolled through the forest.
Aria froze.
Her tears stopped.
The sound came again.
Closer.
She slowly stood.
Her eyes searched the darkness.
Two crimson lights appeared between the trees.
Eyes.
A wolf.
Aria’s breath caught.
The creature stepped forward.
It was enormous.
Far larger than any ordinary wolf.
Its fur was completely black, absorbing the moonlight.
Its claws dug into the earth.
And its eyes…
They were glowing red.
Aria backed away.
“No.”
The wolf growled.
She reached for the small silver knife hidden beneath her clothes.
It was hardly enough to protect her.
The wolf took another step.
Aria raised the knife.
“Stay back.”
The creature lowered its head.
Its muscles tightened.
Aria’s heart pounded.
Then it lunged.
She screamed and threw herself to the side.
The wolf crashed into the tree behind her.
Aria ran.
Branches slapped against her face.
Her bag fell from her shoulder.
She didn’t stop.
The creature chased her.
Its footsteps shook the ground.
Aria pushed herself harder.
She couldn’t die here.
Not tonight.
Not after everything.
A root caught her foot.
She fell.
Pain shot through her ankle.
The wolf appeared above her.
Its enormous jaws opened.
Aria lifted the silver knife with trembling hands.
“Please…”
The wolf suddenly stopped.
Its head tilted.
Then it looked past her.
A strange fear appeared in its eyes.
Aria frowned.
“What are you looking at?”
A voice answered from behind her.
“Get away from her.”
The wolf immediately backed away.
Aria slowly turned.
A man stood beneath the trees.
Tall.
Impossibly tall.
He wore a long black coat that moved with the wind.
His dark hair fell messily across his forehead.
But it was his eyes that frightened her.
They were the same crimson as the wolf’s.
The stranger took one step forward.
The wolf lowered its head.
Not in aggression.
Submission.
Aria stared.
“Who are you?”
The man’s gaze moved to her.
He didn’t answer.
Instead, his eyes dropped to the silver pendant around her neck.
His expression changed.
For the first time, something resembling shock crossed his face.
“Where did you get that?”
Aria instinctively covered the pendant.
“It belonged to my mother.”
“Your mother?”
His voice became dangerously quiet.
“What’s her name?”
Aria hesitated.
“Why?”
The man stepped closer.
“Answer me.”
Something about his voice made her obey.
“Elena Nightshade.”
The forest went completely silent.
The man’s face became unreadable.
“Elena…”
He whispered the name as if it belonged to a ghost.
“You knew her?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he stared at Aria.
Really stared.
As though he were searching for something hidden beneath her skin.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
“Impossible.”
Aria frowned.
“What?”
He stepped closer.
She instinctively moved backward.
“Don’t come near me.”
He stopped.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then the stranger asked, “What’s your name?”
“Aria.”
“Your full name.”
“Aria Nightshade.”
His jaw tightened.
“Nightshade.”
He looked toward the sky.
“The bloodline survived.”
Aria’s confusion deepened.
“What are you talking about?”
The man looked back at her.
“You don’t know who you are.”
It wasn’t a question.
Aria shook her head.
“I’m just a wolfless girl who was rejected by her Alpha.”
The man’s expression darkened.
“Wolfless?”
He almost laughed.
“Who told you that?”
“Everyone.”
“Everyone is wrong.”
Aria stared at him.
“What?”
He walked toward her again.
This time, she didn’t move.
He stopped only a few feet away.
“You aren’t wolfless.”
Aria’s heart skipped.
“Then where is my wolf?”
“Sleeping.”
“Why?”
“Because it was never supposed to awaken before your eighteenth year.”
Aria’s face went pale.
“I’m eighteen.”
The man’s expression became colder.
“Exactly.”
A sudden pressure filled the air.
Aria felt something move inside her chest.
Her breath caught.
The pendant around her neck began to glow.
She looked down.
Silver light spilled through the cracks between her fingers.
“What is happening?”
The stranger’s eyes narrowed.
“Give me the pendant.”
“No.”
“Aria.”
The way he said her name made her freeze.
“You need to trust me.”
“I don’t even know you.”
“That’s true.”
He looked toward the trees.
“But there are people coming.”
Aria listened.
At first, she heard nothing.
Then—
Howls.
Multiple wolves.
The stranger’s expression hardened.
“The Shadow Moon Pack has sent warriors after you.”
Aria’s blood ran cold.
“Why?”
“Because they don’t want you alive.”
“How do you know?”
He looked at her.
“Because I know what you are.”
The howls grew louder.
Aria’s hands began to shake.
“Who are you?”
The stranger was silent.
Then a voice came from deeper within the forest.
“Your Majesty!”
Aria froze.
Another voice followed.
“We found them!”
The stranger closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he turned toward the approaching warriors.
The enormous black wolf moved to his side.
Aria stared at the man.
“Your Majesty?”
He slowly removed the black ring from his finger.
A silver crest was engraved on it.
A wolf surrounded by a crown.
Aria recognized it.
Every child in the supernatural world knew that symbol.
Her lips parted.
“No…”
The man looked at her.
His crimson eyes seemed to glow beneath the moonlight.
“I suppose introductions are necessary.”
He stepped forward.
“I am Kael Draven.”
The wolves approaching through the forest suddenly stopped.
Every one of them lowered themselves to the ground.
“Long live the King.”
Aria couldn’t breathe.
The stranger she’d just been standing beside…
The man who had appeared from the darkness…
The most feared ruler in the supernatural world…
Was the Lycan King.
Kael’s gaze returned to her.
“And you…”
His eyes dropped to her glowing pendant.
“…are the last surviving daughter of the Nightshade bloodline.”
Aria shook her head.
“No.”
“That’s impossible.”
Kael’s expression remained unreadable.
“Your mother didn’t tell you the truth.”
“What truth?”
Before he could answer, a deafening roar erupted from inside Aria.
She screamed.
Her body bent forward.
Something inside her awakened.
The ground beneath her feet cracked.
Silver light exploded through the forest.
The warriors stared in horror.
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Everyone back!”
Aria screamed again.
Her veins began glowing beneath her skin.
The pendant shattered.
And from somewhere deep inside her soul…
A voice whispered.
Wake up, Princess.
Aria’s eyes snapped open.
They were no longer brown.
They were silver.
Kael stared at her in stunned silence.
For the first time in centuries…
The Lycan King looked afraid.