Chapter 14: Zaiden Nightfang
Rosalie:
The moment Aria said the name Zaiden Nightfang, my entire body went still. And for a second, I genuinely forgot how to breathe.
Even the sound of the blow dryer seemed to fade into the background as the name repeated inside my head again and again.
Zaiden Nightfang. The Rogue Alpha.
He’s the most feared Alpha in existence. Every werewolf child grew up hearing stories about him. Some were told to frighten children into obedience. While others were spoken in hushed whispers among adults whenever rogue attacks or territorial disputes were mentioned.
But no matter which version of the stories people heard, one thing remained constant - everyone feared him.
I swallowed slowly as my thoughts spiraled. Just like the countless rumors surrounding Eiden Thorn, there were just as many surrounding Zaiden Nightfang. Maybe even more.
Ten years ago, at only eighteen years old, Zaiden had done the impossible. He united rogue communities from all over the world under one rule.
Before him, rogues had always been chaotic. They were violent scattered groups that packs hunted down like wild animals. Every Alpha hated rogues. Every pack feared them. They were raised as the monsters lurking outside civilized werewolf society.
And then Zaiden Nightfang appeared.
Not only did he stop the infighting among rogue groups, but he established something no one thought possible, the Nightfang Rogue Pack. Now it was the second-largest pack in the world. And according to many whispers, the most powerful.
The mere mention of Zaiden’s name was enough to make even high-ranking Alphas uneasy. Leaders feared him. Packs avoided provoking him. And while rogue attacks had actually decreased under his rule, that somehow only made people fear him more.
Because control was terrifying. Especially when it came from someone so young.
Naturally, rumors followed. People claimed Zaiden practiced dark magic. That he made deals with forbidden forces and he controlled shadows and death itself. Others said he wasn’t entirely wolf anymore. And one of the biggest reasons people believed those rumors was because witches openly lived within the Nightfang Rogue Pack.
Witches were completely rejected by werewolf society. Most packs treated them like cursed beings or dangerous outcasts. Some even hunted them. Any association with magic beyond Moon-blessed healing abilities was immediately labeled dark and corrupt.
So when Zaiden not only accepted witches into his pack but openly protected them, the rumors exploded further. People insisted no eighteen-year-old could possibly unite all rogue communities without unnatural powers.
But now...
Now I was sitting in Eiden Thorn’s house while hearing casually that he and Zaiden Nightfang were close friends.
It felt surreal. And strangely eye-opening. Because honestly? Nothing I had heard about Eiden Thorn turned out to be true so far. Not the ugly old man rumor. Not the dark creepy recluse rumor. Not even the cold-hearted healer rumor.
If people could be so wrong about him, then maybe they could also be wrong about Zaiden.
The thought lingered heavily in my mind. I had no way of knowing what kind of person Zaiden Nightfang truly was. Everything I knew came from whispers, stories, gossip, and fear. But one thing I understood clearly - a man capable of ruling the entire rogue world wasn’t someone anyone could afford to underestimate.
Whether he was good or evil hardly mattered. Power like that was dangerous regardless. Still, dangerous didn’t automatically mean cruel. I knew that now better than anyone.
Because the people who hurt me the most weren’t rogues. They weren’t feared monsters. They were Alphas, the very people society admired and respected.
Meanwhile, Eiden Thorn, the rumored dark healer everyone distrusted, had saved my life without asking for anything in return.
The irony almost made me laugh.
Behind me, Aria finally switched off the blow dryer. "There," she said proudly. "Much better."
I blinked from my thoughts as she gently started combing through my now dry hair. The repetitive soft motions felt soothing enough that my eyes nearly drifted shut again.
The medicine was definitely kicking in. Exhaustion slowly spread through my body, heavy and warm, making my limbs feel softer against the couch cushions.
Aria noticed immediately. "You are getting sleepy."
"A little," I admitted quietly.
She snorted softly. "A little? Your eyes are barely staying open."
Embarrassingly enough, she wasn’t wrong. My body still felt drained despite the food and bath. Between the injuries, medicines, emotional exhaustion, and interrupted sleep from the nightmare earlier, I honestly felt like I could sleep for another entire day.
Aria carefully placed the comb aside before lightly patting my shoulder. "You should rest properly," she advised gently. "Your body heals faster while sleeping."
That part sounded very tempting, especially the healing part.
I slowly stood from the couch, careful not to strain my still-recovering body, and made my way back toward the bed. The fresh sheets felt cool and soft beneath my fingers as I carefully climbed in again.
The room remained bright now thanks to the open curtains, sunlight spilling warmly across the floor while the sound of distant birds drifted inside through the slightly opened glass door.
It felt peaceful and safe.
Aria walked over and adjusted the blanket over me slightly before smiling. "Try not to overthink too much."
I almost laughed weakly at that. If only it were that easy. Still... I appreciated the attempt. "Thank you," I murmured softly.
Her expression brightened again. Then she quietly left the room, leaving me alone with the sound of the birds and my own thoughts.
As I settled deeper into the pillows, my mind drifted once more toward Eiden. Toward Zaiden Nightfang. And toward the strange world I seemed to have stumbled into after falling off that cliff.
A feared healer and a rogue alpha whom people labeled as monsters.
Yet somehow, I had felt more kindness here in less than two days than I had felt during my two years inside the Blackthorn pack house.
The thought hurt. But not as sharply as before. Maybe because exhaustion dulled it. Or maybe because, little by little, something inside me was finally beginning to crack apart completely.
Not my heart, but the illusion.
The illusion that Alastor, Darien, and Kaiser had truly loved me the way I loved them. The illusion that I belonged there. The illusion that I would have eventually become enough.
A soft ache settled in my chest as I closed my eyes slowly.
Please... no nightmares this time.
I didn’t think I could survive another one tonight.
