The next morning, I woke to the dull ache of bruises scattered across my body. Every muscle screamed in protest as I dragged myself out of bed, my mind replaying the brutal training session with Aiden. The fire in his eyes, the harshness of his words—they’d left a mark as deep as the bruises, but I wasn’t backing down. I couldn’t. Not after everything.By the time I made my way outside to the clearing, Aiden was already there, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, watching the forest like a predator waiting for prey. The air was crisp, the sky still shrouded in early morning mist, and the chill seeped into my bones, though it did little to quell the fire of determination burning inside me.“Late,” Aiden muttered without looking at me, his voice clipped and cold.“I’m here, aren’t I?” I shot back, squaring my shoulders as I approached him.He finally turned to face me, his eyes narrowing as he took in my appearance. The bruises on my arms and legs, the dark circles under my eye
I had no idea why I was following him but I was. And the moment we stepped into the forest, the air around us thickened. The towering trees seemed to close in from all sides, their twisted branches blocking out the sun, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Every sound—the rustle of leaves, the snapping of twigs underfoot—felt magnified, and a strange sense of unease settled over me.I glanced over at Aiden, but his expression was unreadable, as always. His body was tense, coiled like a spring ready to snap, his senses sharp and alert. I tightened my grip on the small dagger he had given me earlier, but the weight of it felt insignificant compared to the threat lurking in these woods.As we ventured deeper into the forest, the sounds of nature seemed to disappear, replaced by an eerie, suffocating silence. My heart pounded in my chest, and I kept my eyes darting in every direction, half expecting something to leap out at us from the shadows.Then Aiden stopped abruptly.His bo
By the time we reached the mansion, my legs felt like they were about to give out. I stumbled inside, barely able to keep my balance, but Aiden moved with the same controlled grace as always, even though he was clearly in pain.“You look like hell,” he muttered, not even turning to look at me as he walked toward the kitchen.I shot him a glare, though I didn’t have the energy to argue. “Thanks for the compliment.”Ignoring my sarcasm, Aiden went to the sink and began cleaning the deep gash in his side. I watched him in silence, unsure of what to say. The battle had shaken me more than I wanted to admit, and the weight of everything—the bond, the danger, the constant threat of death—was starting to feel overwhelming.I needed answers. I needed to understand what was really going on between us.“We need to talk,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.Aiden didn’t look at me, his expression hard. “About what?”“About the bond. About what happened out there,” I said, stepping closer. “I do
The morning air felt heavy as Aiden and I ventured deeper into the forest for our usual training session. The quiet was unnerving, a stillness that seemed to hang between us as we walked side by side. Despite the clear sky and soft sunlight filtering through the trees, there was an unmistakable tension in the air, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.Aiden hadn’t said much since we started. His jaw was clenched, eyes scanning the forest ahead, his body taut like a spring ready to snap. The bond between us pulsed, always present, but today, it felt different—more charged.“Aiden,” I said quietly, breaking the silence, “what’s wrong?”He didn’t look at me, but his grip tightened on the hilt of the sword he was carrying. “Nothing,” he muttered, though his tone was sharper than usual. “Let’s just get this over with.”I frowned, sensing that there was more going on than he was letting on, but I didn’t push. Our training sessions had grown more intense lately, and the stakes had onl
Aiden reacted faster than I could process. In an instant, he drew his sword and blocked Darius’s attack with a sharp clang of metal. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through the ground, and I stumbled back, barely able to keep my balance as the two alphas clashed.The air was filled with the sound of snarls and the clash of weapons as Aiden and Darius circled each other, their movements fast and lethal. Aiden’s fury was palpable, his strikes sharp and precise, but Darius was quick, countering each blow with equal force.“You think you can protect her forever?” Darius taunted, his voice dripping with venom. “She’s weak, Aiden. She’ll never survive in our world.”Aiden didn’t respond, his eyes blazing with anger as he launched another attack, driving Darius back. But Darius only laughed, his movements fluid as he dodged Aiden’s strikes.“Look at you,” Darius sneered, blocking another blow. “So desperate to protect her. So desperate to pretend she’s not your greatest weakness.”Aid
**Aiden's POV**The walk back to the mansion was suffocating. Every step felt heavier, not because of the gashes and bruises littering my body, but because of the weight that sat squarely on my chest—her safety. I could feel Isabella’s presence beside me, her steps lighter, quieter, but the fact that she was unharmed did nothing to ease the burning anger that had been brewing inside me since the encounter with Darius.Darius had humiliated me. He’d found out about the bond, used it to taunt me, mock me. But it wasn’t his words that twisted the knife. It was the way my body had responded when he went after her—when he dared to threaten her life. I had almost lost control in a way I hadn’t before, and the bond had made it ten times worse.I hated it. Hated how much her safety mattered to me. How her mere presence clouded my thoughts, made my skin buzz with an energy I didn’t ask for and didn’t want. As soon as we stepped inside the mansion, I felt the familiar rage simmering beneath the
I could barely think straight anymore. Every inch of me was on fire, my senses overloaded by the closeness of her, the scent of her, the feel of her hands moving across my skin. The bond was screaming at me, pulling me toward her, and I was losing the battle to resist.With a sharp intake of breath, I grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from my wound. Her skin was soft beneath my fingers, and the touch sent a jolt of heat through me, making my heart pound even harder.“I warned you,” I growled, my voice rough, barely controlled.Isabella’s eyes locked onto mine, and in that moment, something shifted. The anger, the frustration, the fear—it all fell away and what remained was something darker, something more dangerous. My grip on her wrist tightened, and her breath hitched, but she didn’t pull away. She didn’t look afraid. She just stared at me with those wide, defiant eyes, challenging me even as my control slipped further away.The bond was pulling me under, drowning out every r
I slammed the door behind her, the sound echoing through the empty hallway. My chest heaved with anger, my mind spinning as the memory of Isabella’s tear-streaked face burned itself into my thoughts. I shouldn’t care. I couldn’t care. But no matter how much I tried to ignore it, the bond pulled at me, forcing me to feel what I didn’t want to feel.I stormed across the room, my fists clenched at my sides, fury bubbling just beneath the surface. Every time I closed my eyes, the memory of her lips against mine—of that kiss—flashed before me. It had been raw, possessive, a loss of control that I never should have allowed. How had I let it happen? How had I let her get so close?With a frustrated growl, I reached for the bottle of wine on the table, yanking the cork out with more force than necessary. My hands trembled as I poured the dark liquid into the glass, but it didn’t matter. I needed something, anything, to drown out the chaos in my mind.But the moment I raised the glass to my l
Aiden’s gaze swept over me, his eyes a tempest of dark fire, each flicker holding back a storm of rage not meant for me, but threatening to spill out all the same. He was a fortress in turmoil, his facade barely containing the seething fury beneath. His jaw was set, his stance rigid, each muscle tensed as if ready to spring into a battle he was forced to withhold. “You shouldn’t be here, Isabella,” he said, his voice a low growl that vibrated with a barely restrained intensity. His eyes then darted to the two men who had shifted uncomfortably, their own eyes darting away from my gaze, clearly intimidated by Aiden’s overt protectiveness. I felt a perverse thrill at his possessiveness, a primal approval of his concern for my safety, yet I knew this was neither the time nor the place. Aiden cleared his throat, a sound meant to redirect my attention, and it snapped me back to the gravity of the situation. “No, I—” I started, stumbling over my words. The truth was treacherous territory
“That’s a relief,” he chuckled, his hand finding mine over the center console, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad she sees that my intentions are good.” I squeezed his hand back, the simple touch sending a current of gratitude through me. “She does. And it means the world to me that you were there, that you’re here now.” Aiden’s smile didn’t wane as he turned the car onto the highway, the sparse traffic allowing him a moment to glance my way. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else, Isabella. You know that.” I nodded, watching the scenery blur past us. The night was clear, the stars scattered across the sky like dusted silver, and I felt a pull to share more with him—to dive into the depths of my thoughts and emotions. “It’s just…” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “Today made me realize how much I’ve changed. How much we’ve changed, together. I used to feel like an outsider everywhere I went. But with you, I’m home.” Aiden’s grip on my hand tightened.We drove in comfort
The first sense that stirred as consciousness crept back was the emptiness on Aiden’s side of the bed. I didn’t remember what time we had fallen asleep, but the vague recollection of his arms wrapped securely around me lingered in my mind like the remnants of a comforting dream. However, the cool, vacant sheets next to me sharply snapped me back to reality. Opening my eyes to the morning light filtering through the curtains, I immediately searched the expanse of the bed for Aiden, but he wasn’t there. His absence was like a void. The lingering scent on his pillow was the only evidence of his presence from the night before. I rolled over, burying my face into it, inhaling deeply. His familiar scent—a mix of sandalwood and something uniquely Aiden—filled my senses, offering a temporary comfort. I lay there, the silence of the room enveloping me, letting the minutes tick by. With each second, the warmth of his scent waned, and the reality of his absence grew. Finally, I couldn’t bear t
The first sense that stirred as consciousness crept back was the emptiness on Aiden’s side of the bed. I didn’t remember what time we had fallen asleep, but the vague recollection of his arms wrapped securely around me lingered in my mind like the remnants of a comforting dream. However, the cool, vacant sheets next to me sharply snapped me back to reality.Opening my eyes to the morning light filtering through the curtains, I immediately searched the expanse of the bed for Aiden, but he wasn’t there. His absence was like a void. The lingering scent on his pillow was the only evidence of his presence from the night before. I rolled over, burying my face into it, inhaling deeply. His familiar scent—a mix of sandalwood and something uniquely Aiden—filled my senses, offering a temporary comfort.I lay there, the silence of the room enveloping me, letting the minutes tick by. With each second, the warmth of his scent waned, and the reality of his absence grew. Finally, I couldn’t bear the
“That’s a relief,” he chuckled, his hand finding mine over the center console, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad she sees that my intentions are good.” I squeezed his hand back, the simple touch sending a current of gratitude through me. “She does. And it means the world to me that you were there, that you’re here now.” Aiden’s smile didn’t wane as he turned the car onto the highway, the sparse traffic allowing him a moment to glance my way. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else, Isabella. You know that.” I nodded, watching the scenery blur past us. The night was clear, the stars scattered across the sky like dusted silver, and I felt a pull to share more with him—to dive into the depths of my thoughts and emotions. “It’s just…” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “Today made me realize how much I’ve changed. How much we’ve changed, together. I used to feel like an outsider everywhere I went. But with you, I’m home.” Aiden’s grip on my hand tightened.We drove in comfortable s
The car’s headlights cut through the darkness as we left the orphanage, the comforting presence of old friends and the familiar backdrop fading into the night. The drive back to the mansion that I’d slowly begun to call home was quieter than usual, yet filled with a resonant peace that settled around Aiden and me like a soft shawl.“I can’t believe how well today went,” I started, my voice tinged with wonder and relief. I glanced over at Aiden, who was focused on the road, the soft glow of the dashboard lights casting gentle shadows across his face. “It felt so good to talk with my mother about everything—well, almost everything.”Aiden’s slight smile grew as he listened, his eyes reflecting a warmth that drew me further into my recount. “And she seems to really like you,” I added, my tone lifting with pride.“That’s a relief,” he chuckled, his hand finding mine over the center console, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad she sees that my intentions are good.”I squeezed his hand ba
As we settled around the table, the buzz of conversation filling the room, I began to share my journey or should I say the lies I had build in my mind just in case for the moments like these. I spoke of the cities and the sights, my words painting a picture of freedom and discovery. But I carefully chose my words, the reasons why I had really left, and the secrets that Aiden and I shared. Aiden, meanwhile, ate quietly, his presence a steady calm next to my animated storytelling. Every now and then, he would chime in with a comment or a clarification, his voice smooth and engaging. The group was visibly taken with him, their questions turning from my travels to how we had met. “It’s actually quite a story,” Aiden began, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. “You see, Isabella literally bumped into me in a coffee shop.” Laughter rippled around the table, and I felt a bubble of laugh making its way to my throat at the thought of Aiden making up a story of how we met. “I w
As we settled around the table, the buzz of conversation filling the room, I began to share my journey or should I say the lies I had build in my mind just in case for the moments like these. I spoke of the cities and the sights, my words painting a picture of freedom and discovery. But I carefully chose my words, the reasons why I had really left, and the secrets that Aiden and I shared. Aiden, meanwhile, ate quietly, his presence a steady calm next to my animated storytelling. Every now and then, he would chime in with a comment or a clarification, his voice smooth and engaging. The group was visibly taken with him, their questions turning from my travels to how we had met. “It’s actually quite a story,” Aiden began, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. “You see, Isabella literally bumped into me in a coffee shop.” Laughter rippled around the table, and I felt a bubble of laugh making its way to my throat at the thought of Aiden making up a story of how we met. “I w
As the sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the orphanage in hues of orange and pink, my mother stood in the doorway, her expression a mix of hesitancy and determination. “Will you both stay for dinner?” she asked, her voice carrying a hopeful note that tugged at my heart. I glanced at Aiden, expecting resistance. He was a man of particular habits, unaccustomed to impromptu changes or the chaotic warmth of my past life. But to my surprise, he nodded. “We’d love to,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring. My mother’s smile lit up her face, and something inside me unfurled—a tension I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Wonderful,” she said. “I’ll set up the dining hall.” As she turned to make preparations, I felt Aiden’s hand squeeze mine briefly. “Are you happy?” he whispered, his eyes searching mine for any sign of distress. “Yes,” I replied, more to convince myself than him. “It’ll be good to catch up with everyone.” He nodded, his gaze lingering on me a moment longer before he r