Chapter 6

Aria's POV

I woke up to the sound of Ethan on the phone downstairs, his voice drifting up through the gap under the door.

"Now. Immediately. Send over the best moonstone necklace you have."

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. My birthday was already over.

When I came downstairs, the omega maid was setting up breakfast. She saw me and immediately dropped her gaze.

"Good morning, Luna."

"Morning."

Then I saw her—Lily standing in the doorway with a velvet box in her hands, but her eyes weren't on me at all. They were glued to Ethan.

She held up the box with a perfect smile. "I'm here to deliver the Alpha's birthday gift for you."

A pause. Her gaze swept across my face like she was searching for cracks.

"Oh, right," she tilted her head, "there have been some rogue wolves near my apartment lately, so it's not really safe. The Alpha said I could stay here for a few days."

She looked at me, and her smile widened.

"You don't mind, do you, Luna?"

My eyes shifted to Ethan.

He was frowning, but he didn't say anything. No denial. No refusal.

In that moment, the coldness in my chest spread completely through me.

So, even this line could be crossed so easily.

"Sure." My voice came out flat and empty. "Stay as long as you want."

Lily froze. She clearly hadn't expected that response.

Ethan froze too—I saw shock flash across his eyes, and something close to panic.

He stood up like he wanted to say something, but Lily moved first. She wrapped herself around his arm, pressing her whole body against him, and when she looked up at him, her eyes were full of helpless dependency.

"Ethan, see? Luna doesn't mind at all."

Ethan's throat worked. Whatever refusal he'd been about to give died on his lips.

I looked away.

"Continue with breakfast," I told the maid, then turned and headed back to my room.

"Aria."

Ethan called after me.

"You really don't mind?"

I didn't turn around.

He knocked three times that morning.

The first time, he said Lily might disturb me.

The second time, he said if I wasn't happy about it, he wouldn't let her move in.

The third time, he walked straight in, closed the door, and used that tone I knew so well—casual, soothing, dismissive.

"Aria, I've told you so many times—those omegas out there don't mean anything. They're just distractions. They could never compare to you."

He moved closer.

"So don't bottle everything up. If you want to get angry, then get angry."

I set down my book and turned to look at him.

His eyes were searching for signs of anger, sparks of jealousy, anything that proved I still cared.

But there was nothing left.

"I told you," I said, "I really don't mind."

Ethan's expression changed.

That mask of perfect control cracked, and underneath I saw something close to fear.

"Why?" His voice went tight. "Why don't you mind? You weren't like this before."

I looked at him and suddenly wanted to laugh.

Right. I wasn't like this before. I used to yell, throw things, and pull rank as his Luna during our fights. Those arguments drained so much energy from me and cost me so many tears.

Then he said he hated that version of me.

So I smiled gently. It was precisely the way he'd always wanted me to be.

"Isn't this better?" I asked him. "Isn't this what you always wanted, Ethan?"

I gestured toward the door.

"I'm a little tired. I'd like to rest."

He stood there like he'd been nailed to the floor.

Then he left.

The door closed softly.

I walked to the wall and looked at the calendar. I reached up and tore off a page.