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
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 thi
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I nod, but before I can elaborate, our friends come storming toward us. “Gosh, when are we gonna get some alone time?” I grumble, and Aria laughs. “Lucas,” Theo’s the first to pipe up, stepping forward. He’s testing the waters, probably because I haven’t said shit to him sinc
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 a
He presses me down further, arching my back and raising my ass higher. When he thrusts back into me, it’s harder, deeper, hitting the perfect spot with every stroke. The force of his movements sends shocks through my body, and I can’t stop the cries spilling from my lips. “Lucas... I’m gonna cum,”
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
…… The ship finally docks, and everyone starts filing out with their luggage, all smiles and cheers. The air is buzzing with excitement—probably because we’re all finally free to shift into our wolves and go for some much-needed run in the woods. Honestly, I’m just as excited. It’s been way too lon
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.
…. I step out of the shower, a towel snug around my waist, water dripping from my hair. Great. Lucas has already showered, thrown on one of Sarita's mate’s clothes, and is probably waiting for me to figure out my next move. And here I am, with zero clothes of my own. Ugh. I glance at the closet are
Aria Before I know it, Lucas is on top of me, his lips crashing against mine, leaving me breathless. My hands instinctively slide up his back, nails grazing his skin as I pull him closer. His weight presses me into the mattress, and all I can think is how much I fucking missed this. “Lucas…” I ma
Aria The taxi ride is long as hell…like, long enough for me to question my entire life. But exhaustion wins, and we both end up passing out. I wake up drooling on his shoulder just as we pull up to this apartment building that looks like a bougie-ass getaway spot. It’s all glitzy and modern, with
Aria I pull up at Joy Park, practically sprinting out of the car like I’m running for a meet-and-greet with Beyoncé. The place is crawling with people, kids screaming, couples taking selfies, some dude trying to juggle flaming torches. Classic Saturday chaos. I’m on a mission, though. Mia and Lily
She shakes her head. “I can’t. Alpha Marcus will kill me!” “Maria, please,” Theo pleads, turning up the charm to 11. He grabs her hands, and I swear she melts on the spot. “We just wanna see him. Nothing else.” “Fine,” she sighs, her cheeks still red. “But you owe me.” “Anything you want,” Theo w
“Yeah, but—” “No buts. Get in. Wait for his car to go inside, then floor it. Head to Joy’s Park. Mia and Lily are waiting for you.” “What about you?” I ask, my voice shaky as hell. She slams the car door, her eyes fierce. “I’ll distract them. Now go.” I duck my head as her dad’s car pulls up. My
Aria I’m in the room, mentally spiraling, when Vanessa busts in like she’s in an action movie. She slams the door shut and glances around like she’s expecting an ambush. Then she full-on shudders. “Fuck me,” she groans, waving her hand in front of her face like she just walked into a swamp. “This
“Thanks, Dad,” I mutter, already heading for the stairs. I climb up, my stomach knotting tighter with every step. I don’t even know if they’re keeping Aria in the mansion. What if she’s in the dungeon? But no, Ethan’s gross obsession with her makes it more likely she’s stashed away in one of these
Mia We're standing in the middle of the pack’s training clearing, surrounded by sweaty warriors sparring like it’s the freaking Olympics. I swear, if one more guy with a six-pack walks by shirtless, I’m gonna forget why we’re here. “What now?” Lily mutters, looking around like a lost tourist. I r