Chapter 7

Lucas

I stride out of the suite, grinning like a damn idiot. Aria’s hilarious, acting like she’s not fighting her own freaking desires. Like, hello? Does she not realize we’re mates? I can literally smell her arousal..sweet and intoxicating, but whatever. Let her pretend she’s not affected. This is business, no strings attached. That mate bond crap? Not worth the trouble. Not after what happened to my mom.

I head down to the game room, where Damon and Theo are waiting for me. They’ve been my ride-or-die since we were kids. We’re tight, the three of us, bonded by years of hockey, bad decisions, and loyalty. When I take over as Alpha of the Shadow Fang Pack, one of them is definitely going to be my Beta and the other my Gamma. It’s a no-brainer.

“Yo, man! Where the hell have you been?” Theo hollers the moment I walk in.

They’re already into a game of snooker, the room dead silent because Damon probably scared off anyone else who dared to stick around. That’s just how we roll..untouchable, untouchably arrogant, and we know it.

“Relax, I was just grabbing a quick shower,” I say, slipping a cigarette from my pocket.

Theo raises one of those thick, brooding brows at me, the way he always does when he knows there’s something I’m not telling him.

“Alright, hit me. What’s on your mind?” I sigh and light up, taking a long drag.

Theo doesn’t waste any time. “Damon says he saw you with Aria. Heading to your suite. What’s up with that?”

“Yeah, Aria,” Damon adds, leaning on his cue stick like some kind of judgmental ass hole. “Ethan’s mate.”

“Ex-mate,” I correct with a smirk, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

Damon’s brow furrows deeper. “Okay, so what were you doing with her? Don’t tell me you’re trying to comfort her or some shit. You don’t care about stuff like that.”

I grin, loving the way their jaws drop when I say, “She’s my mate.”

“What?!” they yell in unison.

“Yep. Found out a few hours ago. Crazy, huh?”

“That’s insane,” Damon says, disgust etched all over his face. “How the fuck is Aria your mate?”

“It doesn’t matter; she’s just useful right now,” I reply, leaning back in the chair before filling them in on my plan.

Theo shakes his head, his green eyes narrowing. “You’re fake dating your mate? Dude, that’s... messed up.”

“Maybe,” I say with a shrug. “But it’s gonna piss off Ethan, and that’s all I care about.”

Damon laughs, slapping the table. “Man, that’s wild. I’m here for it. Anything to make that stupid bastard squirm.”

Theo, on the other hand, looks skeptical as hell. “What about Aria, though? You sure she’s okay with all this? I mean... she’s your mate.”

“She’s on board,” I say smoothly. “She’s pissed at Ethan and wants to get back at him. Win-win for both of us.”

“And while you’re at it,” Damon says, grinning like a devil, “you might as well fuck her and really drive Ethan up the wall.” He fist-bumps me, and I laugh.

“Trust me, bro, I’m on it.” I blow out another puff of smoke, already picturing Ethan’s stupid face when he sees us together. “I’m gonna wreck him.”

Theo groans. “I don’t know, Lucas. This feels... risky.”

“Cut the crap, Theo,” I snap, glaring at him. “You know how much I hate Ethan. After what his family did to my mom, I’ll never let it go.”

Theo exhales, backing off. He knows better than to push me when it comes to my mom. They both do.

“Fine,” he mutters. “But what about your dad? Have you told him about Aria?”

I scowl. My dad. The one guy who’s been riding my ass about finding my mate, yet will flip the fuck out when he finds out it’s Aria. “I don’t need to tell him shit,” I say coldly. “Beta John will fill him in eventually.”

Damon snorts. “You think he’ll approve? Someone like Aria? Come on, man. Your dad’s gonna lose his shit.”

Theo nods, his voice tight. “Yeah. She’s an omega. Poor. From the Full Moon Pack, no less. He’ll never accept her.”

“He doesn’t have to,” I reply, taking another drag. “We’re rejecting each other after the tour, anyway. This is temporary. No strings.”

“Damn.” Damon grins, his brown leyes lighting up. “Well, while it lasts, let’s see how far you can take this. You sure this is gonna work? Ethan’s got Vanessa now. That chick’s, like, a solid ten.”

I smirk. “Don’t worry. Aria’s got potential. Tomorrow, I’m giving her a makeover. She’s gonna go from mid to... unstoppable. Just watch.”

Damon whistles, clearly impressed. Theo, on the other hand, still looks uneasy.

“You’re insane,” Theo mutters, shaking his head.

“Maybe,” I say with a cocky grin. “But that’s why you love me.”

And just like that, the plan is set. Tomorrow, we start the show—and Ethan won’t know what hit him.