LUCIAN He didn’t like the scent of that bastard’s blood. “Lucian, I’m fine,” Aria said, her soft voice wrapping around me like silk. “But your eyes…” she trailed off, staring at me in confusion. I quickly turned my gaze to the window in front of me. My reflection stared back. Shit. My eyes were red again. It was the urge to rip that bastard apart that clawed at my chest. Control, Lucian, control. Then, I shot a glare at Maren. She jumped, dropping her gaze. I should have slapped some sense into her but there was no time for that. I turned away and walked back to Aria. She was still curled up with frail arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her torn clothes barely covered her trembling form. I crouched down, brushing my fingers against her shoulder. When she flinched, a sharp ache ran through my chest. It was hard not to look at her pale neck. The sight of it called to me, an unspoken invitation. But for the sake of her dignity, I ignored it. Instead, I silentl
ARIA Being manhandled like this should terrify me. The sheer force behind his grip… he didn’t hesitate to slam that bastard’s head into the floor—it should make me fear him. But I didn’t. I should be trembling, but all I felt was satisfaction. A sick kind of gratification at his definition of punishment— at the blood that dropped from his knuckles… It shouldn’t make heat pool low between my thighs. Why was his anger so intoxicating? Why did the violence in his hands feel like justice? Goddess, Aria, what the hell is wrong with you? This was toxic—every thought, every thrill that shot down my spine. And yet, I couldn't stop. Before long, Lucian began to sniff the air hungrily. I froze. Could it be that… he sensed my arousal? Then, to my absolute horror, a low, knowing chuckle rumbled from his chest. He knew. I squeezed my eyes shut, desperate to vanish into thin air. But Lucian wasn’t done. “I didn’t think you’d enjoy the spank that much,” he murmured wi
ARIAI tried to fight, but he easily pinned my wrists to the cold ground. "Stupid bitch," he snarled, his breath hot and foul against my face. "You shouldn't have made this easy for me." Ea—easy? Panic clawed up my throat. His words meant one thing alone—he had expected my plan. He knew I’d try to run away. My chest heaved. Shit! I struggled, but his grip only tightened, his knee pressing against my thigh. "Alpha Darius won’t even know the goods have been… damaged," he whispered darkly. Then a sick grin curled his lips. "As long as I don't leave marks on your body…” I thrashed harder, but it was useless. He was too strong. He leaned closer, brushing his oily nose against my neck. I snapped my head to the side in utter disgust. That was a mistake. Because he suddenly stilled. "Hm…" He hummed, flaring his nostrils. His lips parted slightly as he inhaled deeply. Oh no. A slow groan rumbled from his throat. "You smell… so good," he slurred, something rabid in his tone—like a starv
ARIANot without catching a glimpse of his expression before it shut completely. That was for yesterday's embarrassment. I could see the cloud of smoke over his head. Meanwhile, Aaron set his bag down, already moving toward me to check my injuries, but the cool guy’s eyes never left me. His gaze was unsettling. Not threatening, but sharp, like he was studying something far more complex than just a beaten-up omega. It made me a little nervous. Then, just as Aaron started fussing over me, the cool guy finally spoke. “Lucian.” His voice was calm yet firm. “We need to talk.” My spine straightened. Lucian was… in here? I turned sharply—only to find him standing in the doorway, arms crossed, leaning casually against the frame like he owned the damn place. I scowled. “You—” Lucian grinned. “Miss me?” I did not miss him. Not even a little. Aaron was already by my side, his medical bag open, hands moving efficiently as he reached for supplies. But I wasn’t looking at him. My gaze had be
ARIAI just smiled, amused at his reaction but not entirely relaxed yet. To be honest, I couldn’t stop replaying Tobias’s reaction in my head. I tilted my head slightly. “Who was that guy?” Aaron blinked. “Who?” “The guy with gray eyes,” I clarified. “The one who nearly choked on his own breath before dragging Lucian away.” Aaron raised an eyebrow. “What?” A sigh escaped my lips. I wasn't trying to be funny—that was the only way I could describe him. “The guy…” “Oh.” Aaron’s glare softened. He shrugged, already reaching for a bottle of antiseptic. “That’s Tobias Hale, Beta of the Bloodfang Pack and Lucian’s best friend.” He paused. “The last part’s important, but don’t tell anyone I said that.” I raised a brow. “Why?” Aaron just shook his head dramatically. “You didn’t hear it from me.” Oh. I couldn’t help it—the thought of grumpy, brooding, permanently irritated Lucian having a best friend—one who seemed capable of panicking, no less—was ridiculous. The guy looked like he h
LUCIAN “Did you see the mark?” I stayed silent. Tobias’s nostrils flared. “Did. You. See. The. Mark?” My jaw clenched. Tobias cursed under his breath, stepping back like I had physically struck him. He turned his gaze to the ceiling, breathing heavily. “Shit. Fuck. We are so screwed.” I flexed my fingers, keeping my expression neutral. “Not necessarily.” Tobias frowned. “Not necessarily?” He pointed toward the door. “Lucian, that girl… your prisoner, the one you so conveniently refuse to let go—isn’t just some rogue. She’s—” “I know.” Tobias froze, his anger twisting into curiosity. “Then what the hell are you planning to do?” I didn’t answer. Because, for the first time in my life… I didn’t fucking know. ________________Tobias was losing his mind. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, pacing in frantic strides. His boots thudded against the stone floor of the hallway as he muttered more curses under his breath.Every few steps, he would stop, clen
ARIAAaron’s eyes were still locked on the doorway behind me. Dread crawled up my spine. Slowly, I turned.Oh, shit.Lucian stood there, just inside the room. His expression was unreadable, his eyes dark and unblinking. Wh–when did he get in here? Why were his footsteps so light?Tobias was right behind him, frozen as the realization sank in. His face darkened. “You fucking bitch…”Lucian raised a hand to his lips, silencing him. “Did you reject him?” he asked me. His voice was different. It wasn’t the usual gruffness or dry irritation. This time, there was something hollow underneath—judging, accusing…why did I feel disappointed? I gripped the edge of the bed. I didn’t want to answer.I didn’t want to hear myself say it.Lucian’s gaze never wavered. “Aria.”I swallowed, forcing myself to meet his eyes. Then, in the calmest voice I could manage, I said, “Get out.”Aaron’s head snapped toward me. “What?”I didn’t look at him. I didn’t look at anyone but Lucian.Tobias snarled. “What th
LUCIANMy knuckles ached from the repeated impact. The bastard’s face was barely recognizable—swollen, bloodied, and twisted in a sickening form… yet he was still laughing. He was a fool.“Just kill me already.” His grin widened, and a trickle of blood slipped down his chin. “Why does it matter? You’re going to kill me anyway.” I tightened my grip. “You still have a chance to die quickly.” The man coughed, spitting more blood onto the cold floor. “Quickly? You must be going soft, Alpha.” His chuckle was hoarse, and his breath reeked of iron. “I’ll say this much—I did what I did because I could. Because someone let me.” His swollen eyes gleamed. “But you already know that, don’t you?” My jaw tensed. Maren. But before I could ask if she was the one, the door behind me creaked open. Tobias stepped in, his expression blank, but I knew him too well. His eyes were narrowed on the man. He had been listening. “Are we done playing?” Tobias drawled, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Or
ARIAOf course, I felt it. That unbearable warmth whenever he was near. The way his scent clouded my thoughts. The way my body responded, even when my mind screamed at me to resist.It was always the same with Killian, Darius, Rowan, and Lucian—only worse. But I couldn’t trust it. I couldn’t trust any of them. Only my wolf could tell me what was real.And she wasn’t here.My silence seemed to please Killian.“You don’t have to admit it,” he murmured, his fingers brushing against my wrist again—a featherlight touch that sent a shiver down my spine. “It doesn’t matter.”That snapped me out of it. Having a wolf matters!While others were naming their wolves, I was busy searching for mine. While others were shifting for the first time, I was being called a freak—born with unique physical traits but no wolf, no special abilities to back them up.People whispered that I was a true descendant of some rare wolves from the far north. But there was no proof.No parents. No wolf.No fucking noth
ARIABut to my disappointment, he was already lowering himself back to the floor. He wasn’t going to fight…Fight for what exactly? Me?I shook my head. Snap out of it, Aria. My gaze fell to my hands—where Killian was still holding me. His grip didn’t loosen, his fingers wrapped around my wrist like iron bands. The heat of his skin pressed against mine, grounding me in reality. This wasn’t some dream I could wake up from.Killian was right here, waiting for me to accept him. But as my eyes flickered back to Lucian—his slumped posture, the bruises forming along his jaw, the weakness in his gaze...I felt trapped. I had spent too much time being dragged around, claimed, ordered. And now, seeing Lucian’s defeated expression, seeing Killian loom over me with that arrogant smirk, fury boiled inside me.Aria was about to do what no one else had dared.Aria was about to tell Killian, an Alpha… off.With a sharp yank, I tore my wrist free from Killian’s grasp. Okay, I hadn’t planned that. The
ARIAAs for Tobias…One second, he was down the hall. The next, he was standing between them, a low, warning growl vibrating through his chest as he squared up to Killian.“Step back,” Tobias ordered. “Now.”With all the dominant pheromones in the air, I could only stay still. It was overwhelming. My head dangled as their scents made me dizzy. Unfortunately, Killian didn’t move. His gaze flickered to me for half a second—just long enough for my stomach to flip—before locking back onto Lucian. Of course, he couldn’t bear to be ordered by a Beta. But Tobias was no ordinary Beta. Maren had told me he trained hard. Funnily, not every trained Beta was chosen.But Tobias was chosen. That alone spoke volumes of his dominance.“You laid hands on Lucian,” Tobias snapped, baring his teeth now. “You don’t get to do that in his own pack.”I sneaked a glance at Lucian—who was still out on the floor, eyes unfocused, breathing heavily. Oh shit. He looked the most miserable today. I raised a leg, but
Aria’s POV I wasn’t sure what I had expected when I opened the door. But it sure as hell wasn’t this. Lucian stood before me, his bare chest rising and falling with shaky breaths with sweat trapped to his skin. His muscles were tense as if he had just fought off something— someone. And then there were his hands. They weren’t just trembling. They were bloody. Oh my Goddess…Fresh blood. He… “Lucian…?”“What the hell happened to you?” Lucian blinked, his eyes unfocused, like he was still trapped in whatever nightmare had just consumed him. For a moment, he looked completely lost. I didn't like that one bit. Then, slowly, he exhaled. “It’s nothing.” Nothing? That wasn't nothing. I narrowed my eyes. “You’re bleeding.” His jaw tightened. “It’s not my blood.” “Then whose is it?” No reply. His lips had pressed together, but he didn’t answer. A sinking feeling settled in my chest. It was obvious that something was terribly, horribly wrong. Lucian had always been col
Lucian's POVI went to bed early.But the darkness found—surrounding me, suffocating…like the arms of an octopus wrapping around my body, dragging me into its endless depths.I gasped for air, but my lungs found nothing.Fuckfuckfuck… not again! My body trembled violently, drenched in sweat, while my hands clawed at the emptiness, desperate for something—anything—to hold onto. Suddenly, a flash of light encroached the emptiness. It fluttered in and out like a dying flame, taunting me with its fucking relief before disappearing again. Then a deep and familiar voice followed.“Lucian.” The sound struck deep inside me, pulling me away from the abyss that threatened to swallow me whole. My father. “Father!” I cried out, blindly. “Is that you?”I missed him so much. “Albena’s birthday is today. Why don’t we go see her?” Albena? Albena… the name echoed in my mind. A bell tolled in the distance, ringing louder and louder until it was brighter.As bright as the sun… laughter. And
ARIAThat he had somehow walked away from a brotherhood of monsters who took what they wanted and left destruction?My eyes squeezed shut. I couldn’t believe that. Not when I still remembered the feeling of being paraded like a prize in front of them. Maren must have noticed, because she quickly changed the subject. “You know, most people don’t get kissed because they ‘smell bad.’” She made air quotes with her fingers. “That’s gotta be a first.” A laugh wanted to break out of me, but it got stuck somewhere in my throat. “I don’t think that’s why he did it,” I said quietly. Maren nodded, her tone turning softer. “Neither do I.” We walked a little farther until we reached the edge of the stone path. The garden beyond was quiet, and getting cold in the late evening air.My thoughts were too loud, my head too full. “Aria.” Maren’s voice broke the silence again. “Can I ask you something?” I gave her a look. “You’re already asking.” She smiled sheepishly, then dropped her ey
ARIAMaren knew. Oh, hell. The realization slammed into my chest as her suspicious gaze swept over me. Then her lips curled into a smirk. "Wow. It is true.” Her nose wrinkled slightly. "You reek of him." The heat that shot up my neck burned hotter than the sun. "What?" “You forget we are wolves honey…” She cocked her head. "Lucian. I can smell him all over you." Her amused eyes flicked to my mouth, and they sparkled. "And judging by your lips? Yeah. He definitely didn't just give you a friendly peck." Blood rushed so fast to my face, I was convinced I had turned into a walking tomato. Unfortunately, I wasn't like other wolves.I could only perceive the normal. Not the fact that I'd been fucked. "Shut up," I muttered, dragging my hand over my mouth as if I could wipe away the evidence. Maren chuckled. "No can do. You look like you just got thoroughly ruined, and I’m dying for details." The mortification doubled. My entire body was on fire, and I wanted the ground to s
LUCIAN I could still see it—Killian’s hand on her face, his mouth on hers, the way his fingers had grabbed her— A growl built in my throat. And before I could stop myself…I grabbed her face and slammed my lips against hers. Aria gasped. I didn’t care. I didn’t kiss her like a man with patience. I didn’t kiss her like a man with control. I kissed her like a man who had been starving for too fucking long. A man who had spent years resisting the one thing he wanted more than anything. I kissed her in the most sinful way, dragging my tongue into her mouth, tasting, claiming, devouring. She shuddered. Trembled. I swallowed every fucking sound she made, my grip tightening as I tilted her head back, forcing her to take it—to take me. My body was on fire. My mind? Fucked. I wanted her. I fucking needed her. Here. Now. Against the wall, against the floor, against every goddamn surface in this room. She melted against me, soft and submissive, and I felt her hands curl
LUCIAN “If you came all this way, Stormwood, then I assume you have something to say.” Killian chuckled, leaning forward slightly. “Oh, I do.” His eyes flickered toward Aria again. “I came to bring her home.” Aria sucked in a breath. And my fingers curled into fists.No. I forced my fingers to uncurl. Killian wasn’t worth losing control over—not yet. I took a slow breath, then met his gaze with the same blank calmness I used on men who mistook my patience for weakness.“She’s free to go.” The words left my mouth evenly, without hesitation, and yet, the moment they did, something twisted deep in my chest.Aria paled, the blood draining from her face so quickly that for a second, I thought she might collapse. I shouldn’t have noticed. I shouldn’t have cared.But I did. And the sharp ache in my gut was the price of pretending I didn’t.Killian’s smirk widened. “Well,” he drawled, “that’s interesting.”I ignored him. “It’s up to her,” I continued. “If she wants to go with you, she