Aria's POVMy foster mother stared at me for a moment or two before she rolled her eyes.โOh, it's you.โ She said coolly. Then she stepped inside, leaving the door open.I didn't know if I should take that as an invitation to come in.โClose the fucking door behind you, will ya!โ She ordered, and I quickly hurried in and closed the door.My foster mother, Felicia, AKA Mama Felz, was a tough woman in her sixties. She was barely 5 feet tall, but she was scarier than 6-foot-tall werewolves. Even though she was an omega, she was never intimidated by the other pack members. She loved minding her business, and she hated it when others didn't mind theirs.The other pack members learned from experience to just avoid her for their own peace of mind.โI thought you were one of those fucking gossips that have been troubling me since morning. What the fuck is their problem anyway?โ She grumbled bitterly, as she plopped down on one of her worn-out couches.I stood silently as I waited for her to f
Ariaโs POVโMy mate was Liam Reed, and he pleaded with me to keep it hidden because his parents would not approve.โ I said with a bitter smile.Mama Felz snorted, but thankfully she didnโt say anything. Instead, she took a swig of the moon-fire whiskey.โHe promised that when the time was right, he would reveal us as mates.โShe snorted again, but this time she didnโt stay silent. โWhat a stinking load of wolf-piss! Only a fucking idiot would fall for that shit!โI pursed my lips at her indirect insult.โSo tell me, did you reject him? Is that why his fake mate is spreading all these fucking lies about you?โ She asked with an eager smirk on her face.I kept my gaze on the floor as I shook my head slowly. Mama Felz gasped dramatically.โNo!โ she gasped, โDonโt fucking tell me you fell for it! Oh no!โI bit my lips in embarrassment. Mama Felz was supposed to be comforting me, not make me feel worse. I thought bitterly to myself. Then again, what else was I expecting from Mama Felz?โTha
Ariaโs POVMy door creaked, and immediately my eyes flew open. Adrenaline rushed through my veins, and my heart pounded in my chest, but I didn't move. I kept my back to the door and stayed silent.Soft footsteps approached where I lay on my bed, and I tensed slightly.My mind raced as several thoughts flashed through my head. Who was in my room? What were they here for? Maybe I could make a break for it by taking them by surprise. Maybe I should scream instead.A familiar deep voice chuckled in amusement. โCalm down, little angelโImmediately I heard his voice, my body relaxed. It was then my brain finally registered the familiar scent of peppermint and cedar.I released a deep sigh of relief as I turned to face him. My heart was racing, but this time it was for a different reason. Knox towered over my bed with an amused smirk on his face as he watched me.I gave him a half-hearted glare, though a small smile tugged on my lips.โSneaking into my room in the middle of the night?โ I te
Aria's POVโOh no, oh no,โ I muttered under my breath, panic surging through me as I scanned left and right for an escape. I needed a miracle to get me out of here.Last night with Knox had filled me with happiness, but I was still painfully aware of the sneers and pointing fingers this morning. So, I had decided to avoid them as much as possible. I didnโt want anything to steal my joy.Liam and I had paused as we stared at each other from the opposite sides of a deserted hallway that was rarely used, which was exactly why I had followed it โ to keep my distance from the others.Unfortunately, my decision had brought me to this horrible situation โ face-to-face with my ex-mate, Liam Reed. Liam began walking towards me with a determined look in his eyes.Immediately, I whirled around and began walking back the way I came. I would rather face the pointing fingers and the sneers a million times than see Liam again.โAria!โ He called with a plea in his voice.I ignored him, and increased
Ariaโs POVโWhat do you think youโre doing, boy?โ A cold, authoritative voice cut through the air.Liam flinched and jumped back as though my skin had burned him. Relief flooded through me as I heard that voice.Knox stood there, with a calm posture, but his gray eyes were burning with fury, like a thunderstorm. A chill ran down my spine at the fury in his gaze. He looked nothing like the soft Knox that I had been with a few hours ago.โUnโฆ Uncle Knox,โ Liam stammered with a shaky smile, stepping away from me slowly โIโฆ I didnโt hear you come.โKnoxโs eyes flashed with disgust as he gave him an icy look. โNo, you didnโt, you were too busy harassing mโan omega.โ Knox replied coldly.Knox had almost called me his mate. For some reason though, my heart clenched in pain as he called me an omega, even though I was the one that had asked him not to tell his family yet. He was just respecting my wishes.Liam released a shaky laugh. โOh no, no, Uncle, you must be mistaken, I was justโโKnox t
Aria's POVToday was Knox's last day in the Gray Moon pack, and that meant that it was mine also. Excitement flooded through me at that thought, and I snapped my eyes open.Knox squeezed himself by me, and was sleeping soundly. It never ceased to amaze me how he could sleep on my awful bed after being used to so much luxury.โGood morning, Knox.โ I greeted him when he finally blinked his eyes open.He grinned the moment his gaze landed on mine, and his eyes brightened.โGood morning, little angel.โ He murmured huskily.โHow was your sleep?โ I asked softly.His grin widened. โThe best,โ he replied, his gaze never leaving mine.His eyes gleamed with amusement when he saw my doubtful look. But I didn't say anything about his words.He stood up from the bed, and began putting on his clothes, while I sat up on the bed, and feasted my eyes on his naked body with a thrill.โYou know,โ he started with a dark voice, โIf you keep on looking at me like that, I won't be leaving here anytime soon.
Aria's POVโOh yes of course, Aria,โ Alpha Maxwell released a forced laugh. He didn't care what my name was. โSo, I know you don't know what you were called here for, so I'll go straight to the point.โWhatever it was, wasn't going to favour me, I just knew it.โMy son has asked for a birthday present, and I want to grant it as it is quite simple.โSimple for who? I thought to myself in concern.โAnna, my son, the alpha-to-be of this pack, told me that the two of you were lovers before he found his mate. So he has requested for you to be his consort,โ Alpha Maxwell declared.My mouth gaped open in shock. What the hell? I thought to myself. Liam was lying that we were lovers, not mates.I turned to Liam in disbelief. He was smiling at me with happiness.โConsort? Liam, you have a mate!โ I exclaimed.Alpha Maxwell cleared his throat. โIt doesn't matter, an alpha male has a higher need for sex than a regular male. The need is usually too much for one female to handle, so it is recommende
Aria's POVLiam gaped at him in disbelief. โWhโฆ What? Iโฆ I don't understand. Why?โ He stammered.Knox didn't reply. He just stood there with an unflinching gaze. It was Alpha Maxwell that repeated the question.โKnox, what do you mean?โ He asked in obvious confusion.โYou told me the first day I came here that I could pick any female I wanted,โ Knox replied.Maxwell furrowed his eyebrows. โYeah, but you said you weren't interested. I've always made that offer to you whenever you come around, but you've never been interested.โKnox shrugged nonchalantly. โWell, now I am, and Aria is who I'm interested in.โMaxwell looked at Knox oddly. โBut isn't she too young for you? She's more in Liam's age group. I can get you someone more experienced and mature,โ Maxwell urged.I hid a snarl at that suggestion. Rhea, my wolf, growled lightly. Knox was our mate. How dare they?Knox's gaze did not waver. โThere will be no need for that, brother. I want Aria.โLiam shook his head frantically. โNo, pl
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 wasnโt just about the meeting. It was deeper. More personal.โKnox? What's going on?โ 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.โKnox!โ I snapped, and he paused in his pacing, turning to me slowly.โWhat 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?โ I asked.โI know that everyone is tense, but there's something more bothering you. What is it?โ 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 POVโWe have two options today,โ Jade muttered as I prepared to go to the packโs clinic. โWe 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.โI paused, frowning. โWhat? Why? That little girlโs sickness is more serious. The healers are already losing hope on her. The young womanโs illness isnโt so badโher treatment is just complicated.โโI think healing the young woman is better. Itโs less risky,โ Jade insisted.My frown deepened. โOkay, somethingโs up. Lately, you keep pushing for smaller cases. At first, I thought it was because you wanted me to rest after healing Hunter, but itโs been three days.โJade was silent for a moment before sighing. โLook, Iโm trying to be cautious, Aria. If you want to take on a complicated case, make sure Knox approves it first. I donโt want to give your mate more reasons to hate me.โI smirked. โOh my goddess, I canโt believe it.โโWhat?โ 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.โAria?โ He said softly, and I smiled.โHey,โHe exhaled sharply in relief, and his shoulder sagged as if he had been holding his breath this whole time.โThank the moon goddess.โ He breathed, running a hand through his hair. โEven though you had told me what to expect, I didnโt expect it to be that scary, Aria.โ He admitted, gripping my hand tighter.I lifted an eyebrow at him. โDid you freak out?โ I asked with a small smile.He scoffed as though I had asked a ridiculous question, โOf course I did. Do you have any idea how scary it was to watch you pass out so abruptly?โI furrowed my eyebrows in thought. โHow long was I unconscious?โ I asked.โFour hours, Aria. You were unconscious for four damn hours,โ he replied, clenching his jaw.I blinked in surprise, โFour hours? Really? But it didnโt feel like that over
Aria's POVI swallowed. โSoโฆ is that why I passed out?โ I had been worried that something had gone wrong.โOf course it is,โ Mama Felz said dryly, taking another sip of whiskey. โIf you werenโt such a stubborn little shit, you would have stopped before it got this bad. Your body must have been giving you fucking signs.โI winced. It had been a long time since I had been called a โlittle shitโ.Gosh, I was already missing Knoxโhe called me little angel.โSo, what do I do now?โ I asked her.She sighed and leaned back. โYou wait. You rest. Your body needs time to recover. There ain't no quick fix for this, kid.โI pressed my lips together. I didnโt like that answer. Knox was probably losing his mind right now, and Hunter.My stomach clenched. โWill the person I was healing be okay?โShe eyed me for a moment, then nodded. โYeah. 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?โHey!โ Mama Felz snapped, โI asked you a fucking question! What the fuck are you doing here?โPanic gripped me as I imagined what would happen if I was back at the Gray Moon Pack.โWhereโฆ Where am I?โ I asked shakily, glancing around as I prayed internally that I was hallucinating. โAm I really back at the Gray Moon Pack?โShe frowned at me. โOf course not! What kind of stupid question is that? Have you started teleporting?โI shook my head slowly. โI donโtโฆI donโt think so.โ I muttered slowly. I wasnโt sure, because I hadnโt even known that I could heal people.Mama Felz must have seen something on my face because she sighed. โYouโre not here physically. This is just a projection.โ 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 shouldnโt be feeling that way, but I couldnโt help it. Knox wasnโt a comforting shoulder for her to lean on, and it wasnโt like Hunter was going to die.She sobbed, looking confused. โButโฆ heโs my brother. Heโs dying, and I need somebody toโโโMy mate and I are here to pay our last respects. Step outside.โ 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 wasnโt going to die, so he wasnโt as cruel as they were probably thinking.Immediately the
Aria's POVKnox clenched his fists. โAnd I canโt stand by and watch you hurt yourselfโฆ you're too precious for that, I can't lose you.โ he said softly.The room was silent, and the air was thick with tension.This was about Knoxโs fear of losing me.I reached for his hand. โPlease,โ I whispered. โTrust me.โKnoxโs jaw tightened stubbornly.โI 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.โ 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.โDamn it,โ he muttered.My heart pounded. โKnoxโโโIโll be there,โ he said firmly, โAnd if I notice that anything is about to go wrong, you'll have to stop.โRelief flooded through me, and I nodded. โOkay.โKnox 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 POVโAbsolutely not!โ 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 Hunterโs 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. โOh, thank the moon goddess, youโre aliveโ, 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.โMy little angel,โ 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.โWait,โ Jade said abruptly, and I instantly froze.Hope flooded me. Maybe there was something Jade could do. I thought to myself.โYou can go heal him.โ Jade said.I frowned in confusion. โIโm sorry, what are you saying?โ I asked.โI think you should try to save his life.โ She replied.โWhat 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?โโNo, 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 himโwithout harming you or the baby.โMy heart skipped a beat. โWhat?โJade pressed. โWhen you healed that man, you took his sickness. You absorbed it. But this isnโt just sicknessโitโs venom. Something entirely different.โI swallowed hard, glancing at Hunterโs trembling body. โSo what are you saying?โโIโm saying that we need to do things differently.โ She re