(Aria's POV)When Derek carried me inside the villa, I sank further into his grasp, trying not to protest. The cold air outside gave way to an unnatural warmth in the brightly lit room. Everything inside the villa was pristine. Clean. Organized. Empty of life.He didnât say much. His grip stayed firm yet careful, as if holding a fragile doll. I wanted to object, to remind him I wasnât completely helpless. âI canâââNo,â he cut me off sharply, his tone brooking no argument.I quieted but couldnât stop myself from glancing around. Iâd never been here before. The size of the room itself left me stunnedâthe bed seemed to stretch endlessly, far too soft for someone like me to belong on.Without a word, he crossed the room and gently placed me down on the bed. The plush mattress cradled me instantly, but my body remained tense. This was his private space, his private sanctuary, and I didnât understand why heâd brought me here. Heâd never brought me anywhere like this before."You'll st
(Aria's POV)Derek's cold gaze pierced through me like shards of ice, silencing any lingering resistance I might have held. His expression was unreadable, but his voice, like a heavy frost, cut through the stillness."Stop refusing treatment," he commanded curtly, his tone leaving no room for debate. Before I could muster even a weak protest, he reached for the blanket folded at the edge of the bed.His hands moved deliberately as he pulled it over me, tucking it around my trembling frame. The action, though devoid of tenderness, carried an air of finality. My chest tightened, unsure whether to view it as dominance or care.Derek picked up my medical report from the nearby table, scanning the contents with an air of detached professionalism. His long eyelashes lowered slightly, concealing his ice-blue eyes, but I noticed something faint and fleeting in his browâan unease that almost seemed misplaced on someone like him.His alpha presence permeated the room, heavy and controlled.
(Aria's POV)The light was dim, soft but enough to sting. My eyelids fluttered open slowly, every movement feeling like an unspoken battle. The sharp, sterile scent of disinfectant filled my nose, clawing at my senses. I instantly knew where I wasâthe Silverstone Pack medical center.My body ached, not in the dull way of daily discomfort Iâd grown used to but sharp, unbearable aches that left me feeling hollow. The fire of silver burns across my back flared with every shallow breath, and my chest felt constricted, suffocated.I shifted slightly, and the sharp pain intensified. Instinctively, I groaned under my breath, trying to stay as still as possible.Memories of what had led me here flickered in my mind like scattered pieces of a broken mirror. Lucas. The chains. Alexander. Derek.Derek.The thought forced my eyes to drift to the side, scanning the room. And there he was.Derek sat beside my bed. His tall figure cast a shadow over the neat expanse of the sterile room. He was
(Aria's POV)The antiseptic smell of the pack medical center stung my nose. The sharp tang was pervasive, a reminder of how far I had fallen in one night.I lay motionless on the examination table, every inch of my body throbbing in pain. The silver burns from Lucas's chains crackled with residual agony, the wounds on my back aching with every shallow breath.My vision blurred slightly as fatigue from everything that had happened consumed me. I wasnât sure what weighed heavierâmy bodyâs exhaustion or the emotional toll of being tossed between Alexanderâs protection and Derekâs icy dominance.Derekâs ice-blue eyes swept over me, their frigid intensity instantly filling the air like an arctic storm. His usual aura, cold and detached, felt sharper now, though carefully controlled. I shivered involuntarily, my omega wolf stirring weakly but unable to meet his overwhelming presence.For a moment, he stood frozen, his gaze locked onto mine. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp f
(Aria's POV)The ride in Derek's Bugatti felt unbearable, the air inside heavy with silence. Each breath I took clawed at my lungs, the sharp pain from the silver poisoning radiating through my chest. My heart was weaker now, hammering against my ribcage as though each beat could be its last.I slumped in the passenger seat, my hands gripping the edge of the leather seat for support. "Derek," I whispered, my voice feeble, almost swallowed by the rumble of the car engine. "You need to go back. There's no need for this."He didn't answer. His ice-blue eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, his jaw clenched as tightly as the steering wheel in his hands. The muscle in his jaw twitched, but other than that, he gave no indication he'd heard me.I tried again, summoning what little strength I had left. "Your marking ceremony..." My voice broke, the words trailing off into silence. Talking felt like dragging stones. "Natalie... they're waiting for you."This time, his hand tightened on th
(Aria's POV)The well-lit marble lobby of the Night Moon Hotel felt like a battlefield. I felt the weight of Derek's ice-blue gaze locking onto me, unrelenting and piercing straight through my fragile facade. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, each beat more irregular than the last, and the residual pain from Lucas's earlier assault clung to me like heavy chains.I squeezed the edges of Alexanderâs jacket tighter around myself, as if it could shield me from the crushing presence of my true mate. Derekâs aura, always controlled and icy, now burned like a suffocating silver collar strapped around my throat.âDerekâŠâ I whispered faintly. My voice wavered, trembling as I stumbled backward, my feet unsteady.He said nothing. His gaze was unyielding, his expression carved from stone. But his presence pressed harder, relentless in its sharpness.My knees buckled under the invisible weight of his alpha authority. I collapsed onto the cold marble floor, my breath catching short as my
(Aria's POV)The lobby was quiet except for my faint breathing and Alexanderâs steady hold. His hands were firm yet careful as they supported me, but all I could feel was the tension radiating from him."Let's go," I whispered softly, trying to muster strength through the chaos in my heart. My words barely reached him, but he nodded, his golden eyes filled with something I couldnât quite understand. He shifted me slightly, his arm protectively tightening as he prepared to walk past Derek.The weight of Derekâs icy gaze froze my omega wolf in place. His ice-blue eyes, cold and unyielding, locked onto me like a predator that had spotted its prey. My wolf whimpered deep within me, instinctively lowering herself in submission.I couldn't meet his eyes. I bowed my head, clenching the jacket Alexander had draped around me as if it could shield me from Derekâs overwhelming alpha presence. But the silence shattered as Derek closed the distance in a single, calculated step. Without warning,
(Aria's POV)Alexanderâs jacket felt like armor draped around me, heavy and full of his scent. It provided a semblance of safety, though my trembling hands betrayed how vulnerable I truly felt. His arm stayed firmly around my waist, guiding me as we moved out of that terrible room. Every step we took felt like crossing an unending stretch of torment.âJust keep moving,â Alexander murmured. His voice, typically calm, had a sharp edge now. He wasnât looking at me; his golden eyes were fixed ahead, tense with purpose.I tried to match his pace, but my legs buckled with every step. My head swam from exhaustion, my heart struggling from fear and the weight of what had just happened. I didnât feel steady at all.âYouâre bleeding,â I whispered, letting my gaze linger on the crimson trail snaking down from the back of his head. My voice cracked under the strain of my worry and shame.âIt doesnât matter,â Alexander replied without hesitation. His voice was rough but steady, meant to reassu
(Alexander's POV)The omega facilities door splintered beneath my assault. The sharp crack reverberated in the small room, silencing the most deafening noise of allâAria's scream.The scene inside carved into my mind, etching an ache straight through my chest.Aria's frail body sagged against the cold marble sink, her robes torn and her skin marred with angry, blistering burns from silver. Two of Lucasâs moonstone-enhanced goons pinned her in place, their hands easily overpowering her desperate resistance.And then there was Lucas, sitting smugly in his silver-reinforced wheelchair. His scarred face twisted into a mask of mockery and satisfaction.My wolf roared within me, blazing anger consuming every rational thought."Lucas," I hissed, voice cold enough to cut through ice. "You dare lay your filthy hands on whatâs mine?!"The room seemed to constrict with my alpha power, my wolf fully unleashed. Every fiber of my being demanded retribution.Lucasâs cruel smile didnât waver a