Aria's POVAs I rose to my feet, I winced at my aching muscles. They would certainly hurt more later on. My throat was parched, and I desperately needed water. The thought of walking all the way back to my room to get some made me groan inwardly.Just as I was about to force myself to start the long trek, a bottle of water was thrust toward me. Startled, I looked up to see Hunter standing there with his usual sneer on his face.I hesitated, eyeing the bottle suspiciously. For a moment, I wondered if he had done something to it—poisoned it, maybe. Besides, he was Astrid's brother after all.“Take it or don’t. Your choice.” He said flatly, and his eyes shone with impatience at my hesitation.I clenched my jaw, thinking about my two choices. I could reject the water out of pride, or I could accept it because I needed it. At the end, the dryness in my throat won the battle, and reluctantly, I reached out and collected the bottle of water.“Thanks,” I muttered reluctantly.Hunter snorted.
Aria's POVI froze, staring at him with wide eyes, as a thrill ran down my body, even though my body was in a sorry state.“What?”He was talking about the silent treatment I had been giving him this morning.Knox laughed heartily at my reaction, “Relax, angel. I think today’s training was punishment enough, don’t you?”I exhaled sharply, feeling both relieved, annoyed and a little disappointed. “Very funny,” I muttered, glaring at him.Knox grinned, and he pushed off the door frame and headed toward the bathroom. “Let me go run that bath for you,” he said over his shoulder.As he entered the bathroom, I fell back on the bed, releasing an exhausted sigh as I stared up at the ceiling.Today had been torturous, but a little part of me felt proud of myself. This was my first step towards being stronger. If Hunter was really going to teach me how to fight, I would be stronger, not just physically but in other ways.A few minutes later, Knox returned, leaning against the door frame with a
Aria's POVAt Knox's words, I paused with a small wince.“Well…” I started, and Knox also paused, lifting an eyebrow at me in question.“I want to go on my own.” I said softly, but steadily. “I don't want you to come with me, let me handle it myself.”He hesitated, clearly unhappy as he crossed his arms with narrowed eyes.“Why not? Is there a problem with me walking you there?”I shook my head quickly. “It’s not that. I just... I want to do this on my own. I need to.”His jaw tensed as he watched me, “Aria, I don't want anyone taking advantage of your kindness or soft heart to disrespect you.”“I’ll be fine,” I assured him, “I want to stand on my own two feet. If you come with me, it’ll feel like I’m relying on you for everything. Please, Knox, trust me.”Knox sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I do trust you, Aria. It’s just… after that incident with Connor, I…I”He trailed off with a frustrated sigh, clenching his fists. “I just don’t want anything like that to happen again.
Aria's POVI ran a hand through my hair in frustration as I stared at the empty hallway. Why did I do that?‘Because it was the right thing to do,’ the dark voice whispered.“Shut up,” I gritted through clenched teeth.‘He’s trying to control you, to make you weak.’“Shut up!” I snapped louder, and my voice echoed in the hallway. My hands clenched into fists, and for once, the voice went silent and retreated.I released a sigh of relief, as I finally felt like I could think clearly. I released a sigh as my mind raced. I needed to speak to Knox and apologize. I shouldn’t have snapped at him. But where was I going to find him? His office, his room, or somewhere else.I ignored my aching muscles as I made my way out of my room to find him. The visit to the pack clinic could wait for now.I decided to go check out his office first. My body hurt as I walked, but I focused on Knox and my regret for snapping at him to get strength to move on.I ignored the weird looks I got from the pack mem
Aria's POVUnknown to me, there was a hidden door, right where I had placed my ear to listen. So as I moved to leave, I mistakenly pressed the button that opens the hidden door, and because part of my body was still leaning on the door, immediately the door opened, I fell through it, and into the hidden room.A loud growl resounded through the room, and I froze in fear, too scared to even move to see what it was. The sound of large footsteps coming closer to me, caused me to finally raise my head to see what was coming towards me.I gasped in horror as I stared at the largest wolf I had ever seen in my life. Its fur was as black as midnight, and it looked as if shadows and smoke were wrapped around its body.It took a step closer, growling menacingly at me. I trembled, unable to move or speak. My mind screamed at me to run, but my body betrayed me, paralyzed by fear.This is it, I thought to myself. This is how I die.Oh, please save me, moon goddess. I cannot die like this.~The lar
Aria's POVI didn’t know how long I stayed with Fenrir, gently stroking his massive head. He made a low, rumbling sound in his chest of contentment.‘Mate,’ his voice echoed in my head, and a smile spread across my lips.“Yes, Mate.” I replied fondly.The dark shadows that danced around his fur seemed to get calmer as I stroked his head.His crimson eyes that had terrified me a few minutes ago were now watching me with a warm gaze.I didn’t see Fenrir as the bloodthirsty creature Knox had warned me about. He felt… familiar, and he made me feel safe. “You’re not so bad, are you?” I whispered softly with a soft smile.Fenrir rumbled again, his eyes softening.‘Mate,’ his voice echoed in my head again,“Yes, Mate.” I replied with a nod.However, he shook his head.‘Mate,’ he said again.I furrowed my eyebrows. He was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't quite understand because his vocabulary was limited.‘Mate. Mine.’ His voice growled in my head.“Yes, your mate.” I replied slow
Aria's POVI stepped closer to him, “That’s the truth, Knox. I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier when I was trying to say it, but it's still the truth.” I said softly.Knox watched me with an unreadable expression on his face, and he clenched his fists. “Aria, you don’t get it. It’s not about controlling you, it’s about protecting you, keeping you alive. If something happens to you…” He trailed off, clenching his jaw.“And I appreciate that,” I replied gently. “But I’m not a child, Knox. I need to make my own decisions. You can advise me on what you think is best for me, but it's left for me to make the remaining decision myself.”He opened his mouth to argue, but I stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest. “Remember, we're mates, and equals.”Knox clenched his jaw, and he looked down at me with a scowl. “You’re very stubborn, little angel.”I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “And you’re very overprotective. I guess we balance each other out.”For a moment, Knox just stared
Aria's POVThe man’s shoulders slumped in defeat, and he released a sigh, and led his mate back to the waiting area.I watched the two of them for a moment with anger simmering within me. I didn’t want to cause a scene, but I couldn’t sit by and see injustice. I stepped forward, ready to face the receptionist myself. I glanced at the name tag on her chest. Melissa.She glanced up, and annoyance flickered through her face. “What do you want?” she asked flatly with impatience in her voice.I straightened my posture, keeping my voice calm. “I’m here to see the head healer.” I stated.Melissa sneered at me with disdain. “And who the fuck do you think you are to waltz in and demand to see the head healer?” She spat.I maintained eye contact, watching her with a calm expression on my face. “Tell her Aria, Luna Aria is here to see her.” I replied calmly.Her sneer faltered slightly, but her expression didn’t change. Instead, she smirked. “Luna Aria?” she repeated with a mocking sneer.I igno
Aria's POVI closed the door behind me, watching as Knox paced the length of the room. His movements were sharp, restless, like he was barely keeping himself together. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, his entire body coiled tight. Whatever was on his mind, it wasn’t just about the meeting. It was deeper. More personal.“Knox? What's going on?” I asked.He didn't reply at first, but I knew he heard me because he glanced at me for a split second.I waited patiently for a few minutes, hoping he would respond. But nothing, he just kept pacing.“Knox!” I snapped, and he paused in his pacing, turning to me slowly.“What the hell is going on? You're freaking me out! Is it the threat of the vampires that is causing you to react this way?” I asked.“I know that everyone is tense, but there's something more bothering you. What is it?” I asked firmly, keeping my eyes on his.He ran a hand through his hair, looking so frustrated, but in the frustration, I saw something else. Somethi
Aria's POV‘We have two options today,’ Jade muttered as I prepared to go to the pack’s clinic. ‘We could heal that little girl in room 76, or we could heal the young woman in room 128. But I suggest we heal the young woman instead.’I paused, frowning. “What? Why? That little girl’s sickness is more serious. The healers are already losing hope on her. The young woman’s illness isn’t so bad—her treatment is just complicated.”‘I think healing the young woman is better. It’s less risky,’ Jade insisted.My frown deepened. “Okay, something’s up. Lately, you keep pushing for smaller cases. At first, I thought it was because you wanted me to rest after healing Hunter, but it’s been three days.”Jade was silent for a moment before sighing. ‘Look, I’m trying to be cautious, Aria. If you want to take on a complicated case, make sure Knox approves it first. I don’t want to give your mate more reasons to hate me.’I smirked. “Oh my goddess, I can’t believe it.”‘What?’ Jade asked, sounding confu
Aria's POVI opened my eyes to see Knox hovering over me, his gray eyes with worry. His hands were holding onto mine tightly, like he was afraid I would disappear if he let go.“Aria?” He said softly, and I smiled.“Hey,”He exhaled sharply in relief, and his shoulder sagged as if he had been holding his breath this whole time.“Thank the moon goddess.” He breathed, running a hand through his hair. “Even though you had told me what to expect, I didn’t expect it to be that scary, Aria.” He admitted, gripping my hand tighter.I lifted an eyebrow at him. “Did you freak out?” I asked with a small smile.He scoffed as though I had asked a ridiculous question, “Of course I did. Do you have any idea how scary it was to watch you pass out so abruptly?”I furrowed my eyebrows in thought. “How long was I unconscious?” I asked.“Four hours, Aria. You were unconscious for four damn hours,” he replied, clenching his jaw.I blinked in surprise, “Four hours? Really? But it didn’t feel like that over
Aria's POVI swallowed. “So… is that why I passed out?” I had been worried that something had gone wrong.“Of course it is,” Mama Felz said dryly, taking another sip of whiskey. “If you weren’t such a stubborn little shit, you would have stopped before it got this bad. Your body must have been giving you fucking signs.”I winced. It had been a long time since I had been called a ‘little shit’.Gosh, I was already missing Knox—he called me little angel.“So, what do I do now?” I asked her.She sighed and leaned back. “You wait. You rest. Your body needs time to recover. There ain't no quick fix for this, kid.”I pressed my lips together. I didn’t like that answer. Knox was probably losing his mind right now, and Hunter.My stomach clenched. “Will the person I was healing be okay?”She eyed me for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. What you did should hold. But if you push yourself like that again too soon, you might fall into a magical exhaustion coma, and those are fucking pains in the ass
Aria's POVMy mouth gaped open in shock as I stared at the glaring woman in front of me.Mama Felz looked me up and down like I was a stray dog that had just pissed on her doorstep.Was I hallucinating? Because there was no way I was back at the Gray Moon Pack.My heart skipped a beat. What if I was?“Hey!” Mama Felz snapped, “I asked you a fucking question! What the fuck are you doing here?”Panic gripped me as I imagined what would happen if I was back at the Gray Moon Pack.“Where… Where am I?” I asked shakily, glancing around as I prayed internally that I was hallucinating. “Am I really back at the Gray Moon Pack?”She frowned at me. “Of course not! What kind of stupid question is that? Have you started teleporting?”I shook my head slowly. “I don’t…I don’t think so.” I muttered slowly. I wasn’t sure, because I hadn’t even known that I could heal people.Mama Felz must have seen something on my face because she sighed. “You’re not here physically. This is just a projection.” She e
Aria's POVKnox had ordered everyone out of the room, claiming that the Alpha King and Luna Queen needed to pay their last respects to the Beta. At this point, Hunter was paralyzed.A small thrill of satisfaction coursed through me when Astrid rushed to Knox with tears running down her face, and he stepped away, coldly telling her to step outside too. I knew I shouldn’t be feeling that way, but I couldn’t help it. Knox wasn’t a comforting shoulder for her to lean on, and it wasn’t like Hunter was going to die.She sobbed, looking confused. “But… he’s my brother. He’s dying, and I need somebody to—”“My mate and I are here to pay our last respects. Step outside.” Knox interrupted coldly.It was probably cruel of Knox, as Hunter was her only living relative who was currently dying, but Knox knew how I felt about his relationship with Astrid. Besides, he knew that there was a probability that Hunter wasn’t going to die, so he wasn’t as cruel as they were probably thinking.Immediately the
Aria's POVKnox clenched his fists. “And I can’t stand by and watch you hurt yourself… you're too precious for that, I can't lose you.” he said softly.The room was silent, and the air was thick with tension.This was about Knox’s fear of losing me.I reached for his hand. “Please,” I whispered. “Trust me.”Knox’s jaw tightened stubbornly.“I won't be able to live with myself if Hunter dies, when I know I could have done something to help him. It will haunt me forever, please.” I pleaded, placing my palm on his chest.His eyes stayed on mine, filled with worry, frustration and desperation.After what felt like an eternity, he released a shaky breath.“Damn it,” he muttered.My heart pounded. “Knox—”“I’ll be there,” he said firmly, “And if I notice that anything is about to go wrong, you'll have to stop.”Relief flooded through me, and I nodded. “Okay.”Knox pulled me into his arms again. This time he held me tightly like he was scared of losing me. I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmt
Aria's POV“Absolutely not!” Knox snapped, and I flinched at his harsh tone.~Jade kept cursing me internally. She had wanted me to heal Hunter first, before telling Knox, but I was done with keeping secrets. So immediately I heard that Knox had returned and was in Hunter’s room. I quickly made my decision, and rushed out to meet him.Knox was on his way to my room when I met him. His clothes were torn and stained with blood. However, there were no scratches or bites on him. Relief flooded through me, and my tense muscles relaxed. Knox was alright.I knew we still had a few unresolved issues, but those could wait for now. I threw my arms around him as a sob escaped me. “Oh, thank the moon goddess, you’re alive”, I sobbed, tightening my arms around him.I could feel as the tension in his body melted away, and he relaxed, wrapping his arms around my body.“My little angel,” he murmured, burying his nose into my air and inhaled deeply, relaxing even moreAfter a few minutes, we pulled aw
Aria's POVMy hands shook as I walked away.‘Wait,’ Jade said abruptly, and I instantly froze.Hope flooded me. Maybe there was something Jade could do. I thought to myself.‘You can go heal him.’ Jade said.I frowned in confusion. “I’m sorry, what are you saying?” I asked.‘I think you should try to save his life.’ She replied.“What do you mean? You just persuaded me from doing so, reminding me that I was risking the life of my unborn child. Now you want me to go ahead?”‘No, no. I'm not asking you to risk your life or your pregnancy. There's something I want us to try. If it works, there's a high possibility that we can heal him—without harming you or the baby.’My heart skipped a beat. “What?”Jade pressed. “When you healed that man, you took his sickness. You absorbed it. But this isn’t just sickness—it’s venom. Something entirely different.”I swallowed hard, glancing at Hunter’s trembling body. “So what are you saying?”‘I’m saying that we need to do things differently.’ She re