Chapter 1

ARIA'S POV

The fog was thick, enveloping the forest like a ghostly veil. My heart pounded in my chest as I ran, stumbling over roots and rocks hidden in the mist. The sound of approaching heavy paws and low growls echoed behind me, pushing me forward despite my tired legs.

"Keep going, Aria," I whispered to myself, my breath coming in ragged gasps. "Don't you dare stop, and don't look back."

However, I wasn't as fast as I should have been. My body felt weak, with nausea swirling in my stomach. I had fallen ill just after deciding to run away, and now that illness was threatening to be my downfall.

A loud growl pierced the air, closer than before. I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw two gray-haired wolves, their eyes shining with hunger and something else... was it hatred?

"You can't run forever you know!" one of the wolves shouted, his voice rough and filled with rage. "I'll rip you to shreds for what you did to my family!"

I nearly tripped in shock. What had I done to his family? This had to be a nightmare. But the pain in my muscles and the sharp sting of branches hitting my face told me that this was all too real.

"Listen!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. "I am not who you think I am! I didn't hurt anyone! I did nothing to your family."

The wolf's response was a bone-chilling howl. "Liar! I can smell their blood on you! And you will pay."

Panic clawed at my throat. "No, no. You're mistaken! It wasn't me! Ask Tyler and Ryan. They are the ones you should look for!"

For a moment, the sound of running behind me faltered. "Tyler and Ryan?" the second wolf growled. "What do you know about them?"

I didn't dare slow down to respond. My eyes darted anxiously around the misty forest, looking for any escape. And then, that was when I saw it – a dark opening in the side of a hill. A tunnel!

"They are the real enemies!" I shouted back, hoping my words would buy me a few precious seconds. "They are the ones who hurt your family!"

The wolves snarled in confusion, their chase momentarily slowing. It was the chance I had been waiting for. So I turned sharply to the right, my feet slipping on the wet leaves as I changed direction.

"Hey! Where the hell do you think you are going?" one of the wolves barked.

I didn't answer. Instead, I used every ounce of strength I had left to run toward the tunnel entrance. The mist swirled around me, helping to hide my escape.

"Find her. Now!" I heard one of the wolves howl.

My lungs ached as I reached the tunnel. Without hesitation, I walked into the darkness, pressing my body against the cold, damp wall. I held my breath, listening to the wolves moving through the underbrush outside.

"Where did she go?" one growled.

"I don't know," the other replied. "Her scent... it's all mixed up with this fog."

I squeezed my eyes shut, silently begging them to move on. My head was spinning from the tiredness and the lingering nausea.

How on earth had I gotten myself into this mess? It was supposed to be a simple escape. Yet here I was, curled up in a pitch-black tunnel, hiding from vengeful wolves who seemed to think I was some kind of murderer.

"We should split up," one of the wolves suddenly said. "You take the east, and I'll head west. She couldn't have gone too far."

"And if I find her?"

There was a pause, then a low, growl filled the air. "Torture her. And then..."

I didn't need to hear the rest. The threat in his voice was clear enough.

As the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance, I finally allowed myself to take a shaky breath. My legs, weak from running and fear gave out beneath me. I slid down the damp tunnel wall, feeling the cold creep into my bones.

"What on earth is going on?" I whispered into the darkness, my voice trembling. "What is this? What is all this?"

My mind raced, trying to make sense of everything that was happening, the accusations of murder, and everything else. But as the silence of the tunnel pressed in around me, one thought kept pushing its way to the front of my mind.

Dante.

The very reason I had run away in the first place. He was the last person I wanted to talk to, and yet... maybe the only one who could help me now.

I pulled out my phone with shaking hands, squinting at the bright screen in the darkness. My finger hovered over Dante's name for a long while before I finally pressed 'call'.

Ring... ring... ring...

"Answer the damn phone," I muttered, feeling overly anxious.

But there was no answer. The call went to voicemail, and I cursed under my breath.

"Alright, Aria, think," I told myself. "You are in a tunnel, hiding from murderous wolves, and Dante is your only hope. Put aside your pride and call him again."

I hit 'call' once more, holding my breath as it rang. And this time, someone answered, but the voice that came through wasn't Dante's.

"Hello?" It was Linda, her voice sweet as honey but with an edge I knew all too well.

I clenched my jaw. Of all the people to pick up, it had to be her. "Linda, hi. It's Aria. I really need to talk to Dante. It's urgent."

There was a moment of silence, and I could almost see the smug smile on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry, Aria. Dante is in the bath right now. He can't come to the phone."

My free hand balled into a fist, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Linda, please. I wouldn't be calling if it wasn't important. Can you just get him for me? It will only take a minute."

Linda's laughter was light and carefree, but it felt like a slap in the face. "Sweetie, I've already told you. Dante is not available right now. He's... busy." The hint in her tone was clear. "Why don't you hang up and do something else with your life? I'm sure you can find someone else to bother."

Anger bubbled up inside me, and I was about to let loose with every curse word I knew when I heard a muffled voice in the background.

"Who is it?" It was Dante.

My heart leapt, even as it ached. "Linda, I can hear him. Just put him on the phone, please!"

Linda's voice turned cold. "It's Aria," she said loudly, clearly meant for both me and Dante to hear. "She's being a nuisance again."

There was a moment of silence, and I held my breath, waiting for Dante to take the phone. To show even a shred of worry for me.

Instead, I heard a click, followed by the dial tone.

They had hung up on me.

I stared at my phone in shock as the screen went dark. The reality of my situation came crashing down all at once. I was alone, hiding in a dark tunnel, being hunted by wolves, and the one person I thought might help me couldn't even be bothered to come to the phone.

Memories flooded my mind – Dante's smile, the way he used to look at me, the promises we had made. And Linda, always there, always whispering in his ear. The fights, the tears, the betrayal.

"You idiot," I whispered to myself, my voice breaking. "What did you expect?"

The pain in my chest was more intense than any physical wound. It felt like my heart was being torn apart, shredded by wolf claws and human cruelty.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and this time, I didn't try to hold them back. I cried. Deep, heaving sobs that echoed in the empty tunnel. I cried for the love I had lost, for the danger I was in, for the hopelessness of my situation. I cried until my throat was raw and my eyes burned.

"Why?" I choked out between tears. "Why did it have to happen this way?"

But there was no answer. Only the sound of my own ragged breaths and the faint drip of water somewhere in the tunnel.

I don't know how long I sat there, letting the tears flow. Time seemed to lose all meaning in the darkness. Eventually, exhaustion took over. My body, already weakened by illness and the frantic chase through the forest, simply couldn't handle anymore.

As my sobs quieted to soft hiccups, a heavy tiredness settled over me. My eyes grew heavy, and despite the danger, the cold, and the dampness of the tunnel, I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness.

"I can't... I have to stay awake..." I murmured, fighting against the urge to sleep. But it was a losing battle.

The last thing I remember thinking before darkness claimed me was a jumble of images – gray wolves with glowing eyes, Dante's face, Linda's smug smile, and a tunnel that seemed to stretch on forever into blackness.

Then, thankfully, there was nothing. Just peaceful, empty darkness.

But like all good things, it couldn't last forever.

I'm not sure how long I was out, but when I started to come to, the first thing I noticed was a scent.

My nose twitched, and I took in a deep breath, still half-asleep. There was a musky, wild scent that tickled something in the back of my brain. Something important.

Suddenly, it hit me like a bucket of ice water. The wolves.