LOGIN_Aria’s POV_The next day, Lucien told me that he would not be free for most of the day. He stood near the window while adjusting his jacket. He looked every bit the Alpha again. He was calm, controlled and powerful. It was strange how easily he could switch between the man who held me gently in his arms and the leader who carried the weight of an entire pack on his shoulders.“I have an important meeting,” he said. “It cannot be postponed.”I nodded even though a small part of me did not like the idea of him being away. I had grown used to his presence. I was too used to it.“How long will it take?” I asked.“A few hours,” he replied. “I will come back as soon as I can.”I watched him closely. “Is everything alright?”“Yes,” he said smoothly. “Just pack matters. Nothing for you to worry about.”He walked over to me and brushed his thumb across my cheek. “Stay inside,” he added. “Rest. Do not strain yourself.”“I’m not made of glass,” I said lightly.He smiled. “I know. But I still w
_Aria’s POV_One thing led to another and everything happened very fast.The room felt warmer as if the walls themselves were holding their breath. My thoughts blurred together. Lucien’s presence filled every space around me. His touch was steady and sure, guiding me even when my emotions ran ahead of my body.There were no sharp edges anymore. There was only warmth and closeness. Time slipped quietly out of reach. I did not know where one moment ended and the next began. I only knew that I felt wanted and loved. And when it was over, I lay curled against Lucien’s chest. His arm rested around my shoulders, holding me close as if letting go was not an option. His skin was warm beneath my cheek. His heartbeat was slow and strong like a promise that everything was going to be alright.I breathed him in.For the first time in days, my body felt calm.Lucien’s fingers traced slow and lazy lines along my arm. The touch was gentle and thoughtful, like he was memorizing me.“You’re very qui
_Aria's POV_It had been five days since I had been discharged from the hospital. Five days of forced rest. Five days of being watched. Lucien had not left my side once. He had put his Alpha duties on hold without hesitation, as if nothing else mattered more than keeping his eyes on me. He said it was temporary. He said the pack could wait. I had argued with him more than once, telling him I was fine, telling him I did not need to be guarded like fragile glass. He had ignored me every time.He had insisted that I stay in his room.I had refused at first. It felt wrong to take up his space, his bed and his privacy. But Lucien had been unmoved. He said he worried too much when I was out of his sight. He said my body was still healing and that anything could happen. He said I needed to be where he could see me at all times. In the end, exhaustion had won and I had given in.That morning, I woke up tangled in soft sheets that did not belong to me.Lucien lay beside me. He was propped on o
_Aria’s POV_That night, I slept badly.My body rested but my mind did not. I drifted in and out of sleep like a boat caught between two tides. Every time I thought I was sinking into rest, something pulled me back up. My head still ached dully and my chest felt tight as if it was holding too many unspoken thoughts.The room was quiet.Machines hummed softly. The curtain stirred when the air shifted. Lucien sat close by. I knew he was there even with my eyes closed. That knowledge should have comforted me. It almost did.But sleep came anyway. It was slow and heavy.And when it did, it carried me somewhere else.________I was barefoot in a forest. The ground beneath my feet was cold and damp. Leaves stuck to my skin. The earth smelled sharp and green, like rain and moss. I looked up and saw trees rising all around me. They were tall and crowded. Their branches twisted together so thickly that the sky was broken into pieces.The moon hung above them.It was full but its light felt co
_Aria’s POV_I woke up slowly as if I were being pulled out of deep water.My head hurt. It was not a sharp pain but a heavy one like something was pressing down on my skull from the inside. My body felt weak. Every limb felt like it was filled with sand. Even breathing felt like work.I tried to open my eyes.At first, I could only see light. White and pale shapes swam in front of me. My vision was blurry and unfocused. I blinked once. Then again. The shapes slowly began to settle.I smelled something clean and sharp. It reminded me of medicine and soap. There was a faint beeping sound nearby. It was steady and slow.I realized that I was lying down.The bed beneath me was soft but firm. A thin blanket was tucked around my legs. The air was cool against my skin. I felt something taped to my arm and a dull ache in my hand where the cut had been.“A hospital,” I whispered, though my voice came out weak and dry.My throat burned like I had been screaming for a long time.“Aria.”The sou
_Aria’s POV_We entered the ruins with Isolde leading the way.Her lantern lifted and fell as she walked, throwing long shadows across the broken stones. The guards spread out behind us. They were quiet but alert. Lucien stayed close to my side. I could feel his presence even when I did not look at him. It steadied me more than the thick walls of stone ever could.The ruins felt colder inside. The air smelled old like dust and damp earth. Every sound echoed. My steps sounded too loud, even though I tried to walk softly. I looked around, my eyes taking in the broken pillars and fallen arches. Some stones were stacked like ribs. Others lay flat like graves.Then, I saw the statue.It stood to the left. It was half hidden by shadow. It was tall and carved from dark stone. Its face was smooth and empty, as if time had rubbed it away. There were no eyes, no mouth and no nose. Just a blank oval where a face should have been. That alone made my stomach tighten.But then I looked lower.Its h







