6

“Enjoying the view from the Alpha’s shadow?” Peter’s voice was like velvet over jagged ice, cutting through the silence of the transport.

“The scenery in the Cheshire lands hasn't changed much since I left for Northbridge,” I replied, surprised that my wolf didn't immediately tuck its tail.

Peter chuckled, a low vibration that seemed to make the very air in the Range Rover hum. “So you’d rather stare at the treeline than look at the man your fiancé is terrified of? Is it fear, Aria, or just a bad conscience?”

I flinched as the tires hit a rough patch of territory road. “It’s neither,” I whispered, turning my face away.

The exhaustion of the gala and the emotional weight of the broken bond finally pulled me under. I leaned my head against the cold glass and let the darkness take me.

When I drifted back to consciousness, the scent of cedar and expensive tobacco was thick in my lungs. A heavy wool blanket—dark and smelling of Peter—was draped over my shoulders.

“We’ve reached the perimeter? Alpha Peter, why didn't the driver wake me?” I rubbed my eyes, my voice thick with sleep.

I turned my head. Peter wasn't looking at me. He was hunched over a laptop, sleek headphones covering his ears, his fingers flying across the keys as he analyzed hockey player stats and pack logistics.

He really was working, I realized. Even at midnight, the Northern Alpha never stopped.

I quietly unclicked my seatbelt and set the blanket aside. I mouthed a silent thank you toward him, not wanting to break his concentration, and slipped out into the cool night air.

“Alpha Peter, was that a female’s scent just now?” a voice from the laptop speakers asked, clear and curious.

Peter’s brow furrowed as he adjusted his mic. “That was my nephew’s intended. Focus on the defensive line, let’s go.”

I hurried toward the entrance of the estate, my heart hammering. Safe inside, I collapsed onto the leather sofa in the den. Five years had turned Peter Draven into a complete enigma. I couldn't read his scent or his intentions anymore.

“Do you need a midnight kill brought to your room, Aria?” Linda asked, appearing from the shadows of the kitchen.

I checked the clock—nine. “No, I’m fine, Linda.”

I sat there for ten minutes before remembering my legal files and my skates were still at my private apartment. I couldn't show up at the Stone Legal Chambers or the rink tomorrow in a gala dress.

I grabbed my bag and headed for the gate.

“Aria? Are you heading back out to the airfield?” Linda asked, stunned.

I gave her a sad, final smile. “Don't call me the Draven bride-to-be anymore, Linda. That title is vacant.”

The walk to the territory gate felt like a mile. I waited ten minutes for a pack transport unit to accept my request, the silence of the forest pressing in on me. I didn't notice the sleek Maybach idling in the shadows of the trees.

Inside that car, Peter watched the gate through the tinted glass, his jaw tight. “Just got her back to the estate, and she’s running again?” he muttered, a dark glint in his eyes.

In my small, 120-square-yard flat near the Northbridge district, I finally felt the tension leave my spine. This was my territory. I checked my bank balance—the $300,000 Ethan sent was a nice addition to my savings. Just a few more legal wins and a good hockey season, and I’d own this place outright.

My father, Dominic, had paid my tuition at Northbridge Academy, but the second I turned eighteen, I had shifted away from the Moore family estate. To Dominic, I was just a piece on a chessboard, a way to secure a link to the Draven bloodline.

If I truly intended to reject Ethan’s bond for good, I had to face the man who sired me.

The next day, at 5 PM, I walked out of the Moon Council courts, my black blazer sharp and my eyes focused. My phone buzzed. Dominic.

“Aria, bring Ethan to the Moore estate for the feast tonight. Freya has prepared the elk heart. Do not be late.”

I ended the call without a word. I wasn't calling Ethan. I was going to finish this face-to-face.

“Welcome back, Aria,” Vanessa’s old nanny, April, greeted me at the door. She was the only one in that house who didn't look at me like a political asset.

“I brought you those strawberry tarts you like, April,” I said, handing her the box.

“Thank you, little wolf. You’re too kind. I wish your mother could see the Alpha-female you’ve become.”

I squeezed her hand. “Don't say that in front of Freya. It’ll only make your life harder.”

I walked into the foyer, still in my court attire, and saw Dominic’s lip curl. “Could you not have shifted into something more domestic before coming into my house?” he snapped.

He hated that I was a lawyer; in his mind, a female should be in the pack house, not arguing law in front of the Council.

“You told me to be early,” I said flatly.

“Wash up. Ethan is already in the den,” Dominic commanded.

My stomach dropped. I hadn't called him. I walked in and found Ethan lounging on the sofa, looking perfectly at home.

“Why are you here, Ethan?”

“I called him,” Dominic interjected, giving me a warning look. “Ethan, ignore her. She’s had a long day at the Chambers. You know how she gets when she’s been around humans too long.”

Ethan smirked. “I actually like Aria when she’s got a bit of a bite.”

“Disgusting,” I muttered, the scent of his cologne making me nauseous.

“Do you have any pack manners?” Dominic barked.

I shrugged. “Enjoy the heart. I’m not hungry.”

I turned and went to my old bedroom, seeking a moment of peace. But when I pushed the door open, a stack of boxes collapsed, spilling across the floor. My room was a disaster zone—shoes, dresses, and cheap jewelry everywhere.

“Aria! You can't just barge into my space!” Vanessa whined from the bed, looking horrified.

“Your space?” My voice dropped an octave. “Vanessa, you have five minutes to get this trash out of my room.”

She tossed her hair back. “Look, your room is twice the size of mine and you’re never here. Why should it stay empty while I need space for my shifting gear? Don't be such a bitch, Aria.”

I didn't argue. I grabbed the nearest stack of boxes and hurled them through the open door into the hallway.

“Aria! Are you insane?” Vanessa screamed.

“I wasn't before,” I grinned, grabbing another armful. “But I’m feeling a very ‘feral’ shift coming on.”

The noise brought Dominic to the landing. “Freya, go see what the girls are howling about now!”

Freya hurried up the stairs, her face a mask of fake concern. “Aria, please! Vanessa is graduating this year. She’s still a pup. You should be more patient. Next year, I’ll talk to Dominic about renovating the whole wing.”

Renovating? This room was the only place that still smelled like my mother.

“Forget the renovation. Tell Dad to buy Vanessa her own territory,” I snapped. “High Alpha Magnus wouldn't like hearing you’re destroying family history.”

Freya’s eyes turned cold. “We’ll see about that when the new moon comes.”

I ignored her and had April help me clear the rest. I’d be changing the locks before I left.

Downstairs, Dominic was finishing his drink with Ethan. “It’s late. Ethan just got off the ice and came straight here. Aria, make sure he’s looked after when you two get back to the estate.”

I snorted. “He’s got Lila for that.”

Ethan didn't even flinch. “Let’s go, Aria. We have a Council appointment tomorrow for the bond registration, remember?”

Vanessa watched us from the stairs, a nasty smirk on her face. Is he really going to mark that lunatic?

“Tomorrow is a powerful day for a union!” Dominic laughed.

“Aria, stay back for a second. Ethan, wait in the Alpha vehicle,” Dominic said, his tone shifting.

The second the door closed behind Ethan, Dominic’s hand moved. Crack.

The slap sent my head reeling. The heat flared across my cheek, but I didn't cry. I looked him dead in the eye.

“How dare you!” he hissed. “Rejecting a Draven Alpha? Do you know my company is drowning? If you don't marry into that family, the Stone assets will be seized by the Council by next moon!”

“Then let them seize it,” I whispered. “I can support you on my salary. You don't need the Draven money.”

“Your lawyer’s pittance wouldn't last me a day!” he roared. “If it weren't for this engagement, the Harris and Draven families wouldn't even look at a Stone!”

“Then give the engagement to Vanessa,” I said, grabbing my bag.

I walked out into the night. Ethan was leaning against the Range Rover, a cigarette in his hand. He crushed it the moment he saw me, his eyes widening as he saw the red mark on my face.

“Did he hit you?”

He reached out, his fingers hovering near my jaw. I slapped his hand away. “Don't touch me.”

“Get in the car, Aria. We’re going to the Council tomorrow. I’ll make the ceremony bigger than Valentine’s. I’ll make it right,” he pleaded, his voice sounding desperate.

“It’s too late for 'right,' Ethan. We’re done.”

Ethan’s wolf flared. He grabbed my arm and forced me into the passenger seat. “Feel however you want, but this rejection? It’s not happening. I’m the Alpha here.”

He slammed the gas, the engine roaring as we tore out of the driveway. I stared at his profile, my heart cold as the ice on a hockey rink. He had no idea what he’d just started.