Chapter 2

　　Ariana

　　Slowly, Ariana nodded.

　　Damian turned and began walking, clearly expecting her to follow. After a moment, she did.

　　As they moved deeper into the forest, Ariana felt it again. A strange pull in her chest, faint but undeniable. It scared her more than the rejection had.

　　She did not know it yet, but crossing into Alpha Damian Volkova's territory was not a mistake.

　　It was the beginning of a fate she had never been meant to escape.

　　The moment Ariana stepped past the Black Ridge border, she felt it.

　　Evil eyes, staring at bitterly, and evily.

　　Not just Damian's, but many others watching from the dark.

　　The forest that had felt silent moments ago now carried a low tension, like a breath being held for too long.

　　Damian walked ahead of her at an even pace. He did not rush her. He did not warn her again. His presence alone kept the forest quiet. Wolves knew better than to challenge him openly.

　　Ariana kept her head forward, her senses sharp. She was not blind to the danger she had stepped into. She was a lone wolf in a powerful pack's land. Even with Damian beside her, one wrong move could cost her everything.

　　They reached the outer patrol grounds just as the sun dipped lower in the sky, it was too hot, really hot, but wolves doesn't feel heat sometimes.

　　Two guards stepped out from behind the trees instantly, shifting halfway into their wolf forms. Their eyes locked on Ariana first.

　　"Alpha," one of them said, stiffening. "There is an outsider."

　　"I know," Damian replied calmly. "Stand down."

　　The guards hesitated.

　　"She crossed the border without permission," the other guard said. "The elders will want answers."

　　"They will get them," Damian said. "She is under my protection."

　　The word protection landed heavy in the air.

　　Ariana felt it even if she did not fully understand it yet.

　　The guards backed away, but their gazes stayed fixed on her with open suspicion. Ariana resisted the urge to shrink under their stares. She had been looked down on her whole life. She would not do it here.

　　As they continued deeper into the territory, the pack settlement came into view. Large stone buildings stood in neat lines. Wolves moved with purpose, their movements were sharp and disciplined.

　　Instantly conversations slowed as Damian passed.

　　Then they noticed her.

　　Whispers spread quickly.

　　"Who is she"

　　"A rogue"

　　"Why is she here"

　　Ariana's shoulders tensed, but Damian did not slow his stride. He did not reach for her. He did not reassure her. He simply kept moving, looking really steady and controlled.

　　That was enough, his striking presence carries aura of confidence.

　　They stopped in front of the main hall when a sudden shift in the air made Ariana's breath catch.

　　Another alpha's scent.

　　It looks sharp, foreign and unwelcome.

　　Damian felt it too. He stopped instantly.

　　From the far edge of the settlement, a tall wolf approached with an easy smile and cold eyes. His power rolled outward without care, pressing against everyone nearby.

　　Alpha Rowan of the Iron Crest Pack.

　　Ariana recognized him from stories whispered in fear. Iron Crest was aggressive, known for expanding territory through force and broken alliances.

　　Rowan's gaze slid past Damian and landed on her.

　　Interest flared openly in his eyes.

　　"Well," Rowan said smoothly. "I see you have picked up something valuable."

　　Damian turned slightly, placing himself between Rowan and Ariana without touching her. His voice remained calm, but the warning underneath it was unmistakable.

　　"You are not welcome here."

　　Rowan chuckled. "Relax. I came because I heard the news. A lone wolf crossed into Black Ridge territory today. A rejected one, if rumors are true."

　　Ariana's stomach tightened.

　　So it had already spread.

　　Rowan took another step forward. "She smells different. Not weak, not broken. She's Interesting."

　　Damian's eyes darkened. "Leave."

　　Rowan raised his hands in mock surrender, but his smile never faded. "I might. Or I might make an offer."

　　"No," Damian said flatly.

　　Rowan laughed again, this time louder. "You should be careful, Damian. Bringing an unclaimed female into your pack sends a message. Others will come looking."

　　"Let them," Damian replied.

　　Rowan's gaze flicked back to Ariana one last time. "Think about it, little wolf. The Iron Crest is always open to strength."

　　Then he turned and walked away, his scent lingering like a threat.

　　Ariana exhaled slowly once he was gone.

　　Before she could speak, the tension shifted again.

　　This time, it came from behind them.

　　The elders.

　　Five of them stepped forward, their faces carved with years of rule and caution. Their eyes locked onto Ariana with immediate disapproval.

　　"Alpha," the lead elder said. "You have broken protocol."

　　Damian faced them fully. "I have not."

　　"You brought a lone wolf into our territory without council approval," another elder snapped. "A rejected one at that."

　　"She is not a threat," Damian said.

　　"You do not know that," the elder shot back. "Rejection twists wolves. It makes them unstable."

　　Ariana clenched her fists but stayed silent.

　　"We cannot risk our pack," the lead elder continued. "Send her away."

　　"No," Damian said again.

　　A ripple of shock passed through the elders.

　　"You challenge the council" one demanded.

　　"I lead this pack," Damian replied. "And I decide who stays."

　　The elders exchanged dark looks.

　　"Then you accept full responsibility for what follows," the lead elder warned. "If rival packs move against us because of her, the blood will be on your hands."

　　"So be it."

　　The silence that followed was heavy.

　　At last, the elders stepped back, but their eyes promised this was the beginning of their questioning and challenge.

　　Damian turned slightly toward Ariana. "You will stay in the guest quarters," he said. "You will follow pack rules. You will not leave the inner grounds without an escort."

　　She nodded. "I understand."

　　Immediately she walked away with a guard, Ariana felt it again.

　　That pull.

　　But this time it was,

　　Stronger now.

　　And somewhere beyond the borders of Black Ridge, someone else was already planning their next move.

　　The rejected omega was no longer invisible.

　　She had become a prize.