Winter Wolves

Aria's POV

The bandage around my head felt like a snake squeezing my brain. I shot up in the bed, heart hammering against my chest like a trapped bird. Pain exploded behind my eyes, making me dizzy.

Where was I?

The bed wasn't mine. At least, I didn't think it was mine. Actually, I couldn't remember what my bed looked like. Or if I even had one.

My hands shook as I touched the thick white cloth wrapped around my forehead. It felt crusty in some spots. Dark red spots that looked like... blood? My blood?

What happened to me?

I tried to think, but it hurt worse than the bandage. My mind felt empty, like someone had taken a giant eraser and wiped away everything important. My name, my family, my home - all gone.

The only thing I knew for sure was that I was scared.

The room felt wrong. No windows anywhere, just four plain walls and one door. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling, casting weird shadows that danced when I moved. The door had a big metal lock on it. From the outside.

I was trapped.

My bare feet hit the cold floor as I stumbled toward the door. The handle wouldn't turn. I pulled and pushed and rattled it, but nothing worked. The metal was freezing against my palms.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice cracking. "Is anyone there? Please, I need help!"

Silence.

Then I heard them. Footsteps. Heavy boots walking slowly down what sounded like a long hallway. Getting closer and closer.

My heart jumped into my throat. Should I pretend to be asleep? Should I hide? There was nowhere to go in this tiny room.

The footsteps stopped right outside my door.

I pressed my back against the far wall, trying to make myself as small as possible. The lock made a loud clicking sound. Someone was opening it.

The door swung open with a long, creaky groan.

A man stepped inside. He was tall and thin, with gray hair and cold blue eyes that reminded me of winter ice. He wore a long white coat, like a doctor. But something about him made my skin crawl.

"Good," he said, his voice deep and smooth. "You're finally awake. We need to talk."

I wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. He blocked the only way out.

"Who are you?" I whispered. "Where am I? What happened to my head?"

The man smiled, but it wasn't a nice smile. It was the kind of smile a wolf might give before eating a rabbit.

"So many questions," he said, pulling out a small notebook. "But first, let me ask you something. What's your name?"

I opened my mouth to answer, then closed it again. The scary truth hit me like a punch to the stomach.

"I... I don't know," I admitted, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. "I can't remember anything."

"Perfect," the man said, writing something in his notebook. "That means the procedure worked."

Procedure? What procedure?

"You did something to me?" I asked, touching my bandaged head again. "You hurt me?"

"Hurt you?" The man laughed, but it sounded cold and mean. "My dear girl, I saved you. You were dying when we found you in the snow. Your head was bleeding badly from a terrible fall."

I wanted to believe him, but something felt wrong. Really wrong.

"Then why am I locked in here?" I demanded, trying to sound braver than I felt. "Why can't I leave?"

"Because it's dangerous outside," he said, stepping closer. "There are wild animals in these mountains. Wolves. They hunt in packs, and they're always hungry."

Wolves. The word sent shivers down my spine, but I didn't know why.

"I want to go home," I said, backing away from him. "Please, just let me go home."

"Home?" The man tilted his head like a curious bird. "But you don't remember where home is, do you? You don't remember your family or friends. For all you know, this is your home now."

His words hit me like ice water. He was right. I had no idea where I belonged or who might be looking for me. I was completely alone.

"Don't worry," the man continued, his fake smile getting wider. "We'll take good care of you here. My name is Dr. Frost, and this is my research facility. You're going to help us with some very important work."

"What kind of work?" I asked, even though I was afraid to hear the answer.

Dr. Frost closed his notebook with a sharp snap. "The kind that will change everything. You see, my dear, you're not just any ordinary girl who got lost in the snow. You're special. Very special."

"Special how?"

He walked toward the door, then turned back to look at me. His cold eyes seemed to see right through me.

"You'll find out soon enough. But first, you need to heal. Rest well tonight, because tomorrow we begin your training."

"Training for what?" I called after him, but he was already walking away.

The door slammed shut behind him. The lock clicked loudly.

I was alone again, but now I had more questions than ever. What made me special? What kind of training? And why did Dr. Frost's smile remind me of something dangerous lurking in the dark?

I sat on the edge of the bed, hugging my knees to my chest. Outside, wind howled like hungry animals. Or maybe it really was animals. Maybe Dr. Frost was telling the truth about the wolves.

But deep in my gut, I knew he was lying about other things. Important things.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember something, anything, about who I was before I woke up in this terrible place. For just a second, I thought I heard something. A voice calling my name.

But what was my name?

As I drifted off to sleep, one last thought scared me more than anything else.

What if I wasn't the only one trapped here?

A sound from somewhere deep in the building made me freeze. It was faint, but I could hear it

Someone else was screaming.