004

~~ ARIA ~~

I am supposed to be scared about this bold move I am about to make.

However, I am not.

And honestly, I don’t know what is fueling my courage.

However, I have to do this for me, for Alec, and my pack.

But mostly for me because there is no way I am going to marry Alpha Magnus.

So here I am, in a cab heading to Thorne’s pack to negotiate with him.

He is the Alpha of Black Crest pack after all. So he can talk to the council of elders in his pack.

When I get to the pack house in Black Crest pack, I let out a slow breath, trying to summon all the courage I have.

I pay the cab driver and alight from the cab.

Letting out a sharp exhale and dusting off an invisible stain from my clothes, I walk to the gate.

I ring the gatebell, and an old man opens it almost immediately.

“Can I help you?” the man asks politely.

I guess no one can recognize me since I have been gone for five years, else this man wouldn’t be so nice to me, judging that our pack has been attacking theirs, and vice versa.

“I’m here to see Thorne,” I tell the man.

He looks at me from head to toe and then back to my head.

“And who are you?” he asks, his voice laced with suspicion.

“Lacy.” I lie with a tight-lipped smile. “Thorne is expecting me.”

“Well, Alpha Thorne doesn’t live here. He left this house to all homeless pack members. He usually directs anyone he doesn’t want to see to this place. So, child, go home. Our Alpha definitely doesn’t want to see you,” the old man says, about to close the gate, but I stop him.

I have to see Thorne, and I am not going to give up.

“Sir, please can you be kind enough to tell me where he lives now? I really need to see him. I need his help,” I plead with the old man.

“Just go home, kid. If Alpha Thorne wanted to see you, he would give you his main address. No one knows where he lives now,” the old man says.

I figure he won’t give up such delicate information easily, especially during times of war like this, so I do what I think can salvage the situation.

I bring out a thousand-dollar bill worth of cash and hand it over to him.

“Please?” I plead again with a bright smile.

Interest glints in the old man’s eyes when he sees the cash. I can see his fingers twitching.

“Don’t tell him I told you, okay?” the old man says, but his eyes are fixated on the cash I hold.

“You have my word,” I assure him.

He looks around to see if anyone is watching before he snatches the cash from my hand and quickly puts it in his pocket.

Afterward, he gives me Thorne’s new address.

I thank the old man and hail a cab.

On my way to the address, I can’t help but think how thoughtful it is of Thorne to leave his pack house for the homeless.

I make a mental note to talk to Alec about doing so, too.

When I get to the address, I instantly know that Thorne lives there. His taste for luxury hasn’t reduced even after all these years.

When I get to the gate of the mansion, someone opens it immediately before I knock.

“Who are you?” a goofy-looking man asks.

He looks like he hasn’t had an ounce of sleep in weeks.

“I’m Lacy. Thorne…” I pause and correct myself. “Alpha Thorne is expecting me.”

“She’s probably the third girl,” he mumbles and sighs deeply.

“Are you speaking to me?” I ask him.

“No. You’re the last call girl he’s expecting, right?” the man asks tiredly.

Call girl? Me?

However, I have come this far, so I am not going to let this opportunity slip.

“Uhm… Yeah. Yeah, I am. The call girl,” I answer.

“He’s in the living room, just pass through the front door,” he says and steps aside, opening the gate wide for me to go in.

I thank him and go in.

The thought of Thorne expecting a call girl makes my heart twist painfully, but I shove the feeling aside.

I know I should knock when I get to the door. But honestly, I don’t know why I don’t.

Instead, I open the front door and step in as if I own it.

I would have marveled at how magnificent Thorne’s house is, if not for the shocking scene that greets me.

Thorne is sitting on the sofa, and his hand is running through his hair. His mouth agape as though he is moaning inaudibly.

“Fuck… Aria,” he groans as a blonde girl keeps stroking his cock with her hand.

A hand job? I roll my eyes

But wait… I freeze.

Did he just moan my name?

I tell myself it means nothing and that I don’t care.

Still, my fingers curl into fists, and a strange heat creeps up my neck, making it hard to breathe.

Another girl—a redhead- sits on the glass table naked, her legs spread open as she touches herself.

I swallow.

Seeing another girl touch Thorne’s cock, I feel a sharp sting in my chest.

My chest tightens with what I can’t name. Or maybe I can, but I am not ready to admit it.

They are so carried away that they don’t even notice me coming in.

This makes me realize that it’s high time I get over my unhealthy obsession with Thorne.

Five years is more than enough to obsess over someone, don't you think?

“Thorne,” I call out, my voice disappointing me and breaking a bit, making him look in my direction.

I keep telling myself that all this doesn’t matter to me, but why did my voice betray me?

For a moment, I wait, because a tiny piece of me thinks he will even apologize for what I see.

But he doesn’t.

Instead, he says something ridiculous.

“The fact I said your name means nothing,” he responds, avoiding eye contact with me.

Then he turns to the two girls.

“You girls can go now, my main course is here.” He smirk.

What does that mean? I want to ask him, but keep quiet and instead ask myself inwardly.

Am I the main course?

The girls frown, and if looks could kill, I’d have dropped dead when they look at me.

They glare at me like I am a stumbling block to them for a few seconds.

Nevertheless, they dress up and leave.

But all through the while, Thorne doesn’t even bother covering up immediately.

It is like he wants me to see all of him, and honestly, my mouth waters when I see how big his cock is.

It is big, just the way I like it.

I clench my thighs together, feeling my panties already getting soaked.

Shit.

How is it even possible to get this wet so quickly?

As if that isn’t enough, Thorne looks at me and asks me a question that makes my heart stop