Aria's POV The cold stone walls of the dungeon had become my only companion in the past few days. The damp air smelled of rust and mold, making it hard to breathe. My wrists were sore from the heavy chains, and my body ached from the cold floor I had been forced to sleep on.I kept telling myself I had to be strong, that I couldn’t break. But deep inside, fear gnawed at my heart. Would I ever get out of here? Would Xeros or Alexander even believe me?I heard the sound of footsteps outside the cold prison walls, and my body tensed. I had been told that Xeros and Alexander would be coming to see me today. I thought maybe they would finally listen to me, hear my side of the story. But when the heavy door swung open, I was met with rough hands grabbing me instead."Get up," a guard barked, yanking me to my feet.I struggled to my feet, my limbs stiff and weak. The chains rattled as I moved."Where are you taking me?" I asked, my voice hoarse from days of silence.They didn’t answer. Inst
Aria’s POVA soft breeze brushed against my skin, and I stirred, my body aching as if I had been trampled by a pack of wolves. My head throbbed, my limbs felt heavy, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was. My eyelids fluttered open, and I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above me. The room smelled of herbs and something faintly metallic—probably blood.Was I… dead?No. The dull pain in my body told me otherwise.I turned my head slightly, and my breath hitched when I saw someone sitting beside me. Not Alexander. Not Xeros.Carlo.I stiffened.Why was he here?My last memory was of Xeros and Alexander arriving at the execution grounds, stopping the elders from sentencing me to death. But now, instead of either of them, it was Carlo, sitting there like he belonged.“What the hell are you doing here?” My voice was hoarse, but my anger was sharp.Carlo smirked. "Good morning to you too, mate."I scowled. "Don't call me that."He leaned back in his chair, completely unbothered b
Aria’s POVThe night was quiet, the air thick with the scent of pine and earth. The dim glow of the moon barely lit the path ahead as I walked silently through the packhouse halls. My heart pounded against my ribs, each step feeling heavier than the last.I knew this was dangerous.But I had to do it.After everything that happened, I couldn't just sit back and pretend like I was safe here. Not when I didn’t even know who was behind my suffering. If Sage and Lucas were the ones who set me up, I needed to find out the truth myself.Xeros wouldn’t let me go if I told him.That’s why I had to sneak out.Dinner with him earlier had been tense. He had requested I eat with him, and I knew better than to refuse. I sat at the table, eating in silence while he watched me with his usual unreadable gaze. He didn’t ask anything, didn’t say much—just told me to eat.It was as if he knew I was planning something.But he didn’t stop me.And now, here I was, slipping through the shadows like a thief.
Carlo’s POVThe night was too quiet. That was never a good sign.Aria and I stayed hidden behind some trees, watching the enemy warriors move around the pack border. They were well-armed, and their movements were sharp and alert. Whoever sent them here knew what they were doing.Aria shifted uncomfortably beside me, her breathing uneven. I could tell she was worried, but she was trying to hide it. It was almost funny how she thought she could hide anything from me.“What now?” she whispered, barely moving her lips.I smirked, looking at the men in front of us. “Now, we distract them.”She turned to me sharply. “What do you mean, distract them? There are too many of them.”“Exactly.” I grinned. “That just makes it more fun.”She looked like she wanted to strangle me. “Carlo—”But I was already moving.I picked up a rock and threw it far away from where we were. The sound it made against the trees was loud enough to get their attention. Just as I expected, a few of them immediately turn
Aria’s POVCarlo should have left. Any sane person would have left. But he didn’t.Instead, he stayed right beside me, watching as I tied Sage to the wooden chair in the dimly lit room. Her hands were bound tightly behind her back, and her legs were secured to the chair legs. I made sure the ropes wouldn’t come loose.She was still unconscious, her head slumped to the side. I took a deep breath, then reached forward and slapped her cheek lightly.“Sage,” I called. “Wake up.”She didn’t move.I slapped her harder.Her eyes fluttered open, and she groaned. When she finally focused on me, her lips curled into a sneer. “You,” she spat.I crossed my arms. “Surprised to see me?”Her eyes flickered to Carlo, then back to me. Her expression hardened. “You should be dead.”I smirked. “Sorry to disappoint you.”Sage tried to move, but the ropes held her in place. She glared at me. “What do you think you’re doing?”“I should be asking you that.” I leaned closer. “Tell me the truth, Sage. What re
Aria’s POVThe enemy warriors moved fast, their eyes locked on us like wolves hunting prey. My heart pounded as I gripped the small dagger Carlo had given me earlier. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.Carlo stood beside me, completely unfazed, as if we weren’t surrounded by enemies. His lips curled into an amused smirk. “This is getting interesting.”I shot him a glare. “How are you still smiling? We’re outnumbered!”He shrugged. “That just makes it more fun.”I didn’t have time to argue because the first warrior lunged at me. I barely dodged, twisting to the side as his blade slashed through the air. I countered, stabbing my dagger forward, but he blocked it easily. Before I could react, he swung again, aiming for my neck.Carlo moved before I could. In a blur, he grabbed the warrior’s wrist and twisted it sharply. The sound of bones snapping made me flinch. The man screamed, but Carlo silenced him with a brutal punch to the jaw.“That’s one down,” Carlo said, grinning.
Aria’s POVI didn’t give the woman a chance to escape.“Move,” I ordered, grabbing her wrist tightly and dragging her forward.She didn’t resist, but I could feel her trembling under my grip. Her eyes darted around, as if looking for someone to save her. There was no one.The warrior who had come with me followed closely behind, ensuring she didn’t try to run. I stormed into Xeros’s office, pushing the door open without knocking.Xeros and Alexander were already inside, deep in conversation. They looked up the moment I stepped in.“What is this?” Xeros asked, his sharp gaze moving to the woman.“She has something to tell you,” I said coldly. “Go on. Tell them everything.”The woman hesitated, but when I tightened my grip, she flinched. “I… I was paid to lie,” she confessed in a shaky voice. “The poisoning… it wasn’t her fault.”Alexander’s jaw tightened, and Xeros leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable.“I was threatened,” the woman continued, her voice breaking. “They sai
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
Aria’s POVThe past few days at the hospital have been better than I ever expected.I don’t know how to describe the feeling, but it’s peaceful. For the first time in a long while, I’m walking through these halls without hearing rude comments or seeing annoyed faces. The nurses now greet me. The doctors nod when I pass. Some even smile. It feels strange… but in a good way.Maybe it’s because of what happened last week when I stood up for myself. Or maybe they finally realized I’m not someone they can just mistreat. Either way, I’m glad. It makes my work easier.Today I was helping a young girl with a deep wound on her shoulder. She kept thanking me, even though I told her to rest. “You’re kind,” she said softly. “Not like the others.” That sentence stayed with me.It’s nice to feel appreciated. To be treated like I belong here.And when I go home, I talk with the brothers like everything is normal. Even though I can tell they’re all busy and stressed out, they still try to act like th
Carlo’s POVKissing her felt like the best thing I had done in a long time.I didn’t even care that it was a short kiss. It still meant something to me. Aria didn’t push me away, and that was all I needed. Her lips were soft, and the way she blushed right after made my heart twist in the best way. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time I walked her back to her room.She looked happy too, and I held her hand until we got to the door. She didn’t say much, just gave me a shy smile before going inside. That smile stayed in my head even after I left. I kept thinking about how warm her hand felt in mine.I’ve been trying to get her to see me differently, not just as one of the three brothers she’s tied to. I wanted her to look at me and see someone she could trust, someone she could laugh with, kiss, love. I didn’t want to push too hard, but I also didn’t want to stay back and watch her get taken away by my brothers either.I made my way down the hallway to check on Xeros. He wasn’t in his
Aria’s POV The sunlight peeked through the long curtains and fell softly on my face. I opened my eyes slowly and blinked a few times. For a second, I forgot where I was. Then I remembered… I was in Xeros’s room. His scent was still strong in the room, that familiar mix of clean soap and something dark that always made me feel strange inside.I turned quickly to the side. His bed was empty. I sat up straight. The sheets were cold, meaning he had left for a while. I ran my fingers through my hair and got out of bed. I was still in the same clothes from yesterday. Everything that happened kept playing in my head—Sage, my grandmother, Alexander, Lucas… and Xeros saving us.Where did he go so early?I left the room, thinking I’d check outside, maybe the training field. On my way back down the hallway, I bumped into someone. I stumbled a little and looked up.“Carlo?”He gave a small smirk and crossed his arms. “Well, you look surprised to see me.”“I didn’t expect you here.”He tilted his
Aria’s POVI turned around an indeed my guess was right. It was Xeros who came to rescue us. He looked powerful, standing tall in his dark clothes, his eyes glowing like fire. But I noticed something—his arm was bleeding. He was holding his side tightly. He was hurt. Badly hurt. But he didn’t show it on his face.My heart jumped in my chest the moment I saw him. “Xeros…”He looked at me and gave a small smile, even though I could see the pain behind it. How did he even manage to find us and how did he get hurt again? Lucas stepped back in shock. “You… you’re supposed to be dead.”Xeros smirked. “You’ll have to try harder next time.”I saw the way Lucas looked at him. His face twisted in confusion and fear. He didn’t expect Xeros to survive. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.Xeros slowly walked forward, the wolves surrounding us like a protective wall. “You tried to kill me,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “But now I’m alive… and I promise, Lucas, you will pay for it.
Aria’s POVI stared straight at Sage.She was sitting on the floor, tied up and weak, but when I said those words, her eyes widened like she’d seen a ghost.“Why did you try to kill Xeros?” I asked again, slowly this time.For a moment, she didn’t say anything. Just kept blinking like she couldn’t believe I’d asked her that. Then her mouth opened.“What?” Her voice was high and sharp. “You think I tried to kill him? Are you out of your mind?!”I didn’t answer. I just kept looking at her. Her face looked pale, but her eyes had that usual fire. The fire she always used to cover up her lies.She started shaking her head fast. “No! No! That wasn’t me! I didn’t— I would never—”But I wasn’t sure I believed her. Maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe she was just scared, and it really wasn’t her.But my heart… it wasn’t ready to trust her. Not after everything.I took a deep breath and looked down. My hands were shaking a little, but I clenched them. “You knew he was getting close to the tr
Aria’s POVI followed Alexander quietly, staying close enough to not lose him, and also so he wouldn't lose me. My heart was beating so fast in my chest. I didn’t know what exactly I would find, but something inside me kept warning me that I was going to see something painful.The night air was cold. I felt a lot of Goosebumps trying to walk around. My feet made soft sounds as I stepped on dry leaves, but I didn’t stop moving. I just needed to know what was going on. I needed to see it with my own eyes.We passed through some bushes and took a sharp turn. That was when I saw it. This wasn't where we're supposed to stopped but what am I looking at?My legs froze on the spot. My breath stopped.There, in the middle of the quiet garden behind the old house… was my grandmother. She was lying down on a wooden bench with a thin cloth over her. She wasn’t moving. Her skin looked pale and dry. Her lips were cracked.And standing beside her… was Sage.My heart burned with so much anger that I
Aria's POV I knew Alexander was up to something, but I didn’t quite know what he wanted to do. I was trying to figure it out, so I pretended to have gone back to my room. I knew he was watching me, and the only way he could be sure was if I was settled down in my room. Now, I needed to follow him to find out. I know they asked me to sit down and stop being nosy, but I just can’t stop myself. If he’s going to put himself in danger because of me, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep at all.And just like I thought, he was going out of the pack without anyone. More like he was sneaking out because he didn’t want the guards to see him or follow him, because he might attract attention, which is something he’s probably trying to hide from me. Let’s say this is something he and Xeros planned.I carefully followed him out, and I saw he was going in the direction of my pack. I was so scared and didn’t know what to do because I was too worried to go into that place alone. And most importantly,
Alexander’s POVI walked quietly into Xeros’s room, the door clicking shut behind me. He was sitting up now, the covers pulled to his waist, a glass of water in his hand. The pale sunlight spilling from the window made him look even more fragile than I remembered. His body was still weak, but his eyes were sharp—too sharp for someone who just survived poison.Aria was sitting beside him, holding his hand and whispering something I couldn’t hear. When she noticed me standing at the door, she turned to look at me with a faint smile.“I’ll give you both some space,” she said softly and stood up.“No,” I said quickly. “I actually need to speak with my brother. Alone.”Her eyes narrowed slightly. She hesitated, like she didn’t want to leave, but she gave Xeros a gentle pat on the shoulder and left the room without saying another word. I waited until the door clicked shut behind her. I even walked over to make sure she wasn’t standing behind it like last time.Xeros raised an eyebrow. “You’
Xeros's POVThe soft glow of morning light streamed through the curtains, touching my face with warmth. It was gentle, yet it made my eyes flutter open slowly. My whole body felt heavy like I had been carrying a mountain through my dreams. But the weight on my chest… it wasn’t just pain. It was the memory of everything that happened.The arrow. The poison. The argument with Edgar. The darkness I fell into.I blinked a few times and turned my head. Sitting by my bed was someone I didn’t expect right away—Carlo. His arms were crossed, and he looked tired, like he hadn’t slept much. But when he saw me move, his eyes widened and he leaned forward.“Hey… Xeros?” His voice sounded cautious, like he wasn’t sure if I was fully awake or just imagining things.I cleared my throat. “Yeah… I’m awake.”Carlo let out a shaky breath and ran his hand through his hair. “You scared the hell out of all of us. I thought we were going to lose you.”I tried to sit up, but pain stabbed through my side, maki