CHAPTER 3 LEAVING WITH HIS CHILDREN

Aria sat at the edge of her bed. The morning sun shone through the curtains, shining a cold light on the divorce papers resting in her lap. The pen shook in her hands as it hovered above the line for the signature. Two years as Luna, two years of pain, of trying to build a family with a man who no longer loved her. And now this, divorce.

Her hand wandered to her stomach, where the faintest flutter of life reminded her why she'd fought so hard to stay. The twins. Her mate's children. But Kieran, her Alpha, didn't know about them. He didn't care. His heart belonged to Selene now.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Aria signed into the papers. Every stroke of the pen was like carving away pieces of her soul. And with a flourish of her signature, it was done. She was no longer his Luna, no longer his anything.

It was time to leave the Shadowpeak Pack and never look back. Drawing on her last reserves of strength, Aria stood and neatly folded the papers into a folder. She needed to safeguard the unborn babies and herself. The sooner she was gone, the better.

Coming down the steps of the packhouse, her eyes met several of the pack members. A few had pitiful glances while some completely disregarded her. Selene's lies had spread like wildfire, and Aria was now painted as a weak Luna, unfit for their Alpha.

But by this time, Aria no longer cared about their opinions anyway. She was numb inside. Everything that had once mattered was gone, except her children. For the sake of her children, she would walk out of this nightmare and start afresh.

Meanwhile, Selene paced across her quarter, a smug grin pulling at her lips. She had watched from behind the scenes as Aria signed the divorce papers. The first part of her plan had fallen perfectly into place.

But divorce wasn't enough. Aria had to vanish into thin air. Selene couldn't afford to take the chance of Kieran ever finding out about the twins Aria was carrying. If he did, his bond with Selene might weaken, and she couldn't let that happen.

She had made the necessary arrangements.

A knock resounded in the room, and Selene bade, "Enter."

Dmitri, a rogue in dark leathers and smelling of blood and sweat, entered. His eyes shone with greed as he said, "The payment, Luna?"

Selene smiled wryly at the title, her senses already running high with the power it accorded her. "The payment will wait for you once Aria is gone. I want no mistakes. She's leaving the pack today, don't let her make it far. Make it look like an accident."

Dmitri's grin broadened as he fingered the dagger at his side. "Consider it done."

Aria stepped slowly through the forest, her feet heavy against the thick trees. She had taken this route because it steered her away from the main road, out of sight from the pack. Her heart was tight with each step, yet she knew she needed to be leaving. The twins deserved better than what she had to offer them here.

But as the silence of the forest deepened, a shiver crawled up Aria's spine. Something was wrong. Her wolf stirred uneasily, warning her of danger, but it was too late.

Suddenly, three figures emerged from the shadows, blocking her path. Rogues. Their eyes gleamed with malicious intent, and they reeked of death.

Aria's heart pounded against her chest as she instinctively took a backward step. "What do you want?" her voice shook.

The leader of the rogues grinned, flashing yellowed teeth. "We've been paid to make sure you don't leave these woods alive. It's nothing personal, Luna."

Her blood ran cold. Selene. This was her doing. Realization welled into Aria's gut like a blow. There was no limit to her former friend's jealousy. It stretched as far as murdering her own companion.

Desperation swirled in the pit of Aria's stomach, yet she knew she could not fight them in her condition. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, silently vowing she would protect her children at all costs.

She launched into her wolf and let the sleek, silver fur ripple in the dappled light of the forest. Her muscles tensed in preparation for a fight-to-the-death battle, though she knew she was outnumbered and outmatched. The rogues circled her, snarling and snapping, eager to kill.

Aria launched herself at the first rogue, her fangs sinking deep into his arm. He howled in pain, but the second rogue was faster, a knife flashing in the dim light as it slashed down her side. Pain tore through her as her blood matted her fur, yet she refused to give up.

And the more she fought, the more her strength ebbed. The rogues were too insistent, and their victim no match for them in her weakened condition. Was this the end? Dying alone in the woods, her children's lives blown out before they could take flight?

Just as the rogue was raising his blade for the finishing blow, a loud and fierce growl echoed between the trees. A huge black wolf appeared out of nowhere, flinging himself at the rogue with a power that sent the rogue's body flying backward with a chilling crunch into a nearby tree.

Aria's vision blurred as she watched in amazement the black wolf tear through the other two rogues like they were no big deal. Unrivaled strength and quickness, the other two rogues lay dead at his feet in mere seconds.

It was then that the black wolf turned to her; his glowing amber eyes were filled with concern as he approached her slow and gingerly. Aria tried to stay conscious, but the pain was too much. Her body collapsed onto the forest floor, her silver fur stained with blood.

She saw the black wolf turn into a man, a huge figure, with wide shoulders, dark hair, and an intense gaze that was the last thing she remembered before the world went out.

By the time Aria awoke, some of the ache in her side had dissipated, and she was lying on soft grass beneath the trees. When her vision began to clear, she was staring into the gaze of the man who saved her. Commanding presence, the raw power pouring off him spoke louder than any words.

He was an Alpha, the mate that would be her second chance.

"You're safe now," he whispered, the deepness of his voice soothing. "No one will harm you again."

Aria blinked her eyes, trying to catch up with what had just occurred. "Who... who are you?"

The man knelt beside her, his eyes filled with something she hadn't seen in a long time, compassion. "I'm Landon," he said. "And I'm your second chance."

Her heart skipped a beat as the words sunk in. The Moon Goddess had given her a second mate, a second chance at love, at life. But then she looked into Landon's eyes and knew this wasn't just about a mate bond