AriaDarren insisted on taking me home that night.“I can take the subway, you know,” I said as I grabbed my coat off the hook. “You don’t have to go out of your way.”The CEO shot me a bemused expression. “I’m not letting you take the subway this late. It’s dangerous for a woman.”I couldn’t help t
Despite my disappointment, I couldn’t help but feel oddly impressed by Darren’s resolve. Maybe two things could be true at the same time; maybe Sarah had been my childhood bully and had still done something kind for Darren.“Maybe there’s a side to my sister that I never got to see firsthand,” I mus
AriaThe CEO strode over to us with quick steps, his gaze stern. Good, I thought, letting out a tiny breath of relief. The cavalry had arrived.“I… uh… Alph—I mean, Mr. Avarise! I didn’t see you there,” Arthur stammered as he shot to his feet.Stopping in front of Arthur’s desk, Darren crossed his a
And as we walked away, Darren didn’t make an attempt to lower his voice as he thoroughly scolded the supervisor. Even Brandon and Melissa cocked their heads to listen to the exchange.“Dammit, Arthur, I’m not here to do your job for you… Remove three points from your tally immediately!”…A little w
Aria & Third PersonAriaI stifled a yawn as I stood in front of the printer. A glance at the clock on the wall revealed that it was nearly five o’clock, which was a relief considering how poorly I’d slept last night. All I could think about was getting home and crawling into bed.After spending the
That was a relief, at least; now the blame couldn’t be placed solely on me.Sarah, however, seemed to disagree. “Look,” she said, rewinding to the minutes just after lunchtime. “Aria went in there with her hair up and came out with it down.”I felt my stomach twist into a knot as I saw the footage.
AriaBella and I stepped into the bar, the sound of the pumping music filling our ears. I shook a few snowflakes off my shoulders as we found a seat at a table in the corner, where we could have a private conversation without being in the middle of the dance floor.“Thanks for coming out with me, Be
“No, Bella. I’m not gonna let you march into my workplace and beat the hell out of my adoptive sister.”“Fine.” She checked her nails with an impish look in her eyes. “But if I ever run into her on the street, promise you’ll come visit me in prison.”“Sure thing,” I said with a laugh.Finally, Bella
I found Darren in his study a little while later, his face pale and drawn as he stared at a stack of papers on his desk. He looked up when I entered, and his eyes looked glazed over.“How did it go with the lawyers?” I asked, although I already had a feeling I knew the answer.He sighed and ran a ha
AriaThe morning after the search party, Darren hardly allowed himself time to stir before he was heading straight into his study. He had an appointment for a video call with his lawyers regarding the deportation.I watched him go, feeling even more sorry for him than I did yesterday. A good night’s
Darren’s jaw tensed even more, but he nodded.“We’ll start a search party,” Darren said suddenly, rising from his chair. “If Alfira is still nearby, we need to find her before the human authorities do. I don’t want to risk her falling into the wrong hands before she can tell her side of the story.”
AriaWe didn’t waste any time rushing back to the pack house with the camera in tow. If the SD card held any clues as to where Alfira had gone or what had happened to her, no matter how small those clues might be, we needed to find them.Darren and I immediately hurried into the study, calling Liam
I felt a lump rise in my throat. “I didn’t do anything, though. I certainly didn’t keep us from getting kicked out.”He stopped walking then and turned to face me. His expression was serious, his eyes searching mine as he firmly said, “Stop selling yourself short, Aria. You’re Lucas’s rock. My rock.
AriaThe forest was alive with the sounds of spring. Birds chirped in the trees, their songs blending with the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. The air was crisp and clean, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers and fresh earth. My wolf was at ease, rather than bristling in the back of m
AriaDarren went straight into his study and didn’t come out all night. Just before he disappeared, he said that he was going to make some phone calls and that no one bother him.I gave him his space, knowing that he was frustrated beyond belief. I could hear him talking on the phone, and although I
AriaThe deportation notice felt like a mockery.“Darren Avarise,” the government agent said, “you are hereby requested to leave the human world and return to your ancestral land.”The silence that followed was stifling. For a moment, I almost wondered if this was some kind of sick practical joke, b
Alfira had been nothing but kind and supportive since we’d met her. She’d gone out of her way to help us, to bridge the gap between humans and werewolves. The idea that she could have done something so violent, so senseless, was unthinkable.I opened my mouth to say something else, but Darren placed