Aria's POV I couldn't believe what was right in front of me. It was way too overwhelming for me, and it felt like I couldn't think straight for a moment. What was going on here? Why are there so many people injured and dead? Did a war happen here? But there's not a lot of people here, so who could have done all of this?Now I understood why his brother wanted me to come with him. There are so many people injured, and they would die if they don't get some treatment. I finally understand that he only needed my help.He could have just told me that or come here by himself. He didn't have to send me with his brother, who made the doctor that's supposed to treat all these injured people a patient. My leg was already twisted earlier, and it hurts a lot. Of course, I can't heal myself fast, or I would have issues.I'm not about to let anyone know that my blood is that great and have them take my blood away from me. If they know, all these people will now think twice before killing me. But f
Alexander's POV For a moment, I didn't understand what was going on. I wanted to bring her something so that she could get better, but she stabbed me the moment I came inside — like I'm the enemy she's after. No, it's clear to me that she's someone we shouldn't trust. I already told my brother before, but he didn't listen to me. Now look at what she's doing.I got to know that she was missing yesterday after looking for her through all the places and I didn't see her. Then I realized that she could have been in danger. I thought she would be running away at first, but I didn't expect her to be almost molested by my men — and I know the person who did this. So I immediately went to his camp and found her there.I already made sure that he would never use his hands to touch anyone again. First of all, she is supposed to be my mate — and how dare he use his hands on her? I made sure his hands were cut off, and he was sent back home. After that, I went back to look for her, but I realize
Aria's POV I could hear their voices from inside the room, even though they tried to keep it low. Xeros and Alexander were arguing again — because of me. My heart ached as I listened to them. A part of me felt guilty for causing problems between the two brothers, but another part didn't care. They locked me up for days like I was some criminal, without even giving me a chance to explain myself.Xeros had always tried to defend me, even when I didn't ask him to. But Alexander... he never stopped making me feel like I was nothing but a burden.After what he let his men do to me the other day, I tried to escape and he had to bring me back. I thought I wasn't going to be back in a place like this again. I guess I was just fooling myself. "I told you to let her go! She's not your prisoner!" Xeros shouted."Stay out of this, Xeros! You always think you know what's best, but you don't!" Alexander barked back.Their voices echoed through the walls, making me squeeze my eyes shut. I wished
Aria's POVThe night was long and cold, but no matter how much I turned on the bed, sleep refused to come. My body was tired, but my mind wouldn't stop running. The memories of everything that happened at the club kept playing in my head — Carlo dragging me out, his disgusting breath against my skin, and the fear that filled my heart when I realized no one would help me.Even though Xeros brought me back to the pack safely, I still couldn't shake off the feeling of being trapped. No matter where I went, there was always someone trying to control me — someone trying to break me.I stared at the ceiling, listening to the faint howls of wolves echoing in the distance. My heart felt heavy. I didn't belong here. I didn't belong anywhere anymore.By the time the sun started rising, I was still wide awake. My eyes were burning, and my body felt numb. I sighed, sitting up from the bed. Another long day was about to start, and I knew I wouldn't be able to escape it.After forcing myself to fres
Xeros's POV I sat at the head of the long wooden table, watching my brothers walk into the meeting room. Alexander's face was cold as usual, while Carlo carried his usual smug smile — like everything in this world was nothing but a game to him.I called for this meeting because I couldn't ignore what was happening anymore. For the past few days, Carlo had been targeting Aria like she was his new favorite toy — and Alexander? He acted like he didn't care, but I could see the anger burning in his eyes every time Aria walked past him. She's supposed to be out mate, why is it like this? We should all be protecting her. None of them wanted her here, but that didn't mean they had the right to break her down like this.The room was silent for a moment before I finally spoke."I want both of you to stay away from Aria."Alexander's sharp eyes turned to me immediately, while Carlo's smirk only grew wider."Stay away?" Carlo chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Come on, brother... I was only
Chapter 21Aria's POV The morning air was cold against my skin as I walked towards the hospital. My heart felt heavy, but I pushed myself forward.Xeros had told me to stop cleaning in that maid's dress — said I didn't belong with the servants. But it didn't change the fact that I had nowhere else to go.I was still a prisoner here. No chains... but still trapped.The hospital was busy as usual. Werewolves injured from border fights were being carried in one after another. The smell of herbs and blood filled the air. I should have been used to this by now — but everything was different here.I wasn't just a doctor anymore.I was a criminal in their eyes.I walked inside quietly, keeping my head down. I just wanted to help... to do something useful. If I stayed in my room all day, I would go mad thinking about everything that had happened to me."Why is she here again?"I heard one of the nurses whisper the moment I stepped inside."She's trying to act like one of us... as if she isn'
Aria's POV I couldn't stop thinking about what happened at the hospital. It felt like I was deviating from reality and I needed someone to bring me back to my senses. Alexander...Why did he help me?No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find a reason. He was the same man who locked me up, treated me like I was nothing... yet he defended me in front of everyone.Maybe he only did it to protect his pack's reputation.Yes... that must be it.He didn't want to help me. He just wanted to show them he was fair. There's no way he helped because he felt sorry for me. He hated me and that was a fact. He saved me to make me work and not stay idle. This must also be the reason. Still, I was glad he did it. Because of him, I was finally allowed to work at the pack hospital without being chased out.Not that it stopped the hateful glances...Every time I walked around the hospital, I could feel their eyes on me — burning with disgust. They whispered behind my back, calling me a cri
Carlo's POV The music played loudly, echoing around the pool as the party went on. Women giggled and clung to me like they always did — desperate for a little attention. I leaned back on the chair, sipping my drink slowly, my golden eyes fixed on one person.Aria.I expected her to glance my way — to feel jealous seeing me surrounded by beautiful women.But she didn't.Instead, she walked away like I didn't even exist.My jaw clenched.What was wrong with her?Every woman in this pack wanted to be close to me. They fought for a second of my attention... but not Aria.My mate.She didn't even spare me a single glance.I watched her from afar as she changed direction, smiling and talking to some of the pack members like I wasn't even there. The sound of her soft laughter reached my ears, making something burn inside me.How could she ignore me so easily?I clenched the glass in my hand until it almost broke.I needed to get away before I did something I'd regret.I stormed into the rest
Xeros's POV Why is she so cruel and annoying? I've been trying my best to protect her as much as I can but it's not working out. What exactly am I doing wrong?I wasn't taking her to the border but somewhere she could have some time alone, away from all this madness. It was supposed to be a surprise. Now, I don't even know if I should take her there since she doesn’t even want to be with us at all.But she is our mate, and if we want to reject her, we have to do it all at the same time. You can't do it one by one, or we would suffer the consequences. How am I supposed to tell her that? She's probably going to use that against us the moment she knows.Alexander is the reason she is in all of this. I also never told her that I was going to reject her, and I don't think I've ever thought of rejecting her from the moment I met her. If I wasn't entangled with my brothers, I would love to have them break the bond with her so that I could be with her alone.Now that I think about it, it's n
Aria's POVI'm so mad! Every time I try to see a good thing about them, they always make things difficult for me. I was starting to think that they actually cared about me and that it wasn’t just my delusions, but now I’m right about it.I was just delusional, thinking that they would really want to be with someone like me. But did he have to be harsh about it? Of course, I know my place, and I know I shouldn't covet things that aren't supposed to be mine.If Alexander still wants to go on with the rejection, then I'm going to do it for him. I don't have to force myself to be with them. After all, I'm so low, and I'm a criminal not worthy of anyone.Maybe I should start thinking of how to get out of here again. I thought I finally got somewhere to stay, but now I know I'm not welcome. They probably just let me stay because they felt sorry for me, or maybe I was just pushing my luck too much.The entire night, I couldn't sleep as I kept turning around. Not only do I have to take off th
Carlo's POVI could see the fear on her face the moment my brother mentioned going somewhere. I think with the things that have been happening to her the past few days, she's already scared to go outside anymore, so I decided to intervene. At first, I wanted to only play with her, and now I don't understand my feelings. She is the only woman I have ever been interested in this way."Why are you requesting her to go with you when you can just go whenever you want yourself? Besides, we can protect her if you're not here," I said to my brother, but he looked at me and shook his head. I don't know what is going on in his mind."You don't understand what I'm trying to do. I'm only trying to protect her better than you can," he replied.I know I shouldn't get angry since we both have the same goal, but sometimes my brother makes things feel like we're not really capable of protecting her."If you're going to the border, you shouldn't take her there. Didn't you see what happened the last tim
Aria's POVI didn't know for how long I slept, but by the time I woke up, I could still see Carlo sitting beside me on the bed, and that was something I wasn't expecting at all. What the hell is going on with him? He's being weirder than his usual self. And the fact that I felt safe with him earlier says a lot. I have nothing else to blame but this mating bond because this surely couldn't be me being so weak for him, right?Even if I find him attractive, he's still a jerk that did a lot of things that made me angry, and I can't stop thinking about how to get back at him. Our eyes met the moment I looked at him, and I immediately looked away. I know he's going to be annoying about this."What's wrong, little mate? Are you suddenly shy looking at my face?" he questioned, like his usual annoying self."I would prefer if you just shut up and not talk to me. Must you always be annoying?" I fired at him.He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what else I'm supposed to do if not teasing yo
Aria’s POVI sat on my bed, still shaken by the maid’s warning. My kidnapper had escaped.I had barely processed the information when my door swung open. My heart leaped, but it was only Xeros.His sharp eyes scanned the room as he stepped inside, his presence instantly making me feel a sense of security. He looked tense, his jaw clenched.“You’re not leaving this room,” he said firmly. “It’s not safe.”I frowned. “I don’t need to be locked away like a—”“It’s not up for discussion, Aria.” His voice was serious, leaving no room for argument. “He’s still out there, and we don’t know what he’s planning. I need you to stay put.”I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t win against him.Xeros checked the entire room, moving swiftly as he looked behind furniture, under the bed, and even behind the curtains. He was thorough, making sure no one was hiding.I watched as he finally turned back to me, satisfied. “I’ll be back to check on you,” he assured me. “Don’t open this door for anyone but me or my br
Aria’s POVI woke up slowly, my body feeling heavy and sore. My head ached slightly, and for a moment, I was confused about where I was. The soft bed beneath me wasn’t familiar. I blinked a few times, trying to focus.Then I saw Carlo and Alexander sitting beside me.Carlo grinned when he noticed I was awake. “Finally up, sleeping beauty?”I frowned, still feeling groggy. “What happened?”Carlo smirked, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t remember? That’s disappointing. I was expecting a dramatic reaction.”I tried to think. Flashes of memory came back—the kidnapper, the dark room, the way he covered my mouth, the fear of not knowing if I would ever escape. My chest tightened, and I sat up suddenly, my hands shaking.Alexander noticed immediately. “Stop being a baby,” he muttered, but his voice was softer than usual.I turned to look at him properly. Something about him seemed different. He wasn’t his usual cold self. He wasn’t glaring at me like I was a problem he wanted to get rid
Aria’s POVThe ropes around my wrists burned against my skin, but I barely noticed the pain anymore. I had been tied up for so long that my hands felt numb. My legs were also bound, making it impossible to move. The dimly lit room smelled damp, like old wood and dust, and the only sound was my own shallow breathing.I didn’t know how long I had been here. Hours? A full day? There was no way to tell.The door creaked open, and I tensed.My kidnapper walked in, a smug expression on his face. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, as if he had all the time in the world. His presence made my skin crawl, not because he looked dangerous, but because he was too calm—too confident.“They’re looking for you,” he said, his voice filled with amusement. “Running around like idiots, completely blind to what’s right in front of them.”I didn’t react, but inside, my heart pounded. They were searching for me.He walked closer and crouched in front of me. “I almost feel bad for them,” he contin
Xeros’s POV The next morning, I called for an emergency meeting due to the situation. I sat at the head of the long wooden table in the pack’s meeting hall, watching the Alphas and elders settle into their seats. The tension in the air was thick, and I could already tell this meeting wasn’t going to be pleasant.Alexander sat to my right, his arms crossed, his face blank. Carlo leaned back in his chair, looking bored but alert. Across from us, Lucas sat with his usual smug expression, acting like he owned the room.I wasn’t in the mood for games.“We need to discuss the attack on my brother and his mate,” I said, my voice cutting through the murmurs in the room.Some of the elders exchanged glances, while others avoided looking at me.“The ambush was from the Golden Spike Pack,” Alexander added, his voice firm. “Their warriors were there. We saw them with our own eyes.”An older Alpha scoffed. “And what proof do you have of that? The Golden Spike Pack has been quiet for months. They
Aria’s POVMy face was still burning.I paced around my room, biting my lip, trying to stop thinking about what Alexander did.He kissed me. He really kissed me.And worse—I didn’t hate it.I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Get a grip, Aria. You can’t fall for this again.”I had to remind myself that just because he was acting differently now didn’t mean I should believe him. He had already doubted me once. If I let my guard down and trusted him, what if he turned his back on me again?No. I couldn’t be weak.I took a deep breath, trying to shake off my thoughts, when suddenly—The door burst open.Carlo strolled in without knocking, his damp hair sticking to his forehead. His shirt was missing, and his toned body glistened with sweat.I blinked.“What—what the hell are you doing?” I sputtered.He stretched his arms lazily. “Checking on you.”“Checking on me?” I frowned, crossing my arms. “Why would you do that?”I wouldn't believe he just wanted to check on me for no reason