Aria “What are you doing?” I mind-linked Daniel, my eyes wide with surprise as he got closer and closer. “Giving my father what he wants, a spectacular show,” he replied, his eyes not leaving mine, a devilish smile on his face. He wrapped his arms around me, unexpectedly pulling me closer and my body trembled at his touch. His fingers burned my back. I felt the same rush of helplessness, the sinking yielding, the surging tide of warmth that left me limp, unable to resist his touch. Daniel’s hot breath tickled my skin as he kissed me, softly at first, watching my surprised look with a playful expression. I held onto his shirt with stiff fingers, my face blushing and my breath heavy and unstable. My gesture had turned Daniel on. I felt his hard member poking my lower abdomen and I held my breath. Daniel deepened the kiss, his insistent mouth parting my lips, sending waves of pleasure through my shaking body. I had to cling to him to stabilise myself. And while Daniel continued k
Daniel “You’ve got to be joking, dad. How can we get married so soon? You just announced our engagement. This is too hasty. Mum, say something.” I turned to my mother for support. “Sorry honey, but your father is right. There is no need to delay the wedding. Don’t forget that you will succeed your father and become the Alpha in a few weeks. It’s best if your Luna stands by your side, supporting you.” My mother didn’t leave room to argue. She supported my dad without a second thought. “Mother, you appointed Aria as your Gamma a few days ago. I have never seen another person jump the ranks so fast as Aria has these past few days. This is insane,” I said, refusing to accept my parents’ logic. “No one knows that but us, Valeria and Ella, son. So, what if my Gamma becomes my daughter-in-law? She will still protect me and Andy if needed. Right Aria?” She turned to my wife-to-be and Aria nodded, smiling. “If you didn’t want things to turn out that way, you should have been carefu
Daniel Aria’s question left me speechless. I stared at her, unable to find an answer. “Now that we’ve agreed, I will go downstairs. My friends are waiting for me so we can go home,” she emphasised the word friends and walked out of the bathroom and my bedroom, not looking back. “You provoked her, Daniel. What if she sees Darius differently now that you told her he has feelings for her?” Cole’s words were like a punch in the gut. I needed fresh air to clear my thoughts so I walked out onto the balcony. I looked down and saw Aria leaving the packhouse with Ella and Darius. She seemed happy. Darius said something to her and she burst into laughter. Her laughter was like music to my ears. Why hadn’t I heard it before? It hit me; whenever Aria was around, I made her cry. I had never once even received a genuine smile. “Because, like the jerk you have become, you always look for ways to make her sad, Daniel. You are so afraid of your true feelings that you snap at her at every op
Aria I left Daniel’s room proud of myself for not revealing my true feelings to him or his parents. The pain I felt when they mentioned redecorating the room I used to share with Daniel was unbearable. I had so many memories in that room; Daniel ruined everything by bringing Lea and sharing the room with her. I knew that the answer I gave Daniel's father was rude but I couldn't help it. There was no way I would go through the same procedure I had ages ago. I had chosen the colours and decor with Daniel when we got engaged. Now Daniel's father was asking me to do the same. I refused and I had no regrets. “You shouldn't be thinking like that Aria. And you must forget all about your past life with Daniel. You asked for a second chance and Alicia agreed to replace you so you could have it. You know that there is a price to pay for everything you want. These were the terms Alicia set before she replaced you and you accepted them. So, why the attitude now?” Tania reprimanded me,
Aria My father’s question surprised me. How did he know? I couldn't reply to that, even if the person who asked me was my father. He was just Beta Jason to me now, Alpha Jackson’s most trusted man. He would not keep my secret to himself. I kept silent and my father looked at me intensely. “Sorry, Aria. I shouldn’t have asked. Please keep in mind that if you ever need anything, Gloria and I will be there for you. That reminds me; my mate asked me to invite you to our house tomorrow. She wants to see you.” He smiled at me and turned to leave. “Thank you, Beta. You can tell your mate that I will come after practice,” I replied and he nodded. When my father left, I sat on the sofa thinking about his last words. What was I supposed to do now that my father suspected my feelings for Daniel? I needed to be very careful from then on. My father said he liked me but he was still the Beta and the Alpha’s best friend. To him, I was the Omega girl who climbed the ranks and would become
Aria My mother’s request was music to my ears. I never could have imagined that my father would walk me down the aisle at my wedding. I still remember the joy on their faces the day I went looking for a wedding dress with Ella. A dress I never wore. And now, the very same dress was in my hands and my mother eagerly awaited my reply. I looked at her and nodded, smiling. “Nothing would make me happier, Ms Gloria,” I replied and my mother hugged me tighter. “It’s Gloria to you, Aria. Would you like to spend some more time with me before the wedding? It will give me great pleasure to help you and Sarah with the decorations and everything else. Be sure that our Luna will be by your side every step of the way,” she informed me. “I would love that, Gloria,” I told my mother, feeling weird calling her by her name. “Let me put that dress away. I need to have it freshened up before you wear it. How about you get dressed here on your wedding day? We could also arrange for the hairst
Daniel After Lea left my room, I sat on my bed feeling conflicted. I never imagined that Lea would turn out like that. In the two years we were together, Lea was sweet and gentle with me. The Lea I saw today was a stranger to me. “I warned you before, Daniel. I told you Lea was not that simple. She wasn’t being real with you before. The woman is a gold digger. And she proved me right with her behaviour today. Didn't you see how she reacted when you told her you could leave everything behind and go live a peaceful life with her? All she wants is your money and position, nothing else.” Cole was blunt and that hurt. “Was I so stupid not to realise her true intentions, Cole? How could I be so blind?” I huffed, stressed with how things had turned out. “Well, you were probably thinking with your little head at the time,” my wolf mocked and I was unable to reply or counter because he was right. “Couldn’t it be that she's feeling stressed because I'm getting married to Aria just li
Aria I didn’t pay any attention to Luna Sarah. Instead, I stepped forward closing the distance between Daniel and me. We had already drawn the attention of the workers in Daniel’s room and they came out, watching curiously. So did some of the cleaners who were busy nearby. “Aria what are you doing?” Tania asked when she realised I wouldn’t let it go that easily. I didn’t reply to my wolf. I focused my eyes on Daniel and his posture. He wasn’t even hugging the bitch. He stood there rooted, surprised, his eyes going from Lea to me and then to his mother. Lea looked smug. She must have seen me coming and kissed Daniel on purpose. That stupid Gamma’s daughter thought she could fool me and I’d fall for it. “Daniel baby, you have some dirt on your face. Let me help you with it,” I said sweetly and pulled Daniel to me, wiping his lips with the back of my hand and then using my fingers, I trailed a path to his lower lip. “Pretend with me or you can kiss your Alpha title goodbye
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