ARIAOh. Maybe I heard wrong…? No. I was sure I heard him say… “Are you going to stare at me all night?” “Aria Moonstone.” I breathed in, catching a whiff of his scent. Spice and musk. It forcefully curled around me—hot and intoxicating. “Aria…” He tested my name on his tongue. “My name is Darius Blackthorn,” he said. “Alpha of the Blackthorn Pack. And you, little omega, are my mate.”Ma–mate?“That’s not possible,” I whispered, staring at him like he’d just grown a second head. “But—but…”“Cat got your tongue?” Darius teased, though his eyes stayed locked on me, watching too closely.It made my skin crawl.“Nothing. I’m just… surprised.”“Don’t be. Come on, I’ll introduce you to my friends.”I swallowed hard. His friends… I glanced up at the podium, meeting the cold stares of six powerful Alphas. They were all too breathtaking.I climbed the podium on shaky legs, feeling like I was walking straight into my doom. The eyes of the Alphas bore into me as if they knew. Maybe they k
ARIARowan Frostbite was the third most powerful Alpha, commanding about two thousand white wolves. His pack was also the third rarest in the world. And now, this Alpha… this Rowan—was standing before me, his pale grey eyes locked onto mine. His nostrils flared slightly, as if my scent offended him. “Since she doesn’t have a wolf, I’ll make this quick.” Rowan got to his feet, and I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. The way he looked at me made my throat go dry. Every inch of him radiated aura as he stood tall at about 6'1. I never could have expected his next words. “I, Rowan Frostbite, reject you, Aria Moonstone, as my ma—”__“Aria, are you sleeping?”I blinked, taken aback by the voice at the door. Who could it be? My heart pounded as I got up and padded towards the door. When I pulled it open, I was surprised to see Maren standing there. I glanced at the looming wall clock. 6:06 PM. How long had I been asleep? Most importantly, what was she doing at my door?“What… wha
ARIA“…We’ve been searching for her all these years.”My brows knitted together in confusion. “Did you just say… royal?”Maren let out a bitter laugh, her voice dripping with scorn. “Don’t play dumb. That girl is dead. She’s never coming back.”My heart pounded. That girl? Who was she talking about? Who had they been searching for all these years? Before I could demand answers, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from outside the door.Relief flooded me. Finally! Someone was coming to save me. I sucked in a breath and screamed with all my strength. “Help! I’m in here!”But instead of a rescuer’s voice, Maren’s wordscame through.“She’s inside.”The realization hit me. Whoever was outside that door wasn’t here to help me—they were part of the trap.I pressed my ear against the wooden surface, desperate to hear more. Silence stretched between Maren and the newcomer. Then, a deep voice broke through the stillness.“That’s good. Keep her there until I’ve contacted Alpha Darius.”My
ARIA“I’m here to make you an offer.” “What?” “If you agree to reject all others and be mine and mine alone, I’ll make sure no one ever treats you like this again.” I swallowed. It sounded like a good offer. “I want a peaceful society,” he continued. “That’s what I’m advocating for.” His gaze bore into mine. “As the next Alpha of Alphas.” I froze. Alpha of Alphas. It was glaringly obvious what this was all about. I shook my head. “I won’t be an object,” I murmured. “Not even for you.” I half expected those words to make him leave, but instead, his grip tightened slightly as if he had anticipated that answer. “Well,” he murmured. “That just makes you even more interesting, doesn’t it?” It really does… I swallowed hard, feeling my pulse hammer against my ribs. Do something! My mind screamed frantically. Anything! But the weight of his hand on my wrist was unbearable, fucking painful… It held me in place like steel. “Let me go, you piece of shit.” I cussed in my mind. None of my
ARIAThe silence stretched so long that I almost convinced myself the other person had left.But then—“Is… is someone there?” I asked hesitantly.“Shut up.”I blinked. My heart, which had momentarily settled, lurched into my throat. So he is still here.“Why are you doing this?” My voice came out rough, strained from exhaustion. “I’ve never harmed anyone.”A soft, humorless chuckle echoed in the darkness. For a moment, I swore the person was standing right behind me.“You ask why I’m doing this?” There was something dangerous about his voice—an edge of barely restrained emotion. He sounded angry that I had even asked, yet… utterly indifferent to my suffering. “Because I follow orders, rogue.”That word again. Rogue.I sucked in a breath, pushing myself upright on weak, trembling arms. “I’m not a rogue,” I gritted out.The man snorted. “Of course you’re not. You’re special, aren’t you? Different?”A shadow moved in the dim light filtering through the barred window. I squinted, trying
LUCIANThe whiskey burned its way down my throat, leaving a fiery trail that numbed everything—everything except the one thing I needed gone the most.Aria.Her name throbbed in my skull like a fucking curse. Why the hell couldn’t I block out her scent? It was maddening, wrapping around me even when she wasn’t here.I rolled the glass between my fingers, exhaling slowly through my nose, but it didn’t help. Nothing did. I could still smell her. It clung to my skin, curled into my lungs like a drug, saturating the space between my ribs until my entire body hummed with restless energy.Fuck.I slammed the glass down a little too hard, the amber liquid inside sloshing dangerously close to the rim. This was ridiculous. I shouldn’t be thinking about her. Shouldn’t be craving her. I had been through hours of this shit already, and it wasn’t letting up.My fingers curled into my palm. If I was still feeling like this, then self-control was a fucking myth.I wasn’t drunk. Not yet.But I was bu
LUCIAN"Because if you don’t tell me right now, I swear to the goddess, you’ll never see your family again.” Her eyes widened in terror. “I—I swear…” Before she could stammer another lie, the silence of the night was shattered. “The Beta of the Bloodfang Pack is back…” I glanced at the clock. 4:00 AM. Was it dawn already? Suddenly, a blast of trumpet echoed through the air, cutting through the peace of my office. The fucker was back. And he had to be dramatic. I turned to Maren just in time to see a strange expression flash across her face. Wait. Was that… relief? Suddenly, she turned on her heels, bolting for the door like the fucking coward she was. I snapped out of my chair so fast it nearly tipped over. "You little shit!" I roared, lunging after her. "Get your ass back here and tell me why the fuck you smell like Aria!" She didn’t stop. Her footsteps pounded against the wooden floors as she flew down the hallway, and I was right behind her, fucking boiling. How dare she
LUCIAN“Even at that, Maren!” Tobias scolded impatiently. “You of all people should have dissuaded her the moment she came to you.” I barely spared them a glance. My patience had already worn thin. Without another word, I broke into a jog, heading straight for the training grounds. “And to you, Lucian!” Tobias called, quickly following. “What the fuck is going on? Why wasn’t this rogue put to death? Why is she so fucking important?” A slow smile curled on my lips. “When you see her,” I said, almost amused by his questioning. “you’ll understand.” Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream reached my ears. Who could that be…? My chest clenched as the recognition hit me. If it was coming from the training grounds…Aria. I could only imagine the horror she was going through. I didn't think of stopping one bit as I ran. My legs pushed forward with brutal force, and my heartbeat thundering in my ears.What was going on down there?I squinted but all I could see was the empty yard. Where the fuck w
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
LUCIAN I’d saved her.Again.Killian Stormwood was a cunning bastard, and dealing with men like him required patience—not frowning. So, I didn’t. When his men walked into the pack house, most of my staff scattered.There was no need for introductions. Everyone knew exactly who had arrived. Killian’s gammas stood out in their usual black overalls and heavy dragon-age boots that looked like they could crush bone without effort.Seriously, overalls?And then there were the worst kind—the ones who walked in smiling.Killian was one of them. A fucking clown.So, when I stepped out of the grand pack house and found him standing on the pathway like he owned the damn place, his men pretending to be calm—like they weren’t about to forcefully drag Aria away—I smirked. Not the polite, political kind I reserved for allies. No, this was the one I gave to predators—men like me.Pleasantries? Nah. The moment he walked out of the waiting room in search of Aria, all pleasantries ended. The real conve
ARIAKillian’s smirk deepened. “Oh, little mate. Time is the one thing I have plenty of.”Maren shifted. “Take one more step, and I’ll slit your fucking throat.”Bold.That was fucking bold, and it made Killian finally look at her. The sheer disinterest on his face made me understand we were losing.“I have no business with you, Beta,” he murmured. Then, to my horror, he turned back to me. His expression softened, something almost… fond in his gaze.“I came for her.”I couldn’t move.“You don’t belong here, Aria. I am your mate—one of your mates.” He cooed gently, but it didn't comfort me one bit. “You know that, don’t you?”A sick feeling coiled in my stomach.“You…” Maren tensed. “Aria, he is your…holy shit.”But Killian was right.I didn’t belong here.I never had. And when he took another step. I forced my feet to stay planted.Don’t react. Don’t let him see you tremble.But my hands curled into fists. The way he’d held out his hand and told me I could have everything if I just st
LUCIAN No. Saying I am royally fucked is an understatement.Where the hell is Tobias?As if summoned by my thoughts, a knock echoed through the room. Then came the familiar sound of measured footsteps. Tobias. He walked in, assuming a casual posture, but the temperature in the room dipped noticeably.Something was wrong.“Alpha.” His voice carried a tone that made my stomach fall. When I finally met his gaze, the grim look on his face didn’t match the unhurried way he moved.I raised an eyebrow. “What?”Tobias didn’t hesitate. “Killian Stormwood is here.”The name barely registered. Killian Stormwood? Who the hell is—I froze.One of Aria’s mates. He’d found her.My gaze dropped to the scattered documents on my desk. For three nights, I hadn’t been able to shake the reality of it—powerful alphas, just like me, chasing after Aria. But they’d come before me.Did I even stand a chance?Barely.Killian Stormwood—the Sunshine Prince. That’s what they called him. Charismatic, diplomatic, a