LOGINI shook my head violently. “No.”“Aria Vale,” he said again, sharper this time. “You are no longer part of this Pack’s affairs. You need to leave the premises immediately.”The words didn’t land properly, they passed through me without meaning. All I could feel was Damon or what was left of him.I p
Aria’s POVI woke up before my eyes even opened, not because of light or sound, but because the bond wasn’t right.It felt broken, like something vital had been stretched too far and snapped somewhere in the distance. I lay still for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling as my mind tried to piece to
My hand slowly moved to my stomach, resting there through the wet fabric of my clothes. The gesture was instinctive, protective, grounding in a way nothing else was anymore.“You’re still here,” I whispered, barely audible. “At least I still have you.”My throat tightened again, but this time I didn
Aria’s POVThe cabin was farther from the Pack territory than I remembered, or maybe it only felt that way because I walked most of the distance in silence with nothing but my thoughts and the sting still burning in my chest.Lex had given me the location weeks ago—casually, like it wasn’t something
“Mira,” I said slowly, forcing calm into my voice even as my pulse roared in my ears. “Let go of me.”She leaned closer instead, her breath uneven. “You think I didn’t see it?” She hissed. “You think I didn’t notice how Damon looked at you? How he changed when you walked into a room? And Kade… pathe
Aria’s POVMira’s apartment felt colder than I remembered, even though nothing about the room had changed. The same narrow hallway, the same faded curtains that never quite blocked out the streetlights, the same scent of dried herbs she used to burn when she wanted to ‘calm energy.’ Tonight, even th
Damon stepped out from the trees.Of course he did.He didn’t look surprised to see Lex. If anything, he looked like he had expected this exact moment. His expression was carved from something cold and controlled, but his eyes were sharper than usual, locked entirely on Lex like he was already calcu
Damon’s POV“Lock down every exit,” I snapped, my voice cutting through the packhouse like a whip. “No one leaves. No one enters. I want patrols on every boundary line now.”Guards scattered instantly, fear in their posture even before obedience. Good. Fear meant speed.Behind me, Mira caught up, br
“You’re acting like one.”A pause. Then she sighed, almost disappointed. “I just don’t want you blinded.”I stepped closer. “I see her clearly.”Something flickered across her face then—quick, but there. And then she smiled again. “I hope you’re right,” she said gently. “I really do.”She turned to
“Did you push her?” He asked.The question wasn’t harsh but it wasn’t soft either. It was direct.“No,” I said, holding his gaze despite the pressure building in my chest. “I didn’t.”Damon didn’t look away.He studied me for a second longer, like he was measuring something I couldn’t see. Then he s







