Chapter 52: Moon Alpha Rising
ARIA POV
A scream tore through my mind, jolting me awake. I sat up gasping, my heart beating like a drum. The triplets stirred beside me, but they hadn’t heard what I had.
"Someone’s in trouble," I said, already jumping out of bed. I didn’t know how I knew, but I was certain.
"What? Where?" Lucien asked, instantly alert.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the strange pull in my chest. "The eastern line. A pup went too far."
Without waiting for the others, I ran to the balcony and jumped off, shifting mid-air. My silver and gold wolf form landed smoothly on the ground below. I took off running, faster than I’d ever moved before.
The forest blurred around me as I raced toward the feeling. Trees whipped past, but somehow I knew exactly where to go without slowing down. I could feel the pup’s fear getting stronger with each step.
I burst into a small opening just as a mountain lion prepared to pounce on a small, trembling wolf pup huddled against a rock.
The big cat froze when it saw me. My silver fur shimmered in the moonlight as I bared my teeth and let out a warning growl that seemed to shake the very ground. The mountain lion’s ears flattened, and it backed away slowly before turning and fleeing into the trees.
The pup stared at me with wide, scared eyes.
It’s okay, I thought, not expecting an answer. You’re safe now.