~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
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 b
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