ARIA'S POVI ran through the foggy forest, feeling my heart pound in my chest. The damp leaves crunched under my feet as I pushed forward, desperate to put as much distance as possible between myself and the life I was leaving behind.Behind me, I could hear bone-chilling howls that made my blood run cold. Two gray wolves were on my tail, their large forms barely visible in the fog. I could hear their heavy breathing and the sound of their footsteps as they got closed in on me."Stop running, bitch!" one of the werewolves yelled, his voice harsh and threatening.I felt sick to my stomach, but I had to keep going. “Leave me alone!" I shouted back, my voice hoarse and breathless.The other let out a cruel laugh. "Leave you alone?? Dante, the man you claim to be your husband, he killed our parents, our family. And because of him, we were forced to become rogues. Now, we will make him pay by killing you!”My mind reeled. Alpha Dante, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack and my husband of t
ARIA'S POVAdam helped me out of the forest, his arm wrapped around me protectively as we made our way to his sleek black car.The drive to the hospital was a blur of streetlights and worried glances. I couldn't shake the feeling that my world had been turned upside down, again.We pulled up to the emergency entrance, and before I knew it, I was being whisked away in a wheelchair. Adam's voice boomed through the halls, demanding the best care, the top doctors.Soon after, I was in a comfortable bed in what looked more like a luxury hotel suite than a hospital room. Doctors and nurses bustled around me, checking my vitals and asking questions I could barely focus on answering."Adam," I whispered, reaching for his hand. "You really don't need to go through all this trouble. I'm fine."He squeezed my fingers gently. "Shh, little sister. Just let them take care of you."The head doctor, a kind-faced woman with salt-and-pepper hair, came over with a clipboard. "Well, you've been through q
ARIA'S POVThe phone slipped out of my fingers and landed on the bed. Dante's words echoed in my head, each one feeling like a knife twisting in my stomach.“...you are not allowed to get pregnant with my child. If you are, you better get rid of it. Immediately.”I sat there, numb, staring at nothing. How could he? How could he be so heartless?"Breathe, Aria," I whispered to myself, but the air felt thick, choking me.Minutes crawled by. Or was it hours? I couldn't tell.Suddenly, a loud buzz cut through the quiet.My phone.I glanced at it, feeling a mix of hope and dread. Maybe Dante had…With a shaky hand, I reached for the device. "Unknown number," the screen read.I let out a frustrated sigh. "Great. Just what I need. Some telemarketer trying to sell me crap I don't want."I almost tossed it aside, but something made me hesitate. Call it a woman's instinct or just plain curiosity, but I found myself opening the message.Just then, I gasped and quickly covered my mouth with my ha
ARIA'S POVHah! Happy? Dante was happy? While my world was crumbling around me, he was happy.I pressed myself against the wall, trying to make myself invisible. My heart was pounding so loud I was sure they could hear it."Linda," Dante's voice was gentle. "I promise you, I will do everything in my power to care for this child. I'll make sure that the little one grows up safe and loved. I will not let you both down.”He will not let them down? He was supposed to be making those promises to me, and not to Linda. What the hell was wrong with him?The room started to spin, and I felt like I might be sick right there in the hallway.I couldn't hold back the sob that escaped my lips. Quickly, I clapped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late."Did you hear something?" Linda asked.I heard footsteps approaching the door and panic surged through me. I couldn't let them see me like this - broken, pathetic, with tears streaming down my face. I was Aria, the princess of the Blood Moon Kingdo
ARIA'S POVI stood there, feeling my heart race, as I looked from Dante to Linda, then to Agatha, and finally back to Dante.The words were burning on the tip of my tongue, begging to be unleashed. I wanted so badly to scream. But as I opened my mouth, ready to let it all out, I saw Agatha's face.There was worry obvious in her expression, and the way she leaned on Linda for support. It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over me. The fight drained out of me in an instant.What good would it do to cause a scene? Especially with the servants hovering nearby, their curious eyes darting between us. I already felt humiliated enough, and I could see the way they looked at me as they walked by."I... I just needed some time alone," I said at last, the lie tasting bitter in my mouth. "I should have let you know. I'm sorry."Agatha's eyes narrowed slightly. "You needed some time alone?" she repeated, her voice laced with doubt. She shook her head, sighing heavily. "I don't have th
ARIA'S POVI stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down my plain blue dress. It wasn't fancy, but it was the nicest thing I owned.Three days had passed since Dante last spoke to me, and now here I was, getting ready for his mother's birthday celebration."It will only be for a few hours," I whispered to my reflection. "Just remember to smile and be polite."The moment I stepped into the grand hall of the Crescent Moon Pack's mansion, I felt out of place.Werewolves in designer clothes chatted and moved around, their laughter echoing off the high ceilings. I clutched my carefully wrapped gift tighter, searching the crowd for a familiar face.Out of nowhere, someone forcefully bumped into me. I stumbled, nearly dropping the gift."Watch where you're going!" a sharp voice snapped. I looked up to see a tall woman in a white dress glaring at me. "The help should know better than to get in the way."My cheeks burned. "I'm not-""Oh, let her be, Vivian," another woman cut in. "She's proba
ARIA'S POVI just stood there, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. My eyes burned with unshed tears, but I blinked them back fiercely. There was no way I was going to give these people the satisfaction of seeing me break down.I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Agatha cut me off with a sharp wave of her hand."Shut up!" she snapped, her voice filled with hate. "You've said quite enough, you little rogue."The room fell quiet as Agatha glared at me with a look that made me flinch a little. I felt small, so damn small, under her cold gaze."Do you have any idea," she began, her voice low and dangerous, "what you’ve done to this pack? To our future?"I swallowed nervously, confused. "What… what do you mean? What have I done?”Agatha's laughter was cruel and sharp. "Oh, don't play dumb, dear. It doesn't suit you." She then turned to address the crowd. "This... rogue," she spat the word like it was poison, "has ruined the future for our pack's future generation. The next heirs o
DANTE'S POVWhat?!What the hell was Aria thinking? Princess of the Blood Moon Kingdom? It was absurd. Impossible!! She had to be lying.I looked around the room, taking in the shocked faces of the pack members. Even my mother, who was usually so composed, looked like she had been slapped."This is ridiculous," I muttered under my breath. But as I watched, I saw something change in the room. The disbelief on the face of the people was slowly transforming into something else. Shock. And then... fear?No. They couldn't possibly believe her. Aria was... well, she was just Aria. The girl I had found wandering in the woods, half-starved and scared out of her mind. She wasn't a princess. She couldn't be.However, Aria wasn't done talking. She looked around the room, meeting everyone's eyes with a confidence I had never seen in her before. “Just because I let myself be humiliated, you think I'm weak?” she said, her voice steady and strong. "You all really have no idea of the power I hold."T
ARIA'S POV The moment the soldiers charged towards me, my body froze in fear. My injured arm throbbed painfully, but I instinctively pressed it against my side, trying to protect it as I stumbled back. The sharp smell of blood mixed with the sterile hospital air, making my head spin."Don't move!" the leading soldier barked, his voice harsh and commanding.I didn't have much of a choice. My legs felt weak, and the room spun as adrenaline coursed through me.Before I could react, the lead soldier pushed me aside with so much force that I fell to the ground, landing hard on my already aching arm.I winced, biting my lip to keep from crying out. The soldier paid no attention to me. He rushed to the window, leaning out and peering out below."Damn it," he growled under his breath. "Where is he?"The other soldiers crowded behind him, their boots thudding against the floor as they scrambled to get a look."Do you see him?" one of them asked, his voice tight with urgency.The leader didn
ARIA'S POV“Kieran!” I suddenly shouted, “For goodness' sake, they are almost here!”But he didn’t move. He didn’t even flinch. His eyes were locked on me, and they were full of something… something that made my heart squeeze. Guilt? Anger? Fear? Maybe all of it at once.The heavy sound of boots thundered closer, with the soldiers’ shouts echoing down the hallway. My pulse hammered in my ears. Kieran didn’t have time. They were coming.Before I could say anything else, the hospital room door burst open, and the professor surprisingly rushed out. His face was pale, and his breathing was laboured, but there was a fierce determination in his eyes.“Get out of here! Both of you!” the professor yelled, positioning himself protectively behind me. His body was thin compared to Kieran’s, but there was no hesitation in his movements. “Kieran, take her and get out of here! Now!”“Professor, no!” Kieran shouted, his voice breaking with raw emotion. “You don't have to do this. We can all leave
ARIA'S POVI leaned against the wall outside Kieran’s hospital room, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. The hallway was quieter now, but it wasn’t calm. There was a certain unease that seemed to hang in the air, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen.The faint hum of the hospital’s fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, blending with the occasional sound of pages flipping or the scratch of pens at the nurses’ station nearby.Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a few of the nurses glancing my way, their whispers carrying just far enough for me to hear my name. Some of them giggled, while others seemed more curious, their eyes darting between me and the closed door of Kieran’s room.However, one of them, the nurse who had burst into my room earlier, was different. She was standing at the edge of the nurses’ station, holding a clipboard tightly to her chest. Her eyes briefly glanced in my direction before she quickly looked away, as though she was afraid
KIERAN'S POV When Aria left the room and the door closed softly behind her, an eerie silence settled in. The kind of silence that pressed down on your chest, making it difficult to breathe. For a moment, I didn’t move. I couldn’t. My hands were tightly clenched at my sides, my breath shallow as I stared at the floor.This was my first real confrontation with the professor in three years. Three years of running. Three years of hiding. And now, here he was, standing before me, the man who had once been a constant in my life—a teacher, a mentor, someone I had trusted.“Kieran,” he said softly. “How have you been? Are you okay?”I didn’t look at him right away. I couldn’t bring myself to. Instead, I let my gaze wander to the window, where faint streaks of light filtered through the blinds. His voice sounded older, weaker than I remembered. The strength that had once defined him was gone, replaced by something… fragile.When I finally turned my head to really look at him, the sight shoc
ARIA'S POV The moment Kieran told me to stay back, I knew that something wasn’t right. His tone was sharp, his body tense, as though bracing for something… dangerous. My stomach churned with unease, and I sat up on the bed, clutching the blanket tightly.“Kieran,” I called softly, hoping he would turn and give me some reassurance. “What’s going on? Who is it? Please, talk to me.”He didn’t answer. He didn’t even glance back at me.The silence felt heavy, like it was pressing down on my chest. I swallowed hard, the stillness making my nerves feel like they were on fire. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Why wasn’t he moving? The longer he stood there, frozen in place, the more my anxiety grew.“Kieran,” I tried again, this time louder, my voice shaking slightly. “I feel fine now. I don’t need to stay here anymore. Let’s just go. Please.”Still, no response. He was so focused on whoever was at the door, it was as if I didn’t exist. I shifted uncomfortably, glancing around the room as i
ARIA'S POV I stared at him, not sure of how to respond. Part of me wanted to brush it off with humor or sarcasm—it’s how I always dealt with uncomfortable moments. But another part of me felt like this was important, that he deserved a real answer.Well, trust me to listen to the first part of me.Without thinking, I smiled awkwardly and said, “I saw that the nurse was pretty excited earlier. Isn’t this giving you both a chance to be alone?”The words were out before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted it. Kieran’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at me.“What?” he asked, his voice filled with both confusion and disbelief.I shrugged, trying to keep my tone light. “I mean, she seemed really… passionate about you. Maybe this is your chance to rekindle something?”“Rekindle something?” Kieran’s expression didn’t change. If anything, he looked more annoyed. “The nurse and I are just former classmates from medical school,” he said slowly, as if explain
ARIA'S POV My heart raced as I watched Kieran walking towards the shadowy figure standing in the doorway. His movements were slow and deliberate, his muscles tensed as if ready to spring into action.“I asked you a question, who are you?” Kieran asked again, his voice low but firm.Whoever it was didn’t say a word, and for a moment, the silence was suffocating. I tightened my grip on the blanket and felt my breath catch in my throat.Then, suddenly, the figure rushed forward. I gasped, instinctively pulling the blanket higher. But instead of attacking, the figure dropped to their knees and grabbed onto Kieran’s pant leg.“Prince Kieran,” they said, their voice trembling with emotion. “It’s really you! You’re alive!”Kieran froze, his body going stiff. I could see the shock in his eyes as he looked down at the person kneeling in front of him.“What?” he said, his voice barely audible.In that moment, something about the atmosphere felt strange, almost surreal. My instincts told me to
ARIA'S POV The room was heavy with silence after Kieran finished his story. The air felt thick, like it was holding onto the weight of his words. I just sat there, staring at him, my thoughts racing. The massacre, the betrayal, the loss of his family—how had he survived all of it? The Kieran sitting before me now, with his calm demeanor and sharp wit, seemed so far removed from the boy who had run for his life.I couldn’t imagine the pain, the guilt, or the fear he must have carried with him all these years. My heart ached for him, and I couldn’t stop myself from whispering, “I’m so sorry, Kieran.”He looked up at me then, his eyes soft but guarded. “Don’t be,” he said simply. “I don’t need pity.”“It’s not pity,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “It’s… it’s just that I can’t believe you’ve carried this alone for so long. You’ve been through so much, and yet you’re still… you.”His lips twitched into a faint smile. “And who is that?”“Someone who tries to make everyone else feel oka
KEIRAN'S POV It was a bright, cool morning, and the air smelled faintly of pine and earth. I remember walking to class with my bag hanging off one shoulder, feeling the steady rhythm of my boots crunching against the gravel. Medical school wasn’t just a pursuit—it was my passion. My parents had always encouraged me, their belief in my potential steady as a heartbeat.“Medicine will teach you discipline,” my father often said, his deep voice filled with pride. “It’ll help you understand your people better, to care for them and to lead them.”I smiled at the memory as I walked into the lecture hall that day, the scent of coffee and ink carrying through the air. The room was filled with a quiet buzz of chatter, the sound of notebooks being flipped and pens clicking. It was just another ordinary day—or so I thought.The class had barely started when the teacher’s phone rang. His face, calm and focused just moments before, suddenly clouded over with tension. He glanced at me, then back