Chapter 4 The First Box
The sense of safety Aria felt in the garden didn’t just fade; it turned into a cold, biting fog.
Cassian had been called away by his Enforcers to track a rogue near the southern ridge. He left her with a deep, lingering kiss a promise of protection that felt like a slap in the face to who she really was. Now, she was back in his silent room, watching shadows crawl across the floor like ghostly fingers.
Midnight was only twenty minutes away.
She stood up and peeked through the crack in the door. The guards were there, but they weren't watching her. They were looking outward, protecting their Alpha’s mate. Their trust made her stomach turn. Using the skills that made her famous in the Syndicate, Aria slipped out the window. Her boots found tiny ledges in the stone wall with ease. She was a Shadow Wolf; she didn't need a front door.
The forest was a cathedral of ice and silver under the moon. Aria moved like a predator, her feet silent on the frozen snow. She reached the spot exactly at midnight. A hollow oak tree stood alone in the clearing, looking like a skeleton. At its base sat a small box wrapped in plain brown paper.
Aria’s breath caught. She dropped to her knees and tore the paper away. Inside was a simple wooden box with a small latch. She opened it, hoping for a letter or a map.
Instead, she found a silver locket.
Her eyes blurred with tears. It was Leo’s. Their mother had given it to him before the Syndicate snatched them both away. She snapped it open. The old photo of them as kids was gone. In its place was a small, blood-stained scrap of fabric from Leo’s favorite blue shirt.
Under the locket was a note. The handwriting was jagged and mean: “He cried for you today, Shadow. Every hour the Alpha lives, your brother suffers. Next time, we send a finger.”
Aria let out a choked, broken sound, clutching the locket so hard the metal bit into her palm. She was falling for the man she was supposed to kill, while her brother was being tortured in a cage. The guilt felt like a physical weight on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
“Aria?”
The voice cut through the silence like a blade.
She spun around, shoving the locket and the note into her pocket as she scrambled up. Cassian was standing at the edge of the woods. He wasn't in his wolf form, but he was still terrifying. His eyes glowed a fierce, molten gold, and his chest heaved as if he’d run miles to find her.
"What are you doing out here?" he growled. He stepped into the moonlight, his presence taking over the entire clearing. "I went back and found my room empty. Do you have any idea what that does to my wolf? I thought you’d been taken. I thought you’d left me."
Aria stood frozen, her mind racing for a lie. "I... I couldn't sleep. The room felt too small. I just needed to breathe."
Cassian didn't believe her. He walked closer, his eyes scanning the ground. He stopped a few feet away, his gaze landing on the empty wooden box sitting in the snow.
"What is that?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Aria stepped in front of it, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Nothing. Just something I found. It’s an old box, Cassian. Please, let’s just go back."
But Cassian was too fast. He pushed past her and grabbed the box. He looked at the torn paper and the empty velvet inside. When he looked back at her, his face was a mask of pain and anger.
“Liar,” he said softly. The word hurt worse than a scream. “You didn't just find this. This was left for you. Who is getting to you, Aria? Who thinks they can sneak onto my land to leave things for my mate?”
He stepped into her space, grabbing her arms and pulling her against him. The heat of his body was a shock against the cold.
“Is it the rogues? The Syndicate?” He shook her gently, his grip firm. “Tell me the truth! I can smell the blood on that scrap in your pocket. I can smell your fear. if someone is hurting you, tell me!”
“I can’t!” Aria screamed, finally snapping. She pushed against his chest, tears streaming down her face. “You don't understand! You can't fix this! You can't protect him!”
Cassian’s grip softened instantly. He pulled her into a crushing hug, burying his face in her neck. His breath was warm against her skin.
“I am the Alpha of the Obsidian Pack,” he whispered. “I am the King of the North. I would kill the world to keep you safe. Whoever is threatening you is already a dead man. Just give me a name.”
Aria pressed her face into his shirt, her fingers trembling. For a second, she almost told him. She almost let the secret out. But then she pictured Leo’s bloody shirt. If the Syndicate found out she’d talked, Leo would be dead before Cassian could even shift.
“I just need time,” she choked out. “Please, Cassian. Just a little more time.”
Cassian pulled back slightly, his golden eyes searching hers. The love in his gaze was so raw it was painful to look at. He reached out, his thumb brushing away a tear, and kissed her. It made her knees weak. All she could feel was his warmth and the steady beat of his heart.
He leaned his forehead against hers. "Let’s get you home. You're shivering."
He picked her up and carried her back through the trees. Aria leaned into him, her hand tight around the locket in her pocket. She looked up at the moon the same moon that had tied their souls together.
Forty-eight hours. That was all she had left to kill her soulmate, or let her brother die.
As they walked back to the house, Aria realized the box wasn't just a threat. It was the beginning of the end. And no matter who lived or died, she knew she would never be whole again.