All Chapters of Oh My Beta!: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Aria’s POVThe moment our lips separated, the dungeon air rushed back in smelling of rust and stone and the faint metallic bite of blood long dried.Riven’s forehead stayed pressed to mine.His breathing was ragged, uneven, like he’d run miles instead of just leaned forward a few inches.The chain on his wrist clinked softly as his hand trembled against the back of my neck, fingers still tangled in my hair, not quite ready to let go.“Oh goddess…” His voice came out cracked and low, almost a groan. “What have I done?”I pulled back just enough to see his face.His eyes were wide, gray turned stormy, pupils blown dark with shock and something else I couldn’t name.Guilt, want and fear all at once.He looked like a man who’d just crossed a line he’d sworn never to touch.My hands stayed on his face, thumbs brushing the hollows under his eyes, fingers curled lightly along his jaw.I could feel the tremor running through him, and the way his pulse hammered under my palms.“Riven,” I whis

Kade’s POVAn hour later, the study was filled.The five pack elders sat in a semi-circle of high-backed chairs I’d had brought in, their weathered faces impassive but their eyes sharp, missing nothing.Elder Cassius, the eldest and most respected, sat in the center, his silver hair gleaming in the lamplight. To his left were Elder Maren and Elder Thorne, both stern-faced and humorless. On his right, Elder Livia and Elder Dorian, the latter watching me with thinly veiled suspicion.Aria stood to my left, hands clasped in front of her, posture perfect. She looked small but composed, every inch the Luna she was supposed to be, except for the fading bruises still visible on her arms.I’d hoped to handle this quickly, but the moment the elders arrived, I knew it wouldn’t be simple.“Alpha Kade,” Elder Cassius began, his voice gravelly with age. “You summoned us on urgent business. Please explain what the matter is to us.”I inclined my head respectfully.“Thank you for coming on such shor

Aria’s POVThe next morning came too quickly.I woke to the sound of hurried footsteps in the corridor outside my small room, voices raised in hushed instruction, the scraping of furniture being moved.For a disorienting moment, I thought I was back in the main house, waking to the chaos of servants preparing for some grand event.Then reality settled over me like a cold blanket. Today, I was moving to the Cold Palace.Olive burst through the door without knocking, her arms full of folded linens and her face flushed with exertion.“Luna! You’re awake. Good. We don’t have much time.”I sat up slowly, my body still aching from yesterday’s tension.“Time for what?”“The elders sent word this morning. You’re to be moved to the Cold Palace before noon. They’ve already sent a cleaning crew ahead to make it… habitable.” She wrinkled her nose. “Apparently it’s been empty for over twenty years.”Twenty years?I pushed the blanket aside and stood, moving to the small basin in the corner to spla

Aria’s POVBy late afternoon, the Cold Palace had started to feel less like a prison and more like… possibility.Marta and her cleaning crew had worked miracles in just a few hours. The entrance hall gleamed, the worst of the dust and debris cleared away. The grand staircase no longer creaked quite so ominously. Several of the first-floor rooms had been opened and aired out, their furniture uncovered and arranged.It would take weeks, maybe months, to restore the place fully. But for now, it was livable.And more importantly, it was mine.I stood in my new bedchamber, looking out the tall windows at the overgrown gardens below. The room was enormous, easily twice the size of the cramped servants’ quarters I’d been relegated to in the main house.The four-poster bed was freshly made with crisp white linens. A fire crackled in the marble fireplace, chasing away the chill. The writing desk in the corner was dust-free, waiting.For the first time in weeks, I could breathe.“Luna?” Olive’s

Aria’s POVMorning light filtered through the grimy windows, turning the dust motes into dancing stars.I woke to the sound of Olive knocking frantically on my door.“Luna! Luna, are you alright?”I sat up quickly, disoriented. The wardrobe I’d shoved against the door last night loomed like a silent guardian.“I’m fine, Olive. Give me a moment.”With Sapphire lending me strength, I pushed the heavy wardrobe aside enough to open the door.Olive rushed in, eyes wide with worry.“Luna, I tried to bring you breakfast an hour ago but the door wouldn’t budge. I thought…” She stopped, taking in the moved furniture. “What happened?”I closed the door behind her.“Precaution. That’s all.”She didn’t look convinced but didn’t push.“Well, you have a visitor. Elder Cassius is downstairs. He says he’s here to discuss your Luna training.”My pulse quickened.“How long has he been waiting?”“Only a few minutes. I told him you were still dressing.”I moved to the basin and splashed water on my face,