Chapter 154: The Letter

AARON. I so did not like the sound of that. Quincy's expression made my stomach drop. He rarely looked that serious, and I had a bad feeling about whatever he was about to say. 'What's going on?" I asked, my voice sounding more tense than I intended. 'We can talk downstairs. You need to see this," Quincy replied, motioning toward the staircase. I followed him, my nerves on edge. Something was off. The house felt too empty, too still. It wasn't like Luna to disappear without a word, and Helena—she wouldn't just leave, not without telling me. When we reached the living room, Quincy handed me a letter. 'This came this morning. It's addressed to you." I stared at the envelope for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest. Slowly, I tore it open, pulling out the neatly folded paper inside. My eyes scanned the letter quickly, and with each word, the knot in my stomach tightened. 'Aaron, You're not safe in LunaVille anymore. Dorian is coming. He's closer than you think. The festival will be his moment, but he has eyes everywhere. The female wolf—she's not just anyone. She's his ally, and she's been watching you. Watching Helena. Be careful. Stay alert. You'll know when it's time." My hands shook as I finished reading. Dorian. The name I had been dreading. The name Frida had mentioned in her dreams. He was coming back. And not just coming back—he had a plan, and it involved the Luna Festival. But that wasn't what scared me the most. It was the mention of the female wolf. She had been watching Helena, and I had no idea what her next move was. 'Who gave you this?" I asked, my voice hoarse. 'It was dropped off at the front door early this morning. No one saw who left it," Quincy said, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. 'I've been keeping an eye on the house, but nothing strange has happened since." I clenched my jaw, anger and fear battling inside me. I needed to find Helena, and I needed to find her now. 'We need to find Luna. And Helena," I muttered, already heading toward the door. He didn't respond, but followed my lead. As we stepped outside, the cool morning air hit me, waking me up from the haze of confusion I had been in. My senses were sharp now, my focus clear. Dorian was a threat—no, more than that. He was a danger to everyone I cared about. We searched the grounds quickly, but there was no sign of either of them. Panic bubbled inside me, but I forced it down, trying to think logically. Where would they go? And then it hit me. The balcony. The same place Helena and I had shared a moment before Quincy had interrupted us. The same balcony where I had left her standing, lost in her thoughts. Without wasting any time, I made my way there, my heart pounding so hard it echoed in my ears. I felt like I couldn't breathe until I saw her. Nothing else mattered. My thoughts were a blur, but all of them centered on her. Every step felt too slow, even though I was practically running. And then, I saw her. She was standing there, leaning against the railing of the balcony, her body framed perfectly by the early morning sun. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of her. She looked ethereal, like she didn't even belong to this world. The sun bathed her in a soft, golden glow, making her skin look impossibly smooth, her dark hair rippling in the cool breeze. She was wearing a light dress, the fabric hugging her figure in a way that made my heart race even faster. It flowed around her legs, soft and delicate, as if the wind couldn't quite decide whether to leave it alone or play with it. The sight of her, so serene and beautiful, hit me harder than I expected. She was just standing there, completely unaware of how much of my mind she consumed every single second. I couldn't stop looking at her, tracing every detail in my head as if I hadn't seen her in years. Her shoulders were relaxed, her fingers gently gripping the railing, and her posture—God, the way she stood—like she belonged there, like this world couldn't touch her. She wasn't just beautiful; she was mesmerizing, in a way that made my chest tighten and my thoughts stumble. Every inch of her, from the way her hair tumbled down her back to the curve of her lips, was perfect. And I was obsessed. The thought of something happening to her earlier had driven me crazy. I had barely been able to focus on anything else, and now, seeing her here, safe, was the only thing keeping me grounded. The relief that rushed through me was overwhelming. She was fine, and that meant everything was fine. I took a few more steps forward, almost hesitant, like I was afraid she might disappear if I got too close. Her eyes, those dark, captivating eyes, were staring out at the horizon, lost in thought. I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. Was it me? I wanted it to be me. I needed it to be me. As I moved closer, the sound of my footsteps must have caught her attention. She turned her head slightly, her eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Her gaze was soft, but there was a spark in it, something that made me feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. That tiny smile on her lips—it did things to me. Made my heart race, made my thoughts blur even more. 'Helena," I breathed, my voice sounding more desperate than I intended. Her name on my lips felt like a prayer, like something I could cling to. She didn't respond immediately, just studied me with those eyes that seemed to know everything. The corner of her mouth tugged upward, a small, knowing smile that made my chest tighten. She had no idea how badly I needed her in that moment. Or maybe she did. Maybe that was the whole point. Relief washed over me, but it was more than that. I couldn't get enough of her, couldn't stop myself from wanting more. Just being near her made everything else fade away. She was here, safe, and nothing else mattered. Helena was my anchor, my everything, and I was drowning in her. 'Aaron! I thought you weren't coming back last night," she said, a mix of surprise and concern in her voice. 'I got held up," I said quickly, stepping toward her. 'But that doesn't matter now. We need to talk." She frowned, sensing the urgency in my tone. 'What's going on?" I pulled out the letter and handed it to her. 'Read this. It's about Dorian. He's a dangerous wolf from our past. And the female wolf, the one who tried to attack you yesterday." I needed to find her.