001

~~ ARIA ~~

“Aria, it’s time to come home,” Alec’s voice booms through the speakers of my car, making me instantly step on the brakes.

I am stunned.

But at the same time, my jaw tightens, and my hand grips the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles turn white.

What the fuck does Alec take me for? A toy he can toss around any way he pleases?

The fact that he is my brother doesn’t give him the right to dictate my life.

If I’d known this is what he’d say when I saw his incoming call, I wouldn’t have answered it.

“Come back home? Alec, can you listen to yourself?” I hiss through gritted teeth.

Five years ago, after our mom died, I was sent here to the human world against my will and was never allowed back to any pack.

Alec made sure of that.

And now, he wants me to go back?

“Yes, our family needs you,” Alec answers.

I can feel my blood boil. I grind my teeth so hard I think it might crack.

All these years, Alec never contacted me as often as he should. He didn’t even let me attend his coronation ceremony as Alpha of our pack.

“Can you fucking listen to yourself?” I snap. “Alec, our parents are dead. Five years ago, before you shipped me to the human world like cargo, you didn’t even let me stay for Mom’s funeral. So, what family needs me?”

“You have a duty to our pack, Aria. You are the daughter of a late Alpha. Most of all, you are now the sister of an Alpha. Me,” Alec retorts.

Every word that leaves that asshole’s mouth feels like a blade sliding across my nerves. I wish I could beat some sense into him.

But he is my brother, and he is the only family I have left.

“Fuck that shit Alec. I’m no longer the 22-year-old girl you forced to leave our pack. I’m a 26-year-old woman now, Alec. Everything doesn’t have to go exactly as you want it to. I am the boss of my life, not you. Therefore, you won’t have your way this time around,” I tell him and am about to end the call.

“I want you on the next available plane back to our pack. You hear me?” Alec snaps in anger, his tone laced with authority and a hint of frustration.

“And what if I don’t?” I retort, my breath coming out fast, my face hardening as though my brother can see me.

“Because… Because…” Alec trails off, his voice suddenly sounding broken, making my brows crease.

I didn’t sense it before, but I can now. Something must be wrong, which is why he called.

“Because what?” I ask, feeling every nerve in my body on edge.

“I’ll be dead soon if you don’t come home,” he says, his voice almost above a whisper.

“What?” I exclaim in shock.

What the hell is he going on about? Is this some sort of prank?

I don’t think so because Alec has always been serious ever since our parents died.

“That… is why I need you to come back to our pack. Mrs Hale is also very sick and she wants to see you before she dies,” Alec says.

My heart begins pounding so fast I think it’ll pop out of my chest.

Is Alec in trouble? Why does he need me to come home?

Mrs Hale is the only person we can call family.

Even when Alec brought me to the human world, saying it was for my own good, she was the only one who always called to check on me.

However, she hasn’t called for weeks now and her line isn’t connecting.

“Does this have to do with the war you have going on with your best friend, Thorne Xandros?” I ask Alec.

Just the mention of Thorne’s name makes my pulse spike and my heart skip.

Fucking hell.

I still hate him.

Thorne Xandros was my brother’s best friend and the first man I ever have a crush on.

But Alec always reminded me that Thorne is like our brother.

He always smacked Thorne on the head if Thorne looked at me longer than he should.

“She’s our sister, Thorne. Don’t forget that,” Alec always said to Thorne in situations like that.

But I never wanted to be a sister to Thorne. I wanted something intimate.

However, their friendship shattered and they waged war against each other.

Alec always changes the topic whenever I ask him what happened.

“Fine, Aria. If you don’t want to come back to the pack for me then do it for Mrs Hale. She nursed you from birth and you’re literally like a daughter to her,” Alec says, and the line goes dead.

Everything is happening so fast. With my hands on the steering wheel, I place my forehead on it and sigh deeply.

I am restless knowing that Alec is in some kind of trouble he isn’t telling me about, and Mrs Hale is about to die.

I don’t like the human world, and I haven’t established any friendships here, aside from the flings I have whenever I am horny and my vibrator can’t satisfy me enough.

So it isn’t difficult for me to leave everything here. I have always waited for a day like this to come.

And honestly, even though Alec isn’t in trouble and Mrs Hale isn’t dying, I’d still go home if I were asked to.

I am just trying to make Alec know that what he did was wrong and I am pissed about it.

I turn on the car after booking the next flight and drive to my house to pack my things.

☘️☘️☘️

The flight back to my pack is smooth, and I don’t have much luggage because I leave almost everything for my maid back in the human world.

“Welcome back, Miss Stone,” the driver who has been sent to pick me up from the airport greets me.

“Thank you. Why isn’t my brother with you?” I ask the driver.

“Alpha Stone is tending to certain matters in his study. But he will be at the threshold to welcome you back home,” the driver answers.

I nod and get into the car.

When we get home, Mrs Hale is all smiles and giddy with excitement when she sees me alight from the car.

I frown because this isn’t how a woman on her deathbed is supposed to look. She is too energetic.

And Alec, on the other hand, spreads his arms wide waiting for a hug.

What the hell is going on here?

Alec lied? But why?

I tilt my head to the side in thought as I look at the duo with creased brows.

I ignore Alec and run into Mrs Hale’s arms because seeing her strong and healthy puts my mind at ease.

“You’ve grown into a beautiful woman,” Mrs Hale says with teary eyes when she pulls away from our hug.

“And you’ve grown old, Mrs Hale,” I tease, and we both laugh.

I didn’t realise how much I miss her and Alec until now.

But I’d rather be run over by a car than show Alec that despite his shitty behavior, I still miss him.

“So I’m the one who gets to be ignored?” Alec asks with a small smile that I respond to with a glare.

I am about to say something when the gate is forced open.

We all turn to check what is happening and when we do, my breath hitches.

Thorne Xandros, my brother’s ex-best friend and now enemy, in all his glory storms into the house premises with a deadly look on his face.

Why does he always have to be so breathtaking?

He looks more muscular and is taller than before. About 6ft3 in height now.

Gosh, Thorne is fucking beautiful. He is the perfect example of gorgeousness.

His jet black hair is pulled into a low messy bun giving me a better view of his facial features.

He is very manly now, and he looks like he is about to tear down our house with his bare hands.

However, when he sees me, he pauses, his gaze drinking me in like I am the only person who can quench his thirst.

The look in his eyes goes from deadly to warm instantly, like I'm the least person he expected to see here. It feels like he is seeing me, and not just looking at me.

I wait to hear my name roll off his tongue but it never does. And somehow, this makes my chest squeeze painfully.

“Get your filthy eyes off my sister,” Alec thunders, his palms balling into a fist.

It is only then that Thorne’s gaze leaves me and lands on Alec.

I watch his eyes become cold again and his jaw harden afterward. Even still, he looks handsome, only in a dangerous way.

When his gaze shifts from me, I feel this sudden emptiness I can’t explain. I want him to continue looking at me.

Seeing him again makes my stomach churn with excitement I can’t explain.

But wait — I snap out of my fantasy world and frown when a thought crosses my mind.

Something isn’t right at all.

If Alec didn’t call me back to the pack because Mrs Hale is dying, or to prevent him from dying, then why did he call me back?