All Chapters of The Apex's hidden mate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The scent of metal and herbs lingered in the lab, mixing with the faint hum of simmering heat from the beakers and enchanted cloth samples Eliza and I were working on. She was focused, her hands steady as she adjusted the measurement of shifter-thread and muttered calculations under her breath. I was halfway through sketching a component design for the weapon prototype when a voice cut through the air. “Aria. Priscilla wants to see you.” I looked up slowly. A tall boy—probably a Delta—stood at the entrance of the lab. Eliza rolled her eyes, not even bothering to hide the frustration on her face. “What did you do this time?” I gave her a dry smile and closed my sketchbook. “That’s the thing—I won’t know until I get there.” She muttered something under her breath that sounded a lot like ‘try not to die’ as I followed the boy out. We moved through the long, winding corridors of the academy, each step echoing louder the closer we got to the part of the building I rarely ventured i

Aria’s POV The warm water rolled down my back, washing off the sweat and dirt from the training grounds. Muscles sore, I leaned into the stream, letting it soothe me. I hadn’t realized how long I’d been out there, pushing myself until my legs almost gave out. I finally turned off the water and reached for the towel I’d left on the rack. It was short—barely enough to cover the essentials—but it would have to do. Wrapping it around me, I stepped into the changing room. That’s when I noticed something was off. My locker was open. I frowned, walking over to it. My clothes were gone. Every single item. “What the…?” I looked around. A few girls were still getting dressed, brushing their hair, tying their shoes. “Did any of you see who opened my locker and took my clothes?” No one looked at me. Not even a flicker of acknowledgment. “Seriously?” I asked again, louder. “Someone took my stuff.” One girl grabbed her bag and rushed out without even meeting my eyes. Another zipped her

Aria’s POV The first thing I noticed was how comfortable the bed felt. Too comfortable. Soft sheets, the kind that felt like they cost more than my entire wardrobe. And the scent—it was clean, crisp, and a little musky. Woodsy, almost. Like a forest just after rain. Definitely not mine. My brows knit together before I even opened my eyes. My room never smelled like this. It usually had the faint scent of old textbooks, worn-out laundry detergent. This? This smelled like trouble. I blinked my eyes open slowly, and the ceiling above me came into view. Cool gray tones, smooth walls, clean lines. Everything about the room screamed modern and minimal. Sleek. Expensive. And depressing. Which meant— I sat up quickly, the sheets sliding down my legs, and winced as the dull ache behind my eyes pulsed back to life. Oh, Moon goddess. The memory hit like a slap. My mate. One of them. One of them? I dropped my face into my hands, groaning. “No. Nope. Absolutely not.” This wasn’t su

Aria’s POV The sound of bouncing basketballs echoed through the indoor sports arena as I stood beside Eliza and Sheila. Other omegas were scattered across the court and bleachers, some playing, some chatting, most just happy to be somewhere that didn’t reek of constant hierarchy and judgment. We were supposed to be relaxing. Letting off steam. Not worrying about alphas or power dynamics. And for a while, I actually believed that. Then I heard them. A group of girls near the bleachers, whispering way too loudly to be innocent. “Do you think he’s really here?” “I swear I saw him walk in!” “No way—what would he be doing here?” My brows furrowed as I looked over toward the entrance. And my stomach dropped. There he was. Ryker. Casual as ever, striding into the sports complex like he belonged, his piercing eyes scanning the place like he was searching for someone. Sheila noticed him too. “Okay, that’s… unusual,” she said, crossing her arms. “What’s one of the Apex brothers do

Aria’s POV The weekend had arrived. Normally, this was the time people lit up. Students packed bags, called drivers, or shifted into wolves to run home and enjoy real food, soft beds, and parental hugs—if they were lucky enough to have those things. Me? I didn’t have a home to go back to. The only thing waiting for me outside these walls was a stone-cold house filled with venomous step-sisters, a stepmother who’d skin me for fun, and a father who thought silence was love. So, no. I wasn’t going anywhere. I stayed in my dorm, already pulling my project folder onto my lap. If I couldn’t run, I could work. If I couldn’t sleep, I could distract myself. And lately… I have been sleeping with peace. I haven’t had that dream last night And my wolf hadn’t spoken to me either. The silence wasn’t peace. It was pressure. Like the stillness before a storm. She was waiting for something. And I didn’t like that one bit. I looked up just as Sheila zipped her bag shut, her brows furrowed i