Into The Wolf’s Mouth

Into The Wolf’s Mouth
Aria’s POV

I woke to the sound of a lock turning. It pulled me out of sleep slowly, like someone dragging me from the bottom of a deep lake. My eyes opened with a heavy sting. For a moment I forgot where I was. Then the memory of last night rushed back and my chest tightened.

I was still on the floor beside the bed. My body was curled tightly like I had tried to make myself as small as possible. My limbs were stiff and my skin felt cold. My cheek tingled with a faint pulse of heat. I lifted a hand and touched it. The skin was warm and tender. The place where Nathan had slapped me still held its memory.

Moonlight stretched across the floor and reached me like a thin arm of silver. It brushed through my hair. My breath came out uneven, soft and shaky.

Nathan stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He looked calmer than before but something in his face was still tight. His eyes ran over me and he stood there for a few seconds without speaking.

“Stand up,” he said finally.

His voice was firm, not loud but heavy with meaning. I pushed my palms against the floor and lifted myself slowly. Every muscle in my body felt sore. I managed to stand even though my knees trembled.

“You need to go freshen up,” Nathan said. “The people I work for need you today.”

My stomach dropped at his words.

He stepped closer. His jaw flexed.

“You are only being treated gently because of me,” he said. “If not for me, you would be locked in a dungeon. So you need to behave.”

I swallowed hard. I did not argue. My throat felt too tight to speak anyway. I turned and began to walk toward the bathroom. I could feel Nathan’s eyes on me the entire time. They pressed against my back like weight.

Inside the bathroom, the light flickered weakly. I walked to the mirror and stared at my reflection. My hair was tangled and wild, sticking out in different directions. My cheek had a pale pink mark that still pulsed with heat. My eyes were darker than usual, swollen and tired. I looked like someone I barely recognized.

I touched the mark on my cheek and winced softly.

I reached for the bathroom door and pulled it toward me to close it. Before it could shut, Nathan pushed his foot forward, blocking it.

“Leave it open,” he said. “I need to watch your every move.”

His voice was low and steady but it carried a warning. I turned slowly and looked at him. My eyes began to fill with tears that I tried so hard to control.

“I will not run away,” I said quietly. “I will not do anything stupid. But please. Please do not do this.”

My voice cracked at the end. Nathan stiffened. He seemed unable to look at me. His eyes slid away from mine as if they burned. His chest rose and fell slowly. For a long moment he did not speak.

Then he stepped back.

“Fine,” he said in a softer voice. “Close it.”

I closed the door gently and leaned against it for a second. My body shook lightly. I took a breath and turned on the shower. The water hit my skin and ran down my face. I let it wash over me. My shoulders trembled. The slap hummed again under the stream but the warmth helped a little.

I scrubbed my skin slowly, trying to wash away the panic sitting inside my chest. I let the water run longer than necessary. When I felt steady enough, I stepped out and dried myself. Clothes had been placed on the counter. I put them on with slow, careful movements.

I opened the bathroom door. Nathan was standing exactly where I had left him, his expression tight and unreadable. He nodded once.

“Come with me,” he said.

I followed him out of the room. He placed a hand lightly on my back to guide me. The hallway outside was cold and dark. The air felt heavy and unfriendly. It reminded me of the triplets’ fortress except this place felt wrong. Rotten. The walls looked older. The lights were dim. Shadows stretched long across the floor.

Men stood in corners and doorways, watching us without speaking. Their eyes followed me as I walked. Nathan stayed close, his jaw clenched.

We reached a thick wooden door at the end of the hall. Nathan lifted his hand and knocked twice. The hallway fell silent.

A deep, rough voice came from inside.

“Open.”

Nathan pushed the door and stepped in. I followed behind him slowly.

The room was large and dark. A massive oak desk sat in the center, covered in maps, papers, and scattered weapons. There were men everywhere, leaning on walls or standing with their arms crossed. Their faces were sharp and dangerous.

A man sat behind the desk. He looked older, maybe in his fifties. His hair was grey, his skin rough like old leather. His presence filled the room in a heavy way. His eyes were sharp and cold, studying everything with slow judgment.

Nathan placed a hand on my shoulder and guided me to the chair in front of the desk. I sat down quietly. My palms rested on my knees. My heart beat too fast. I felt every pair of eyes in the room on my skin.

The older man leaned back in his chair. He smiled at me. The smile did not reach his eyes. His teeth were stained, and a few looked like they had begun to decay. Something about him felt poisonous.

He looked at me with the calm confidence of a man who believed he already owned me.

“Well,” he said, his voice low and scratchy. “If it is not Nova. Long time no see, huh?”

The words sank into the air and the chapter ended there.