Aria’s POV“What do you wear to a divorce ceremony?” I asked Cathy as we both stood outside of my closet, looking in.“Black, right?” Cathy asked.“Funeral attire?” I replied. That didn’t seem right. Although, maybe for a divorce, as this was the end of a chapter of my life, black would be appropria
Aria’s POVThe divorce ceremony was generally simple and short. A reversal of a wedding, each partner was called to give a brief statement in front of the judge. I’d already written mine and carried it on a tiny slip of paper that I now held in my shaky hands.Compared to the devastation of the mutu
I kept remembering the things she had written in her diary about me, about us. She had tried so much to please me. She couldn’t understand why I had always been distant.Seeing her now, I didn’t understand it either. Inside, regret swelled, filling the entirety of my body.Everything was so clear to
Aria’s POVI could feel Lucian’s eyes on me long before I turned and caught him staring. Yet, even caught, he kept his gaze on me. Though his face was expressionless, his eyes were sad and filled with longing. He looked at me deeply, as if he could see straight down to the core of me.Did he know ho
In this moment, I wanted to tell her what I read, that I now understood the full depth of her feelings and could acknowledge how they helped awaken my own.But telling her that would only make her sad. It wouldn’t actually change anything.She’d smiled so brightly for Jasper. Now, standing near me,
Aria’s POVThe sight of Sheila with her arms wrapped around Lucian stayed with me long after the day of our divorce ceremony. It might have shattered what remained of my heart, and caused my wolf to go into mourning once again, but at the same time, it gave me the strength and determination to keep
“I wouldn’t suggest it just as a vacation spot. The fact is, that pack is relatively poor. They mostly rely on tourism for their trade, but the packs beside theirs are at war, cutting off most travel to the region. The people there, as such, as poor and in need of good medical help.”Instinctively,
Lucian’s POVI braced myself for the rejection I knew was coming. Dr. A had even less reason to stay with the pack than Aria did. Yet, losing them both felt much too cruel.Dr. A and I had only barely been friends. We’d had fleeting moments of closeness, but more often than not, those had been broug
But Jasper’s words still rang true. When was the last time, as Alpha, I had ever been happy?The job made me miserable, even before Aria had left me. Constant pressure, constant responsibility, constant ridicule, limited thanks. Years and years of it had worn me down, eroded like a rock in the water
Lucian’s POVJasper’s punch caught me by surprised. I stumbled back, nearly into the elevator again as the doors started to close. He definitely broke my nose. Holding it, I stepped forward again, back off the elevator. Blood dripped down onto my shirt.Jasper had several different reasons to be pis
Over the next few days, I didn’t see Lucian at all. Presumably he saw the kids after I took them to spend time with their grandparents. Harold was out of the hospital and eager to see the kids.With the kids there, I returned to Cathy’s and started packing up my clothes and that of the kids. Cathy w
Aria’s POV“Lucian…”I could tell he was hanging on my every word, nervously anticipating my answer.I hated that I was about to break him. But surely he would understand.“I’m sorry,” I said. “I can’t marry you.” Before he could say anything, and he clearly wanted by how quickly he opened his mouth
Aria’s POVWe all waited with bated breath to see how Harold would handle the medicine. Perhaps I had been too late in providing it? The heart monitor was still beating too quickly. Harold was moaning in pain. The nearby Healers seemed ready to help him along with his passing. Piper and I physically
Aria’s POVAt the hospital, Lucian gave me a final squeeze. “Please help him,” he said.“I’ll do my best,” I promised. Then, breaking away from him, leaving him with Julia in the waiting room, I rushed to the emergency room to see what was going on.Fortunately, one of the nurses lent me a hair-tie
“But the food hasn’t arrived yet,” he said.I couldn’t wait. Feeling like I was going to pass out, I needed out of here.I pushed my chair back and stood. “I’m sorry,” I said.Turning, I hurried away from the table, from the dining room, from the restaurant. I threw the door open and ran outside.Wh
Aria’s POVSilas’s words haunted me long after the phone conversation, and that, combined with my discussion with Cathy and Piper convinced me to at least hear Lucian out. Because of this, when he called me to talk, and asked me to go out on a date with him, I decided to say yes.Now, after dressing
Aria’s POVHow was it, even after all this time, after all this distance, after all the hurt that sat piled up between us – I still so easily fell back into Lucian’s web.I wanted to be stronger, to be harder, and keep up the walls with him, yet every time we’d been around each other, he seemed to s