The forest went still after Magnus disappeared.
Too still.
Even the wind felt like it was holding its breath.
Alpha Kael held Aria tightly in his arms, his jaw locked, his eyes dark.
"Aria… wake up."
No response.
Her body was warm—but completely still.
Ikechukwu stepped closer, crouching slightly to examine her.
"This one no be ordinary faint," he muttered.
Kael didn't look at him. "I can see that."
Aria's wrist pulsed again.
But this time—
The glow spread.
Up her arm.
Like veins of silver light crawling beneath her skin.
Ikechukwu's eyes sharpened.
"Ah… this one bad."
Kael's voice dropped. "Say what you mean."
Ikechukwu stood slowly, gripping his staff.
"That thing wey dey inside her…"
He glanced at the sky briefly.
"…it dey fight her."
Kael's grip tightened slightly.
"Then we stop it."
Ikechukwu shook his head.
"No be so simple."
Before Kael could respond—
Aria's body jerked suddenly.
Her fingers clenched tightly.
Her breathing became uneven.
Then—
Her eyes snapped open.
Glowing.
Bright.
Too bright.
Kael froze for a split second.
"Aria?"
She didn't answer.
She moved.
Fast.
Her hand shot forward—
Grabbing Kael by the throat.
Everything stopped.
Kael didn't fight back.
Didn't move.
Just stared at her.
Her grip tightened.
Lifting him slightly off the ground.
Ikechukwu stepped forward quickly.
"Aria! Na me! Calm down!"
Her head turned slowly toward him.
The movement was unnatural.
Controlled.
Her voice came out low.
Layered.
Not fully hers.
"You are… obstacles."
Kael's eyes didn't leave hers.
"Aria… listen to me."
Her grip tightened again.
Crack.
Ikechukwu raised his staff slightly.
But hesitated.
Because this was not an enemy.
Kael forced the words out, his voice strained but steady.
"You don't belong to it."
For a moment—
Something flickered in her eyes.
Just a second.
Then it vanished.
She threw him.
Hard.
Kael's body slammed into a tree, the impact echoing through the forest.
"Kael!" Ikechukwu shouted.
Aria stood slowly.
Her body surrounded by a faint, unstable glow.
Her breathing steady.
Too steady.
This wasn't panic.
This wasn't loss of control.
This was something else.
Ikechukwu stepped in front of her now, placing himself between her and Kael.
"Aria… make you reason small."
She tilted her head slightly.
Studying him.
Like she was trying to understand what he was.
Then—
She raised her hand.
The air shifted instantly.
Pressure built.
Heavy.
Crushing.
Ikechukwu's grip on his staff tightened.
"Ah… you wan try me?"
The ground beneath them cracked slightly.
Kael forced himself up behind her, breathing hard.
"ARIA!"
Her body paused.
Just for a second.
Then she turned again.
Their eyes met.
This time—
There was something there.
Confusion.
Pain.
"…Kael?"
Her voice was weak.
Fading in and out.
Kael took a step forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"Yeah… it's me."
Her hand trembled.
The energy around her flickered.
"I… can't…"
Her expression twisted.
Like she was fighting something inside her.
"I can't stop it…"
The glow surged again.
Stronger.
More violent.
Ikechukwu's voice dropped.
"Alpha… if she lose control fully…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Kael's eyes hardened.
Decision.
Instant.
He stepped forward again.
Ignoring the pressure.
Ignoring the danger.
"Then I'll stop her."
Ikechukwu looked at him sharply.
"You sure?"
Kael didn't hesitate.
"No."
Pause.
"But I'm not losing her."
Aria screamed again.
Louder this time.
Her power exploded outward—
BOOM!
A shockwave tore through the forest.
Trees bent.
Ground cracked.
Air shattered.
Then—
Silence.
Aria collapsed.
Completely still.
This time—
No movement.
No glow.
Nothing.
Kael reached her first, dropping to his knees beside her.
"Aria…?"
No response.
Ikechukwu stepped closer slowly.
"…She dey breathe."
Kael exhaled sharply.
Relief hitting him for a second—
Before reality returned.
Because this wasn't over.
Not even close.
Above them—
The moon flickered again.
Longer.
Darker.
And somewhere in the distance—
Something answered.
A low, unnatural howl echoed through the night.
Not wolf.
Not human.
Something else.
Ikechukwu looked toward the sound.
His expression serious.
"Wahala don come."
Kael didn't look up.
Didn't move.
He just held Aria closer.
Because deep down—
He already knew.
The line had been crossed.
And there was no going back.