Chapter 97: The Turning Tide
ARIA POV
I woke up to cold water splashing on my face. My eyes snapped open as I gasped for air. Metal cuffs bit into my wrists. I was strapped to a table in a bright white room that smelled of chemicals.
"The Luna is awake," a man in a white coat said, writing something on a clipboard. "Inform Commander Hayes."
Panic rose in my chest. The Shadow Division had caught me. I pulled against the restraints, but they didn’t move.
"Don’t waste your energy," the man said without looking up. "Those cuffs are made from silver-infused steel. No monster can break them."
My mind raced. Where was my pack? My mates? The last thing I remembered was collapsing in the cave opening after being hit with some kind of dart.
The door slid open, and a tall woman with short gray hair walked in. Her outfit was covered in medals.
"So you’re the famous Luna," she said, studying me like I was a bug under a microscope. "I’m Commander Hayes. Welcome to Shadow Division headquarters."
"Where’s my pack?" I asked.
She smiled coldly. "Most fled into the caves. We have teams tracking them down as we speak."
Relief flooded through me. They were still free. Then I remembered something else - my link to my mates. I closed my eyes and reached out through our bond.