8

ARIA

Three weeks later.

The doors and windows were boarded and locked. A guard stood outside my door at all times. It had been stupid to run while my father was out of town and think I was safe.

Victor never missed much, and Rook missed nothing. Rook liked hurting me. Maybe he liked it more than my father did.

Ever since the night at the Grand Moon Hall, he had been waiting for his chance. I should have known he was watching. He always was.

I should have stayed with Kael. There was something between us. Not a mate bond, but most wolves never found their mates anyway.

Even if Kael didn’t want to marry me, he might have given me a place in his pack at Goldenreach. I had thought about telling him everything.

I almost did. But when I looked out the window, Rook was there, ready to tear the place apart.

I had just washed Kael’s scent from my skin. The last thing I wanted was Kael charging in and starting a war. So I did what I always did. I went out to Rook myself. Naked. Quiet. Ready to take whatever came next.

My father took his time breaking me and locking me back in my cage. Rook only had to wait. I let him have his turn last night.

My body was covered in bruises. Even the bruises had bruises. I ignored them. Pain was normal now. I was a prisoner until Victor decided my fate. Rook wanted me as his wife.

My father would make sure Rook never got to claim me before handing me off to someone else. That was how it worked. I didn’t know what was worse, but being with Rook felt like the bottom of everything.

I was wrong about that.

The smallest taste of freedom made my wolf restless. If I didn’t leave tonight, Victor would come home. If he did, my life would get so much worse. I didn’t let myself imagine how.

I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around myself. I let the memories come. Kael’s hands. His mouth. The way he looked at me like I mattered. I had never felt anything like that before. Just thinking about him made my breath catch and my body shake.

Kael Nightborne of Goldenreach would protect me.

I just had to reach him. I had no plan.

The sun was going down. If I didn’t leave tonight, I might never leave at all.

The lock turned.

I moved without thinking, stepping closer to the door and into the corner beside it. Never the far corner. That was a trap.

Staying near the door gave me space. Not much, but sometimes it was enough. It had kept me alive before, when Victor was really angry.

It wasn’t him who entered.

Victor was gone.

It wasn’t Rook either.

It was Lyra.

My body went stiff.

The door shut behind her. We stared at each other. We were blood, but we were never close. I didn’t even know she was my cousin until she screamed it at me when we were kids.

I hadn’t known what the word meant. Her father dragged her away that day. He wasn’t angry at her. He never was.

He was furious at my father.

Lyra’s eyes were red and swollen. She looked like she had been crying for hours. When she saw me, fresh tears spilled over.

“I’m sorry,” she said. Her voice shook. “I’m so sorry. I just needed to tell you. In case…in case things end badly. I needed you to know I never wanted to hurt you.”

I almost laughed.

She was part of the reason I was trapped here, waiting to die.

“I don’t understand,” I said. My voice was flat. Empty. “Are you sorry for taking away my only way out of this place?”

She shook her head. “It wouldn’t have saved you. It would have been worse.”

She glanced at the door, then took a step toward me. I stepped back. She stopped.

“You’re afraid of me,” she said quietly.

“I’m careful around anyone who gets locked in this room with me,” I said. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s done. You got what you wanted. Go back to your perfect future.”

She let out a sharp laugh. “That’s what I thought it was too. I saw him when I was twelve. I knew then. I was sure he would be mine. I convinced myself we had a mate bond. I was wrong. When I realized he was meant for you, it crushed me. But I didn’t spread those lies because I was jealous.”

I frowned. “Then why?”

“To save him.”

My stomach tightened. “Save him from what?”

Lyra bit her lip and looked at the door again. Then she moved closer, her voice dropping.

“Aria,” she whispered. “Your father wanted you to kill Alpha Alaric Stonefang.”

My head snapped up. “What are you talking about?”

“I heard Victor and Rook planning it. They were going to give you an herbal drink on your wedding night. They would tell you it would help with the pain. Help with sex. It was poison. They wanted you to slip it into his drink.”

My blood went cold.

“I warned Alaric,” she continued. “Instead of being afraid, he looked excited. I should have known something was wrong then. But I was scared he wouldn’t listen. So I made sure no one would let you near him. I told everyone you were easy. That you slept around. I knew he wouldn’t touch you if he believed it.”

Her voice cracked.

“When you ran that night, I thought you were escaping. I thought you were finally free.” She looked at me like she was breaking apart. “Why did you come back?”