The Price of Betrayal

Ariana's heart raced, feeling like a storm inside her. She didn't know what scared her more: the rogues getting closer, Darius's betrayal, or the way Thorne looked at her like she already belonged to him.

The forest felt dangerous. The trees stood tall, dark shadows watching everything unfold. Every part of her wanted to run, but her feet wouldn't move. She was stuck between a past she thought she knew and a terrible truth that was showing itself.

Darius had led her into this trap. He had known all along. Yet here he was, fighting to defend her.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Thorne stepped closer, his presence heavy. His eyes burned like hot coals, filled with something more than just hunger. He wasn't just another Alpha. He felt ancient, and something wasn't right.

"You weren't supposed to figure it out this fast," he said softly, like silk but with a deadly edge. "Too bad. It would have been easier if you stayed in the dark."

Ariana's hands balled into fists. "Easier for who?"

Thorne chuckled a dark sound. "For you, my dear."

Darius stood next to her, tense and ready. But he was different now. It wasn't loyalty that kept him close.

No, he was there because he realized he'd messed up.

"You used me," she yelled, her voice sharp but shaking. "You planned this from the start."

Darius didn't argue. He looked at her with regret. "It wasn't supposed to go this way."

"And that's the thing about betrayal." Her voice lowered, colder now. "It never is."

A low growl echoed through the night. The rogues stayed still, waiting for Thorne. They weren't just wild wolves. They were under his control.

Ariana swallowed hard. The pieces fit together in a way she wished they wouldn't. The rogues weren't there to fight.

They were there for her.

Darius had brought her to them. But now, something had changed with him. His body was tense, guarding her. He had figured something out, something that made him rethink everything.

But it was too late.

Thorne tilted his head, studying both of them. "You still don't get it, do you?" he said, almost amused. "Your fate was sealed long before you even knew your name."

Ariana's breath caught in her throat. A chill went down her spine.

Thorne knew something about her. Something she didn't. 

And that scared her more than anything.

She stepped back, heart racing, but Thorne just smiled. "You were never just another wolf, Ariana. You are—"

"Don't," Darius snapped, stepping forward. "Don't tell her."

Thorne looked at him, a dangerous spark in his eyes. "Oh? You really think you can protect her?" His cruel smile widened. "You shouldn't have let yourself care."

Darius showed his teeth. "She deserves the truth."

Thorne took his time before answering. "Truth?" He turned back to Ariana. "Do you want to know why your mate left you? Why fate seems to want to take everything from you?"

Her throat tightened. "Tell me."

Darius tensed, but Thorne looked almost pitying. "Because you are more than you think. You were meant for something bigger than a regular mate bond."

His words cut deep.

"What are you talking about?" she pressed.

Thorne sighed like he was let down. "You'll see soon enough."

Then, there was noise in the trees. Not from the rogues. Something else. A feeling that made her bones tingle.

Darius turned quickly, alert. "We need to go," he urged.

But Ariana wasn't sure who to trust anymore. "You don't get to tell me what to do."

Thorne kept smirking. "You should listen to him."

A crack sounded in the distance. The air felt heavy and full of energy. Then, Ariana knew.

Something was coming.

Something worse than Thorne.

A howl echoed through the night, unlike any she had ever heard. Not a warning. Not a call to fight.

A call.

Every wolf in the clearing felt it.

Thorne's expression changed, for just a moment. His control was strong, but whatever that howl was, it reached even him.

Ariana didn't wait to find out.

She ran.

Faster than she ever had before.

Darius was right behind her, his warmth close as they moved. Thorne didn't stop them. He didn't need to.

Because whatever was coming next…

Was too late to run from.

Then, there was another howl, cutting through everything. Ariana turned, her heart racing as a new figure stepped from the shadows.

Sebastian.

He came into the clearing, his power so strong it filled the air. Unlike Thorne's cold control, Sebastian felt wild and free. It didn't ask for submission.

It demanded it.

The rogues backed down, sensing the danger. Thorne's smirk faded into a look of irritation.

"Well," Thorne said, crossing his arms. "This is getting interesting."

Sebastian's eyes landed on Ariana, his gaze unreadable, but something burned beneath the surface. Something dangerous. He took a step forward, and the weight of his presence alone made the air harder to breathe.

Darius seemed to know this was coming. As if he had been expecting it.

Ariana's mind reeled. Nothing made sense anymore. Darius had betrayed her, but now he was protecting her. Thorne wanted to claim her, but Sebastian—Sebastian had arrived like a force of nature, uninvited, unrelenting.

Everything was falling apart.

And in the chaos, she realized something terrible. 

Tonight wasn't just chance.

It was destiny.

Sebastian spoke calmly, but his voice had weight made the entire clearing feel like it was suffocating . "She's not yours, Thorne."

Thorne smirked again. "You're wrong, Alpha. She's not yours either."

Sebastian's mouth curved slightly, but it wasn't a smile. It was a warning. 

Then—

Everything erupted.

Thorne and Sebastian clashed like titans, their growls shaking the trees. Darius fought beside Ariana, but she was done being controlled. She shifted, power surging through her veins.

A roar cut through the night, and everything stopped.

Victor stood at the edge of the battlefield, his presence freezing everyone in place. His gaze landed on Ariana last.

His eyes were full of something unclear.

"You have no idea what you are, do you?" he said.

Ariana felt her body tense.

Victor's eyes darkened. "You're not just another wolf, Ariana."

The words sent ice through her.

"You're the reason this war started in the first place."