“Stop.”
The voice made the three wolves in front of Zara freeze.
Zara slowly opened her eyes.
From behind the trees, Alaric approached.
His steps were calm.
But his gaze changed the atmosphere in an instant.
The three wolves backed away.
Alaric stopped in front of Zara, then looked at them one by one.
“I already gave you a chance to leave.”
One of the wolves growled.
Alaric raised his chin slightly.
“Now it’s too late.”
The largest wolf suddenly lunged.
Zara screamed.
Alaric moved so quickly that his body was almost impossible to see.
Bam!
He struck the wolf with his bare hand.
The large body went flying and slammed into a tree.
The other two wolves attacked as well.
Alaric dodged the first set of claws, then grabbed the second wolf’s leg and slammed it into the ground.
Its growl echoed among the trees.
Zara backed away, her body trembling.
She had never seen a fight like this.
Even Alaric’s movements were too fast for her eyes to follow.
The third wolf attacked from behind.
Alaric turned just in time.
His eyes changed.
For a moment, Zara saw something nonhuman in the man’s gaze.
Alaric growled.
The sound was much lower and more terrifying.
The wolf stopped immediately.
But Alaric didn’t give it a chance.
He lunged.
The fight broke out again.
Zara ran away and hid behind the trunk of a large tree.
She covered her mouth with her hand to keep from screaming.
From there, she could see everything.
Alaric seemed like a different person.
His movements were brutal.
Merciless.
Every attack was aimed at bringing down his opponent as quickly as possible.
One of the wolves managed to rake his arm with its claws.
Blood flowed.
Alaric didn’t even flinch.
He only glanced at the wound.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
It wasn’t a friendly smile.
It was the smile of someone who had finally found a reason to vent his anger.
“You never learn.”
Alaric grabbed the wolf by the throat.
“Grimclaw.”
He slammed its body into the ground.
BAM!
The earth trembled.
Zara held her breath.
The wolf tried to get up, but Alaric was already standing over it.
“For years.”
The first punch landed.
“For years, I waited.”
The second punch.
“You killed my family.”
The third punch sent blood spilling from the corner of the wolf’s mouth.
“And now you dare enter my territory.”
The wolf grinned.
“Still holding a grudge?”
Alaric fell silent.
Then his gaze grew even darker.
“Forever.”
He released his grip.
The wolf collapsed.
The other two immediately fled.
Alaric didn’t chase them.
He only stood there, regulating his breathing.
The forest fell silent again.
Zara was still hiding.
She didn’t know whether she should be afraid of the wolves or of the man who had just defeated them.
Alaric wiped the blood from his arm.
Then he turned.
“I know you’re there.”
Zara froze.
She slowly stepped out from behind the tree.
“Alaric…”
Alaric’s gaze fell on her.
“I told you not to leave.”
Zara lowered her head.
“I was scared.”
“And you chose to walk alone?”
“I thought you weren’t coming back.”
Alaric fell silent.
Her answer left him unable to respond immediately.
He walked toward Zara.
The girl took a step back.
Not because Alaric intended to hurt her.
She was simply still afraid.
Zara’s gaze fell on the wound in Alaric’s arm.
“You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.”
“That’s a lot of blood.”
“It’s not much.”
Zara stared at his face.
“You almost died.”
Alaric raised an eyebrow.
“I did?”
Zara nodded quickly.
“You fought three wolves at once!”
Alaric looked completely unconcerned.
“They weren’t my match.”
Zara fell silent.
This man was truly strange.
He had just fought three savage creatures, yet he spoke as if nothing had happened.
But before Zara could say anything, Alaric heard a sound in the distance.
He turned.
His expression changed.
“It’s time to go.”
“Where?”
“My house.”
Zara blinked.
“Your house?”
Alaric started walking.
Zara remained where she was.
“Why should I go with you?”
Alaric stopped.
He turned around.
“Because night is about to fall.”
Zara looked at the sky.
The sunlight had indeed almost disappeared.
Alaric continued,
“And if you stay here, they’ll come back.”
Zara bit her lip.
She looked toward the dark forest.
Then she looked at Alaric.
At last, she followed him.
They walked for quite some time.
Zara tried to start a conversation several times, but Alaric only gave brief answers.
“Are you a werewolf?”
“Yes.”
The answer left Zara silent for several seconds.
“You really are a werewolf?”
Alaric kept walking.
“Didn’t you already see it?”
Zara remembered the wolf from earlier.
Then she nodded.
“So the ones from before were werewolves too?”
“Yes.”
“Are they all like you?”
“No.”
Zara grew curious again.
“Then what is Moonforge?”
Alaric stopped.
His gaze turned cold.
“Don’t ask so many questions.”
Zara immediately pouted.
“If I’m not allowed to ask questions, how am I supposed to know anything?”
Alaric looked at her.
For a moment, they stood in silence.
Then Alaric turned and started walking again.
“So cold.”
Alaric heard her.
Of course he heard her.
But he didn’t answer.
They continued walking until the trees gradually began to thin.
Beyond the rows of trees, a large house came into view.
The house stood alone in the middle of the forest.
Dark stone walls.
Tall windows.
Warm lights glowing from within.
Zara stopped.
“This is your house?”
“Yes.”
Zara gazed at the building in awe.
She hadn’t expected anyone to live alone in a place like this, much less in such a large house.
Alaric opened the door.
“Come in.”
Zara hesitated.
“Really?”
Alaric gave her a flat look.
“If you want to sleep outside, be my guest.”
Zara hurried inside.
The moment she crossed the threshold, she froze.
The main room was enormous.
Bookshelves covered one side of the wall.
A fire blazed in the fireplace.
Several plants grew in the corners of the room.
Everything was neatly arranged.
Strangely, the house felt comfortable.
Nothing like its owner.
Zara walked toward the bookshelves.
“There are this many?”
“Don’t touch them.”
Zara pulled her hand back.
“I’m just looking.”
Alaric took off his black coat.
As he passed Zara, she caught his scent again.
The scent of wood, coffee, and something difficult to describe.
But Alaric stopped too.
Zara’s scent filled the room.
Stronger than before.
He frowned.
Why was her scent getting stronger?
His wolf instincts were disturbed again.
Alaric quickly moved away.
“Sit.”
Zara obeyed.
Alaric took a medical kit and began cleaning the wound on his arm.
Zara watched him.
“You can treat your own wounds?”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t you?”
Alaric looked at her.
“That’s what I’m doing.”
Zara almost smiled.
“That’s not what I meant.”
Alaric fell silent again.
Zara finally sat down on the sofa.
For the first time since entering the Forbidden Forest, she felt a little safe.
But she didn’t yet know that her decision to follow Alaric would change her entire life.
Because that night, while Zara sat in the house of an Alpha who had lived alone all this time—
Alaric realized something more unsettling than Grimclaw’s presence.
He was starting to get used to Zara’s scent.
And he wasn’t sure whether that was a good sign.
Or the beginning of a much bigger problem.