Shadows Of The Pack (Aria and Knox)

Chapter Thirty One: Chasing Shadows

Knox stood in the dimly lit room, his heart pounding in his chest as he desperately hoped that his worst

fears hadn't come true. His gaze fixated on JB, lying motionless on the floor, a pool of blood spreading

around him. The moonlight streaming through the window cast an eerie glow on the scene, amplifying

the sense of dread that hung in the air.

With a surge of hope, JB stirred.

Knox's wolf urged him to go after Aria, but against his will, his legs carried him to the wounded wolf's

side. Kneeling down beside JB.

"JB, can you hear me?" Knox's said barely audible. JB let out a weak sigh, a mere breath escaping his

lips.

"Aria," he whispered, his voice barely reaching Knox's ears, before succumbing to unconsciousness

once again.

Lilian walked to the room, her steps urgent and filled with horror. Her face paled at the sight before her,

a mixture of fear and concern etched deeply into her features. She turned to Sandra, the oldest healer,

seeking answers amidst the chaos.

"What happened?" Lilian's voice trembled with raw emotion.

Sandra sighed, her weary eyes meeting Lilian's gaze. "I do not know. The Alpha from the Nightshade

pack brought him in. JB is a strong wolf, and he is healing remarkably fast, despite the severity of his

wounds." Her gaze drifted down to JB's battered body, claw marks etched into his flesh, revealing the

bones beneath.

A gasp escaped Lilian's lips, her hands flying to cover her mouth in shock. Sensing her distress,

Sandra placed a gentle, reassuring hand on Lilian's arm, trying to offer solace amidst the turmoil.

"Do not fear, Luna. He is going to be fine," Sandra said with a voice laced with conviction. "But I will

need you to excuse us so we can tend to his wounds."

Lilian's eyes flickered between JB's unconscious form and Sandra's face, her heart torn between

concern and the need to trust the healer's words. She opened her mouth to protest, but Sandra's plea

stopped her in her tracks.

"Please, Luna. I promise you, he will be fine."

Reluctantly, Lilian nodded, her eyes filled with worry and love. She cast one last glance at JB's still

figure before turning to leave the room, a trail of questions and unease following in her wake.

As Lilian emerged from the room, Knox's pacing figure caught her attention. His footsteps echoed in

the quiet corridor as he wrestled with his emotions, his wolf urging him to find their missing mate. Lilian

approached him, her usual warmth now replaced by a cold, piercing stare.

"What happened to my son?" Her voice was stern, demanding answers.

Knox turned to face her, meeting her gaze with a mixture of guilt and desperation. "I didn't do anything

to him, Lilian. I found him in Aria's room."

A flicker of realization crossed Lilian's face. "The Crystal," she breathed, her voice filled with a mixture

of dread and understanding.

Knox let out a weary sigh, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the situation. "The powers must

be growing within her. I looked into her eyes, and even I was scared."

A wave of empathy washed over Lilian as she grasped the gravity of the situation.

"You know she would never do this on purpose, right?" Knox said.

Lilian nodded, her expression heavy with resignation. "I know. Aria would never harm JB intentionally."

Lilian's nod held both acceptance and sadness. "I know. Where is Aria now? Someone should be with

her."

The snarl of agreement from Knox's wolf echoed their unspoken truth. He bowed his head, his voice

filled with remorse. "She is gone. She ran into the woods."

Lilian's eyes widened, disbelief etched across her face. "And you are still standing here?" Her voice

rose in a mixture of shock and urgency. Time was slipping away, and they needed to find Aria before

darkness swallowed her whole.

"I needed to explain," Knox attempted to justify, his words faltering under Lilian's piercing gaze.

But before he could finish his explanation, Knox's wolf surged to the surface, overpowering him with a

snarl that spoke volumes of its determination. Without hesitation, it propelled him forward, his legs

transforming into a blur of motion as he dashed off into the night, chasing after their lost mate.

**************

Sophia stood in front of the mirror, holding up a delicate, lacy top. The fabric shimmered in the sunlight

that streamed through the window, and she twirled it in the air, hoping for a sudden inspiration to strike

her. "What about this one?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.

Kira, who was perched on the edge of the bed, made a sound at the back of her throat before

plastering a smile on her face. "It's beautiful," she replied, trying her best to be supportive. However,

her forced expression betrayed her true thoughts. Sophia noticed the discrepancy and gave Kira a

questioning look.

"Seriously, Kira, I need you to be serious here," Sophia urged, her voice tinged with frustration. "I have

no idea what I'm going to wear for the mating ceremony."

Kira sighed and dropped her gaze for a moment before meeting Sophia's eyes. "Okay, I'm sorry," she

apologized sincerely. "I'm just trying to understand how you're getting mated to a wolf you do not like."

Sophia let out a heavy sigh and let the top slip from her fingers. "It doesn't matter," she said, her voice

tinged with resignation. "I'm getting mated, and that is the end of it. And I never said I didn't like Mark.

He is a really nice wolf."

A flicker of confusion passed over Kira's face. "But when I met you and Shana, you said he was

boring," she reminded Sophia gently.

Sophia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she recalled what happened near the border. "Maybe I

was wrong," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Besides, every wolf needs a mate. One

day, you're going to understand that. You will find your true mate, or maybe not. But in the end, you

wouldn't want to be alone."

A shade of pink crept onto Kira's cheeks as she ducked her head, her voice barely audible. "Uhmmm,

Sophia..."

"Please don't tell me you're getting mated too," Sophia interjected, her eyes widening playfully.

Kira laughed nervously, fidgeting with her fingers. "No, nothing like that. Tyler kissed me," she

confessed, a shy smile playing on her lips.

A small smile graced Sophia's face as she sat down on the bed next to the teenage wolf. "That's really

sweet," she said warmly. "But that is the only first you'll be having for a really long time."

Sophia stared at Kira, hoping she understood the underlying message. Kira nodded shyly, her cheeks

flushed. "Yes, of course. I don't think I'm ready for that yet. But I do like Tyler. My wolf likes him too."

"Maybe you'll understand it sooner than I thought," Sophia mused. "I didn't expect this to happen, but it

has. Mark and I will have our mating ceremony, and I would really appreciate it if you helped me get

ready for it."

Kira's brow furrowed with uncertainty. "But I'm only fourteen. Shouldn't you be asking someone older,

like Shana or Melody? I heard Aria left."

Sophia sighed, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I haven't exactly made myself the most likable wolf since

I got here, so I'm not sure I have anyone else to ask," she admitted. "Except Nicole, but she's mad at ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

me for not asking her permission to 'get' marked."

"You mean the she-wolf who's always filing her claws and kissing her teeth at everyone?" Kira asked,

her voice filled with disbelief.

Sophia nodded, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yes, that's the one. And that me a few

weeks ago." she confirmed. "

Kira leaned back against the headboard, contemplating Sophia's words. "And what about Melody and

Shana?" she inquired. "Have you asked them for help?"

A cloud of uncertainty crossed Sophia's face as she lowered her gaze. "I haven't actually spoken to

Shana since... well, you know," she admitted with a tinge of regret. "And Melody... I don't think she

approves. The way she looked at me the day I announced it, I could sense her disapproval."

Shana and Melody stood outside the closed door, engaged in a hushed argument. Their whispers filled

with tension and disagreement.

"Come on, Shana, knock on the door," Melody urged, frustration lacing her voice.

Shana crossed her arms and shot a defiant glare at Melody. "Why do I have to do it? You knock on the

door," she retorted.

Rolling her eyes, Melody sighed in exasperation. "You're older than me," she countered, hoping to

sway the argument in her favor.

Shana's expression hardened, and her gaze intensified. "Stop bringing my age up to win the

argument," she snapped. "Just knock! You heard her, she thinks we don't care."

Caught off guard, Sophia's voice rang out from the other side of the door. "Why don't you just come in?

I can hear you," she called out, her tone a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Shana's hand faltered for a moment, then she pushed open the door, throwing a glare at Melody as

she entered the room. Melody followed behind her, her eyes rolling in a silent display of annoyance.

Sophia's gaze shifted from Shana to Melody as they entered. Shana's expression held a hint of

reluctance mixed with curiosity, while Melody's face held the glare which she threw

"Finally decided to grace me with your presence?" Sophia teased, her voice tinged with both relief and

apprehension.

Shana shrugged, trying to maintain her cool facade. "You know how it is, Sophia. We may have had

our differences, but we are friends now so that means we care."

Melody crossed her arms, her voice laced with a hint of reproach. "You should have come to us,

Sophia. We're your friends, and we would have been here for you. And I don't disapprove. I happen to

like Mark. I was just shocked, that's all."

Sophia turned to face Melody, gratitude shining in her eyes. "I'm sorry for not reaching out sooner," she

admitted. "But your support means the world to me. I didn't expect this turn of events, and I appreciate

your understanding."

Shana chimed in, her voice still tinged with surprise. "I'm still shocked. I thought you didn't like Mark,"

she confessed, a note of curiosity in her tone.

Sophia's cheeks flushed, her gaze dropping for a moment before meeting Shana's eyes. "I went for a

walk, and I ran into him," she revealed, her voice tinged with a mixture of mischief and awe. "I threw my

usual jabs at him, and then I think he just snapped. Next thing I know, he is fucking me against a tree

and then he marked."

Shana looked at Kira who raised her hand up in surrender, "I know Shana. I'm not allowed to."

"So you decided to form the bond and get mated?"

Sophia let out a small laugh, her gaze shifting between her friends. "So, you see, it was an unexpected

turn of events," she continued, her voice filled with a mix of wonder and playfulness. "

"It was in the height of the moment and I thought I would back out but I actually want to be mated to

him. He is really attractive plus if he fucks me like that every night I will be a very happy wolf and the

best part, I won't spend the rest of my life alone. So yes I'm doing it. I already sent word to my parents.

I am just waiting on Knox."

Melody pushed some clothes after, taking her seat, "He isn't back yet. I just hope nothing has

happened to Aria."

Shana sighed sadly, "I hope so too."

The room fell into a brief lull as the weight of their conversation settled upon them. Then, Melody's eyes

brightened, and she sat up straighter. "I just realized something," she exclaimed, her voice filled with

excitement. "This will be the pack's first mating ceremony. Everyone who comes into is either already

mated or has been rejected. No offense, Sophia."

Sophia shrugged nonchalantly, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "None taken. I'm the one getting

mated."

Shana, who had been rummaging through a pile of clothes, held up another top. "Then we had better

make it a mating ceremony to remember," she declared, her eyes gleaming with determination.

*****************

Aria's eyelids fluttered open, revealing a world blurred by pain. Every movement sent a sharp jolt

through her body, reminding her of the ordeal she had endured. As her eyes focused, she glanced

downward, her gaze drawn to the source of her agony. Her skin was marred by a deep, gaping wound.

Crimson droplets trickled from the raw flesh, staining the ground beneath her.

Confusion clouded her mind as she struggled to recall the events leading up to her current

predicament. Why was she lying on the cold wood's floor, and not in the moonlight pack? The last

coherent memory she clung to was one trying but failing to untangle her long but from that point

onward, darkness enveloped her consciousness.

She tried again, tuning out the pain. She reached for her wolf hoping she would help her accelerate the

healing but her wolf just stood still.

Suddenly, the tranquility of the woods shattered with the deafening crack of a branch breaking

underfoot. Aria's head snapped around, her senses sharpening as she strained to identify the source of

the disturbance. As her gaze fell upon the figure approaching from the shadows, a wave of dread

washed over her.

A malicious grin rose on Lucas face as he stared down at her, "What do we have here?"