His words chilled me to the bone, and I could barely breathe. My mother’s death… my father’s disappearance… what did he know? What was he keeping from me?
“But…” My voice was barely audible, trembling with fear and desperation. “Please… just tell me…” He straightened, the cruel smile still playing on his lips. “No. I think I’ve said enough.” He turned away, dismissing me without another word. I stood there, frozen, as the last remnants of hope shattered inside me. The weight of his threats crushed what little strength I had left. There was no way out. Not anymore. Tears welled up again, but I held them back. I couldn’t cry in front of him, couldn’t let him see me break. I turned on my heel and left the room. As I reached my room, I collapsed onto the bed, sobbing into the pillow. The happiness I’d felt earlier was a distant memory now, replaced by an overwhelming emptiness. I lay on the bed, numb, staring at the ceiling as tears rolled silently down my cheeks. This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life—the day I would be recognized as the Luna of the pack, the partner to the Alpha. But instead, everything was crumbling before my eyes. I felt so small, so insignificant in a world that kept tearing me apart. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. “Aria?” Cora’s soft voice called out, filled with concern. She always knew when I was breaking inside. I didn’t answer, but she entered anyway, her eyes immediately widening with sympathy when she saw the state I was in—my makeup smeared, my dress crumpled, and my spirit crushed. Without hesitation, she rushed to my side and wrapped me in a warm embrace. Cora was the only person who ever truly cared about me. She was more than just a maid; she was my only family. “Oh, Aria…” she whispered, her voice heavy with sorrow. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how much this hurts.” My sobs broke free, the anguish spilling out in desperate gasps. “Why, Cora? Why does everyone I trust betray me? Why am I never enough? First, I lost my parents, and now Luca… I thought he cared about me. I thought he was different, but it was all a lie.” Cora pulled back slightly, her eyes filled with warmth as she held my tear-streaked face in her hands. “Listen to me, Aria. You are more than enough. Don’t let them break you. You’re stronger than you think, even if you can’t feel it right now.” Her words were meant to comfort me, but all I could feel was emptiness. My heart was empty and no amount of reassurance could fill the void. “How can I be strong when everything keeps falling apart?” I whispered, my voice trembling with hopelessness. Cora sighed softly, wiping away my tears with gentle fingers. Her hands moved skillfully, fixing my makeup, smoothing my hair, and adjusting my dress until I looked perfect again. But inside, I was far from it. I stared into the mirror, seeing a girl who looked put together on the outside, but her eyes told a different story—one of heartbreak and despair. My reflection was a mockery of the joy I was supposed to feel on this day. A sharp knock echoed through the room, causing me to flinch. “Aria!” Luca’s cold, impatient voice called out from the other side. “It’s time to leave.” Cora squeezed my hand before stepping away, giving me one last look of encouragement. With a shaky breath, I opened the door, my heart thudding in my chest. Cora scurried out of the room. Luca stood there, every bit the powerful Alpha, but his eyes held nothing but disdain. The man I thought I knew was gone, replaced by someone who seemed to take pleasure in my pain. Beside him, Indie clung to his arm with a smirk on her face. My breath caught in my throat as I took in their matching outfits—deep blue and silver, perfectly coordinated as if they were the ones being celebrated tonight. It was like a twisted joke, and my mind darted to the sight of them fucking. Luca’s eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down. “You will stand there, smile when necessary, and keep your mouth shut. You’re here to play a role, Aria—nothing more. Don’t embarrass me.” His words sliced through me like a blade, leaving wounds that I couldn’t heal. I nodded, barely able to hold back the tears threatening to spill over again. I felt so pathetic, so weak. Indie’s voice was laced with cruel amusement as she chipped in, “You’re just here to fulfill duties, Aria. Luca doesn’t want you—he never did. I’m the one he loves. You’re nothing but a placeholder.” Their degrading words crushed what little strength I had left. I wanted to scream, to shout at them for the way they were treating me, but I couldn’t. My voice was trapped in my throat, smothered by the weight of my shame and sorrow. All I could do was stand there, trembling, as they both looked at me with irritation. Luca’s eyes hardened and then he turned to Indie, his expression softening as he smirked at her. “Let’s go, love. We don’t want to keep the guests waiting.” I watched helplessly as they walked away together, arm in arm, as if they were the perfect couple. My heart shattered all over again. I was the one who was supposed to be by his side tonight, but instead, I was being discarded like trash. When we reached the entrance, my chest tightened with disbelief. A separate car waited for me—a clear, undeniable message that I didn’t belong with them. Luca and Indie climbed into the main car, laughing and whispering to each other, not even sparing me a glance. One of the guards opened the door to the car meant for me and grunted, “Get in.” I hesitated, my heart screaming at me to run, to escape this nightmare. But what choice did I have? I was nothing more than a pawn, and they had made sure I knew it. With trembling hands, I climbed into the car, my tears falling freely now as the door closed behind me. As the car drove away, the laughter of Luca and Indie echoed in my mind, taunting me, reminding me of how utterly alone I was. I closed my eyes, wishing with all my heart that I could disappear, that I could wake up from this nightmare and be anywhere but here. As the car rolled to a stop, I took a deep breath and quickly wiped away the tears that had stained my cheeks. My heart was heavy, my spirit broken, but I forced a warm, fake smile onto my face. I had to at least pretend that I was okay, even if every step felt like walking into my own doom. The driver opened the door for me, and I stepped out, feeling the cool evening breeze against my skin. The hall loomed before me, grand and imposing, but it did nothing to ease the anxiety gnawing at my chest. I straightened my dress, smoothing out the fabric as if it could somehow calm the storm raging inside me. At the entrance, I saw them—Luca and Indie, standing together, perfectly matched like a king and queen. They were the image of power and elegance, with their arms linked as they waited for me. My stomach twisted in knots at the sight, but I held my fake smile in place, trying not to let my emotions show. As I approached, Luca’s eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, I saw nothing but coldness and contempt. Indie, on the other hand, wore a smug grin, her eyes filled with mockery as she looked me up and down. They looked perfect. “Finally, the weakling arrives,” Indie sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Took you long enough, Aria. We were starting to think you’d run away like the coward you are.”Indie’s laughter rang out, high-pitched and mocking. “Oh, poor Aria. Did you really think this was your night? Don’t kid yourself. You’re just here to fill a space, nothing more.” Before I could respond, Luca tightened his grip on both our hands, pulling us forward. The three of us walked toward the entrance, with me on one side like an unwanted accessory, while Luca and Indie walked with pride and confidence. I felt small, like a shadow beside them, completely overshadowed by their presence. As we stepped into the hall, the whispers started immediately, a low murmur that quickly spread through the crowd. I could hear bits and pieces of what they were saying. “Isn’t she the one with the tragic family history?” “They say her mother’s death was… suspicious.” “I heard her father ran away after it happened. What a disgrace.” My heart ached with every word, each whisper like a dagger slicing through my already fragile composure. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying, clin
Gasps echoed through the hall, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was the girl in front of me, staring at me with a mixture of shock and disbelief.Luca’s eyes blazed with fury as he stepped closer, his chest puffing out like he could intimidate me. “You can’t just barge in here and—”Before he could finish, I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him toward me, showing him exactly who held the power. “I don’t ask,” I snarled, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “She’s mine by fate, and nothing you say or do will change that.”I released him with a shove, watching with satisfaction as he stumbled back, fury and frustration visible in his expression. A girl with matching outfits clung to his arm, her face pale as she glanced between us.But my focus wasn’t on them anymore. It was on Aria. I was waiting for the signs, the trembling knees, the uncontrollable urge to get closer but none of them showed on her. It was strange. The mate bond should’ve consumed her like it does for every
His words sent a chill down my spine, and I realized with horrifying clarity that this was my new reality. I had no choice—Kael had decided, and there was no turning back. Even Luca knew he couldn’t stand against him. But despite everything, I couldn’t stop the ache in my chest when I thought of Luca. He was a liar and a cheat, but he was the one I thought I could depend on. How did it all end up like this?Why does it feel as if I'm cursed? As I got into the car, I felt trapped. The dark secret I’d been hiding—the real reason I was willing to marry Luca, even after everything—would have to stay buried, at least for now. Kael couldn’t know, or it would destroy everything. But the danger that secret carried felt distant compared to the nightmare I was being dragged into now. Even if Luca was a coward, at least I knew what to expect from him. Kael? He was a whole different beast, a force that could shatter everything I had left.The car sped away from the chaotic hall, and I couldn’t h
~KAEL~I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing nonstop. I grabbed it, already feeling the weight of the notifications before even looking at them. The headlines flooding the screen were worse than I expected:*Kael claims an unknown mate—who is Aria?* *Kael steals Luca’s fated mate! Has he gone too far?* *With Eliara by his side, why would Kael choose this nobody?*I stared at the screen, feeling the anger rise in my chest.The comments were relentless, picking apart every decision I had made. Aria wasn’t supposed to be in this mess. She was Luca’s fated mate, promised to him. And I had taken her. Stolen her right out from under him. It didn’t help that Eliara, my top concubine, was still in the picture, and everyone was wondering why I didn’t just make her my Luna.*Eliara’s been loyal for years. Why pick some weak girl?* The anger was boiling over now. They didn’t know her, didn’t know me. They thought I’d gone mad, like I’d just thrown my entire future away for nothing. I
~ARIA~ Tonight was the night I had waited for—my Luna ceremony, where I’d be introduced as Alpha Luca’s mate. Cora, my maid, hummed softly as she fastened the delicate lace of my dress. “You look perfect, Aria,” Cora said with a warm smile, adjusting the silver necklace around my neck. My heart fluttered. My skin, smooth and fair shone even in my silver dress. I couldn’t wait to see the pride in Luca’s eyes when he saw me. He was the one light in all the darkness of my life, and though he hadn’t been perfect, he’d been kind to me. I've loved him ever since. My silver dress fitted perfectly, hugging my curves and cascading elegantly to the floor. My long, dark hair flowed in waves, framing my pale face. I couldn’t deny I looked beautiful. My cheeks glowed with anticipation as I imagined standing beside Alpha Luca, becoming his Luna. The ceremony would solidify everything our families had wanted for us. “Thank you, Cora. I just want everything to be perfect,” I said, biting my l