Aria I help Lucas tug off his pants, my hands trembling slightly from anticipation as I climb on top of him. My fingers work on his briefs next, sliding them down to reveal him in all his glory. We're both naked now, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face when I see him—thick and already painfully hard. And I haven’t even touched him yet.He watches me with hooded eyes, his voice a husky growl. “So, how are you going to punish me, my lady?”A smug grin tugs at my lips as my hand wraps around his cock. The second I start stroking him, his head tips back, and a guttural groan escapes his throat, raw and desperate. He sounds like an animal, wild and unrestrained.“Fuck... fuck... ahh... Aria,” he gasps, his chest heaving.I bite my lip, savoring the way my touch drives him insane. His reactions are intoxicating. The tension in his body, the way he grips the sheets, the way he groans—it’s all for me.“Faster,” he growls, his knuckles white as he clutches the sheets.I obl
Aria I can’t believe this is my last night on this damn ship. Tomorrow, it’s back to land and real life, and man, I am not ready. Reality’s gonna hit harder than the Wi-Fi on this floating tin can. I stroll into the cafeteria, scanning the place, and there they are—Lily and Mia, waving at me like I’m a celebrity or something. I flash them a grin and make my way over.“You guys got us some ice cream,” I say, plopping into a seat. But they’re just sitting there, giving me these cheeky-ass grins like they know something I don’t. I narrow my eyes. “Okay, why the hell are you two looking at me like that?”“Nothing…” Mia singsongs, her smirk growing wider. “It’s just that we haven’t seen you since, oh, the crack of dawn when you disappeared with Alpha Lucas.”“Don’t tell me you’ve been fucking all day.”“Lily!” I fake pout, trying to act all innocent, but then I break into a grin. “Okay, fine. You’re not wrong. We’ve been, uh… busy. Different positions, different styles.”They both squeal
Lucas We finally pull up to the Shadow Pang Pack, and my heart’s racing like I’ve just run a damn marathon. The entire ride, I sat there like a statue, staring out the window, thinking about Aria. Her face, her laugh, the way she looks at me like I’m her whole damn world. Yeah, I already miss her. It’s pathetic, but whatever. Now, though? Now, reality is smacking me in the face. Time to deal with my father. Yay for family reunions, right?The car cruises into the estate, and as usual, it’s over-the-top as hell. Beautiful lawns, fountains, high-end restaurants, even a goddamn shopping mall. This isn’t just an estate…it’s a playground for the rich and ruthless of the pack. My dad’s told me a million times, “This will all be yours someday, Lucas.” Yeah, sure. Except now, I feel like I’m standing on the edge of losing it all. And guess what? I don’t fucking give a shit. It’s Aria or this so-called empire. And I’ll pick Aria every damn time.The car slows, and Damon hops out first, mumbli
Aria I wake up, and the sun is literally stabbing me in the face like it has a personal vendetta. No curtain, no mercy…just straight-up blinding me. Groaning, I sit up, stretch out my arms, and let out this big, dramatic yawn. I look around the room, and yeah, it’s a shoebox. But it’s my shoebox, you know? I’ve been living here since I turned sixteen, scraping by with a bunch of part-time jobs because, well, being an orphan doesn’t exactly come with a trust fund. The room’s got the basics: a bed, a desk shoved in the corner, and this sad little pile of my belongings that I like to call "organized chaos."Dragging myself out of bed, I head to my makeshift kitchen…which is really just a counter with a hot plate, and grab the kettle. Coffee is the only thing keeping me from becoming a walking zombie, so yeah, priorities. A few minutes later, I’m back on my bed, clutching my mug like it’s a lifeline and scrolling through my phone.No messages. No missed calls. Nothing from Lucas. Seriou
Aria It's so fucking beautiful! I spin around in the middle of the suite Ethan booked for us. The luxurious carpet, velvet curtains, sparkling chandeliers—is something straight out of a magazine. The annual Christmas cruise ship tour hosted by my school, Crescent Wolves Academy, is everything I’ve ever dreamed of but never thought I’d experience. Me, Aria Whitlock, standing here on a freaking cruise ship? No way. I’m an eighteen-year-old, lowly omega scraping by in a world that couldn’t care less about me. But tonight? Tonight, I’m not a nobody. Nope. Tonight, I’m Alpha Ethan’s mate. My Ethan, the future Alpha of the Full Moon Pack, my personal knight in shining armor. The Moon Goddess must’ve finally stopped ignoring me. “Aria, move your ass! We're going to miss the welcome party at this point.” Mia’s voice yanks me out of my thoughts. She barges in, her wild auburn curls bouncing, looking like a fiery storm in her emerald-green dress. Right behind her is Lily, the complete op
Aria My stomach drops. The same fucking hands that held me last night, the same damn lips that whispered I love you and kissed me like I was his world are now all over Vanessa’s face. “Ethan, how could you,” I choke out, my chest splitting open with a pain so sharp it steals my breath. He freezes, pulling back just enough to look at me. For a split second, I think I see guilt flash in his eyes. But then, he smirks. Smirks. “Aria,” he says nonchalantly, like he wasn’t just caught red-handed. “What are you doing here? Go away.” My wolf growls low in my mind, her anger and heartbreak twisting with mine. He lied, she snarls. He lied to us. Vanessa, of course, looks smug as hell. She leans into him, her perfectly manicured nails trailing down his chest like she’s marking her territory. “Oh, sweetheart,” she purrs with a fake smile. “You didn’t really think he’d pick you, did you?” Ethan laughs cruelly, and his smirk stretches wider. “You’re such a goddamn joke,” he begins, like I’
Aria “What the actual hell?” I yank myself out of his hold, shaking my head like he’s lost his damn mind. “You’re lying. I don’t even feel a bond or smell your scent.” A lie. A huge lie. He smells like heaven dipped in sin, and being this close to him makes my wolf stir like she’s been on a three-shot espresso bender. But no way. Nope. Not happening. He can’t be my mate. “Why…” My voice rises with each word. “Why the hell would the Moon Goddess saddle me with someone like you as my second-chance mate?” I throw my hands in the air, completely done with this cosmic joke. Lucas looks amused, which only pisses me off more. Of course, he’s amused. The guy’s the king of our school, the golden boy every girl worships, and oh yeah, a fucking young billionaire. Me? I’m just Aria Whitlock, professional doormat. We’re not even the same species as far as the social ladder is concerned. “No, seriously,” I add, throwing him a dirty look. “Why would the Goddess waste a perfectly good mate
Aria I give him a side-eye. “Girlfriend? You’re laying it on thick already, huh?” He smirks, not even missing a beat. “Oh, you’ll see. PDA’s part of the plan. Gotta make that loser jealous, and trust me, it’ll work.” I almost trip over my own feet. Me, in some fake relationship with Lucas-the-Resident-Player? Yeah, that’d go over great. The judgment I’d get from my friends? Yikes. I can practically hear them already: Aria, really? Lucas? But honestly? It’s worth it to see Ethan’s stupid, smug face crumble. When we finally reach Ethan’s door, Lucas leans against the frame like this is just another Tuesday for him. “Need help packing, babe?” he asks, that annoying little grin plastered on his face. “Nope. I don’t even have much,” I say, bracing myself as I open the door. And bam, there it is. That stench I used to like…Ethan’s scent or whatever—hits me like a truck. But now? Now it makes me wanna gag. I don’t even bother looking for him. Dude’s probably in the bathroom
Aria I wake up, and the sun is literally stabbing me in the face like it has a personal vendetta. No curtain, no mercy…just straight-up blinding me. Groaning, I sit up, stretch out my arms, and let out this big, dramatic yawn. I look around the room, and yeah, it’s a shoebox. But it’s my shoebox, you know? I’ve been living here since I turned sixteen, scraping by with a bunch of part-time jobs because, well, being an orphan doesn’t exactly come with a trust fund. The room’s got the basics: a bed, a desk shoved in the corner, and this sad little pile of my belongings that I like to call "organized chaos."Dragging myself out of bed, I head to my makeshift kitchen…which is really just a counter with a hot plate, and grab the kettle. Coffee is the only thing keeping me from becoming a walking zombie, so yeah, priorities. A few minutes later, I’m back on my bed, clutching my mug like it’s a lifeline and scrolling through my phone.No messages. No missed calls. Nothing from Lucas. Seriou
Lucas We finally pull up to the Shadow Pang Pack, and my heart’s racing like I’ve just run a damn marathon. The entire ride, I sat there like a statue, staring out the window, thinking about Aria. Her face, her laugh, the way she looks at me like I’m her whole damn world. Yeah, I already miss her. It’s pathetic, but whatever. Now, though? Now, reality is smacking me in the face. Time to deal with my father. Yay for family reunions, right?The car cruises into the estate, and as usual, it’s over-the-top as hell. Beautiful lawns, fountains, high-end restaurants, even a goddamn shopping mall. This isn’t just an estate…it’s a playground for the rich and ruthless of the pack. My dad’s told me a million times, “This will all be yours someday, Lucas.” Yeah, sure. Except now, I feel like I’m standing on the edge of losing it all. And guess what? I don’t fucking give a shit. It’s Aria or this so-called empire. And I’ll pick Aria every damn time.The car slows, and Damon hops out first, mumbli
Aria I can’t believe this is my last night on this damn ship. Tomorrow, it’s back to land and real life, and man, I am not ready. Reality’s gonna hit harder than the Wi-Fi on this floating tin can. I stroll into the cafeteria, scanning the place, and there they are—Lily and Mia, waving at me like I’m a celebrity or something. I flash them a grin and make my way over.“You guys got us some ice cream,” I say, plopping into a seat. But they’re just sitting there, giving me these cheeky-ass grins like they know something I don’t. I narrow my eyes. “Okay, why the hell are you two looking at me like that?”“Nothing…” Mia singsongs, her smirk growing wider. “It’s just that we haven’t seen you since, oh, the crack of dawn when you disappeared with Alpha Lucas.”“Don’t tell me you’ve been fucking all day.”“Lily!” I fake pout, trying to act all innocent, but then I break into a grin. “Okay, fine. You’re not wrong. We’ve been, uh… busy. Different positions, different styles.”They both squeal
Aria I help Lucas tug off his pants, my hands trembling slightly from anticipation as I climb on top of him. My fingers work on his briefs next, sliding them down to reveal him in all his glory. We're both naked now, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face when I see him—thick and already painfully hard. And I haven’t even touched him yet.He watches me with hooded eyes, his voice a husky growl. “So, how are you going to punish me, my lady?”A smug grin tugs at my lips as my hand wraps around his cock. The second I start stroking him, his head tips back, and a guttural groan escapes his throat, raw and desperate. He sounds like an animal, wild and unrestrained.“Fuck... fuck... ahh... Aria,” he gasps, his chest heaving.I bite my lip, savoring the way my touch drives him insane. His reactions are intoxicating. The tension in his body, the way he grips the sheets, the way he groans—it’s all for me.“Faster,” he growls, his knuckles white as he clutches the sheets.I obl
Lucas The fireworks light up the night sky, painting it in streaks of red, gold, and blue. Aria stares up, her face glowing like she’s just been kissed by the gods themselves. “This is so beautiful,” she whispers, her voice soft and awestruck. “We’re officially in 2025. I can’t fucking believe this.”“Yup,” I slide my arms around her waist from behind. “We’re gonna be twenty. Old as fuck now.” I bury my face in her neck, inhaling that familiar vanilla scent that drives me wild. Goddess, I’ve missed this. Missed her. It’s like the universe finally stopped screwing with me and gave me this one perfect moment.“I missed you so much,” I murmur, my lips brushing against her neck.She tilts her head up, her soft hand grazing my cheek. The way she touches me, man, it’s like she’s piecing me back together. “I missed you too,” she says. “These past few days without you? Pure hell.”She steps out of my arms, turning to face me, and my chest aches at the loss of contact. Her eyes lock on mine,
Aria “Aria, I want to publicly apologize to you,” Lucas says, his voice shaking just enough to make me wonder if he’s about to cry in front of everyone. And honestly? I wouldn’t mind if he did.He clears his throat and continues, gripping the mic like it’s the only thing keeping him upright. “For everything I’ve put you through—because of my incompetence, my cowardice. All the hurtful things I said to you? Yeah, I didn’t mean a single damn word. I said those things because I was scared. Scared of fighting for you. Scared of losing you. Scared of…” His voice falters, and he looks down at his shoes like they have the answers he’s struggling to find.Meanwhile, I’m standing there, trying to keep my breathing steady. My chest feels tight, like I’ve just run a marathon in heels, and I have no idea if I want to slap him or hug him. Probably both.He looks back up at me, his eyes glistening, and holy shit, he’s really about to go there. “The reason I was afraid… of fighting for you, of brin
Aria The moment I step forward, every eye in the room lands on me. The air shifts like everyone’s holding their breath, waiting to see if I’ve finally lost my mind. Joke’s on them—maybe I have. But I’m done playing the quiet little omega everyone can step on. Tonight, it’s my turn to speak, and they’re damn well gonna listen.I take a deep breath, my palms clammy as hell, but I don’t let it show. “Ethan,” I say, my voice slicing through the room like a knife. “I’ve got something to say to you and to everyone here. Just because the Moon Goddess decided to bless you with a position of power doesn’t mean you get to act like you’re better than the rest of us. It doesn’t mean you get to treat people like trash just ‘cause they’re of lower rank.”Ethan’s eyebrows shoot up, his mouth opening to interrupt, but I don’t let him. I throw a hand up like I’m shutting down a toddler mid-tantrum. “Nah, don’t even start. I’m not done.”I take a step forward, my hands trembling but clenched into fist
Aria “Why? So you can lie for your asshole brother?” I shoot back, crossing my arms.“Aria, you know I’d never support Lucas’s bad behavior.”“Then why are you here, huh?”“Because you’re mistaken,” she says, taking a step closer. “Lucas didn’t do it. Serena and Ethan—”“Stop,” I cut her off, holding up a hand. “I don’t wanna hear it.”She sighs, her shoulders slumping. “I know you hate my family... hell, even I do sometimes. But I’m begging you. Just hear him out. He made a mistake, but he’s truly sorry.”I laugh, cold and bitter. “Yeah, sure. Message received. You can leave now.”Sarita stares at me for a second, then turns and walks away, her shoulders hunched like she’s carrying the weight of the world.I shut the door and lean against it, guilt swirling in my chest. Sarita doesn’t deserve this. She really doesn’t. But damn it, I can’t let my guard down. Not now.I flop back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Thank Goddess after tomorrow, I’ll be free of all this bullshit. No
AriaI feel my heart shatter into a million tiny pieces, and before I can blink, the waterworks are in full force. Ugh, I’m like a human Niagara Falls.Ethan, the smug asshole, leans in, clearly enjoying my misery. “Oh, poor girl,” he says, pouting dramatically. “Don’t tell me you actually thought Lucas wouldn’t cheat on you. You didn’t, right?” He pauses for dramatic effect, then smirks as his eyes flick over my shoulder. “Oh, speak of the devil.”I spin around so fast I almost give myself whiplash. And there he is—Lucas, looking all confused, like he just walked into the wrong movie. My blood boils instantly. Nah, I don’t wanna hear whatever bullshit excuse he’s about to pull out of his ass. I take off running because, honestly, I don’t trust myself not to deck him right in his lying face.From the corner of my eye, I see him chasing me. Great. “Aria! Wait!” he yells, his footsteps echoing in the hall. I pick up the pace like I’m running from the cops in a GTA heist, but the bastard