ARIA'S POVAfter Linda shamefully walked out, all eyes were on me. I actually had something more planned — something that would ensure I didn’t just have their attention, but their admiration.“Alpha Ezra,” I called out, my voice ringing clear across the room with a smile on my lips. “I have something even more special for you, something that's more than just a painting.” I paused for dramatic effect, enjoying the curious murmurs that spread through the crowd.Alpha Ezra looked at me, his eyes shining with amusement. He let out a soft chuckle and stepped closer with an easy grace that only an Alpha could pull off.He placed his large hands on my shoulders. “And why am I not surprised?” he said as he looked around at the guests, his voice carrying a touch of affection, “You all now see why she’s my favourite granddaughter-in-law.”I couldn't help but smile at his words, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks.How perfect…I reached into my bag and slowly pulled out the staff, the Tears of t
DANTE'S POVI sat near the edge of the hall, pretending to listen to the small talk going on around me, but my mind was somewhere else entirely.I couldn’t get Aria out of my mind. She had given Grandfather the Tears of the Moonstone, which definitely got everyone's attention.Don't get me wrong, it was a kind gesture. I should have been impressed, and I was — sort of. But there was something about it that bothered me.Why did she feel the need to bid against me for it at the auction if she was already planning on giving it to him? Was she giving it to him out of some sense of loyalty or affection? Or was there another motive?Lately, Aria had become a puzzle I couldn’t figure out, no matter how many pieces I tried to put together. Every time I thought I had her figured out, she would do something to completely throw me off. And if I was being honest with myself, thoughts of her had been keeping me up at night.I shook my head, trying to clear the anxiety. This wasn't the time or plac
DANTE'S POVI sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Old grudge. It's a long story."Aria looked between us, her eyes wide. "Shouldn't we tell someone? Alpha Ezra-""No," I cut her off, maybe more sharply than I intended. I quickly softened my voice. "No, we can't tell anyone about this. Not now.""But Dante-”I took her hands in mine, looking into her eyes. "Aria, please. This is Grandfather's birthday. I don't want to ruin it with all this drama. And if he finds out, he'll worry. You know how he gets."Aria bit her lip, looking clearly torn. I could almost see the wheels turning in her head.“Please,” I said again, my voice barely audible. I could feel my own desperation creeping into my tone, something I wasn’t used to feeling, something I didn’t like. “Until I figure out what to do next… Can you keep this a secret? Just for now?”Aria hesitated, her eyes searching mine. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Okay, Dante,” she agreed reluctantly, her voice soft but firm. “Just for now. But y
ARIA'S POVDante's words hung in the air between us. I felt a rush of conflicting emotions, all tangled up inside me, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak.I saw something raw and vulnerable in his eyes, something I hadn’t seen in a very long time. But then, just as quickly, another memory pushed its way in — the memory of the child I had lost, our child. The loss that had torn me apart, that had left me shattered. And it had been his fault.Because of his cheating, his careless, nonchalant attitude towards me… his refusal to see me, really see me.The pain of that bitter memory cut deep, and suddenly, I felt a rush of anger rise within me like a wave crashing against the rocks.I pulled my hand away from his grasp, shaking my head. “You want to know why I don’t rely on you?” I snapped, my voice shaking with the force of my emotions. “It's because you never gave me a reason to, Dante. Because every time I’ve needed you, you’ve turned your back. You’ve lied, cheated, and pretended like n
DANTE'S POVAria's words had cut through me like a blade, but I couldn't blame her for being mad – I had given her plenty of reasons to feel that way. Though, it still stung.The memory of her tear-filled eyes, the way she had pulled away from me — it haunted me as I stood alone in that empty room.I had watched as she angrily walked out into the night without a second thought, but the thought of her going back alone troubled me.My enemies were still out there, lurking in the dark, and waiting for any opportunity to strike, so I couldn’t let her leave like that, not without knowing she would be safe at least.Without thinking, I hurriedly made my way out of the hall. I followed the scent she left behind, that familiar trace of her perfume mixed with the cool night air. It was faint, but it was enough to guide me.As I ran through the path, I tried to tell myself that she would be fine. But something in me — some strong instinct was screaming that she was in danger.The dark forest st
ARIA'S POV“Dante! Dante!!” I cried out, my voice shaking with panic as I knelt beside him, gripping his shoulders.His eyes were closed, his face pale, and his body felt far too still under my touch.I shook him, desperate, hoping that somehow I could wake him up. But there was nothing - no response. Just his shallow breathing, barely there, and the slow trickle of blood staining the ground beneath him.“Dante, please!” I shouted again, louder this time. “Don’t do this to me! Wake up! Come on!!”Good grief! What was I supposed to do?“My phone… where’s my phone?”I quickly started rummaging through the dirt and leaves, my hands shaking as I searched for it. “Come on,” I whispered. “Where is it?”Finally, my fingers brushed against something solid, and I snatched up the phone.Without wasting time, I quickly unlocked the screen, my fingers fumbling over the keys as I scrolled through my contacts. My hands shook so badly I almost dropped it.“Ryan, Ryan…” I muttered, searching for my b
ARIA'S POVWhen I woke up, the world felt oddly muted. I blinked, trying to make sense of my surroundings.White walls, beeping machines, the sharp smell of antiseptic… I then realized that I was in a hospital, and suddenly all the memories came rushing back - the attack, the chaos, the fear.I sat up too quickly, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my body. I actually just had a few cuts and bruises. Nothing too serious.My head spun for a moment, but it wasn’t the dizziness or the faint ache in my muscles that mattered. It was the thoughts of Dante – the memory of his blood-soaked body, his weak breathing, flooded back to me.I hurriedly scrambled out of bed, ignoring the protests of my aching muscles.Where was he? Was he alright? The last thing I remembered was… Ryan standing in front of me.I stumbled into the hallway, my bare feet cold against the floor. I didn’t care about myself — I just needed to find him.A nurse was walking by just outside my door, her arms full of medical
ARIA'S POVI recognized the voice instantly – it was Ryan.Goodness, what on earth was he doing here? How did he even know that I was in here?Panic seized me as I looked between Dante and the door that was about to burst open at any second.I couldn't let Ryan see me in here, not with Dante. I had to leave before he barged in and started to lash out unnecessarily."I have to go," I whispered hurriedly to Dante, my eyes locked with his. The confusion in his gaze made my chest ache, but I didn't have time to explain.Before anyone could stop me, I moved to the door and placed my hand to it for a moment, trying to calm the panic that was building inside me.When I opened the door, I saw Ryan standing in the hallway, his face dark with anger. His eyes flashed, and before he could even speak, I quickly stepped out, shut the door behind me, and pressed a finger to my lips.“Ryan, not here,” I hissed, cutting off whatever explosion was brewing. “Let’s just go.”He gave me a fierce look, his