Aira slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, and her head felt heavy, as if it had just been struck by something. She tried to move her body, but the piercing cold against her skin made her shiver. Where was she? She didn’t recognize this place.
The sky above her was dark, adorned with glittering stars. Around her, towering trees formed a natural canopy, leaving only a faint glow of moonlight to illuminate the ground. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves was soothing, yet something made Aira uneasy.
"What happened to me?" she murmured softly, trying to recall what had just occurred. She remembered being with Raka, and then... everything went black. But before she could think further, the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance.
Aira quickly turned, hoping it was Raka. But what she saw instead was a pair of glowing red eyes staring at her from the darkness. Her heart pounded. She wanted to scream, but her voice caught in her throat.
“Aira,” the voice echoed in her head, deep and commanding. “This is only the beginning.”
Aira froze. The voice… it didn’t come from the creature’s mouth. She heard it directly in her mind.
“Who... who are you?” she asked, her voice trembling.
From the shadows, a massive figure emerged. It was a wolf with jet-black fur and red eyes that radiated authority. It stepped closer with calm deliberation, but each step made Aira retreat further.
“Do not be afraid,” the wolf said again, its voice still echoing in her head. “I am Fenrir, protector of the Wolf Nation. And you, Aira, are the last heir of Queen Kaela’s lineage.”
Aira furrowed her brow, confused. “What do you mean? I’m... I’m nobody. I’m just Aira. I don’t even know why I’m here.”
Fenrir stopped a few steps away, staring at her with piercing eyes that were intense yet not threatening. “You are the child of Queen Kaela, the last leader of the Wolf Nation. Her blood runs through your veins. And now, the time has come for you to take your place as our leader.”
Aira shook her head quickly. “No, that’s impossible. I’m not a leader. I don’t even know anything about the Wolf Nation or… or any of that. You must have the wrong person.”
Fenrir sighed deeply, as if he had expected her reaction. “I know this is difficult to accept. But this is your destiny, Aira. You cannot run from who you truly are.”
Before Aira could respond, another sound came from around them. She turned and realized they were not alone. Emerging from the trees, one by one, were other wolves. Some had gray fur, some white, some brown, and others as black as Fenrir. Their eyes glowed in different hues, but all of them looked at Aira with anticipation.
“What… what is this?” Aira whispered, feeling increasingly cornered.
“These are your people,” Fenrir replied. “They have been waiting for your arrival for years.”
Aira shook her head again, harder this time. “No! I’m not part of this. I’m just an ordinary human. I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”
One of the wolves, with white fur and blue eyes, stepped forward. “Fenrir, she looks frightened. Perhaps we should give her time,” it said, its voice gentle yet still audible in Aira’s mind.
Fenrir turned to the white wolf, then back to Aira. “Very well. But we don’t have much time. Our world is in danger, and only she can save it.”
Aira felt her head spinning. This was too much to process. Wolves that could speak in her mind? A world in danger? And her, an ordinary girl who wasn’t even confident speaking in class, now being called a savior? This had to be a nightmare.
“I... I can’t,” she finally said, her voice barely audible. “I don’t know what you expect from me, but I’m not who you think I am.”
Fenrir stepped closer again, more slowly this time. “Aira, I know you feel unworthy. But I see something in you. A potential you haven’t realized yet. You are Queen Kaela’s child. That is no coincidence.”
Aira lowered her head, avoiding Fenrir’s gaze. But his words echoed in her mind. Potential? What did he know about her? She couldn’t even protect herself, let alone lead the Wolf Nation.
“Fenrir,” the white wolf’s voice rang out again. “Perhaps we should give her time to process everything. She’s only just arrived here.”
Fenrir nodded slowly. “Very well. But we must begin soon. Time is not on our side.”
Aira lifted her face, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t know what you want from me. But I can’t do it. I can’t be what you expect me to be.”
Fenrir looked at her deeply, then spoke in a softer tone, “You don’t have to be what we expect, Aira. You only need to be yourself.”
Those words left Aira silent. She didn’t know what to say. But before she could think further, Fenrir stepped back and gestured for the other wolves to leave.
“We will give you time,” he said. “But remember, Aira. Your destiny will always await you, no matter how far you try to run.”
One by one, the wolves disappeared into the darkness, leaving Aira alone. She sat on the ground, hugging her knees, trying to make sense of what had just happened. But the more she tried, the more she felt herself drowning in confusion.
“What’s really happening to me?” she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.
But before she could cry further, footsteps sounded again. This time, they were heavier, more human. Aira quickly turned, hoping it was Raka. But emerging from the trees was another figure she didn’t recognize.
The figure stopped a few meters away, staring at her with sharp eyes. “So, this is the last heir of the Wolf Nation,” he said, his tone mocking.
Aira felt her body freeze. She didn’t know who this person was, but his gaze made her feel unsafe.
“Who… who are you?” she asked, her voice trembling.
The figure smirked faintly, but his smile brought no comfort. “You don’t need to know who I am. All you need to know is... your time is running out, Princess.”
Aira swallowed hard, fear gripping her. But before she could say anything, the figure vanished without a trace, leaving Aira in deeper confusion and fear.