Soon enough, I noticed that as Lucas loped around us in wild circles and chased rabbits on the path ahead, Darren was still walking directly beside me in his human form. “You’re not going to shift?” I asked, glancing up at him. “No,” he said simply, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. “I don
Aria Darren’s arm stayed firmly around my shoulders as we walked into the village, his touch steadying me as my boots crunched softly against the snow-covered path. The crisp air nipped at my cheeks, but it wasn’t the cold that had my heart racing. It was the stares. They came from everywhere.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding as Darren turned back to me. His expression softened ever so slightly as he motioned for me to follow him inside. The interior of the pack house was just as grand as the exterior, with dark wooden beams overhead and walls lined with tapestries. Th
Aria The woman embraced me tightly, as if she had known me for years. But I had no idea who she was. At least, not until Lucas suddenly turned and blurted out, “Nana!” Nana? With a warm grin, the woman pulled away from me and stretched her arms out wide. Lucas practically barrelled into her em
“You know,” she began, “Darren never stopped talking about you. That angelic girl who saved his life as a pup.” My cheeks burned again, and I looked down at my cup. “He mentioned that?” I asked quietly. “More times than I can count,” Wendy said with a quiet laugh. “He was just a boy then, but he
Aria The room I was shown to was larger than I expected, with warm wooden walls and thick fur rugs spread over the stone floor. A large four-poster bed dominated the space, draped in heavy quilts and soft pillows, and a small sofa sat near the crackling fire. It felt cozy and inviting, if only i
Wendy chuckled softly. “Well, among werewolves, you’re just right. Strength and grace are prized here. And you, my dear, have both.” Her words warmed me in a way I hadn’t expected, and for a moment, I forgot about the hostility waiting for me downstairs. When she was finished, I looked in the mirr
Aria The room went dead silent after Wendy’s suggestion. Even the fire seemed to crackle a little less in the fireplace as her words sank in. “A human, making a blood oath?” one of the elders sputtered, incredulous. “You have my utmost respect, Wendy, but that is simply unheard of!” “Not only
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
AriaThe moment we found the body, Darren and I froze. My stomach churned, bile rising in my throat as I stared at the mangled remains of the hiker.His face was unrecognizable, torn apart by what could only have been claws. His throat was a mess of shredded flesh, and the metallic stench of blood h
The man nodded. “Yes, Alpha Arthur did receive your letter. He sends his apologies for not being able to visit himself, but he sent me, the official pack emissary, in his stead.”“And?” Darren asked.I wrung my hands slightly behind my back, waiting with bated breath. The emissary shifted in his sea
AriaDarren and I quickly gathered the necessary materials to complete the permit forms. Everything was in order, it seemed, and we sent the forms to the precinct as per the chief’s request.After that, all we had left to do was wait. However, not to be deterred by the monster known as bureaucracy,
I frowned, turning to go look for her. I knew Bella well enough to know that when she said she needed oolong tea out of nowhere, that was code for “I need something to lower my blood pressure. Like, yesterday.”While I hurried across the street, Darren and Liam remained in the car, waiting. I found