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
LINDA'S POVThe banquet hall buzzed with the usual chatter, as the low hum of voices mixed with the soft clink of crystal glasses and silverware.This was no ordinary gathering — it was the follow-up to the charity auction that had sparked so much attention a few weeks ago. However, tonight’s banquet wasn’t about collecting donations; it was about deciding how those funds would be used, about planning future relief efforts.I had, of course, been invited. As one of the central figures in Dante’s life and a member of the family, I was expected to attend, to smile and play the part of the supportive partner.I actually wore my mask well, but the truth was, these events bored me. Everyone pretends to care about charity, when in reality, they were just here to flaunt their wealth, power, and status… and well, I was no exception.After all, what is a pack event without flaunting your most expensive designer wear or jewelry?But tonight… tonight, something was different. I felt it in the ai
ARIA'S POVAgatha’s tone was low, deadly, filled with the kind of authority she expected everyone to bow to. She had always had this way about her, this iron grip over every room she stepped into. And for years, I had been one of the ones who cowered, who bowed my head and accepted whatever scorn or disdain she threw my way.But not anymore.The old me—the woman who had once been Dante’s obedient wife, walking on eggshells around his family, bending under their expectations—was gone. I wasn’t that woman anymore, and I wasn’t going to let Agatha treat me like I was… a… a piece of garbage.I felt the intensity of her gaze, sharp as daggers, pressing down on me, trying to force me into submission. But I stood my ground.I was done being the doormat, done letting Dante's family walk all over me.“I am not leaving,” I said, my voice louder than I intended, but I didn’t care. I squared my shoulders and met her gaze head-on, refusing to be intimidated. “And you do not have the right to tell
ARIA'S POVGasps spread through the crowd. I couldn't believe my ears. Did Dante really just stand up to his mother? And for me?Agatha's face turned an alarming shade of red. "How dare you speak to me like that?" she hissed. "I am your mother!”"And I'm a grown man," Dante shot back. "I can make my own decisions about who I want in my life."I felt… a bit of relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by the whispers that started up around me."Look at her, causing trouble in the family.""She must have bewitched him somehow."“How pathetic.”“But why is he even defending her?”As they picked me apart with their judgement, a rush of humiliation and frustration welled up inside me, burning in my chest.I wanted to scream, to tell them to stop looking at me like I was nothing, to tell them they didn’t know the whole truth. But my throat felt tight. I just stood there, feeling helpless, as the whispers grew louder.Just when I thought I couldn’t stand it any longer, Finn stepped forward.Da
DANTE'S POVFinn's expression was annoyingly calm. "I'm just having a conversation with Aria, Dante. Last time I checked, that wasn't a crime."He had always been the easygoing brother, someone who would go out of his way to avoid conflict at all costs. But in that moment, he didn't look like he wanted to avoid anything.My eyes narrowed as I watched him, trying to figure out what was going through his head."Don't play dumb with me," I snapped. "You know exactly what I mean."Aria looked between us, her eyes wide. "Dante, is there a problem?"I ignored her, keeping my focus on Finn. "Answer me, brother. What the hell are you up to?”"You really don't have the right to be angry, Dante,” he said calmly, almost too calmly, like he wasn't talking to me at all. Like I wasn't his Alpha.I stared at him, completely thrown off. “What did you just say?”“Come on brother. You heard me.” He didn't flinch. If anything, he looked at me like I was the one out of line. “You should take a deep breat
ARIA'S POVI saw the hurt flash across Finn's face, and something in me snapped. Without thinking, I flung open the car door and rushed towards them."Stop it!" I suddenly shouted, my voice cracking with emotion. "Both of you, just stop!”But they were both too far gone to listen to me."You've always been jealous of me," Dante snapped, landing a kick to Finn's ribs.Finn grunted in pain. “Me? Jealous?" he laughed bitterly. "Of what? Your arrogance? Your inability to stand up to our mother?""At least I have a place in this pack," Dante spat. "What are you? The spare? The backup?"In that moment, I didn’t think, I just acted.I positioned myself directly in front of Finn, my back to him, my arms outstretched as if I could physically shield him from Dante’s anger.Dante’s eyes, still burning with anger, shifted from Finn to me. And just like that, his expression darkened even more. His jaw tightened, the muscle in his cheek twitching with barely controlled rage.“Aria, get out of my wa
ARIA'S POVFor a moment, Finn didn’t say anything. His jaw was set, his eyes fixed on his mother’s, and I could almost feel the tension radiating off him. But then, his shoulders relaxed, and he took a deep breath, his voice steady and calm in a way I hadn’t expected."No, Mother," he said. "I'm not mad. I'm perfectly fine. In fact, I've never been clearer about anything in my life." He paused and took a deep breath. "I've found love, Mother. Real, honest love. And I'm not going to let anyone, not even you, stand in the way of that.”The words echoed in the silence that followed, hanging in the air like a thunderclap. For a second, the world seemed to stop.I stared at him, utterly stunned. Did he really just say that? Was he being serious? Love? But… when did that happen? And why was my heart suddenly racing at the thought?Agatha’s eyes widened in shock, her face drained of colour. She tried to speak, but no sound came out, and then just like that her eyes rolled back in her head an
ARIA'S POVThe question filled me with panic, and I couldn’t help but laugh—too loudly, too awkwardly. It was the kind of laugh that didn’t feel natural, the kind you give when you're caught off guard and scrambling for some control.“What?” I blurted, quickly glancing at him before focusing back on the road, my heart racing. “I wasn’t staring at you. Seriously.”Finn raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Uh-huh.”I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, and I hurriedly tried to defend myself, desperate to cover up the fact that he had caught me again. “No, really! I wasn’t staring. Why on earth would I be staring at you?”He chuckled again, the sound light but teasing. “That’s what I would like to know.”I tried to come up with something, anything that didn’t make me sound like a complete idiot. “I was… uh… I was looking at the trees outside. Yeah, the trees. They’re really nice, you know?”Finn just stared at me, his lips curving into a small, knowing smile. He didn’t believe a word