Escaping My Cruel Alpha Mate

In my previous life, I died without ever truly meeting Aria.

So, after being reborn, the first thing I did was to find her, after instructing my assistant to take my two pups abroad.

She was right there at the end of the alley, staying among a group of fluffy, displaced dogs.

The afternoon sunlight spilled over her like molten gold, outlining a warm halo around her. All the dogs were attracted by her tenderness, gathering around her.

I watched with some envy.

I loved these little dogs and animals, too. But perhaps because of my no-nonsense and stern nature—rarely smiling and always maintaining a cold demeanor—the dogs were always wary of me, just like now.

I stood at a distance, watching in silence.

Some dogs noticed me and suddenly lifted their heads.

I instinctively froze, wanting to step back, but it was already too late.

A black dog that had been lying obediently at Aria's feet shot up like black lightning, suddenly aggressive.

I stumbled backward in fright, but Aria opened her arms and pulled me tightly into her slender embrace.

"Rip”

The sharp sound of fabric tearing, accompanied by a suppressed cry of pain.

I opened my eyes in shock to see Aira's brow furrowed in pain, and crimson blood had soaked through her sleeve.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Did that scare you?

Don’t blame them, please. They're usually really friendly, but now they might be nervous because there's a stranger here."

She still apologized to me for those dogs.

My heart swelled with bittersweet emotion.

It was clearly my fault, however, she was the one who got hurt.

I wanted to help treat her wound, but she seemed embarrassed.

"Oh, you really don't need to do that..."

"Yes, I do!"

At my repeated insistence, she pointed to the small apartment building nearby.

"My home is upstairs. I have a first aid kit."

I followed her into her apartment.

I took in the cream-colored carpet, soft sofas, thriving green plants on the windowsill, and the air filled with a faint scent of moonflower incense.

But what struck me most were the photos everywhere—on walls, shelves, even the refrigerator door of them were about her and Dominic.

In every photo, Dominic wore genuine smiles I'd never seen before.

He would look at her tenderly, playfully pinch her cheek, and hold her tightly in his arms.

I held a cotton swab soaked with healing herbs, my hands shaking so badly I could barely grip it.

"I'm really sorry to trouble you with this."

Aria tilted her head slightly, smiling at me completely free of shadows.

Sunlight streamed through the window onto her face, pure and beautiful.

Looking at her radiant expression, I smiled bitterly at myself.

As his Luna for ten years, I never had a single photo with Dominic.

Even in our mating ceremony, it was still not allowed for me to take a photo with him.

I used to think he was just naturally cold or really didn't like taking pictures.

But now I realized—the real thing he didn’t like was to take pictures with me.