Aria’s world returned in pieces, like shattered glass slowly pulling itself back together.The first thing she felt was... wetness. Sticky. Warm. A strange, metallic smell.Blood!!!Her blood…She shifted slightly, her head resting against the airbag—her arms still wrapped around it like she was holding on for dear life.Everything hurt. Every inch of her body screamed in pain.But she was alive.Barely....*Beep. Beep. Beep*Her enhanced hearing, once a gift, now cursed her. The relentless honking of vehicles drilled into her brain, each echo threatening her skull to split into two. Sirens howling in the distance, voices rising in panic, the sharp crackle of broken glass shifting around her. And worse, the low, maddening buzzing that seemed to come from inside her ears, like static crawling beneath her skin.She moaned. Then–*Bang. Bang. Bang*The sudden pounding on her window jolted her back to the surface.“Miss? Can you hear me? Are you alright?”The voice was deep, urgent. But
The moment Aria's phone buzzed, she snatched it up without hesitation. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught in her throat.A faint, almost invisible smile flickered on her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes.[Aria! This is Mom. It’s my friend’s number... mine’s in the car. I was out and heard from someone that you got into an accident. Are you okay? I’m so worried!]Aria’s fingers trembled slightly as she typed her reply, forcing calm into each word.“I’m alright, Mom. I just got home. Just some bruises, nothing serious. The car Dad gave me… it protected me. It saved me.”[Oh, thank goodness! Forget the car, we’ll send you another one, a bigger one! We love you, sweetheart!]Her mother’s words warmed her chest for a moment—a spark of love in a cold, quiet night.Aria belonged to the Ironhide Pack, second in power only to the Sovereign Pack–The Lycan Alpha King’s Pack.Her adoptive parents, the philanthropists adored across the territory, had raised her like royalty. From th
When Aria’s eyes fluttered open, the sunlight had already spilled across the marble floors like molten gold. The air was still, but her mind immediately spun into motion.She bolted upright and grabbed her laptop. As the screen lit up, a cascade of new emails poured in—updates, schedules, today’s agenda. She skimmed through them quickly, completely missing the one email from last night, marked URGENT, buried beneath the rest.Her eyes dropped to the bottom right corner of the screen—and her stomach dropped with it.8:00 AM.Her heart stuttered. “Oh, no. No, no—damn it!” she hissed, springing from the bed like the floor was on fire.Today wasn’t just another workday.This was the day.The day Crimson Claw Enterprises was set to seal a deal that would catapult their pack to second in the Alliance rankings—just one step below the Silver Moon Pack itself. The final phase of the project she'd bled herself dry for. Endless nights spent revising proposals, calling in favors, humbling herse
*SLAM!*All heads whipped toward the entrance.Several men in black suits entered, dragging a man behind them—a man barely clothed, wearing nothing but a damp towel wrapped around his waist. His chest was bare, his hair was wet, his skin still glistening from a shower abruptly interrupted.A wave of gasps rippled through the room once again.The man’s eyes darted around until they landed on Aria. His expression immediately softened into something desperate and dramatic. He tried to bolt toward her, arms wide for an embrace, but several members of Aria’s team stepped forward protectively, forming a human shield between him and her.Rejected, he opted for chaos instead.“Aria, baby! What’s going on?!” he cried out, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You told me to get ready this morning! I was about to step into the shower when these lunatics stormed in and dragged me here like some criminal!”The entire room held its breath.“We’re going to miss our flight to Hawaii,” he whined. “You
“Are you sure you want to do this alone?” Aria’s assistant asked worriedly as she peered through the half-open car window.“I’ll be fine,” Aria replied with a faint smile, but her eyes betrayed no warmth. “Just return the car, go home, and pack your things. I’ll message you tomorrow. My mom will send someone to pick us up and take us back to Ironhide Pack.”The omega nodded, hesitant, then drove off. As the car disappeared down the road, Aria turned to face the glittering tower of The Noctis Palace, its mirrored glass reflecting the dying light of the evening.‘What floor was that bar again?’ she mused, pulling out her phone. Just then, an alarm blared... her fertility meds. Prescribed by Crimson Claw Pack’s top doctor. A bitter smile played on her lips as she pulled the bottle from her bag, then, without hesitation, tossed it into a trash bin.“I don’t need that anymore,” she whispered to herself.She found the exclusive bar on the 108th floor and made her way inside. The staff welc
Aria bolted from the bedroom, the adrenaline of bad news still roaring in her veins, so frantic she forgot all about the torn state of her dress. Just as she reached for the suite door, it swung open, and standing there was a man she recognized instantly, because of his injured arm still bound in a cast.For a heartbeat, they both froze, locked in a moment of stunned silence, the tension crackling like a live wire between them.Then, a commanding voice cut through the heavy air."You’re right on time, Julian. I assume that paper bag you’re holding has the dress I asked for?" Mason's deep voice rolled through the room with effortless authority.Aria and Julian both jerked their attention toward him. Aria instinctively clutched at the torn fabric of her dress, desperate to maintain a shred of dignity."Ah... yes," Julian stammered, blinking rapidly as he tore his gaze away from her. "I wasn’t sure which one to pick, so I just took the saleslady’s recommendation."Mason’s smirk was almos
“Are you sure you want to do this alone?” Aria’s assistant asked worriedly as she peered through the half-open car window.“I’ll be fine,” Aria replied with a faint smile, but her eyes betrayed no warmth. “Just return the car, go home, and pack your things. I’ll message you tomorrow. My mom will send someone to pick us up and take us back to Ironhide Pack.”The omega nodded, hesitant, then drove off. As the car disappeared down the road, Aria turned to face the glittering tower of The Noctis Palace, its mirrored glass reflecting the dying light of the evening.‘What floor was that bar again?’ she mused, pulling out her phone. Just then, an alarm blared... her fertility meds. Prescribed by Crimson Claw Pack’s top doctor. A bitter smile played on her lips as she pulled the bottle from her bag, then, without hesitation, tossed it into a trash bin.“I don’t need that anymore,” she whispered to herself.She found the exclusive bar on the 108th floor and made her way inside. The staff welc
*SLAM!*All heads whipped toward the entrance.Several men in black suits entered, dragging a man behind them—a man barely clothed, wearing nothing but a damp towel wrapped around his waist. His chest was bare, his hair was wet, his skin still glistening from a shower abruptly interrupted.A wave of gasps rippled through the room once again.The man’s eyes darted around until they landed on Aria. His expression immediately softened into something desperate and dramatic. He tried to bolt toward her, arms wide for an embrace, but several members of Aria’s team stepped forward protectively, forming a human shield between him and her.Rejected, he opted for chaos instead.“Aria, baby! What’s going on?!” he cried out, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You told me to get ready this morning! I was about to step into the shower when these lunatics stormed in and dragged me here like some criminal!”The entire room held its breath.“We’re going to miss our flight to Hawaii,” he whined. “You
When Aria’s eyes fluttered open, the sunlight had already spilled across the marble floors like molten gold. The air was still, but her mind immediately spun into motion.She bolted upright and grabbed her laptop. As the screen lit up, a cascade of new emails poured in—updates, schedules, today’s agenda. She skimmed through them quickly, completely missing the one email from last night, marked URGENT, buried beneath the rest.Her eyes dropped to the bottom right corner of the screen—and her stomach dropped with it.8:00 AM.Her heart stuttered. “Oh, no. No, no—damn it!” she hissed, springing from the bed like the floor was on fire.Today wasn’t just another workday.This was the day.The day Crimson Claw Enterprises was set to seal a deal that would catapult their pack to second in the Alliance rankings—just one step below the Silver Moon Pack itself. The final phase of the project she'd bled herself dry for. Endless nights spent revising proposals, calling in favors, humbling herse
The moment Aria's phone buzzed, she snatched it up without hesitation. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught in her throat.A faint, almost invisible smile flickered on her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes.[Aria! This is Mom. It’s my friend’s number... mine’s in the car. I was out and heard from someone that you got into an accident. Are you okay? I’m so worried!]Aria’s fingers trembled slightly as she typed her reply, forcing calm into each word.“I’m alright, Mom. I just got home. Just some bruises, nothing serious. The car Dad gave me… it protected me. It saved me.”[Oh, thank goodness! Forget the car, we’ll send you another one, a bigger one! We love you, sweetheart!]Her mother’s words warmed her chest for a moment—a spark of love in a cold, quiet night.Aria belonged to the Ironhide Pack, second in power only to the Sovereign Pack–The Lycan Alpha King’s Pack.Her adoptive parents, the philanthropists adored across the territory, had raised her like royalty. From th
Aria’s world returned in pieces, like shattered glass slowly pulling itself back together.The first thing she felt was... wetness. Sticky. Warm. A strange, metallic smell.Blood!!!Her blood…She shifted slightly, her head resting against the airbag—her arms still wrapped around it like she was holding on for dear life.Everything hurt. Every inch of her body screamed in pain.But she was alive.Barely....*Beep. Beep. Beep*Her enhanced hearing, once a gift, now cursed her. The relentless honking of vehicles drilled into her brain, each echo threatening her skull to split into two. Sirens howling in the distance, voices rising in panic, the sharp crackle of broken glass shifting around her. And worse, the low, maddening buzzing that seemed to come from inside her ears, like static crawling beneath her skin.She moaned. Then–*Bang. Bang. Bang*The sudden pounding on her window jolted her back to the surface.“Miss? Can you hear me? Are you alright?”The voice was deep, urgent. But