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
ARIA'S POVAfter I left the hospital, a heavy burden settled in my chest. My thoughts were consumed by all that Ryan had revealed, the picture still burned into my memory.How could Linda be involved with something like this? It was hard to believe, but the pieces were starting to come together in ways I never wanted to imagine.I needed to act, and using the power of my family, it wouldn't be difficult to start putting plans into motion.The Griffith family… we were influential, strong, and when we set our sights on something, we always made sure to get results. I intended to use every ounce of that influence to get to the bottom of this mess.It wasn't long before I called an urgent meeting with Ryan, Adam, and our most reliable pack warriors. We all gathered in the study of our family estate.The first plan was capturing the wolf who had attacked me.Adam had already begun mobilizing our forces. We even called in a special team — wolves and hunters trained for missions like this —
ARIA'S POVColour drained from the man's face. "You're bluffing… I know you are," he stammered. "You Griffiths, you're too noble for torture."Adam and Ryan both burst into laughter, surprising the man.The man’s eyes shifted nervously between us, wide with fear. He was trapped, and he knew it.“Listen, I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he flattered, trying to pull away, but Ryan kept a tight grip on him.“Oh please,” Adam said, his voice cold and commanding. “We know you attacked Aria. We know you’re involved with the rogue wolves. Now, tell us everything.”The man swallowed hard, realizing that there was no way out. His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I… I was ordered to do it,” he muttered, barely above a whisper. “I didn’t have a choice.”“Ordered by who?” Ryan demanded, shaking him slightly.He hesitated, his eyes flicking toward me for a moment, then back to Ryan. “Linda,” he admitted quietly.A gasp escaped my lips, and I took a step back. I had already suspected that sh
DANTE'S POVLying in the hospital bed, staring at the beeping monitor beside me, I couldn't shake off the uneasiness overwhelming me.My mind wasn’t on the pain in my ribs; it was on the notification I had received about a large fund transfer that didn’t sit right with me.Linda’s name had been all over it, and I just knew it wasn’t by chance.Arnold stood at the window, arms crossed, watching the rain streak down the glass. He had been quiet, but I knew he could feel the tension in the room.The moment I shared what I had found on my phone, everything had clicked into place.“I’m telling you, it’s all connected,” I said, my voice rough but steady. “The attack on Aria, the sudden transfer… I think Linda’s behind it.”Arnold turned, his eyes sharp, mirroring the worry I was trying to suppress. “You really think she’s using that money to pay them off? The rogue wolves?”I nodded. “She has to be. Why else would there be such a large transfer from that account? It’s like she’s covering he