Aria
I collapse to my knees, the weight of Callum's betrayal too much to bear. The damp earth beneath me offers no comfort, no solace from the storm of emotions raging inside me. This was my mate, my love, my entire life, and he just shattered my heart into pieces. Tears stream down my cheeks, my vision blurred with the intensity of my pain.
Callum stands there, watching me, his own eyes filled with sorrow. I can sense the regret radiating off him, but it does nothing to soothe the aching wound in my heart.
"Aria," he whispers, his voice thick with remorse. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you but it’s just how things are."
His words are like a dagger, twisting deeper into my already broken heart. I look up at him, my amber eyes searching for some semblance of the love I had thought we shared. But all I see is the truth I can no longer deny; he loves Tamara.
"I love her, Aria," he confesses, his voice barely audible. "I never meant for this to happen, but I can't deny what I feel for her any longer."
“So everything we shared meant nothing for you? You just toss it down the drain like this?”
I choke back a sob, my heart constricting painfully in my chest. The man I had given everything to, the man who was supposed to be my other half, had chosen someone else. The cold, hard truth hits me like a tidal wave, leaving me breathless and drowning in my grief.
The tears continue to fall, my body wracked with sobs as I try to comprehend the enormity of what has just happened. My world, once filled with love and certainty, has crumbled around me, leaving me lost and adrift in a sea of pain and betrayal.
Callum reaches out as if to comfort me, but I flinch away from his touch. The bond that we once shared, that unbreakable connection between fated mates, has been severed by his actions. And though my heart longs for the love and support of my alpha, I know that I can no longer trust him.
As I struggle to regain my composure, I know that I must find a way to move forward. My heart may be broken, but my spirit, my fierce determination, remains unshaken. This pain, this betrayal, will not define me. And though the path ahead is uncertain, I will find my way through the darkness and into the light.
I rise to my feet, my tears wiped away and my resolve hardened. I know that my life will never be the same. But I also know that I will survive, that I will find the strength to heal and, ultimately, to love again. This I swear on the Moon Goddess.
As I stand before Callum, my heart aches with the knowledge that what we once shared can never be the same. The bond between fated mates is meant to be unbreakable, a connection forged in the depths of our very souls. And yet, his betrayal has torn that bond apart, leaving an empty void where love and certainty once lived.
With a deep breath, I gather my courage and confront him. "Callum, our bond was supposed to be unbreakable, but you've shattered it with your betrayal. I cannot continue as your fated mate, knowing that you love Tamara. You’ve fucking destroyed everything!"
His eyes widen with shock at my words, but I can't afford to let that affect me. The wound he's inflicted on my heart runs deep, and I must protect myself from further harm.
"I Aria Santiago, reject you, Callum Blackthorne," I say, my voice steady despite the torrent of emotions roiling inside me. "I sever the bond between us. You are no longer my fated mate, and I am no longer yours."
The moment the words leave my lips, a surge of energy pulses through me as if the very fabric of our connection is being ripped apart. It's a painful, almost unbearable sensation, but I know it's necessary for my healing and growth.
Callum staggers back, his face a mask of shock.
"Aria, you’re hurt," he says, his voice breaking with emotion. "I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to hurt you."
But his words, however sincere, cannot undo the damage he's caused. The trust that once formed the foundation of our bond has been irrevocably shattered, and there's no going back.
"I despise you, Callum, and I never want to see you again for as long as I live," I say, my voice thick with hatred. "What you just did is destroy my life forever."
“Aria,” he calls as he reaches to touch me.
“Don’t you dare touch me ever again,” I spit the words.
With a heavy heart, I turn away from him, leaving the remnants of our shattered bond behind me. As I walk away, I feel a strange mixture of grief and relief. The bond that once tethered us together is gone, leaving me adrift and untethered. But I know that this is the first step towards healing, finding my path, and discovering who I am without him.
As I make my way through the forest, the moonlight guiding my steps, I feel a sense of determination beginning to stir within me. I may have lost my fated mate, but I refuse to let that define me. I will find my own way, forge my own destiny, and prove to myself and the world that I am more than just a broken heart.
As I continue to walk through the forest, the adrenaline that had been fueling me begins to wane, and the true toll of severing the bond makes itself known. My entire body feels like a wreck, pain radiating through every nerve and fiber. My legs tremble beneath me, and I can barely put one foot in front of the other.
Each step is a battle, a struggle to keep moving forward despite the overwhelming exhaustion that threatens to consume me. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my chest tightening with every inhale. The world around me seems to blur, the edges of my vision growing hazy as I struggle to maintain my focus. My vision darkens.
Aria Gods, Callum is infuriating. His face hardens as that familiar stubborn glint flashes in his eyes - the same pigheaded determination that got us into this whole mess to begin with. I can practically see the wheels turning as he debates his next move against me. Part of him clearly wants to reassert his dominance, to double down on suppressing my abilities like some addiction he can't kick. The urge to subjugate me is probably humming through his alpha instincts, primal and mindless. But another part of him hesitates, flickering with unease at how thoroughly I overpowered him just moments ago. He knows I'm no longer that helpless prisoner bound and sedated at his mercy. My powers have returned in full, and whether he wants to admit it or not, that reality has shifted the balance of our forces irrevocably. A tense beat passes between us before he finally breaks the charged silence. "Explain how this is possible," he growls. "That serum should have kept your abilities neutralize
Callum The stone walls of the empty corridor seem to press in on me as I make my way toward Aria's room. Each step feels heavier than the last, the weight of what I'm about to do bearing down on me. I know I have to be cruel, have to push her away and treat her coldly. It's the only way to keep up the ruse, the only way to make sure she stays safe. But Goddess, it's killing me. I pause outside her door, squeezing my eyes shut and taking a deep breath to steel myself. Be strong, Callum. This is for her, even if she'll hate you for it. With that last shred of resolve, I harden my expression to a mask of indifference and push open the door. Aria is sitting on the edge of the bed, her muscles visibly tensing as I enter. Those striking amber eyes narrow, lips curving down. "What do you want?" she snaps, hostility etched into every line of her body. I force back the urge to go to her, to wrap my arms around her and breathe in the woodsy vanilla scent unique to her. Instead I keep my t
Aria The morning light filtering in through the curtains is what finally rouses me from a restless sleep. As wakefulness slowly returns, so does the memory of what transpired between Callum and me last night. Shame burns through me as I recall the way I surrendered to him so completely, gave in to desires I should have resisted with every fiber of my being. What is wrong with me? How could I let him manipulate me like that, use my body's traitorous responses against me? I grit my teeth, anger and disgust swirling hotly inside me. No more. I refuse to be weak, to let Callum gain the upper hand because he knows exactly how to play my body like a well-tuned instrument. I am the mistress of my own fate, not some puppet dancing to his twisted tune. Determination steeling my spine, I try again to tap into that wellspring of power I can normally feel thrumming just below my skin. But there's nothing, not even the barest tingle or spark. Whatever chemical cocktail my mother injected me with
Aria My eyes flutter open, and a wave of disorientation washes over me. Where am I? The room is unfamiliar, not my bedroom back home. I try to lift my head from the plush pillow, but my limbs feel weighed down, like they're made of lead. Fragments of memory creep in. My mother...she injected me with something. The liquid burned as it entered my veins. Then everything went black. I remember Callum's face hovering over me, a look of grim determination etched across his chiseled features. He must have brought me here, wherever "here" is. Fear spikes through my body as I finally notice the bindings around my wrists and ankles, securing me to the bed frame. I'm trapped. The sound of footsteps approaching pulls my attention to the shadowy corner of the room. Callum emerges, back-lit by the soft glow filtering through the bedroom curtains. Even in the dim light, I can make out the hard lines of his body, all sinewy muscle and predatory grace. Our eyes lock, and I try to keep my face impa
Aria Shock roots me to the spot as my gaze collides with piercing blue eyes I haven't seen in months. Callum stands in the doorway, tall and imposing as ever, his presence hitting me like a physical blow. My heart lurches against my ribs, confusion and fear swirling in a toxic mixture. "What are you doing here?" I demand, my voice coming out high and thin. Callum's eyes flicker to my mother, comprehension slamming into me with sickening force. She brought him here. Betrayed my location to the one person I've been running from all this time. I whirl to face her, hands balling into fists at my sides. "How could you?" I choke out through the rage constricting my throat. "How could you tell him where I was?" My mother reaches for me beseechingly. "Aria, you must understand, I only want what's best for you..." "Best for me?" I shriek, jerking violently out of her grasp. "Bringing the monster who shattered my heart and trust here is what's best?" "He explained everything, dear," my mo
Aria My brow furrows as my mother's words sink in. There's an implication in her tone that puts me instantly on edge, has apprehension coiling tight in my gut. "What do you mean, I came here like a thief in the night?" I ask hesitantly. My mother sighs, her face growing solemn. She reaches out to take my hand in hers, grip gentle but intent. When she speaks, her voice is heavy with regret. "Aria, your father and I...we know everything that happened. With the Silverfangs." My heart drops like a stone, panic constricting my chest so I can barely suck in a breath. I choke out a stunned "What?" as my mother continues, her words landing like blows. "We know you abandoned your old pack. That you betrayed Moonshadow to join with the Silverfangs. That the child you carry..." She hesitates, eyes shining with disappointment. "That he belongs to their Alpha, Elijah." I reel under the impact of her false words, the injustice of the accusations stealing my breath. Desperate to defend myself