4

Chapter Four

The Silver Name

Luca's POV

Aria.

For someone I'd only known for a week, she occupied far too much space in my head.

My wolf had been unusually restless ever since she became my roommate. Every time she walked into the room, it reacted in a way I couldn't explain.

She's annoying, I told myself.

She was nothing more than an annoying roommate.

I pushed the thought aside and reached for my phone. Serena’s picture lit up on the screen on my phone. Serena is my girlfriend, and we’ve been dating since the day we both stepped into the academy. Everyone knows about our relationship, including my parents and members of my pack. She’s the head of cheerleading and also on the swimming team. Our relationship was perfect to everyone, but there was more to it.

I grabbed my training bag and headed for Serena’s class. I need to have a conversation with her about the tiny rumors I’ve been hearing about her and the basketball team leader, Jason.

I pushed the door to the locker room, holding the bag of love cards to hide in her locker. Something romantic to set her day going just as I heard a loud moan down the locker hall. I froze on the spot and wanted to turn away just as I caught sight of Serena’s bag at the far end. What is her bag doing here? She should be in classes. Or did someone steal her bag?

I tiptoed down the locker hall and right inside the small room for storage; Serena’s left leg was wrapped around a guy’s waist as they kissed passionately with his hand digging in and out of her skirt as she let out soft moans. I stood there watching with my mouth wide open just as the bag of love cards slipped out of my hand and fell to the ground.

They both heard the noise and turned around. It was the basketball leader, Jason. He pulled his hand out of her legs and stared at me, totally surprised.

"It was true all along!” I said and walked out of the room, anger boiling inside of me.

Serena chased after me, tears running down her cheeks, pleading that I listen to her. But I wasn’t prepared for that at this moment. I just wanted to get back to my training. Everyone stopped and stared at us. Serena was trying to make a scene as usual. I pushed out of the crowd, walking away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to Aria breathe. She'd fallen asleep an hour ago, sprawled on her stomach, one arm dangling off the mattress. My phone began blowing up with notifications. I opened the school chat, and that was when I saw the last thing I was expecting to see. There was a video of me trending on the school chat, talking rudely to Serena with her crying. Under the video, there were so many hateful comments accusing me of being toxic and abusive.

My coach had dropped messages to even members of my team. Just then, my phone started ringing again. It’s the agent for my scholarship at the North Ridge Academy.

"Luca, come to the gate. Your father demands that you come home.”

My phone buzzed, and my dad’s name displayed on the screen. I silenced it, but then it buzzed again. I grabbed it and slipped into the hallway.

"What?"

"You have thirty minutes to be home." My father's voice was controlled fury, the kind that sounded calm right before something shattered.

"I'll be there in the morning. I have trainings to…”

"You heard me!”

"I'll be there," I repeated and hung up.

The Silver estate felt different, like everywhere became tight somehow, like the weight of what was happening had compressed the walls inward. Dad was in his study, whiskey in hand, tie loosened, eyes red-rimmed. Marcus stood by the window, arms crossed, looking like he would rather be anywhere else.

"Three sponsors gone," Dad said without preamble. "Two more by morning. The board wants a statement." He took a deep breath.

"I asked that you come in thirty minutes. It’s forty-five minutes late already.”

"Father, I was..."

"That's all you can do! Have a zillion excuses and fail at the one thing I ask you to do.”

"Father, I don’t know how she… the video isn’t real!”

"Well, let me tell you what is real! The sponsors are pulling out! I raised you to be the perfect son, but you’re terrible at keeping that image. Now everyone’s been asking, "What sort of beast am I raising?" And if this is the kind of son I’m about to make an alpha!”

"Father, I’ll fix it.”

"Well, you better fix this or I’ll be forced to make your cousin the next alpha.”

Just then, my eyes caught a name on a black file on his table.

ARIA BLACKWOOD.

I reached for the file and flipped it open. Her face stared back at me, a school photo, with a serious expression and dark hair pulled back. Aria Blackwood, eighteen, also indicated that she is a scholarship student.

"What is Aria’s name doing here?!”

"You have forgotten who Blackwood is.”

I felt cold immediately as the surname rang in my head. How did I not realize this is Aria Blackwood? I'd been so distracted by Serena's scandal and Aria's constant arguments with me that I never thought of it.

"Listen to me! Aria could be the key. You would use her.”

"What?"

“That Blackwood girl is vulnerable now; Marcus would fill you in.”

“What are you planning to do to her!?” I asked.

“Nothing she can prove. Whether she suffers or not is none of your concern. The less you know, the better.”

“No, Father, she knows nothing about whatever happened in the past…I'm not going to do that!”

He walked closer. “You don't have a choice. Act dumb or lose your position as the alpha.” He stormed out of the room in fury.

I fell into the chair, taking a deep breath. Serena was about to ruin everything I’ve spent years working so hard for. Not just my career but also my future as the alpha. And now, Father wants me to use Aria. How can she be a Blackwood? She'd sounded so desperate on the phone. And now Father wanted me to use that desperation.

"What do I do, Marcus?” I asked, facing my agent.

"Well, even if you have the video taken down, fixing your image would take a lot of time, and that is what we don’t have. We both know no matter how wealthy your family is, you actually need sponsors to be in North Ridge Academy."

“So what are you proposing?”

"You get into a relationship immediately.”

"What?! Why her?” I screamed, staring at him like he had lost his mind.

Without hesitation, Marcus opens another folder. And brought out a few more pictures of Aria. It contains her achievements….National wrestling champion, perfect disciplinary record, and scholarship student.

Marcus smiles.

"She's exactly what we need, just a clean record with no scandals."

"She'd never agree," I said firmly.

"She doesn't know who you are, remember."

Knowing that even makes it more difficult. "And if she knew..."

"...she'd never even look at me.”

"Your reputation comes first. First, you clear the air and then you get Aria to be your girl. Leave it for me to handle.” Marcus swiftly closes the folder.

"By tomorrow...I'll make her an offer she can't afford to refuse.”