Chapter 7 Fire and Blood

The next morning came too soon. Aria woke to the dull ache of bruises along her arms and legs, remnants of yesterday's brutal training session. Every muscle protested as she forced herself to rise from the stiff cot. The air in her quarters was cold, carrying the scent of morning dew and something darker—something heavy, electric.

Something's coming.

Her wolf stirred in restless unease, a warning vibrating through her bones.

She barely had time to process the feeling before a sharp knock echoed at her door.

"Aria."

Kael. She tensed at the sound of his voice. Something in his tone felt different—sharper, more urgent.

She opened the door hesitantly. Kael stood there, dressed in dark armor, his onyx eyes gleaming in the shadows of the dimly lit hall.

"Get dressed," he ordered. "Now."

Aria blinked. "What—"

"Now, Aria," Kael snapped, his voice brooking no argument. "We don't have time for questions."

Her heart pounded, but she nodded, stepping back into her room and grabbing the clothes laid out for her—sturdy black pants, a fitted tunic, and boots designed for speed rather than luxury.

As she pulled them on, she tried to calm the storm of questions whirling in her mind. What happened? Where are we going?

She had barely finished lacing her boots when Kael yanked the door open again, impatience burning in his gaze.

"Come," he said, his voice quieter but no less commanding.

She followed him through the palace corridors, her pulse a steady drumbeat against her ribs.

Guards lined the halls, their postures tense. Servants scurried away the moment Kael passed, their eyes wide with fear. Something was very wrong.

Aria quickened her pace to keep up. "Kael, what's going on?"

He didn't stop walking. "The eastern territory was attacked last night. A rogue faction slaughtered the ruling Alpha and half his pack."

A chill shot down her spine. "A rogue faction? Do we know who—"

"We have a name," Kael said darkly. "But I won't say it here."

She swallowed hard. "Are we going there?"

Kael gave her a sharp look. "I am."

Aria frowned. "Then why am I—"

"You're coming with me," he interrupted.

Her breath caught. "What? Why?"

Kael stopped abruptly, turning to face her. They were alone in a shadowed hallway now, the muted flicker of torches casting half their faces in darkness.

His expression was unreadable, but his voice was cold and firm. "Because the attack wasn't random. It was a message."

Aria's blood ran cold. "A message for you?"

"For us," Kael corrected. "And if I leave you here, you'll be a target."

Her stomach twisted. "You think the palace isn't safe?"

"No," Kael admitted. "Not anymore."

A lump formed in her throat. The palace had already felt like a gilded cage, but now it seemed more like a death trap.

She took a steadying breath, meeting his gaze. "Then let's go."

The journey to the eastern territory was brutal.

The wind howled through the thick forests, rattling the branches like bones as Kael's personal guard rode through the dense terrain.

Aria sat behind Kael on his massive black warhorse, her arms loosely wrapped around his waist. She could feel the tension in his body, the barely contained fury vibrating through him.

She hadn't dared to speak during the ride, but as the air grew thick with the scent of blood and smoke, she finally broke the silence.

"What do we do when we get there?"

Kael's grip on the reins tightened. "We assess the damage. We find out who survived. And we send a message back."

Aria hesitated. "What kind of message?"

Kael turned his head slightly, his onyx eyes flashing in the dim light. "One that reminds them who I am."

Her throat tightened. There was a darkness to his voice, an edge that spoke of violence, of retribution.

The bond between them pulsed faintly, warning her of the storm that was about to break.

By the time they reached the remains of the eastern pack's village, the air was thick with the stench of death.

The once-thriving settlement was little more than burned ruins now, bodies scattered across the bloodstained dirt.

Aria dismounted stiffly, her legs shaky from the long ride.

The moment her feet touched the ground, her stomach twisted violently.

She had never seen anything like this before. The destruction. The horror. The sheer brutality of it.

Kael stepped beside her, his expression cold, unreadable.

"Stay close," he murmured.

She nodded numbly, her eyes darting over the ruined village.

Garrick was already speaking with one of the survivors—a battered warrior clutching a bloodied axe. His face was streaked with soot and grief.

"Only a handful of us survived," the warrior rasped. "They came in the dead of night, no warning, no mercy."

"Who?" Kael demanded.

The warrior's eyes flickered to Aria, then back to Kael. He hesitated.

Kael growled lowly. "Say it."

The warrior clenched his jaw. "It was Lucas."

Aria's breath caught.

"No," she whispered. "That's not possible."

Kael's eyes narrowed. "It is."

Her mind reeled. Lucas had been in the palace just last night—how could he have orchestrated something like this?

Unless…

He wasn't working alone.

The warrior continued, his voice thick with hatred. "He had allies. Not just rogues—others, too. Wolves we thought were loyal."

Kael exhaled slowly, his fury a tangible force. "And the Alpha?"

The warrior's face twisted in grief. "Torn apart. Left as a warning."

Aria swallowed hard, bile rising in her throat.

Kael turned to Garrick. "Take stock of the dead. Find the survivors. I want names of everyone who turned traitor."

Garrick nodded sharply before striding off.

Kael turned back to the warrior. "You said it was a warning. Did they leave a message?"

The warrior nodded grimly. He stepped forward and pulled something from inside his cloak.

A scrap of parchment.

Kael took it, his eyes scanning the crude handwriting.

Aria shifted closer, reading over his shoulder.

Your throne is built on borrowed time. The true Alpha King is coming.

Kael's entire body went rigid. His fingers curled so tightly around the parchment that it tore slightly at the edges.

Aria stared at the words, her heart pounding.

Lucas wasn't just rebelling.

He was declaring war.

Kael's dark eyes burned with fury as he turned to Aria, his voice low and sharp.

"This changes everything."

The bond between them pulsed, a warning. A promise.

And as Aria looked out over the smoldering ruins, she knew one thing for certain.

Lucas wasn't done.

Not by a long shot.