AriaI woke up the following morning feeling numb. The searing pain Daniel had unintentionally caused me kept me up most of the night. So that was how betrayal physically affected the person being betrayed.As the Moon Goddess, I could hear the painful screams of those betrayed by their mates but never felt the pain in the flesh. Alicia had decided that I should go through that experience as well. I checked my face in the mirror. The bags under my eyes revealed my poor quality of sleep. I went back to bed and covered myself, closing my eyes. I had the day off and I planned to use it to rest.I must have overslept because the sun was already setting when I woke up. I left my room and went to the kitchen where Valeria had been preparing some soup. “Hey, you are up,” she chirped and smiled.“Look! I made you some soup. It will help you feel better,” she explained and I thanked her. I would miss her and her smile when I moved in with Ella.“Thank you, Valeria. I appreciate it,” I replied
AriaI watched as my father-in-law stood behind Lea, his eyes narrowing in anger.“Alpha, I just…,” Lea’s voice trembled and she lowered her head in fear.“You what?” his voice boomed again and Daniel and Luna Sarah rushed to his side.“Dad, what happened?” Daniel looked at Lea, who had paled and was shaking in fear.“Baby?” He took her hand but Lea didn’t dare raise her head to look at him.“Who gave you the right to decide who can enter the top floor? Who do you think you are, missy?” Daniel’s father was furious. Luna Sarah placed her hand on his arm, trying to calm him.I looked around and saw Ella and the others watching their Alpha who verbally attacked Lea after he heard her last comment. Their faces were void of emotion. I lowered my head and smiled at Andy who hugged me and watched the scene with trembling lips. He was about to cry.“I am sorry,” Lea said while crying.“You’d better be sorry. My family and I get to decide who’s allowed and who’s not in this pack. Understood? Yo
AriaShocked at how he rolled on top of me, I called Daniel by his name, forgetting I was only a warrior and not his mate. “It’s Alpha Daniel to you,” he growled and pinned me to the ground using his weight, his hot breath touching my bare skin. A tickling sensation made me quiver under his body and his eyes turned a darker shade of blue.It only lasted a moment and then his eyes went red. Daniel was furious. But why?I gulped and turned my head to the side, exposing my neck to him. Daniel growled, frustrated and I turned my head to look at him.“What the hell did you do to make my father insult Lea like that, Omega? Or do you think that saving my brother gives you the right to take advantage of situations like the previous one with my brother? I bet you were the one who urged Andy’s reply to Lea. Was your goal to create a scene in which you would be the poor girl who saved my brother but got insulted by my girlfriend? What are you up to, mutt?” He spat in my face.There was so much h
DanielI walked back to the packhouse feeling guilty for pushing Aria. It was the only way I could think of to avoid making a move on her. Her scent set my senses on high alert and I wouldn’t last long. Standing so close to her would make me do something irrational.I never expected her to fall and hurt her shoulder. She seemed in great pain. My instincts told me to pick her up and take her to the pack hospital. But I didn’t want to have any physical contact with her. I didn’t trust myself, nor Cole, who swore at me when he realised Aria had been injured when she fell.“Are you out of your fucking mind, Daniel? How could you do something like that? You were always gentle with the opposite se.x. What did Aria do to deserve such treatment? Are you sure that she provoked Lea? She seemed pretty sincere to me,” Cole was angry with me.“How can you say that, Cole? Do you mean Lea lied to me? Why would she do something like that?” I protested.“There’s only one way to find out and that is by
DanielAria’s eyes were full of accusations when she looked at me. She took a deep breath and averted her eyes from me.I felt a knot in my stomach, watching her expression. She looked so fragile lying in the hospital bed and I couldn’t help but feel repentant for how I had treated her the previous night.“Daniel, you should go check the training session. Jason and I will stay with Aria,” My father sent me away at the most crucial moment.I could not deny my father’s request and left the room, exasperated. Now that I was gone it would be an excellent opportunity for Aria to tell on me and then my father would surely demand an explanation.“I told you that your irrational behaviour would get us in trouble, Daniel. But something tells me that Aria won’t tell on you,” Cole said.“What makes you think that, Cole?” “I don’t know. That girl is different from the others in so many ways. Being a snitch doesn’t suit her,” My wolf seemed sceptical.I reached the training grounds and noticed tha
AriaI felt the steady hands of Daniel’s father bringing me back to my feet. I looked around; Alpha Jackson’s voice had caused a commotion. Luna Sarah, who was in Andy’s room, came rushing and my mother followed her.Shit! What a mess.“I am sorry, Alpha. This is all my fault. I was careless and almost fell again, and Alpha Daniel tried to help me,” I whispered. I lowered my head, trying to hide my flushed face and that my eyes had turned violet with lust after kissing Daniel. It was a feather kiss, but all my senses were on fire and I tried hard to get myself out of my difficult position.“For heaven’s sake Tania, what is it with you? Please help me control this feeling,” I mind-linked my wolf who huffed, irritated inside my mind and immediately backed down. When I felt my eyes turning blue again, I looked up and met with Alpha Jackson’s furious gaze.“Honey, what happened?” Luna Sarah asked, touching her mate’s arm.“Sarah, take Aria inside Andy’s room and check her out. Daniel, foll
Daniel“Dad, why don’t you try to get to know Lea? Why are you so hostile towards her? I told you I love her but you don’t seem to care. Please don’t give her such a hard time. Asking me to be Aria’s guard twenty-four-seven, do you think that’s appropriate? What will the other pack members think of me, their future Alpha? She is not even my mate for heaven’s sake,” I exploded.“You must do as you’re told, Daniel. I don’t care what others will think. I think I made it clear that Aria is our family’s benefactor. I won’t take a no for an answer, son. And if anyone has a problem with that, they can come to me to complain,” my father growled.“As for your girlfriend, she’d better get used to you being around Aria for as long as I think is necessary,” he continued and walked out onto the balcony, leaving me alone in the middle of the room.I left my father’s room and headed to Andy’s room. I needed to speak with Aria and put her in her place. I would follow my father’s orders but she would h
AriaI left Daniel’s room, not looking back and holding my head high. I would never let him know how much he hurt me holding Lea in his arms like that and giving me looks of hatred and loathing.He was in our room with another woman and I had to bear it. Because of him, I accepted Alicia’s terms and allowed her to tease and torture me as she wished to help me be with him again. And my ass.hole mate was with another woman sleeping in my bed, our bed.“Aria, how could you say those things to Lea? You said you are not interested in Daniel and compared him to fish! That was cruel,” Tania who barely held her laughter while I was talking to Lea was now laughing her head off.“Reverse psychology, Tania. Daniel has been treating me like shit, thinking I have a crush on him. I am so fed up with him and his arrogant attitude. Let’s see how he reacts after today. I will ignore him from now on and show him what it feels like to be jealous of someone you like. Let’s see how calm he can stay after I
Daniel I opened my eyes and watched Aria sleep. Her hand was on her swollen bump and a smile brightened her sweet features. We were supposed to sleep in different rooms since we would have our mating ceremony today but I couldn’t bear to leave her side. I got out of bed, trying not to wake her, and walked over to the window. It was dawn and the rosy glow of sunrise made the landscape dreamlike while a light breeze rustled the leaves. I planned everything with the help of my and Aria’s mothers. I wanted to surprise my mate and make today special. I even invited Ella and Darius to help me. As Aria’s closest friends, they had a special place in our lives. Ella would be my Luna’s Beta after our mating ceremony. Darius had become the second in command after my Gamma. Since he had found his mate, he was no longer a threat to me. I turned to check on Aria and she was still asleep. I left the room quietly, mind-linking our parents, Ella and Darius to meet me in my office. “Is ev
Aria I followed Daniel back into the house and upstairs to our room, still thinking about how he killed Lea to save me from nausea. He gripped my hand all the way into the packhouse and when we approached the stairs, he held me by the waist, helping me up the steps. Not even once did he mention Lea and his part in her death. His main concern was helping me into the house, ensuring I was comfortable enough to walk the long distance. Had my mate changed so much? “What more do you need as proof, Aria? He just killed his ex-girlfriend so you wouldn’t feel unwell. Cole and Daniel are ours to keep, sweetie. Please let’s leave the bad memories behind and start over, shall we?” Tania’s calm voice interrupted my thoughts and I nodded in agreement. My wolf was right. Lea was history and so were all the bad memories from when I first met Daniel. We entered our room and Daniel helped me to the sofa. “Sweetie, stay here until I get the bathtub ready okay?” he said softly and entered t
Lea I had lost count of the days. Daniel had chained me to the wall inside that dark cell, not bothering to check on me again. They fed me once a day. I was drained, filthy and exhausted, cursing Daniel for the ordeal he had put me through. He hadn’t allowed me to explain myself and justify my actions. He was too engrossed in finding that Aria bi.tch and had lost his mind. I hated that I had lost to Aria and Daniel. My stomach turned with anger and disgust. My uncle was not as strong as I’d thought. I’d staked my life on his plans; he was so sure he would succeed. His failure had cost me my freedom and could still cost me my life in the end. Once putty in my hands, Daniel had turned into my worst enemy. I thought through my actions, trying to pinpoint the mistakes that led me to be chained in a prison cell. The rest of me focused on finding a way to escape, if it was even possible. Daniel hadn’t returned since the day he imprisoned me. I wondered what he was up to. I could
Aria I packed my few belongings with Evelyn’s help, unable to believe how things had turned out for Daniel and me. I never expected him to confront Alicia demanding that she leave us in peace and then admit his true feelings in such a raw manner. I knew he was being honest, I read his thoughts. As the mother of all, I had the ability. The position had to have some benefits after all. “I am so happy for you, Aria. Being with your mate is the best thing that could happen to you at a time like this. Your pup needs his father by your side while growing inside you. And you need Daniel’s love and support. From what I heard, as the pregnancy proceeds you will get cranky and more dependent on your mate. Not that I am sure, though. I will never have the chance to feel that way,” Evelyn said, smiling bitterly only for a minute. Then her smile brightened and she patted my shoulder. “You have to promise to stay in touch, Aria. I think of you as my younger sister and I will always be there
Daniel I took Aria in my arms and rushed back to the house. Joshua and his mate were nearby and came running as soon as they saw me. “She fainted,” I explained breathlessly and Joshua led me upstairs to Aria’s room. I placed her on the bed and caressed her pale face. “The doctor is on his way,” Evelyn, Joshua’s Luna said, giving me a deadly glare. “What happened?” Joshua was calmer. “She asked me to accept her rejection and reject her back to prove my love to her. She fainted before I finished accepting her rejection,” I explained anxiously. “Are you stupid? Why would you do such a thing? Aria was simply testing you,” Evelyn reprimanded me. “She insisted it was the only way she would believe me. What else could I do?” I excused myself, holding Aria’s hand. “I can’t believe you are so stupid,” Evelyn argued and I tried hard not to growl at her. “What was I supposed to do? I was trying to convince her of my feelings,” I defended myself. “Joshua, you take care of
DanielMy mate paled as I took a few hesitant steps towards her. Then my eyes fell on her swollen belly. Her hands covered her bump protectively as she looked left and right for an avenue of escape. “She is pregnant. Our mate is pregnant with our pup. Our scent is all over Aria,” Cole voiced my inner thoughts, confirming my suspicion. Suddenly, my mind filled with images of a pregnant Aria who tried hard to hide from Erick’s wrath. A scared young female who had lost her entire family and her fiance at the hands of that lunatic. All the images she had shown us to convince played like a movie in my mind and I clutched my chest in agony, unable to breathe. There wasn’t enough air in my lungs; I was suffocating and started coughing, my eyes brimming with tears of regret. Once more, Aria was pregnant and alone because of my stupidity and sought refuge with the couple who raised our daughter as Beta Jason informed me.With a pained look in her eyes, Aria turned around to leave, gripping t
DanielAfter the strange call from Alpha Ross, I left my office and went for a run. I was restless after his last comment. He sounded as if he was hiding something from me. I could tell by the tone of his voice that there was a secret meaning behind his invitation. Could it be that he knew something about Aria?“Keep dreaming, Daniel. Aria would never ask someone to call you on her behalf. She rejected you, remember?” Cole mocked, and I swallowed hard. My wolf was right. What was I thinking? Aria had left, determined to never show herself to me again. The thought hurt like hell but I knew I deserved worse after being such an ass.hole towards my mate. Still, I wanted to believe that there would be a day I would see Aria again and earn her forgiveness. I returned to the pack and was moody for the rest of the day. After taking over it was the first time, I yelled at my Beta and Gamma over unimportant pack matters.Alex and Dave had confused expressions, and when I stopped yelling, the
JoshuaAria was Daniel Taylor’s mate, and I wondered what kind of person the future Alpha was to mistreat his mate in such a manner.It bothered me that Aria wanted to hide from him. The Opal Moon pack was one of the most prominent packs in our area and Alpha Jackson was an excellent Alpha. How could his son be such a jerk?I felt sorry for the poor girl. She seemed so miserable and dejected that I couldn’t bear to reject her request for shelter. “Honey, we must help Aria. Let’s take her in and be her family for now. What will happen to her and her poor baby if she leaves our pack? She has nowhere to go since her mate has declared her a missing person.” My dearest mate was compassionate and considering that Aria was pregnant and alone, she wanted to do everything she could to help her out. Her pleading tone softened my heart even more and even though hiding Aria might bite me in the rear, I couldn’t deny my mate’s request.“Aria, you are welcome to stay with us for as long as you l
Aria Evelyn and I had just returned from my morning walk to the lake. I sat under the kiosk in the garden, resting until Evelyn returned with our lemonades. Baby Alison was restless today. She kept kicking and turning in my womb as if trying to tell me something. I knew how much a pup needed its father’s voice to feel safe and calm. The deep connection between the foetus and the father was also essential to the pregnant female. After the first trimester and when the mother prepared to nest, waiting for the day she would hold her baby in her arms, she needed her mate close by to comfort her and put her at ease. Our creator designed us that way from ancient times, and nothing could change the way a pregnancy felt for a future mother. It had been three months since Alpha Joshua asked me about my true identity. I couldn’t hide that I was Daniel’s mate anymore. He had posted my photo in the Alpha forum asking if anyone had seen me or if I’d sought shelter in their packs. I tol