DANTE'S POVThe first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the white ceiling of the hospital room.Blinking against the harsh brightness, I felt a strange, disoriented fog clouding my mind. It was as though I had been asleep for a long time, so long that the silence around me seemed almost unnatural, like an endless ringing in my ears.Was this… the afterlife? Was I… dead?A sense of unease crept over me, and as my senses slowly returned, I started to realize that I was very much alive.The quiet in my head gradually faded, and I began to hear voices coming from outside the door, as though a crowd was gathered.I couldn’t catch every word, but there was one voice that stood out among the rest, sharper and louder than the others.It was my mother's.As the memory hit me, I flinched, and the sudden movement sent a ripple of pain through my body. I groaned, barely able to lift my head, but slowly, I turned to look around the room.The bed beside me was empty, and the room was also empty
DANTE'S POVI rushed forward, ignoring the sharp, tearing pain that flared through my chest with every step.My body protested, reminding me of every injury, every burn, and every scrape. But I couldn’t stop. Not when I saw the way Aria’s face had turned pale. She looked so small, so tired, caught in a storm she didn’t deserve.As soon as I reached her side, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her close to shield her from the guards and the tense atmosphere.The pain hit me in waves, and I winced, clenching my teeth to keep myself from bending over. But when I looked down at her, nothing else mattered.“Aria,” I whispered, my voice barely steady, my hands trembling as I held her close. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Do you feel sick?”Aria’s wide, surprised eyes met mine, and for a second, it was as if time stood still. She blinked, her lips parting slightly as she whispered my name, almost like she was saying it for the first time. “Dante? You’re… you’re awake?”
DANTE'S POVThe silence that settled over the hallway was heavy as my question hung in the air, lingering between Adam and me.All eyes were on us, waiting, as though they too wanted to know what his answer would be.But he didn’t say anything.Adam’s eyes met mine, and there was something in his expression that I couldn’t quite understand. A flash of something like guilt, or maybe it was frustration—I just couldn’t tell.He looked down, his jaw clenched, and it was as though he was wrestling with something inside himself, something he couldn’t, or wouldn’t want to say.My mother, who had been shouting just moments ago, was now standing quietly, looking at Adam with a suspicious gleam in her eye. Linda,on the other hand, was restless, her gaze flickering between Adam and me.And as for me? I felt a cold, creeping doubt slowly spread into my chest as I stood there, staring at the man who, apparently, had saved my life.Suddenly, my mind began to wander, piecing together every piece of
DANTE'S POVThe command was still ringing in the air when my mother opened her mouth to say something, her expression fierce and ready to argue. But before she could get a word out, I turned to her, giving her a look that I knew left no room for discussion.A low growl escaped my mouth, and I saw her flinch, her shoulders dropping just enough for me to know that I had gotten through to her. She lowered her head, though her face was tight with a barely hidden frown.I let out a scoff, feeling the frustration building up inside me. Shaking my head, I turned away from everyone and began walking back to my room.Every step I took felt heavier than the last. My chest was tight, my mind racing with a mess of emotions I couldn’t sort out—anger, hurt, confusion. I couldn’t even bring myself to look back at Aria. I didn’t want her to see me like this, to see my weakness or see that I was jealous.As I reached my room, I gave one final order to the guards stationed outside.“No one is allowed
ARIA'S POVBy the time Adam brought me back to my hospital room, I felt like I was walking through a fog.Everything that had happened today seemed to cling to me like a heavy burden—the shock of seeing Dante awake, the accusations from his mother, Linda’s mocking words.I could barely even process any of it; it was as if the ground had shifted beneath my feet, leaving me feeling off-balance, lost.As I sat down on the small couch in the corner of the room, Adam placed a glass of water in front of me. With shaky hands, I reached for it, hoping that a sip might help clear the weight pressing on my chest.Adam took the seat across from me, leaning back with that familiar, confident look, though this time there was an edge of sarcasm in his expression. “So,” he began, an eyebrow raised. “Are you still planning on going back to see him? I mean, since you’re so… love struck?”I met his gaze, feeling my face flush at his mocking tone. His eyes were searching, waiting, as if he knew exactly
FINN'S POVDante’s eyes narrowed even more, his gaze never leaving mine. “Don’t play coy with me, Finn. You’ve been acting strange. Ever since I woke up, there’s been this… tension. Something isn’t right, and I can feel it. You’re not telling me everything.”I swallowed, feeling the walls I had built around my secrets start to crack. “Dante, you just woke up,” I said, choosing my words carefully, buying myself time. “Maybe it’s all… it’s overwhelming. Maybe that’s why things feel off.”He didn’t buy it. “Maybe,” he said, though his voice held no conviction. “Or maybe you’re just trying to avoid telling me the truth. The real truth.” His gaze hardened, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. “So why don’t you tell me what’s really going on, Finn?”The air in the room suddenly became thick with tension as Dante looked at me, waiting for answers I wasn’t sure I could give."Dante," I began carefully, choosing my words slowly. "Honestly, a lot happened while you were out, and honestl
FINN'S POVOnce I was sure Dante was deeply asleep, I quietly left his room, carefully closing the door behind me.The hallway was quiet, except for the faint sound of machines beeping softly from distant rooms, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I motioned to the two guards I had stationed outside his door, their expressions sharp and focused as they snapped to attention when I approached.“You both are to make sure no harm comes to him. No unauthorized person is allowed to enter. Do you understand?” I kept my voice low but firm, letting the weight of my words settle in.They nodded immediately, but something about their eager expressions made me feel the need to repeat myself, adding a subtle but very real warning. “If anything happens to Alpha Dante,” I said, voice hardened, “there’ll be hell to pay. Understood?”They exchanged a quick glance and nodded more seriously this time.Satisfied, I turned and made my way down the corridor, pushing through the heavy thoughts that clung to me
ADAM'S POVThe loud ring of my phone cut through the silence, breaking my focus as I looked over a map spread out on my desk.Finn’s name flashed on the screen, and I took a steadying breath, my mind already racing. I had half-expected this call, after the whole thing that went down today, so if he was calling me, it meant that he had something very important to say. I just hoped that whatever it was, it was good news.Swiping the screen, I lifted the phone to my ear. “Finn.”“Adam.” His voice was tense, but steady. “I need your help finding the rogue wolf that caused the accident. I can’t let him escape, not after everything he’s done to Aria and Dante.”Hearing the strain in his tone, I couldn’t help but respect his determination. Ever since Finn and I started talking, I had noticed that he had always had a way of speaking that made people listen, but now he sounded determined in a way I hadn’t heard before. “Good,” I replied simply. “But first, I’ll send you some things to get you