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
Aria’s POVI expected some pushback at the hospital, given the revelation. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but I imagined it would be something. Though the Healers had been generally accepting of me since my return to the pack, I could still remember the times in the past when they had dislik
Lucian’s POVI had no idea how some of these nobles received permission to be in this room for this revelation, but at this point, I was beyond caring about logistics. The facts were, they were here and they were giving Aria grief. That was more than enough reason for him to, not just lose his tempe
Lucian’s POV“No,” I said quickly. “I couldn’t be.”Early in our marriage, Aria and I had tried rather enthusiastically to have children, but we never managed to succeed in getting Aria pregnant. Eventually, I came to the realization that we couldn’t get pregnant, for one reason or another.Likely,
Aria’s POVI waited until I was back at Cathy’s at the end of the day to pick up her phone and call Jasper. Of all people I knew with the connections I needed, he was the one I could most depend on. Silas was still in Moonglow, too far away to help me, and I wasn’t ready to face Lucian again so soon
“You should have went with her to Moonglow,” I insisted.“She would have refused me,” he said. “She’d already rejected me.”“But those kids needed you –”“They need their father,” Jasper said. “Their real one.”His words hit me hard, and I finally realized what he was trying to say. “You aren’t the
Lucian’s POVI stormed into the Alpha headquarters building, looking for Jasper, ready to go to war. With my hands curled into fists, I thought I might start throwing punches before I would even be able to speak.My wolf was even angrier, prowling back and forth in my mind, scratching at my consciou
Lucian’s POVAs Aria checked to ensure that her disguise was in place, I stepped out of her personal office and back into the main one. The kids, by now, were showing each other their crayon drawings, while Cathy sat patiently in one of the waiting chairs.Cathy was watching me. Maybe she could see
Aria’s POVLucian’s question wasn’t unexpected, considering all he had witnessed up until this moment. However, that did not make it any easier to answer.This secret of my identity was one that I had kept for so long, lately just to stop Lucian from learning the truth.It had become more habit than
Aria’s POVSeeing Paul, Frank, and Harry walk through the office door, entering just behind Lucian made my stomach drop. I’d expected them to track me down, and knew there would be trouble when they did. But I had no idea it would be while Lucian was actually already in the room with us!What could