LOGINRain tapped steadily against the windows while voices murmured quietly around us from the rest of the café.Finally, Mira narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re going to investigate this yourself, aren’t you?”I avoided her stare.“That’s a yes,” she sighed dramatically. “I hate when you get that look on
Aria’s POV“You look horrible.”I glared at Mira over the rim of my coffee cup while she slid into the chair across from me. “You always know exactly what to say to comfort me.”“I’m serious,” she replied, frowning as she shoved her curls out of her face. “You have bruises on your neck, your wrist i
He hadn’t looked at me once since we arrived and that hurt more than I wanted to admit.The infirmary doors opened suddenly, and Kade walked in.The moment his eyes landed on me, he crossed the room quickly. “Aria,” he breathed, grabbing my shoulders. “Are you hurt?”“I’m fine,” I answered quietly,
Aria’s POVThe second I reached Damon’s side, his arm came around me hard and fast, pulling me behind him like instinct had taken over completely. His chest rose heavily against my shoulder, his breathing rough from the fight, but his stance never wavered. Every part of him remained locked on Lex.R
Aria’s POVI heard Damon’s voice before I even saw him, it cut through the warehouse like a blade, sharp and commanding, vibrating through the walls and straight into my chest.“Move in. Now!”My body reacted before my mind caught up. Panic surged hot and immediate, and I pressed myself deeper into
Damon’s POVThe scent led me straight to the warehouse. It clung to the air long before I reached the entrance; faint, strained, but unmistakable.Aria.My steps didn’t slow, but everything else inside me sharpened. The world narrowed into a single point of focus, every instinct aligning toward one
Aria’s POV“Let go,” I said again through clenched teeth, forcing my voice to remain steady even as his fingers bit deeper into my wrist. “You’re hurting me.”Kade’s grip did not loosen immediately. His jaw flexed, eyes burning with a temper he used to hide behind charm. Up close, I could see the fa
She looked like a Luna already.Composed, radiant and untouchable.“Aria,” she greeted smoothly, her smile gentle but assessing. “Thank you for helping. It means a great deal.”“I’m doing what’s best for the pack,” I replied evenly, placing the folded silk on a nearby table.Her gaze lingered on me
Aria’s POVBy the time the sun dipped low enough to cast gold across the clearing, I had memorized every step of the mating ritual.That had been the goal.If I was going to stand inside that circle tomorrow, I needed to understand exactly what I was standing against.“Hand me the silver cord,” I to
I pushed the image aside.“She’ll stay out of the way,” I said, quieter now.Lyra nodded, satisfied. “That’s all I want. Peace.”Peace.The word scraped against the inside of my skull.Another elder approached, clapping me on the shoulder with hearty approval. “You’ve handled this beautifully,” he b







