Chapter 17

Aria's POV.

I woke to the soft morning light spilling through the curtains, but it wasn't the sun that hit me first.

It was Kyra, my inner wolf, growling low and fierce, a sound that vibrated in my chest. My head throbbed, a dull ache pulsing behind my eyes, and I pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to ease it.

"Kyra, what's wrong?" I asked, my voice shaky in my mind. "Why are you so stirred up?"

Her growl grew louder, urgent, like a warning bell. "Something's wrong, Aria," she said, her voice sharp. "The Fang Pack isn't safe. I feel it—danger, close and dark. We need to leave. Now."

I shook my head, my heart racing. "No, Kyra," I said, my voice firm despite the ache.

"We came here for a reason. The recognition, Kael's deal with Alpha Nicholas—we can't just run." My stomach twisted, her words sinking in, but I pushed them down.