Aria moved without hesitation. The moment the words left her lips, she lunged, her dagger flashing under the moonlight. The man with silver eyes barely flinched. He dodged smoothly, his movements eerily fluid, as if he had expected her attack.
Her blade sliced through empty air, missing his throat by inches. Before she could recover, he struck back, his fist colliding with her wrist. Pain shot up her arm, her dagger slipping from her grasp. She sucked in a sharp breath, stepping back quickly, but he was faster.
A hand closed around her throat.
She gasped as he lifted her slightly off the ground, his grip firm but not crushing. His silver eyes gleamed in the dim light, his expression unreadable. Aria struggled, kicking out, trying to pry his fingers away, but it was like fighting against solid rock.
“You’ve gotten stronger,” he mused, tilting his head. “Impressive. But not enough.”
Rage boiled inside her. She summoned every ounce of strength she had and twisted her body, bringing her knee up with force. It connected with his ribs, and his grip loosened just enough for her to wrench free. She dropped to the ground, rolling into a crouch, and grabbed her fallen dagger.
Before he could react, she lunged again.
This time, she didn’t aim for the kill.
She aimed to hurt.
Her blade sliced across his forearm, drawing blood. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless. He hissed, stepping back, glancing down at the wound as if mildly irritated.
Then he smiled.
“You’re learning.”
Aria barely had time to react before Sebastian was there.
The Alpha struck like a storm, his claws extended, his body moving with lethal precision. He slammed into the stranger, sending them both crashing into the ground. The force of the impact shook the earth beneath them.
Sebastian didn’t give him a chance to recover. He was on top of him instantly, his claws slicing down, aiming for the kill. But the man rolled at the last second, avoiding the deadly blow by mere inches.
They clashed again, their movements a blur of speed and violence. The sound of claws tearing through flesh, the sharp clang of blades meeting—it was brutal, relentless.
Kai joined the fight next. He leaped into the fray, his golden eyes blazing with fury. He struck hard, fast, his fists like iron as they collided with their enemy. The stranger grunted, staggering under the combined assault.
But he didn’t fall.
He was holding his own.
Dante appeared out of the shadows, moving with silent precision. In one swift motion, he drew his dagger and went for the stranger’s side, aiming for an opening in his defenses. But as if sensing the attack before it happened, the man twisted, catching Dante’s wrist mid-air.
Dante’s eyes widened slightly before he was thrown backward.
The force sent him skidding across the dirt, but he landed on his feet, his dagger still in hand. His expression remained unreadable, but Aria could see the tension in his posture.
This wasn’t just any warrior.
This man was something else.
Stronger. Faster. More calculated.
Aria tightened her grip on her dagger, forcing her breathing to steady. She couldn’t afford to hesitate. Not now.
She moved to strike again, but before she could, the stranger jumped back, creating distance between them.
He landed gracefully, his cloak billowing slightly as he straightened.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, he exhaled, shaking his head. “Impressive. All of you.”
Sebastian growled, his stance still tense. “Who the hell are you?”
The man’s silver eyes gleamed. “I go by many names. But you can call me Lucian.”
Aria’s stomach twisted at the name. It felt familiar. Like something she should remember but couldn’t quite grasp.
Lucian’s gaze flicked to her, and his smile deepened. “You don’t remember, do you?”
Aria forced herself to stay calm. “Remember what?”
Lucian took a slow step forward, ignoring the way Sebastian, Kai, and Dante all tensed, ready to attack again. He kept his eyes locked on Aria.
“We were created together.”
Her breath caught.
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “That’s not possible.”
Lucian tilted his head slightly. “Isn’t it?”
The words sent ice through her veins.
Sebastian stepped between them, his voice a low growl. “You’re lying.”
Lucian chuckled. “Am I? Then tell me, Alpha—what do you really know about her? About what she is?”
Silence.
Sebastian didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
None of them did.
Lucian turned his gaze back to Aria, his expression softening slightly. “You’re not alone, Aria. You never were.”
Her heart pounded. She wanted to deny it, to tell him he was wrong.
But something deep inside her whispered otherwise.
Lucian sighed, glancing at the surrounding warriors who had gathered, their weapons raised, waiting for the command to strike.
He exhaled. “I could kill you all tonight.”
The arrogance in his voice should have angered her, but the terrifying part?
He wasn’t wrong.
Lucian smiled slightly. “But I won’t.”
Sebastian’s claws twitched. “And why is that?”
Lucian turned, walking toward the shadows of the trees. “Because she’s not ready.”
Aria’s breath hitched.
Lucian paused at the edge of the darkness, glancing back one last time. “But soon, she will be.”
And then—
He was gone.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Aria stood frozen, her heart hammering in her chest.
Sebastian turned to her, his expression dark. “We need to talk. Now.”
She swallowed hard. “Yeah. We do.”
Because everything had changed.
She wasn’t just an experiment.
She wasn’t just being hunted.
She wasn’t the only one.