Aria's eyes snapped open in the darkness. Something was wrong. She sat up in bed, her heart pounding against her ribs.
The building felt different. Dangerous. Like a storm was coming, but worse.
Outside her window, the night looked normal. Stars twinkled above the trees. The moon hung full and bright in the clear sky.
But her wolf senses screamed warnings. Death, her inner wolf whispered. Coming fast.
Aria threw off her blankets and pressed her ear to the cold stone wall.
Moonhold castle had been built ages ago with walls thick enough to stop armies. She shouldn't be able to hear anything happening outside.
But she did. Breathing. Lots of air. Too close to the house. And something else. A smell that made her stomach turn. Like rotten meat mixed with wet fur.
"Rogues," she breathed.
She grabbed her robe and ran to the door. Her bare feet made no sound on the stone floor as she raced down the tower stairs.
