We ran.
Through the thick forest, over uneven terrain, dodging low-hanging branches and roots that threatened to trip us. The wind howled through the trees, carrying the scent of blood, sweat, and something else—something wrong.
The man had vanished, but his presence lingered, curling around me like smoke. His words wouldn’t leave my head.
"You were one of us once, Aria."
I had never seen him before. Never.
And yet—
He knew me.
Dante ran ahead, moving fast, his body tense, his senses on high alert. I followed close behind, my heart pounding, my mind racing.
What the hell did he mean?
One of them?
I barely had time to process it before Dante came to an abrupt stop. I skidded to a halt beside him, my breath ragged.
We had reached the edge of the forest, where the land dipped into a narrow valley. A thin mist curled over the grass, eerie and still.
Dante turned to me, his blue eyes sharp. “We can’t stay here.”
I swallowed hard, nodding. “Where do we go?”
He hesitated for only a second.
Then—
“To my contact.”
I frowned. “Your contact?”
Dante’s jaw tightened. “Someone who knows more than we do.”
I studied his face, searching for answers. He wasn’t telling me everything. But now wasn’t the time to push.
So I nodded.
And we ran again.
We traveled for hours, slipping through the wilderness like shadows. Dante led the way, moving with a certainty that told me he had been here before.
By the time we reached a small, abandoned-looking cabin nestled between two cliffs, the sun was beginning to set.
Dante approached the wooden door and knocked three times. A pause. Then another knock.
The silence stretched.
Then—
The door creaked open.
I tensed, my hand hovering over the dagger strapped to my thigh.
But the person who answered wasn’t some deadly assassin.
It was an old woman.
Her silver hair was pulled into a loose braid, her eyes sharp despite the deep lines in her face. She studied Dante first, then me, her gaze piercing.
“Well,” she said, voice rough as gravel. “You took your damn time.”
Dante exhaled sharply. “Good to see you too, Mara.”
Mara snorted, stepping aside. “Get in. Before you bring trouble to my doorstep.”
Dante stepped inside without hesitation. I hesitated for only a second before following, my nerves on high alert.
The cabin was small but sturdy. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows over the wooden floor. Shelves lined the walls, filled with old books, jars of strange herbs, and weapons that looked too well-used.
This wasn’t just an old woman’s home.
This was a fortress.
Mara shut the door behind us, locking it with three different bolts.
Then, she turned to me.
“You’re the girl, then.”
I blinked. “What?”
Mara’s gaze didn’t waver. “The one they made.”
The world tilted.
I barely noticed Dante stiffen beside me. “You know?” I whispered.
Mara gave a bitter smile. “I’ve known for years.”
My stomach twisted. “Then tell me. Tell me who I am.”
Mara sighed, moving toward a shelf. She ran her fingers over the spines of old books before pulling one down. She tossed it onto the table, where it landed with a heavy thud.
I hesitated before stepping forward, flipping it open.
My breath caught.
Because inside—
Was a picture of me.
It was old, faded, but it was me.
And beneath it, scrawled in jagged handwriting:
**SUBJECT 218. PROJECT: OMEGA EVOLUTION.**
**STATUS: INCOMPLETE.**
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
I turned to Mara, my hands shaking. “What does this mean?”
Mara’s face was unreadable. “It means you were never meant to exist.”
Dante swore under his breath.
I gripped the edge of the table, my knuckles white. “Explain. Now.”
Mara exhaled, leaning against the wall. “You were created as part of a secret project. One that was meant to push the limits of werewolf genetics.”
I shook my head. “That’s not possible. Werewolves are born. Not made.”
Mara’s expression turned dark. “Not always.”
A shiver ran through me.
“You weren’t the first,” Mara continued. “There were others before you. Failed experiments. Wolves who couldn’t handle the changes, who either lost control or… died.”
I swallowed hard. “Then why am I still here?”
Mara’s gaze softened. “Because you were the only one who survived.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut.
I was the only one.
The last experiment standing.
I stumbled back, my mind reeling. “No,” I whispered. “That’s not… that’s not possible.”
Mara didn’t argue.
She just watched as the truth sank in.
I wasn’t just an omega.
I wasn’t even fully wolf.
I was something else.
Something they had made.
And now—
They wanted me back.
Dante stepped closer, his voice low. “Who ran the project?”
Mara hesitated.
Then, slowly, she said:
“The Shadow Order.”
The words sent a chill down my spine.
I had never heard of them.
But the way Dante stiffened, the way his entire posture changed—
He had.
I turned to him. “Who are they?”
Dante’s blue eyes were cold.
“They’re the ones who created you,” he said. “And the ones who are hunting you now.”
My stomach dropped.
Mara nodded grimly. “They won’t stop until they have you.”
I clenched my fists. “Then we take the fight to them.”
Mara gave a dry chuckle. “You’re bold. I’ll give you that.”
Dante turned to me. “We can’t do this alone.”
I hesitated.
I knew what he was saying.
If we wanted to win, if we wanted to survive, we needed help.
We needed Sebastian and Kai.
But going back meant facing their wrath.
Facing Sebastian’s fury for running.
Facing Kai’s disappointment.
And yet—
We had no other choice.
I took a deep breath.
“Then let’s go home.”
Dante exhaled. “They’re going to kill us.”
I smiled grimly. “Not if I kill them first.”
Mara laughed.
Dante sighed.
And just like that—
The war truly began.