Chapter 6

Aria's POV

 

"Aria stays with me," Valerius said, his voice dropping into that dark, lethal tone. "Nobody tells her what to do. Nobody touches her. Only me." My family froze in shock.

 

"Out," Valerius commanded my family simply.

 

Without another word, my father, mother, and sister bowed frantically and backed out of the cabin, closing the door behind them as if escaping a dragon's den.

 

Suddenly, the cabin was dead silent again.

 

I stood there in the middle of the room, my heart hammering against my ribs. It was so awkward. I didn't know what to do with my hands. I didn't know how to act. I was just a delta wolf, standing alone in a tiny room with the most dangerous Lycan in existence.

 

Valerius didn't move toward the door. Instead, he turned around slowly.

 

His molten silver eyes dragged over my body…. slowly, and deliberately, tracing down from my messy hair, over my oversized sweater, down my legs, and back up to my face. 

 

The intensity of his gaze was like a physical weight, and my entire body tensed, with a sudden, searing heat flooding my cheeks.

 

He took one slow step toward me, his chest rising and falling heavily.

 

"Come here, little wolf." He purred.

 

I tensed up even more, with my toes curling inside my shoes. I took a small step back, bumping against the edge of the wooden coffee table. "What do you want, Your Majesty?"

 

"First," Valerius said, his deep voice rumbling through the small space, "Don’t call me that when we are alone. My name is Valerius."

 

"Valerius," I repeated, the name feeling heavy and strange on my tongue. "Why are you doing this? The entire pack is back there, completely terrified. My family is losing their minds because you haven't told them why you are here and you haven’t said anything about that to me either."

 

"Let them sweat," Valerius said coldly, stepping closer until he was standing right in front of me. "They do not deserve answers yet. They don't know you are carrying my child, and they certainly don't know that my blood is growing inside you right now."

 

I placed a hand over my abdomen, with a wave of sheer panic washing over me. "And they shouldn't know! I haven't even decided what I want to do about this! This isn't just some minorincident, Valerius. This pregnancy changes my entire life! I was supposed to be a respectable pack member, maybe a guard. Now... now everything is ruined."

 

"Nothing is ruined," Valerius stated firmly, his hands coming up to grip my shoulders. His touch was warm, solid, and surprisingly gentle for a man built like a mountain. "Tell me the truth, Aria. How long have they treated you like dirt in this pack?"

 

I looked down, unable to meet his piercing silver gaze. "It doesn't matter."

 

"It matters to me," he growled softly, tilting my chin up with one long finger so I had no choice but to look at him. "Tell me."

 

"Always," I whispered, my voice cracking as tears stung the back of my eyes. "Jace always made me feel small even though he told me he loved me. My parents always preferred Chloe because she was prettier, sweeter, and a better fit for a Luna. I swallowed all of it. I swallowed the insults, the cold shoulders, and the feeling of being worthless because I thought everything wold be okay as long as Jace loved me. I thought if I just worked harder, if I was just obedient enough, I would finally be good enough for them."

 

Valerius’s eyes flared with a lethal, dark fire. His jaw clenched so hard I heard his teeth grind. "You were always good enough. They were simply too blind and pathetic to see what they had."

 

"It doesn't change anything," I said, trying to pull away, but his grip remained steadfast. "You banished Jace to the outer guard. You humiliated my father. They won't bother me anymore. I can just stay here, live a quiet life as a delta, and—"

 

"You are not staying here," Valerius interrupted, his tone leaving zero room for negotiation. "You are coming with me to the royal Citadel."

 

"What?! No!" I argued, my voice rising in disbelief. "I don't need to go anywhere with you! There is no need for that now!"

 

"There is every need!" Valerius bellowed softly, his silver eyes flashing wildly. "You are carrying my heir, Aria! You are literally carrying the future of the Lycan Kingdom inside your womb right now! Do you honestly think I will leave my flesh and blood in a territory filled with people who hate you? Do you think I will allow anyone to look down on my child, abuse it, disrespect it, or hurt it?"

 

"I can protect myself!" I shot back, chest heaving.

 

"You couldn't even protect yourself from your cheating ex-fiancé!" Valerius snapped, though his eyes softened immediately as I flinched. He let out a long breath, stepping closer until his chest brushed mine. "I do not trust Jace. He is bitter, unhinged, and dangerous. I do not trust your parents to care for you. And frankly, little wolf, I do not even trust you to take care of yourself right now. You are coming to the Citadel. I am going to take care of you. Whether you like it or not."

 

I stared up at him, utterly speechless. His possessiveness was terrifying, but beneath it lay an unbreakable shield. No one had ever fought for me like this. No one had ever declared that I was worth protecting.

 

Before I could formulate another argument, a royal guard knocked on the door, announcing that the executive suite in the main packhouse was finally ready.

 

Valerius didn't wait for my agreement. He wrapped a thick, protective arm around my waist, keeping me glued to his side as we walked out of the cabin and drove back into the grand packhouse.

 

The entire Silvermoon pack stood lined along the hallways, bowing deeply as we passed. My mother and father watched with wide, fearful eyes from the grand foyer, completely clueless as to why the Lycan King was holding a lowly delta like she was made of gold.

 

Valerius brought me straight up to the executive suite on the top floor. It was a massive, luxurious set of rooms with velvet drapes, a king-sized bed, and a grand balcony.

 

"I am going to take a shower," Valerius announced, removing his suit jacket and tossing it onto the bed. His dark hair was slightly messy, and his powerful aura still vibrated in the air. "Stay inside. Do not open the door for anyone."

 

I nodded numbly, sitting on the edge of the plush bed as he disappeared into the adjoining marble bathroom. A moment later, the sound of running water echoed through the heavy oak door.

 

I sank my face into my hands, my mind spinning out of control. Carrying the Lycan Kingdom. Carrying his heir. How had my life turned upside down in less than twenty-four hours?

 

How the hell was I supposed to handle all of this drama now?