~Aria~I woke up to the faint noise of footsteps. Slow. Steady. Familiar.For a moment, I didn’t think. Didn’t remember. Just lay there, warm, tangled in blankets, floating in that quiet space where nothing felt real yet.Then—It hit me.My stomach turned.Today.The Elders. The meeting. The thing I’d been dreading ever since I found out it was coming.My chest felt tight. Too tight.I inhaled, forcing the feeling down, trying to shake the heaviness clinging to me, and then—Oh.Oh, God.My brain short-circuited.Luca was standing by the dresser. Shirtless. Back to me. Muscles shifting as he moved.Not just shirtless—just a towel. Slung low on his hips, barely hanging on, like gravity could win at any second, and—My face burned.I immediately looked away, like I hadn’t just looked. Like my brain hadn’t just cataloged everything.The scars along his back, some deep, some faint. The way the morning light caught his skin, made him look even sharper, even broader. The solid lines of mus
~Aria~I swallowed, but my throat was dry, scratchy, like my body already knew I was somewhere I didn’t belong.“I—I’m Aria.”Alpha Female Elena smiled, and it wasn’t just polite. It was knowing. Like she already had the answer before I even spoke. Like she already knew everything.“I know,” she said, smooth, warm, completely at ease.“Come.”And then she turned and walked off. Just like that. No hesitation. No waiting to see if I’d follow.I hesitated.Only for a second.Then I forced my feet to move.The halls stretched forever, golden light slanting through windows so tall they felt impossible. The doors we passed were carved with strange symbols, some I swore shifted when I glanced too quickly. The air smelled like stone and something faintly sweet—maybe flowers from outside, maybe something older. The servants we passed all dipped their heads when Elena walked by, their movements so smooth, so synchronized, like they’d practiced a thousand times.Not just Luca’s sister.An Alpha
~Luca~I stepped through the castle doors, the weight of everything pressing down on my shoulders. But I didn’t show it. Wouldn’t.The second I walked in, every gaze snapped to me.The guards stiffened. The servants lowered their heads. The air fucking changed. Because I was home. And everyone knew what that meant.Aria was a step behind me. Silent. Tense.Too stiff, too wary.She should be.This place? It chewed people up. Spit them out.And Aria?She had no clue what she’d walked into.But I didn’t have time to ease her into it.Boots against stone. Sharp. Purposeful.Elijah.My Beta. Eyes flicked to Aria—assessing, always fucking assessing—then landed on me.“We need to talk.”I nodded once. Then, to Aria, “I won’t be long.”She hesitated. Like she wanted to say something.Didn’t.Just nodded.I turned and followed Elijah down the hall.The meeting room was dim, shadows stretching too far, wall sconces doing jack shit to brighten the space.Arkif was already there, arms crossed, fa
~Aria~Luca was right there. Close enough that his warmth tangled with mine, close enough that every breath I took was him. His scent, his presence, his everything.And I—I should’ve moved.Should’ve put space between us, should’ve shoved him back, should’ve done something to stop this thing—this pull, this gravity, this goddamn inevitability—before it swallowed me whole.But I didn’t.I just sat in it.Let it wrap around me. Let it drag its teeth down my skin.I barely even breathed.And Luca—Fuck.He was staring at me.Dark. Unreadable. But focused. Like I was the only thing in the world that existed, like he’d already decided something, like he was already unraveling me in ways I didn’t even understand yet.The air shifted.Crackled.Something sharp curled in my stomach.My pulse jumped.His eyes flicked lower. Down to my mouth. Stayed there.And that was it.That was all it took.He moved.Not rushed. Not hesitant. Just… inevitable.Like this was always going to happen. Like we
Chapter 20AriaThe second I walked into that chamber, I knew I was fucked.The Elders were waiting.“She’s late.”One of the elders' harsh voice hit me.I looked up.His gaze was on me.“Undisciplined.” A slow, deliberate shake of his head. “Just as I expected.”My jaw clenched. Fingers curled into a fist behind my back.I said nothing.The air was thick, suffocating, the weight of their gazes pressing down on me like they already knew how this was going to end. Like they had already decided before I even opened my mouth.And maybe they had.The room was too grand, too cold, too damn intimidating. The elders sat like gods on their thrones, their faces carved from stone, their eyes sharp, waiting. Luca was there too, standing near the front, looking—hell, I don’t even know. Unreadable. Silent. The same way he always did when he was pretending not to feel a damn thing.Then the elder spoke again. I believe he was elder Kian, the most senior of them.Elena managed to give me a rundown
What Now? Luca POVI still heard Kian’s voice ringing in my ears. Saying Aria had been rejected. I couldn't imagine what she's thinking right now. Then Kian turned, looking straight at me. Out eyes met. I could read his face. He was daring me not to accept, and face serious consequences. “And now, Alpha,” he said, almost amused. “You have a choice.”The room grew dead silent. All eyes turned to me. I could feel their piercing stares.I stood there, shoulders squared, my face neutral.Cold and emotionless. I managed to hide the fire burning in me. I was torn apart on what to say.For a moment, I felt like I could hear Aria’s voice. Begging me not to accept it. ‘No, don’t do this. Don’t act like last night didn’t happen.’“You can fight this,” Kian said, slow, taunting, like he was savoring every word. “Or you can accept it.” A beat. A smirk in his voice. Softer. Crueler. “And let her go.”My mouth opened—And for one fractured second, I almost said it.I almost stood up, almost
~Aria~I stormed out of my room. I couldn't stay here, it felt too suffocating. I didn’t care where I was going. I just needed to be anywhere but inside that suffocating chamber, anywhere but standing under the weight of their eyes, his eyes, pretending that I hadn’t just been discarded like I was nothing.The halls were endless. The stares unbearable.They whispered when I passed."She thought she could be our Luna?""Rejected. Just like that.""Pathetic."The words stung me deep. I couldn't bear to hear more of it.So I walked faster until I was outside the quarters. I had to get out. Had to.The air inside was too thick, pressing down, choking me, clinging to my skin like fucking static and I couldn’t—couldn’t— breathe. My hands were shaking, useless, my heartbeat slamming against my ribs, my throat, my skull, too loud, too fast, like it was trying to crawl out of me.I shoved through the doors, didn’t even feel my feet hit the ground, just moved. Stumbled, almost tripped, didn’
LucaThe old leather-bound book sat open in front of me, but I hadn’t read a single damn word.Tried.Tried to focus.Tried to bury myself in work, in duty, in the history of this damn pack, in anything but her.Didn’t work.Her face wouldn’t leave my mind.The way she had looked at me when I said the words I never should’ve said.The way she had walked away like I hadn’t just shattered both of us.I exhaled, rubbing my face, trying to shove her out of my head.This was for the best. It had to be.Just then I heard a sharp knock on the door.Too sharp. Too loud. Too now.Before I could even tell whoever it was to fuck off, Elijah stepped inside.Didn’t say anything at first. Just stood there.Bad sign.I slammed the book shut. “What.”He hesitated.Worse sign.Then—“It’s Aria.”The room froze.My breath. My pulse. My fucking bones.Elijah exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “She got herself into trouble.”I was already standing. “Where.”“She’s fine—”“Where. The fuck. Is she.”“W
Luca’s POV I couldn’t sit still. How could I? She's been acting very weird and tense around me today. My gut wouldn't shut up…something was off.So I went. No guards. No knocking. Her door creaked open like it had been waiting for me, and there she was—sitting on the edge of her bed like she'd just seen a ghost. Or maybe she'd become one.“Aria.”She flinched. Well, that wasn’t a good sign.I stepped in. Closed the door behind me. “What’s going on?”Her mouth opened, then closed. Her hands were wringing the hem of her damn shirt like it might unravel her whole.“I—Luca, I... I followed Julian.”The air stopped in my lungs.“What?”“I followed him,” she said again, like saying it softer would make it better. “He left the pack through a secret door... one I didn’t even know existed. I—I had to see where he was going. I thought... I don’t know what I thought.”“Where did he go, Aria?” My voice was low. Too calm. That scary kind of calm before the shift starts taking over.“To the Sh
Aria's POVI stumbled back. My breath ragged. My body trembling and raw.Two. I’d killed two.I should run. I had to run.I didn’t wait. Not a second more.The second his body dropped, I turned and bolted—mud flying beneath my paws, twigs snapping underfoot, branches whipping across my face. I didn’t care. I just ran.The stench of blood clung to me, thick in my nose, but I forced it back. Focused only on the path ahead.I remembered—thank the moon—I remembered the way I came. The trees, the bend in the hill, that weird crooked stump that looked like a clawed hand reaching out of the dirt. It guided me like a ghost in the dark.My chest burned. My legs screamed. My whole body felt like it was about to fall apart.But I didn’t stop.The pack. I had to get back.I had to tell Luca.Whatever Julian was doing... whatever he was planning with them—he wasn’t done.My breath was ragged, chest still heaving from the run. My fur had barely settled beneath my skin, and my legs were aching like
Aria's POV And I snapped.I felt it before I even realized. A twig. Under my foot. Loud. So loud.Fuck.My whole body stiffened. I didn’t breathe. Didn’t blink. My hand shot out, gripping the nearest trunk as if it’d anchor me into silence. Julian froze ahead. I saw his shoulders go rigid, his head jerk slightly.No. No no no no.I pressed myself flat against the tree, heart hammering. He turned his head, eyes scanning the darkness like a damn predator. I could see the tension in his jaw even from here.I didn’t move. Not an inch. Not even to blink.A gust of wind passed. The trees groaned. Somewhere in the distance, an owl screeched.Then… he turned back around. Kept walking.I nearly collapsed with relief. My legs were jelly, my breath caught somewhere in my lungs.But I kept going.Julian wasn’t just taking a stroll. He was leaving the pack. And now I knew he had a secret way in and out.I kept on him. Careful. Real careful. My feet ached, legs burned, but I didn’t stop. Couldn’t.
Luca’s POVElijah’s eyes narrowed, jaw tight like he was seconds from snapping.“What?” His voice came out low, dangerous. “He wants to burn it all? Everything we’ve bled for?”I spun around, too pissed to hold it in any longer. “He said he’d rather watch the pack fall apart than see me on the throne,” I snapped. “And if I don’t bow to him, if I don’t let it all go to hell, he’s gonna rip me off that throne himself.”Elijah’s face twisted, rage crawling up his spine like wildfire.“That fucking bastard,” he hissed, eyes blazing. “I knew it. I fucking knew he was playing you, playing everyone. Goddamn snake.”I let out this broken laugh—bitter, tired, all teeth. “I’m screwed, Elijah. The council’s blind or bought, and now Julian’s breathing down my neck with threats. And what if… what if he’s the one behind Elena? What if he did that too, just to screw with me?”The silence cracked around us, heavy and sharp. Elijah’s fist slammed into the wall, hard enough to leave a dent. The noise e
Luca’s POV “Why?” I didn’t care if I was shouting now, didn’t care if they tried to strike me down. “Why the hell is he still here?”Thorne, the elder who read out Julian’s offenses, locked eyes with me. His face was unreadable, but I could see it—he was tense. His breath came slow, measured.“Luca…” he said, like he was warning me. But I didn’t want to be warned. I wanted answers, damn it.“Tell me why! After everything? You saw what he did—what he tried to do! Why the hell is he still here? After everything? He doesn’t deserve a second chance.”Aldric, standing by the window, turned to face me. His expression was calm, too calm, but his eyes said everything—he was carrying the weight of something I wasn’t understanding.“We’re not here to satisfy your rage, Luca,” he said, voice firm, but he didn’t soften. “We’re here to balance the scales.”“Balance the scales?” I barked. “By keeping a traitor alive? A man who tried to destroy everything this kingdom stands for?”“It’s more than t
Aria's POVI sat up fast, heart knocking against my ribs like it wanted out. A knock. Low. Two times. Quiet. Too quiet. My gut clenched.Who the hell...?I walked to the door. Julian.Of course.He stood there like he owned the hallway, all smooth posture and that infuriating calm in his eyes. Like none of this chaos touched him. Like my best friend wasn’t fighting for her life in the next wing.“What do you want?” I snapped, voice low and sharp.He blinked, as if offended I hadn’t rolled out a carpet for him. “Just wanted to talk.”I scoffed. “Now? Really? You think I want to talk to you right now?”He tilted his head, that fake-soft concern bleeding into his features. “You look tired.”“Thanks. You look like trouble.”His lips twitched like he wanted to smile but thought better of it. “I just thought maybe you’d want some clarity. Some truth.”“Truth?” I stepped out, pulling the door halfway shut behind me. “From you? That’s rich.”Julian didn’t flinch. Just stood there, letting my
Luca’s POV I shifted in my seat, fingers digging into the edge of the parchment like it might hold me steady. It didn’t. The air in the council chamber was suffocating—tight, heavy, filled with this tension that sat between my ribs and refused to move. They were all watching me, waiting. I could feel it in my skin.And I hated this. Hated being the one to read out every damn ugly thing he’d done. My brother.“Julian,” I said, voice rough, almost cracking. “In addition to abusing his power, he committed treason. He tried to kill the Alpha—our father—and steal the throne.”Still, I couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t bear the sight of that smug face. That stupid half-smile he always wore like he knew something no one else did. He didn’t flinch. Didn’t even twitch. Just leaned forward, calm as hell, like he was about to order a drink at a bar.“I didn’t conspire in secret, Luca,” he said, smooth as ever. “I didn’t plot in the dark. I challenged our father openly. It was a mistake, yeah. A re
Luca’s POVFifty-fifty? I felt like the world had tilted. How could this be real?I took a deep breath. “She can’t—she can’t die. She’s not... she’s not supposed to be in this kind of danger. Not after everything. Not after everything we’ve done.”Aria moved closer, her expression just as tormented, her hands shaking. “Luca, she’s strong. You know she is.” Her voice cracked. “But right now, it’s out of our hands. The maesters have done everything they can. Now, we just have to wait.” “No,” I muttered to myself. “She has to wake up. She’s been through too much already.”“She’s strong,” Aria repeated, her voice softer now, almost as if trying to convince both of us. “She’ll pull through. She has to.”I didn’t know what to believe anymore. I wanted to believe her. But the look on the maesters’ faces, their worried glances, told a different story.I exhaled. I couldn’t let this happen. Not after everything we had fought for.“We’ll wait,” I said, my voice hoarse. “We’ll wait, and
Luca’s POV The chamber was stifling. I sat on the edge of the long table. My mind wouldn’t shut up.Julian.That bastard walking in here like he belonged, like history hadn’t been written in blood between us. Like he hadn’t thrown everything away for his own damn ego.The door opened. I snapped my head up. Elijah. He closed the door quietly. “You going to say it?” I muttered, staring at nothing. Elijah stepped forward, arms crossed. “You already know what I think.”I finally turned to look at him, tired, aggravated. “That he’s playing some long game?”Elijah scoffed. “Because he is. And you damn well know it.”I exhaled through my nose, shaking my head. “I need to be sure.”“Sure of what?” He moved closer, voice dipping into something more aggressive. “That the snake is still a snake?”Before I could respond, the sound cut through the tension.Faint. Almost nothing. But my body reacted before my brain did.A cry.A cough.Not just any cough—wet, rough, tearing.Something was wr