Chapter 44 

ARIA 

Darkness. Complete and total darkness surrounded me. Not the kind when you turn off your bedroom light–this was deeper, endless. I’d been floating here for what felt like days, maybe longer. Time didn’t exist in this place. 

My thoughts constantly drifted to Aurora. Was she safe? The memory of that small body behind me, the other wolf cub nearby–both so vulnerable when that rogue attacked. I needed to know they were okay. 

‘My Aurora, I whispered into the void. My voice didn’t echo. It just disappeared. 

The darkness wasn’t empty though. Something else existed here with me. I could feel it–a presence, an energy that wasn’t threatening but… waiting. 

“You need to wake up soon.” 

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere. Female, unfamiliar, yet somehow I wasn’t afraid. 

“Who are you?” I asked. 

The presence shifted closer. “That doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you’ll need Jace and Phantom’s help. When the time comes for transformation, you’ll need their strength. And they need yours too.” 

“Transformation? What are you talking about? I’m human.” 

“You’re waking up now,” the voice continued, ignoring my question. “We won’t speak again until after your eighteenth birthday.” 

“Wait! Please explain-* 

But the presence faded, leaving me alone again in the endless black. Then something changed. I felt heavy. Physical. The darkness began to recede. 

Warmth pressed against my right side. Something small clutched my arm. Another larger heat source moved away briefly, then returned. My body felt weighted down, impossible to move. 

“Aria? Can you hear me?” 

The deep voice above me belonged to Jace. I struggled to open my eye’s. They felt glued shut, refusing to cooperate. 

“Try again, little one. You’re safe now.” 

I forced my eyelids open with tremendous effort. Soft light filled a room I recognized as one of the guest rooms in the Moon Shadow pack house. Heavy curtains blocked most of the sunlight, creating a gentle dimness that didn’t hurt my eyes. 

Jace leaned over me, his face showing concern mixed with something else. Relief? His hand reached out, gently touching my cheek. 

“Thank god you’re finally awake,” he said, his voice lower, more intimate. 

He moved away, and heard water pouring. I tried to turn my head, but even that small movement took enormous effort. Looking down, I saw Aurora curled against me, her small arm wrapped tightly around mine, fast asleep. 

‘She refused to leave your side,” Jace explained, returning with a glass of water. “Kept insisting you needed her.” 

He sat on the edge of the bed, carefully sliding his arm under my shoulders to help me sit up. The movement sent pain shooting across my back, reminding me of what had happened. The rogue wolf. Its claws ripping into my skin. 

‘How long?” My voice came out as a croak. 

“Five days,” Jace answered, holding the glass to my lips. ‘Your wounds started healing four days ago. Much faster than we expected. 

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Chapter 44 

took small sips, the cool water soothing my throat. “The rogue?” 

‘Dead. His expression hardened momentarily. “I made sure of it.” 

I nodded, letting my head fall back against his arm. Five days unconscious. That explained why my body felt so weak. But something didn’t make sense. 

“My back… it doesn’t hurt that much anymore.” 

“That’s what worried Eliana. Your wounds healed at an unusual rate. Even for a werewolf, that would be impressive. For a human…” He trailed off. 

‘Maybe Gabriel’s herbal remedies over the years helped,” I suggested weakly. 

Jace made a noncommittal sound, easing me back onto the pillow. Then he moved to sit at the head of the bed, his back against the headboard. He opened his arms invitingly. 

Part of me–the independent part–wanted to say no. But a stronger part craved the comfort he offered. I carefully shifted, mindful of Aurora, until I was nestled against his chest. His arms encircled me protectively. 

‘I’ve never been so scared,” he admitted quietly. “When I saw you step between that wolf and the pups…” 

I closed my eyes, breathing in his scent. Werewolves always talked about scents, but this was the first time I truly understood what they meant. Jace smelled of cedar and mountain air, something primal yet comforting. My body relaxed against him involuntarily. 

He bent his head, his nose brushing the sensitive spot behind my ear. The gesture seemed instinctive, almost possessive. I should have pulled away. Instead, I turned my face into his chest. 

‘Aurora was in danger,” I whispered. “I couldn’t let anything happen to her.” 

“You nearly died protecting her.” His arms tightened fractionally around me. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.” 

We sat in comfortable silence. My thoughts drifted back to the dark place, the mysterious voice. Should I tell him? Would he think I was crazy? Maybe it was just a dream, my mind’s way of coping while unconscious. 

‘Jace?” 

“Hmm?” 

“When I was… 

sleeping. I think I heard a voice.” 

His body tensed against mine. “What kind of voice?” 

‘Female. She said I would need you and Phantom when the time comes for transformation. That sounds crazy, right? Humans don’t transform.” 

He was quiet for a long moment. I couldn’t see his face, but I felt his heartbeat quicken. 

“Aria,” he finally said, his voice carefully controlled. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you. Something important about-* 

A sharp knock at the door interrupted him. Gabriel’s voice called from the hallway. 

“Alpha? Eliana needs to check Aria’s bandages.” 

Jace sighed, his chest rising and falling against my cheek. “We’ll finish this conversation later,” he promised. 

I watched Jace rise to open the door, feeling a strange premonition about what he’d been about to tell me. 

Gabriel rushed in, his face transforming from, worry to joy when he saw me awake. “Aria! You’re finally up!” 

While Gabriel and Eliana examined my wounds, my eyes followed Jace. He stood by the doorway with an expression I’d never seen before–relief mixed with something heavier, something unsaid. 

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Chapter 44 

Eliana removed my bandages and gasped. “Almost completely healed… that’s impossible…” 

Everyone stared at what had become faint pink scars where deep gashes had been. Gabriel asked quietly, “Is this normal?” 

Eliana shook her head. “Not for a human. Not even close.” 

Jace’s eyes caught mine, holding secrets I couldn’t decipher. I suddenly understood–he knew. Whatever the voice in the darkness told me, whatever this unusual healing meant, Jace had answers. 

“I need to rest,” I said abruptly, exhaustion washing over me. 

After everyone left, I stared at the ceiling with one question burning in my mind: Who was I, really? And what terrified me more was that Jace’s answer might change everything I thought I knew about myself. 

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