Chapter 4- Me or Him?

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 everyone, drawing her to me, making her crave what’s destined. But Aria just stood there, stiff and almost…distant. I could sense her fear, but it wasn’t the kind of fear I was used to seeing in women. This one wasn’t about being caught by surprise; it was something different. 

She’s supposed to be mine, yet something feels off.

It irked me, but it didn't matter. She’s mine, whether she likes it or not. Mate bond or no mate bond, I’ll make sure she knows who she belongs to. There’s no room for stubborness where I stand, and I’ll crush anything—or anyone—that tries to come between us. She’ll submit, eventually. They always do.

I’ll tear down whatever loyalty she still clings to for that other fool, Luca. I’ve already taken her away from him; the rest is inevitable.

~ARIA~

Indie hurried over to Luca when he was shoved aside by Luca, panic etched across her face. “Luca, calm down. We can figure this out—”

“Get out of my way!” Luca’s voice thundered as he roughly pushed Indie aside. My heart twisted with a dark sense of satisfaction at seeing her knocked off balance. The one who ruined everything was finally being put in her place.

Luca’s eyes locked onto mine, blazing with anger. “Aria, enough games! You need to choose, right here, right now—who’s it going to be? Me or him?”

My chest tightened as I stood there, torn between two Alphas. I’d loved Luca for years, even with his flaws. But after catching him with Indie on the day that was supposed to be my Luna ceremony, I couldn’t deny the cracks in our relationship. Yet, despite everything, I was still willing to go through with the marriage—anything to avoid the chaos that loomed over my life and I also loved him.

But then there was Kael. Everyone knew his name, whispering in fear and awe. The stories about him—how he ruled with an iron fist and took whatever he wanted—were enough to chill anyone’s blood. He wasn’t just dominant; he was ruthless. And now, he claimed I was his mate. The idea terrified me.

Before I could even open my mouth to speak, Kael was suddenly beside me. His grip tightened around my wrist, his touch cold and possessive. “You don’t get to choose,” he growled, his voice dripping with authority. “You’re mine, Aria. No one else lays a hand on you while I’m still breathing.”

Luca took a furious step forward, his fists clenched. “You think you can just take her, Kael? She’s not some trophy to be won!”

“Watch yourself, Luca,” Kael said with a dark smile, his voice low and menacing. “We both know you’re not in my league. You come from a different pack, and we both know you don’t stand a chance against me. So step back, before you end up regretting it.”

Luca’s face twisted with frustration and desperation, but he didn’t move. The truth was obvious—he knew he couldn’t take Kael head-on. The tension in the air was suffocating, and I could feel eyes on us, the entire hall holding its breath, waiting for what would happen next.

But Kael didn’t give anyone the chance to react. In one swift motion, he yanked me toward the exit, dragging me along like I was nothing more than his possession. “We’re leaving,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. “You’re coming with me, and I won’t hear another word about it.”

I stumbled after him, barely keeping up as he pulled me through the crowd. My heart pounded in my chest, fear and confusion swirling inside me. I looked back over my shoulder to see Luca standing there, fury and helplessness etched across his face, but he didn’t dare follow. No one did. They all knew what Kael was capable of—the dark, twisted things he’d done to anyone who crossed him. He was notorious for his cruelty, leaving enemies broken and humiliated. No one was foolish enough to stand in his way.

As we stepped outside into the cool night air, I finally found my voice. “Kael, what are you doing? Let go of me!”

He barely spared me a glance as he continued leading me away. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Aria. You’re mine now. I don’t care what plans you had, what life you thought you’d live—it’s over. From now on, you belong to me.”

Tears pricked my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wasn’t just scared—I was trapped. Kael was everything I feared in a man: controlling, domineering, and completely uncaring about what I wanted. But as much as I hated the thought of being with him, I couldn’t deny that a small, dark part of me felt some twisted relief. At least with Kael in the picture, Luca would be forced to see reasons which would lead to him fighting for me to come back to be with him. 

We reached the parking lot, where a sleek black car awaited us. Kael practically shoved me toward it. “Get in. We’re going to the hotel Luca arranged for tonight. I’m not wasting time with formalities.”

I hesitated, I couldn't even move my legs. “Kael, you don’t even know me. Why are you doing this?”

He leaned in close, his eyes dark with a possessive gleam. “I don’t need to know you, Aria. You’re my mate, and that’s the only reason I need. No one else is going to touch what’s mine. And if you try to run, if you think you can escape me, I’ll hunt you down. There’s nowhere you can hide from me.”