Lucas "Lucas, you're fucking crazy!" Aria yells, but she's laughing, that adorable sound that always does something to my goddamn heart. I grab her waist and pull her close, our slick bodies pressing together in the water. Her skin’s warm despite the river, and fuck, she fits against me too perfec
Her release pulls me right after her. My grip tightens, my thrusts turn erratic, and then I’m coming hard, spilling deep inside her. We stay like that for a moment, panting, chests rising and falling in sync. Finally, I set her upright in the water, brushing soaked hair from her face. "That was…"
Lucas We burst into the public bathhouse, panting like we just ran a damn marathon. Which, technically, we kinda did. Ten minutes of non-stop running, ducking behind corners, and nearly knocking over a fruit stand…all to shake off my father’s warriors. I scan the room, my chest still heaving. Doe
She turns to face me with a soft smile. "It’s alright." Still, guilt tugs at me. "I just… I don’t know much about them," she murmurs. I exhale, my fingers grazing over the edge of the pillow. "I wish I knew more too. But my mom remembered them fondly, especially your mother. She was her best frie
Lucas "Lucas, where the hell are you?" my dad grunts. My eyes flick to Aria, and she looks fucking mortified. "Where’s Damon?" he demands, his tone sharp as hell. "What did you do to him?" I grit my teeth. "If you really wanna know, then come get me yourself." "You’re coming back, now." "I’m n
Lucas I search everywhere. Around the bathhouse, the street next to it, and the one after that. Hell, I even ask random people if they’ve seen her. Aria. My Aria. Nothing. No one has seen her. This can’t be happening. She wouldn’t leave me. Not after everything we’ve been through. I try to mind
She’s really gone. I don’t know how long I stay like that…minutes, hours? I don’t even fucking blink. At some point, exhaustion takes over, and everything fades to black. …… I’m lying on my bed, staring at the fucking wall like it holds the meaning of life, when I hear the door unlocking. Proba
Aria Finally, I pull up to the restaurant Aunt Esther works at. It's in some random suburb in New York. I push open the door and the scent of pancakes hits me. I'm starving. I look around and notice a few people scattered, minding their business, thank goddess. Aunt Esther works two part-time jobs
I turn to the side, my back pressed against his chest, and his arm slides around my waist like it belongs there. His body’s warm, grounding, and his scent…gosh it's so soothing. “Goodnight, baby,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss to my shoulder. “Goodnight, baby,” I murmur back, letting my hand s
Aria “Oh yeah… they’re not here right now,” Alpha Marcel says, scratching his head like he’s trying to dig out the answer. “They went outta the country to visit a relative of my wife.” I nod, but honestly, it sounds like total bullshit. Like, really? In the middle of all this chaos? The pack’s cu
“Let me guess. He said, ‘Screw this fire crap’?” “Pretty much. Said it was barbaric and refused to keep sacrificing his people. And the moment he stopped? Curse hit us like a wrecking ball. No sunlight, no crops, no peace. Just rot and death. Now there’s some weird-ass illness spreading…werewolves
Aria Lola takes a deep breath, glancing over my shoulder like someone might be eavesdropping, then locks eyes with me. “Your mother... she was a beautiful and brave woman,” she says, and for a second, she looks like she’s about to cry or punch someone. “I used to wait on her.” Wait, what? “You did
Alpha Marcel groans like I just smacked him with nothing but facts duh. "You’re right," he mutters, rubbing his forehead. "I’m just, you know... skeptical. I’m scared because he grew up with his father, and I worry he’ll be like him." I shake my head and look straight at Lucas, feeling my heart do
Aria The woman. It’s definitely her. Same long black hair, same damn round face, same sad ass eyes. What the hell is she doing here? I swear something feels weird and off as fuck. "Aria, are you alright?" Alpha Marcel’s voice yanks me back to reality. He’s looking between me and the lady like he’
Aria "What... who did you see?" Lucas asks, helping me sit down on the bed before crouching in front of me. "It was a woman," I say, still feeling lightheaded. "She was short, had long black hair, a round face... and she was crying. I don't even fucking know. She looked super distressed or someth
“You might not know it yet, but you are special, my child. When I found out you were alive... I was elated. Full of joy. I thought you died with Martha and Kane.” “But why didn’t you do anything?” I ask, my voice tight. “Take revenge or... I don’t know. Something.” He shakes his head slowly. “I wi
Aria I’m standing there like a damn statue. My brain short-circuits. I can’t fucking move, can’t talk, can’t even blink right. Just staring at this man who apparently is Alpha Marcel... my father. My father, bro. What the actual fuck? He starts walking toward me real slow, mouth opening and closi