Aria’s POVI didn’t give the woman a chance to escape.“Move,” I ordered, grabbing her wrist tightly and dragging her forward.She didn’t resist, but I could feel her trembling under my grip. Her eyes darted around, as if looking for someone to save her. There was no one.The warrior who had come with me followed closely behind, ensuring she didn’t try to run. I stormed into Xeros’s office, pushing the door open without knocking.Xeros and Alexander were already inside, deep in conversation. They looked up the moment I stepped in.“What is this?” Xeros asked, his sharp gaze moving to the woman.“She has something to tell you,” I said coldly. “Go on. Tell them everything.”The woman hesitated, but when I tightened my grip, she flinched. “I… I was paid to lie,” she confessed in a shaky voice. “The poisoning… it wasn’t her fault.”Alexander’s jaw tightened, and Xeros leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable.“I was threatened,” the woman continued, her voice breaking. “They sai
Aria’s POVMy face was still burning.I paced around my room, biting my lip, trying to stop thinking about what Alexander did.He kissed me. He really kissed me.And worse—I didn’t hate it.I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Get a grip, Aria. You can’t fall for this again.”I had to remind myself that just because he was acting differently now didn’t mean I should believe him. He had already doubted me once. If I let my guard down and trusted him, what if he turned his back on me again?No. I couldn’t be weak.I took a deep breath, trying to shake off my thoughts, when suddenly—The door burst open.Carlo strolled in without knocking, his damp hair sticking to his forehead. His shirt was missing, and his toned body glistened with sweat.I blinked.“What—what the hell are you doing?” I sputtered.He stretched his arms lazily. “Checking on you.”“Checking on me?” I frowned, crossing my arms. “Why would you do that?”I wouldn't believe he just wanted to check on me for no reason
Xeros’s POV The next morning, I called for an emergency meeting due to the situation. I sat at the head of the long wooden table in the pack’s meeting hall, watching the Alphas and elders settle into their seats. The tension in the air was thick, and I could already tell this meeting wasn’t going to be pleasant.Alexander sat to my right, his arms crossed, his face blank. Carlo leaned back in his chair, looking bored but alert. Across from us, Lucas sat with his usual smug expression, acting like he owned the room.I wasn’t in the mood for games.“We need to discuss the attack on my brother and his mate,” I said, my voice cutting through the murmurs in the room.Some of the elders exchanged glances, while others avoided looking at me.“The ambush was from the Golden Spike Pack,” Alexander added, his voice firm. “Their warriors were there. We saw them with our own eyes.”An older Alpha scoffed. “And what proof do you have of that? The Golden Spike Pack has been quiet for months. They
Aria’s POVThe ropes around my wrists burned against my skin, but I barely noticed the pain anymore. I had been tied up for so long that my hands felt numb. My legs were also bound, making it impossible to move. The dimly lit room smelled damp, like old wood and dust, and the only sound was my own shallow breathing.I didn’t know how long I had been here. Hours? A full day? There was no way to tell.The door creaked open, and I tensed.My kidnapper walked in, a smug expression on his face. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, as if he had all the time in the world. His presence made my skin crawl, not because he looked dangerous, but because he was too calm—too confident.“They’re looking for you,” he said, his voice filled with amusement. “Running around like idiots, completely blind to what’s right in front of them.”I didn’t react, but inside, my heart pounded. They were searching for me.He walked closer and crouched in front of me. “I almost feel bad for them,” he contin
Aria’s POVI woke up slowly, my body feeling heavy and sore. My head ached slightly, and for a moment, I was confused about where I was. The soft bed beneath me wasn’t familiar. I blinked a few times, trying to focus.Then I saw Carlo and Alexander sitting beside me.Carlo grinned when he noticed I was awake. “Finally up, sleeping beauty?”I frowned, still feeling groggy. “What happened?”Carlo smirked, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t remember? That’s disappointing. I was expecting a dramatic reaction.”I tried to think. Flashes of memory came back—the kidnapper, the dark room, the way he covered my mouth, the fear of not knowing if I would ever escape. My chest tightened, and I sat up suddenly, my hands shaking.Alexander noticed immediately. “Stop being a baby,” he muttered, but his voice was softer than usual.I turned to look at him properly. Something about him seemed different. He wasn’t his usual cold self. He wasn’t glaring at me like I was a problem he wanted to get rid
Aria’s POVI sat on my bed, still shaken by the maid’s warning. My kidnapper had escaped.I had barely processed the information when my door swung open. My heart leaped, but it was only Xeros.His sharp eyes scanned the room as he stepped inside, his presence instantly making me feel a sense of security. He looked tense, his jaw clenched.“You’re not leaving this room,” he said firmly. “It’s not safe.”I frowned. “I don’t need to be locked away like a—”“It’s not up for discussion, Aria.” His voice was serious, leaving no room for argument. “He’s still out there, and we don’t know what he’s planning. I need you to stay put.”I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t win against him.Xeros checked the entire room, moving swiftly as he looked behind furniture, under the bed, and even behind the curtains. He was thorough, making sure no one was hiding.I watched as he finally turned back to me, satisfied. “I’ll be back to check on you,” he assured me. “Don’t open this door for anyone but me or my br
Aria's POVI didn't know for how long I slept, but by the time I woke up, I could still see Carlo sitting beside me on the bed, and that was something I wasn't expecting at all. What the hell is going on with him? He's being weirder than his usual self. And the fact that I felt safe with him earlier says a lot. I have nothing else to blame but this mating bond because this surely couldn't be me being so weak for him, right?Even if I find him attractive, he's still a jerk that did a lot of things that made me angry, and I can't stop thinking about how to get back at him. Our eyes met the moment I looked at him, and I immediately looked away. I know he's going to be annoying about this."What's wrong, little mate? Are you suddenly shy looking at my face?" he questioned, like his usual annoying self."I would prefer if you just shut up and not talk to me. Must you always be annoying?" I fired at him.He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what else I'm supposed to do if not teasing yo
Carlo's POVI could see the fear on her face the moment my brother mentioned going somewhere. I think with the things that have been happening to her the past few days, she's already scared to go outside anymore, so I decided to intervene. At first, I wanted to only play with her, and now I don't understand my feelings. She is the only woman I have ever been interested in this way."Why are you requesting her to go with you when you can just go whenever you want yourself? Besides, we can protect her if you're not here," I said to my brother, but he looked at me and shook his head. I don't know what is going on in his mind."You don't understand what I'm trying to do. I'm only trying to protect her better than you can," he replied.I know I shouldn't get angry since we both have the same goal, but sometimes my brother makes things feel like we're not really capable of protecting her."If you're going to the border, you shouldn't take her there. Didn't you see what happened the last tim
Aria's POV I couldn't sleep the entire night because I couldn't stop thinking of what happened to me yesterday. I kept turning around the bed. It was a bit embarrassing to see how I kept acting like a child and crying my eyes out because I got hurt. But maybe it worked?Xeros casually told me he loved me which was something I didn't expect. Maybe I'm just too stupid to see the signs around me. They started to care more about me than they usually would. Carlo even changed from his usual ways because of me and we've been having nothing but a slow burned romance. Now that Diane is here, things wouldn't be so easy for me. I think it's time for me to take matters into my own hands. I dressed up, ready to go to the hospital early. But looking at myself in the mirror, I realized why Diane might also be looking down on me. Maybe because I also didn't take myself seriously. I went to the door to open it, only to find Xeros waiting for me at the door. Memories of how we acted yesterday floo
Aria’s POVI stayed in the room without moving for hours. The silence felt heavy. My body was tired, but my mind was louder than ever. Everything that happened kept playing over and over again. Diane falling, her fake tears, her fake pain, her fake voice when she said I pushed her. And Xeros… the look in his eyes when he asked if it was true. That question hurt more than anything else.Why did he ask? Why did he need to ask? Didn’t he know me? Didn’t he trust me?I pulled the blanket around me tighter. My chest felt sore from crying, and my eyes were heavy. But sleep wouldn’t come. Not when my heart still ached this much.At least Carlo believed me. At least someone did.When I finally got the words out, when I told him everything, he didn’t question me. “She said I pushed her,” I mumbled into his chest. “But she was the one who pushed me. She just missed. And now… now it looks like I did it.”Carlo didn’t move. “Did Xeros believe her?”I didn’t answer.That silence was enough for hi
Aria’s POVI never expected her to actually try it.One moment I was walking back to my room, still groggy from sleep and hoping to get a glass of water, and the next moment Diane was standing right in front of me at the top of the stairs—eyes wild, voice sharp, body full of bitter anger like she had been waiting just for me.What is she even doing home? I thought she was supposed to be at the hospital.I blinked at her, too tired to process anything right away. I didn’t even say anything at first. I just moved aside slightly, hoping to avoid any drama. I was still half-asleep, and my head was pounding from everything that happened the day before. But of course, Diane didn’t care about that.I was trying so hard to avoid her but she's not one to give up easily. No matter how I tried to push her away, she always continued to bother me. Telling me to pack my bags like she owned the place. Instead of staying at the hospital to help at a time like this, she chose to come home to exhibit
Diane’s POVI was still fuming from earlier. The way Alexander spoke to me… like I was just some extra they could send on errands while their precious Aria got to rest at home like a queen. It was ridiculous.I'm their cousin! I'm supposed to be the family they've known for a long time and they're defending that bitch over me?They defended her like their lives depended on it, like she hadn’t done anything wrong. She came into the picture unwanted! And now, I was the one being sent to the hospital.Why me?Even if I studied abroad to be a doctor, I still didn't think my precious skills should be used on a bunch of peasants.The moment I walked through the front door of the pack hospital, I wanted to turn around and go home. The place reeked of sickness and sweat. Nurses were running up and down, patients were groaning, coughing, wheezing. Some even looked half-dead. It was disgusting.I covered my nose with a silk handkerchief and walked fast through the hallway, keeping my eyes stra
Alexander’s POVThe moment we saw her, I could feel my heart settle for the first time all night.But it didn’t last.She looked too calm. Like nothing happened. Like she hadn’t just disappeared without telling anyone where she went. Like we hadn’t spent the whole night tearing through Edgar’s pack, worried she had been hurt or taken.“What were you thinking?” I snapped before I could stop myself.Xeros stepped forward too, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “Do you have any idea how worried we were?”Carlo didn’t even say anything at first. He just looked at her, like he couldn’t decide whether to yell or hug her.Aria stood there, blinking fast, as if she was trying to process all three of us coming at her at once. “I… I was going to come back,” she said quietly.Xeros laughed, but it wasn’t funny. “Yeah? do you know I almost completely lost my mind after we couldn't find you anywhere?”“I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she said quickly, stepping back a little. “I finished chec
Aria’s POVThe drive to Edgar’s pack was quiet.I sat in the front seat, staring out the window, arms crossed, and mind filled with thoughts. The road was mostly empty, and the silence between us grew heavier with every passing mile.I shouldn’t have come.That thought kept repeating in my head. Not because I didn’t want to help the sick—but because being around Edgar again made everything feel strange. Wrong. Complicated.But when we finally entered his pack land, I forgot all about my awkward feelings.Because what I saw shocked me.There were people everywhere—sick, coughing, lying on stretchers, some even placed in tents outside what looked like a crowded clinic. The air smelled like strong herbs and sweat. People moved around in a rush, doctors calling out instructions, nurses trying to calm crying children.It was like walking into a battlefield.“This is worse than I imagined,” I whispered under my breath.Edgar parked and got out quickly. I followed him, keeping my coat tight
Aria’s POVI didn’t know what to feel in that moment. Should I be scared or should I be relieved since he didn't hurt me the last time we were together?I'm supposed to trust someone like him who goes in and out of this pack like it belongs to him. I don't even know what he's planning in his mind or what is going on in his head. Let's not forget the fact that he almost tried to hurt Xeros. I mean, he would have done something if Lucas didn't. “You shouldn’t be here,” I said finally, standing up slowly. “I told you never to come back. We told you. All of us.”His eyes didn’t shift. He looked the same—maybe a little more tired, but still him. That quiet, unreadable calm.“I know,” he said softly. “But I had to see you.”My brows pulled together. “Do you have any idea what could happen if Alexander sees you? He might actually kill you this time. And honestly, I won’t stop him.”Edgar looked down for a second, then stepped closer.“I’m not here to fight anyone,” he said. “I’m here becau
Aria’s POVI shouldn’t have spoken to them like that.As soon as I walked into the surgery room and closed the door behind me, my chest felt heavy with regret. I leaned against the wall, letting out a long, tired sigh.Xeros and Carlo had come to see me earlier. I could still see the look on Xeros’s face when I told him to leave me alone. I could still hear Carlo calling after me with that worried tone in his voice.They didn’t deserve that. I was just angry, hurt and frustrated. But not at them.It was Diane. She only came not too long ago and she already made sure that she almost made my life a living hell. And I was so mad that I let her words push me to act like she was the one meant to be with them.But she wasn’t.They were mine. The Moon Goddess chose them for me. Not her. And yet I let her get under my skin again.I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I would apologize when I got home. I would explain everything. No more misunderstandings. No more pushing them away.I would
Xeros’s POVThe sun was high above our heads as Carlo and I walked around the pack. The heat stuck to my skin, and the dust from the ground clung to my boots.We had been hearing a lot of news lately. Strange news. About a sickness spreading through the pack these past few days.It wasn’t normal.Werewolves didn’t get sick like this. Even if we caught something, our bodies healed fast. Faster than humans could even imagine.But now?Now even the strongest wolves were lying in bed, sweating and coughing, looking weak like they’d been poisoned.Carlo pulled his shirt over his nose as we passed by another house where someone was sick.“This is getting worse,” he said quietly to me.I nodded, feeling a knot in my chest. “Yeah. It’s spreading faster than anything I’ve seen before.”We checked every house. Listened to every family.Most of them were scared. Some of them were hiding it, pretending they were fine, but we could see the fear in their eyes.“We’ll find a solution,” I said to one