ARIA'S POVThe cool night air had helped clear my head, but as I stepped back into the bustling banquet hall, the noise and heat overwhelmed me.I spotted Evelyn sitting at our table and made my way over."There you are!" Evelyn exclaimed as I sat down. "Where did you go off to?"I forced a smile, not wanting to rehash the drama. "Oh, I just had to make a quick call. No big deal."Evelyn's eyes narrowed slightly. "You sure? You look a bit drained.”"I'm fine, really," I insisted, desperate to change the subject. "How was your trip out?"Evelyn's face lit up. "Oh my goodness, you won't believe what happened!" She went on to share a hilarious story about a mishap with her driver and a carton of materials for designing a dress. Soon, we were both laughing so hard tears were rolling down our cheeks."I swear," Evelyn gasped between giggles, "I've never seen cartons move like that in my life!"We were still laughing when a shadow fell across our table. I looked up to see Linda standing the
ARIA'S POVI looked away, desperately trying to gather my thoughts. The answer to his question was right there, on the tip of my tongue, but fear and hurt held it back. I had kept this secret for so long, and now, with Dante looking at me like that, I wasn't sure I wanted to let it go."Aria," Dante said, taking a step closer. "Answer the question."I stepped back, feeling the edge of a table press against my legs. "You have no right to question me about anything, Dante," I snapped, surprised by the sharpness in my voice. "Including this."He shook his head, frustration clear on his face. "Why didn't you say anything when we first met? If you're really a Griffith, why keep it a secret?”I let out a harsh laugh. "You didn't ask to know about me, Dante. What was I supposed to do, introduce myself with my entire family tree?""Oh please, don't be ridiculous," Dante said, his lips curling into a smirk that made my blood boil. "How could the Griffith's youngest daughter possibly be an ordi
DANTE'S POVAs I watched Aria leave with Evelyn, I felt a lot of things. Anger? Frustration? Regret? I couldn't quite define it, but I knew one thing for sure – I wasn't happy. Not by a long shot.Linda moved closer to me, her perfume overwhelming the stuffy air of the hall. "I didn't like the way you shouted at me, Dante," she said, her voice seething with anger.I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Maybe you should think before you speak, Linda. Your words can cut deeper than you realize."She scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Oh, please. Don't tell me this is all because of that... that nobody."I didn't answer. Couldn't answer. The pained look image on Aria's face was seared into my mind, making my chest tighten uncomfortably. Without a word, I started walking back to our table, with Linda's heels clicking annoyingly behind me.As she gathered her things, Linda suddenly cleared her throat, "It's such a pity we didn't get to meet the Griffith's youngest daughter.
DANTE'S POVFinn nodded, his eyes wide. "Yeah, can you believe it? The Moon Goddess's gift, right there for the taking. Well, if you've got deep enough pockets, that is."My mind raced. The Tears of the Moon Stone was legendary in the kingdom. Said to hold great power, it was the subject of bedtime stories and ancient prophecies. And now, somehow, it was up for auction."How the hell did the Griffiths get their hands on that?" I muttered, speaking more to myself than to Finn.Finn shrugged. "No idea, but it's legit. I double-checked with my sources."I sighed and leaned back in my chair.The Tears of the Moon Stone... could it be the answer to all my problems?"So," Finn said, breaking into my thoughts. "What do you say? Are we going?"I looked at him, then at the clutter of papers on my desk. Then I thought of the Tears of the Moon Stone, and the power it could bring."The Tears of the Moon Stone, huh," I said slowly. Finn nodded eagerly, his eyes sparkling with excitement.After a m
DANTE'S POV"Looking for me?" I repeated, taking a step backward. "Why? What's going on?"She hesitated, her eyes searching mine, then suddenly closed the distance between us. Her lips met mine in a surprising kiss.For a moment, I froze and my mind was spinning. This was not what I had expected.I should have pulled away, but then her hand slipped down, brushing against my dick, and all thoughts of stopping went right out the window."Damn it, Linda," I muttered as I grabbed her, kissing her back with a fierceness I didn't know I had in me.Her body pressed against mine, and for a moment, it felt like nothing else mattered. But then reality snapped back, and I pulled away, breathless."We really shouldn't be doing this," I panted, stepping back. "Linda, you're pregnant. This... it isn't right."She just smiled at me, and without a word, she started unbuttoning her shirt.I quickly turned away. "Linda, stop," I mumbled, my voice strained. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"Bu
LINDA'S POVI woke up to the early morning sunlight filtering through the curtains, my body still warm from last night's passion.As I stretched, I realized that Dante was already gone. A small frown creased my forehead, but I pushed away the disappointment. After all, I was the one in his bed now, not Aria.A smug smile played on my lips as I remembered the way Dante had touched me, the hunger in his eyes. It wasn't love, not yet, but it was a start. I knew I still had work to do to erase Aria from his heart completely, but I was patient. I could wait.My phone vibrated on the nightstand, interrupting my thoughts. I reached for it, squinting at the bright screen. The name that flashed up made my heart skip a beat.It was Jake, the investigator I had hired from the Black Moon pack.I answered quickly, my voice still husky from sleep. "Jake? What's up?""Morning, Linda," Jake's rough voice came through. "Sorry for waking you up, but I figured you would want an update."I sat up, sudden
ARIA'S POVI arrived at Adam's company and saw that the place was bustling, filled with people in suits and hurried voices. Everyone seemed to have somewhere important to be.As I headed to his office, I was greeted by a few familiar faces – Adam’s receptionist and a couple of his top executives gave me polite nods.I kept my head high, even though I was feeling anything but calm. When I finally got to Adam's floor, I was met by yet another friendly face, Adam’s personal secretary, Tina.“Princess Aria,” she greeted warmly. “I didn’t know you were coming today. Alpha Adam’s in his office — do you need me to let him know you’re here?”I shook my head, offering a small smile. “No need, Tina. It's a surprise visit, so I’ll just go in.”I didn’t give her time to protest as I walked past. I knew Adam’s company like the back of my hand; I had been here enough times, so I knew exactly where I was going.Finally, I got to his office, and without bothering to knock, I pushed the door open.Ada
ARIA'S POVThe auction hall was buzzing with excitement as I quietly made my way into the shadows, feeling both excited and nervous.It was finally the day of the auction, and the room was packed with all the faces I had expected and some I hadn’t.The tension in the atmosphere was thick. Everyone was here for one thing, and one thing only: the Tears of the Moonstone.From my corner, I watched them all. They were gathered in small clusters, speaking quietly but with intensity, discussing in hushed whispers about the artefact.There was a sense of desperation, almost greed, that filled the room, as if the Tears of the Moonstone was more than just a piece of jewelry. To them, it was power, magic, something that could change everything."I heard it enhances the speed of werewolves," one man murmured to another, his voice barely audible but filled with certainty. He was tall, with silver-streaked hair and a suit that screamed old money. "Stronger too. The kind of strength you don’t get fr