Chapter 3. The Hunter’s Eyes

Aria woke in the dark.

Not in the attic. Not in the cold.

In the woods.

Her breath caught. Trees loomed in every direction, their branches twisted like claws against the pale moon. She stood barefoot in the leaves, the wind sharp against her skin, her heart pounding.

She wasn’t dreaming.

Not really.

‘You’ve been called,’ her wolf whispered.

A howl split the air.

Not just any howl.

His.

It echoed through her bones, tugging something ancient inside her. Without thinking, she ran. Branches whipped past her. Roots clawed at her ankles. But she didn’t stop.

The clearing appeared like a wound in the forest.

Kade stood in the center, shirtless, chest rising and falling with ragged breath. His eyes glowed with a silver fire. His wolf hovered just beneath the surface—wild, furious, barely contained.

“You came,” he said, voice rough.

“I didn’t choose to.”

“No,” he growled. “But your wolf did.”

They circled each other in the moonlight.

“You can’t keep calling me like this,” she said. “It’s not fair.”

“Nothing about this is fair.”

His eyes burned into her. “I should reject you. Every part of me knows I should.”

“Then do it.”

Silence.

He stepped closer.

“Say it,” she whispered.

He didn’t.

Instead, he leaned in, voice a breath against her skin. “I can’t.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

Then the ground cracked beneath them—a thunderous sound—and Aria jolted awake in the attic, gasping, sweat-soaked and shaking.

The pin burned hot in her palm.

***

School felt like walking through fog.

Everything was too bright, too loud, too fast. Her body was in one place. Her mind in another—back in the woods, back in that dream, back with him.

“You okay?” Jules asked at lunch.

Aria didn’t answer.

“Did you sleep?”

“A little.”

“You look like someone chewed you up and spit you out.”

“Thanks.”

Jules shrugged. “I mean it affectionately.”

Cassandra walked past their table, flicking her hair with perfect disdain. “Still playing loner wolves, I see. Cute.”

Jules smiled sweetly. “You’re not even interesting enough to hate.”

Cassandra huffed and kept walking.

“Why’s she always breathing down your neck?” Jules asked.

Aria poked at her tray. “She’s bored. And I’m convenient.”

“That’s a dangerous combo.”

***

The afternoon brought a surprise.

An announcement over the loudspeakers: “All ranked students to the gymnasium. Alpha Locke requests your presence.”

The ranked were students from Alpha or Beta bloodlines—the future leaders, the elite.

Aria wasn’t one of them.

But when she stood to leave the hallway, the headmaster appeared at her side.

“You’re on the list,” he said, eyes unreadable.

“But—”

“Don’t question it. Just go.”

Her wolf surged, suddenly alert.

She followed the stream of students down the hall.

Inside the gym, the floor had been cleared. Kade stood at the center, arms crossed, flanked by his two Betas—Logan and a girl with hair like black silk and eyes like broken glass.

“Welcome,” Kade said, voice calm and cold.

“Today’s lesson is simple: loyalty.”

No one moved.

“Some of you are ready,” he continued. “Some of you aren’t. I want to know who’s who.”

A long pause.

Then, “Logan?”

The Beta stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

“Fight me.”

A ripple of shock passed through the group.

“Who volunteers?” Kade asked.

Silence.

Then, to Aria’s horror, Cassandra stepped forward.

“I will.”

She was in full performance mode—shoulders back, hips tilted, eyes locked on Kade like he was prey she intended to capture.

“Be my guest,” he said, bored.

The match was quick.

Logan didn’t hold back.

Cassandra went down hard, breath knocked out of her.

She didn’t get back up.

Kade looked around. “Anyone else?”

No hands.

Except one.

Aria’s.

Gasps spread like wildfire.

Kade’s expression didn’t change.

“Come down.”

She moved through the ring of students, pulse drumming.

Logan smirked. “You sure, little ghost?”

“No,” she said. “But I’m here.”

He lunged first—fast, aggressive, careless.

She dodged.

Spun.

Kicked his knee sideways.

He grunted.

She ducked under his arm and slammed her fist into his ribs.

The crowd erupted.

He swung wide, caught her shoulder—she staggered—but recovered.

One final step, and she flipped him.

He landed flat.

Silence.

Kade’s voice cut through it.

“Enough.”

He walked toward her, slowly.

Stopped inches away.

“You’re stronger than you look.”

She met his gaze. “And you’re weaker than you pretend.”

A flicker. A breath. A challenge.

Then he turned away.

Class dismissed.

***

That night, she couldn’t sleep again.

Not after what she saw in Kade’s eyes when she’d said those words.

Fear.

Not of her.

Of himself.

***

The crowd scattered in whispers after the gym.

Jules found her by the lockers, tossing a bottle of water into her hands. “You’re either brave or stupid.”

“Probably both,” Aria muttered.

“You humiliated Logan in front of the entire ranked circle. Don’t expect him to take it well.”

“He started it.”

Jules grinned. “Sure. But next time, aim lower.”

As they turned the corner, Cassandra appeared—her hair now out of its usual tight style, her lip slightly bruised, eyes lit with fury.

“You think you’re clever?” she hissed.

Aria raised a brow. “Not particularly.”

“You think because he looks at you, you’re something?”

“No,” Aria said calmly. “But I know I’m not nothing.”

Cassandra stepped closer. “He doesn’t want you.”

Aria didn’t flinch. “Then maybe you should be mad at him, not me.”

“Be careful,” Cassandra whispered. “A girl like you doesn’t survive long once the wolves stop pretending.”

Before Aria could reply, Cassandra stalked off.

Jules leaned close. “She’s getting desperate.”

“She’s not the only one.”

***

Later that afternoon, Aria went to the library. It was mostly empty—wolves weren’t known for sitting still or reading. But she needed space, somewhere her thoughts could settle.

She found a quiet corner, hidden behind dusty shelves and faded banners from past pack tournaments.

And then she felt it.

The burn in her skin.

The shift in the air.

She turned—and Kade was already there.

He didn’t speak. Just stood across from her, silent, his eyes unreadable.

“What do you want?” she asked.

His gaze dropped to the silver crest in her hand. “You kept it.”

“You gave it to me.”

“I thought you’d throw it away.”

“Did you want me to?”

“No.”

Another beat of silence.

“I didn’t volunteer to impress you,” she said.

“I know.”

“I did it because I won’t be used. Or silenced.”

“Good,” he said, voice low. “You’ll need that.”

She blinked. “Why?”

Kade stepped closer.

There was heat between them now. Real heat. Not imaginary. Not dream-woven. And yet, neither moved.

“The Blood Court is watching,” he said. “They know I found my mate. They want to know if I’ll break.”

“Will you?”

His jaw clenched. “I can’t claim you.”

“Then reject me.”

“I can’t do that either.”

Her voice was a whisper. “You’re playing both sides.”

“I’m surviving both sides.”

He took one step closer—now only inches between them.

Aria’s breath hitched. Her wolf clawed at her ribs.

“I feel you in my bones,” he said. “Even when I don’t want to.”

“Then stop pretending I’m not there.”

His hand twitched—like he meant to reach for her—but he didn’t.

Instead, he turned.

“There’s a storm coming,” he said. “You’d better find cover.”

Then he was gone.

***

That night, the attic was colder than usual.

Aria curled into her blanket, the silver crest pressed to her chest, her thoughts a tangled mess of fire and frost.

She dreamed again.

But it wasn’t of Kade.

It was of wolves.

Running.

Bleeding.

And eyes in the dark—glowing, violet and gold, not natural.

And a voice.

A voice that didn’t belong to anyone she’d met yet.

He’ll never be yours. He belongs to the dark.

She gasped awake, the wind outside howling like a warning.

Her wolf whispered:

‘Something hunts him. And now, it hunts you too.’