Aria Sarah’s accusation hit me like a knife to the gut. “She’s the one who attacked me!” “Attacked you?” I sputtered. “What the hell are you talking about, Sarah?” She pointed at the angry bruise on her face. “Don’t play stupid, Aria. You followed me home last night, and for what? You alread
With that, I let my skirt fall back into place. “Or how about the time you cornered me in the barn?” My voice wavered, the memory of that day clawing its way to the surface yet again. “You attacked me, and if it weren’t for that stray dog I’d been feeding, you would’ve really hurt me that day.” Fo
Darren I felt like a fool. More than that, really. A moron, a pawn—an outright idiot. And what burned worse than the shame itself was the realization that I had let it go on for so long. For years, I had been in the palm of Sarah’s hand, letting her spin her little web of manipulations, every
There was a guardedness to her back then, no doubt because she was still living in that awful place with those awful people. But it was definitely her. She had the exact same green eyes, the exact same face. She was just a little younger and… dorkier. Adorably dorkier. I cursed under my breath, ru
Aria It was safe to say that the events of that morning had left me a little more than rattled. My mind kept replaying that confrontation, my so-called family’s accusations, the disgust on my mother’s face, the disappointment in my father’s eyes. But most importantly, there was Sarah… her evil l
The rest of the afternoon passed surprisingly quickly, and by the time five o’clock rolled around, I was ready to head home and collapse on my couch with a blanket and a glass of wine. I’d just shrugged into my coat and was about to grab my bag when the sound of a deep voice coming from behind start
Aria The whole place felt a little… personal, like some kind of romantic date setting. Only I was with Darren, my boss, who was leading me toward a table overlooking the city. He slid off his coat, handing it to the attendant, before taking mine too. His hands brushed my shoulders as he slid my
After he spoke, all I could do was stare at him incredulously. It wasn’t that I was upset that he’d been tricked—Sarah was a master of lies and manipulation—but it was just… difficult to wrap my head around it. Finally, I closed my eyes, my throat bobbing. “I… I knew it was you,” I whispered. “Y
Banners hung across the walls, pink and white, with “Congratulations” written in bold letters. Streamers dangled from the ceiling, and our dining room table was lost under piles of gifts wrapped in pastel paper.“What the hell?” I managed, my jaw dropping as Bella rushed forward with Theo balanced o
AriaA year had passed since Darren and I signed that treaty, and life had settled into something sweet, even with all its ups and downs.The scars on my chest had faded to thin white lines, and Darren’s wound was just a memory beneath his shirt. We’d become godparents to Bella and Liam’s little boy
AriaLunar Labs was reduced to a shell of its former self.The once-sleek and vibrant building, surrounded by lush gardens and pebbled fountains, was now barren and burnt. The glass walls were shattered, the halls within burned and destroyed. Those damn slurs were still painted across nearly every s
He didn’t hesitate. “No.”The word hung in the air for a long moment. The president blinked, clearly startled. “With all due respect, Mr. President,” Darren went on, leaning forward in his chair, “we’re not coming back. Not like that. After being deported, hunted, abused by your government—my people
AriaDarren and I stepped out of the car and faced the sprawling estate that was the human president’s home. My chest still ached faintly from my wound, the stitches long gone but the pain lingering. Beside me, Darren subtly favored his left side when he moved, still healing from the hole in his che
We stayed like that for a while, neither of us speaking. At some point, I must have begun to drift off again, too exhausted from the day’s events to keep my eyes open.But then, suddenly, the door burst open, shattering the stillness, and I jolted upright, wincing as the movement pulled at my wound.
AriaDarren and I lay tangled together in the hospital bed, much to the nurse’s earlier chagrin. They had finally allowed us to remain together, reinserting my IV and moving my monitors to his side of the room, when my eyes had glowed and a low growl had accidentally ripped from my throat when they
He didn’t answer. I didn’t even think he heard me.Finally, the wail of sirens pierced the air, and red and blue lights flashed through the crowd. Paramedics pushed their way toward us with a stretcher rattling between them. Liam waved them over, shouting instructions I couldn’t process. Hands reach
AriaThe world erupted into chaos around me, a deafening roar of fury and movement as the protesters surged forward. Hundreds of voices shouted, feet pounded the pavement, and bodies pressed together in a wild rush toward Bella’s father.I caught a fleeting glimpse of him, his face twisted with rage