Aria’s POV"Beautiful."The word barely left his lips, but I heard it as if it had been carved into my bones.No one’s ever called me that before—not even as a lie. The best I’ve been called is “passable,” “plain,” or “tolerable when quiet.” But beautiful?Especially from him?I stared at Alpha Kael Von Miller—every terrifying inch of him. Towering, broad-shouldered, and dressed in black like the shadows themselves answered to him. I’d expected to be paralyzed by fear. Instead, I was paralyzed by the softness in his voice, a sharp contradiction to everything I’d heard about him.His stormy grey eyes stayed locked on mine like they were searching for something... something only I could offer.My mouth went dry.Kael didn’t just have presence—he was presence. The others I’d seen at the border were large, yes. But this man made them look ordinary. Even the fabric of his shirt seemed to strain against the sheer power of him.And yet, somehow, I wasn’t thinking about the torture tools in t
Kael’s POV“She’s not what I expected, Alpha. You’ll want to see this for yourself.” That’s the first thing Rowan said to me tonight. No formalities, no elaborate briefing—just those exact words. Now here I am, standing on the edge of my balcony, watching the final rounds of combat play out under the moon’s crooked smile. The yard is alive with snarls, sweat, and steel. Warriors spar with bone-snapping precision, their wolves crouched low and feral in the dirt. We train at night—always have. It’s tradition. And in Nightwalker Pack, tradition isn’t just respected. It’s enforced. Reputation is our currency. Fear is the language we speak fluently. I down the last of my tequila, the bite of it hardly registering anymore. My eyes scan the perimeter of the training grounds, but they don’t land on what I’m looking for. Where the hell is Rowan? He left nearly an hour ago to respond to an intruder alert. The western border’s been acting up lately—rogues sniffing around, scouts from rival packs
Aria’s POV"Run again, and I’ll tear your legs off myself."That voice had no warmth. No hesitation.I collapsed to the forest floor, my legs too numb to obey me anymore. My wolf form vanished, leaving behind torn skin, bloodied feet, and bones that felt ready to snap. I was filthy, cold, and drenched in fear.They’d chased me for over an hour—like prey.I could barely breathe, my lungs burning as if they’d been scraped from the inside. But the howls had faded. I wasn’t sure when exactly the pursuit had stopped… only that it had. That silence felt heavier than the run.I stayed down, half-curled in the leaves, trying to hear past the hammering of my heartbeat.Nothing.No paws thudding. No growls.Were they… gone?Cautiously, I sat up. My body screamed in protest. Cuts lined my arms and shoulders from slamming into low branches. Bruises bloomed along my side. My breath came in sobs now, but quieter ones, as though I was afraid even the wind might turn on me.“I just wanted peace,” I w
Aria's POV;Are you drunk, Aria?” My father’s tone was sharp enough to draw blood. “No, Father. I’m sober.” My voice didn’t shake, though my heart threatened to. “I meant every word I said.” “You sound like a lunatic,” he snapped, jaw clenched tight. “Do you hear yourself?” “I heard Lucan, with Alpha Jared—plotting behind your back.” He laughed, a bitter sound that echoed off the walls. “So now you’re fabricating betrayal? To what end, Aria? More attention? Is that it?” I didn’t get the chance to defend myself before his hand lashed across my cheek. Pain flared where Lucan had already struck earlier. My knees hit the ground, but I didn’t cry out. I knew better than to give him the satisfaction. “You think throwing wild accusations will earn my approval?” he sneered. “You’ll earn nothing but shame.” He walked to the side table, picked up a glass of water, and hurled it in my face. “Wake up, girl. You’re a disgrace. Go clean yourself up—you look like something pulled out of the gutters.
Aria’s POV“Tell me, Aria... how long were you standing there?”His voice sliced through the air like a blade—sharp, angry, venom-laced.I stood frozen near the poolside, the shadows dancing across my face as if trying to shield me from the truth I’d just heard. But it was too late. Lucan’s eyes were on me now, and I could feel the malice radiating off him like heat.Before I could respond, a hand cracked across my face.Pain exploded across my cheek, white-hot and dizzying. My knees buckled but I stayed standing—barely.“How much did you hear?” Lucan growled, storming toward me. His hand twisted in my hair before I could back away, yanking me forward until our faces were inches apart. “Speak!”“Long enough to know you’re a liar,” I spat through gritted teeth, my voice shaking. “You’re selling out our pack. You’re betraying my father.”His nostrils flared. “You think you can sneak around and spy on me now?”“I wasn’t spying! I was looking for you!” I shoved against his chest, but he d
Aria’s POV“Why aren’t you on the dance floor with your mate, Aria? Or did he finally realize what a waste you are?”That was the question that made my throat tighten and my glass tremble in my hand.The ballroom shimmered with candlelight and the clinking of glasses. “To us!” my father roared, lifting his champagne high. “To us!” the crowd echoed back, a flawless chorus of loyal wolves and polished guests.I stood alone by the marble pillar near the exit. No one toasted with me.Not that I expected otherwise.With every soft clink and laughter that echoed across the grand hall, I sank a little deeper into my own skin, invisible even in a silver satin gown that my father’s Beta insisted I wear. The only daughter of Alpha Morven—silent, out of place, and inconvenient.I raised my glass quietly and took a sip. It burned. Or maybe that was just my nerves.Couples floated to the center of the hall as the music shifted to a slow, sweeping waltz. Most were mated. Some were just eager to pre