Wildcard

I had to bite the inside of my cheek hard to stop myself from launching at Aiden right here, right now. Two days. Two whole days stuck in the Med Bay because Shannon thought breaking my arm was a fun way to "train." And in all that time, not one word from the Alpha sitting in front of me.

"If you wouldn't mind, I have work to do," he said, barely looking up as he tapped a stack of files into place like we were talking about the weather and not the fact that his pack had attacked me.

"Really? I was attacked by your pack, and that's your response?" My voice broke, but I wasn't going to cry.

Not for him.

He shrugged like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Worse things have happened during training. It toughens you up."

"T-toughens me up?" I could hardly believe what I was hearing. "Shannon broke my arm."

"So?" His tone was so casual, so indifferent as if we were talking about a paper cut and not the fact that I'd spent the last two days with a shattered bone.

And there it was tightening in my chest, that all-too-familiar knot of being treated like nothing. All my life, I'd been the invisible hybrid, the unwanted half-breed, but I thought-no, hoped it'd be different here.

That somehow, being fake-mated to an Alpha would make me. Seen.

Turns out, I was just as invisible to him too.

"So?" My voice came out a whisper, and I hated myself for it.

Weak.

Pathetic.

Aiden sighed, like he was exhausted by my very presence "Here's a little advice: don't get too comfortable. You're an asset, Ariana. Let's hope you don't turn into a liability

".

It felt like a slap.

Or, maybe I just wished that it had been one because that would have been something I could kick back against.

Instead, it was just words, ice-cold and calculated, lacerating through me.

“I don't want this anymore." The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them, shaking and in bits.

Aiden's response? A snort. "Oh, you think you get a say? That ship sailed the second you met the council and completed the ritual. You're bound, Ariana." He stops, narrowing his eyes. "Unless you're about to use your mother's death as an excuse," he says, I can hear the innuendo in his words.

He's going to be holding Luna's death over me for the rest of my life

My breath caught, the room tilting slightly. "Don't say that—"

He stepped closer to me, his tone darkening, taking on a dangerous edge. "Why not? You forget you're here to fill in for your friend. My mate. You're not even supposed to be here"

The withheld tears burst forth, but I bit them back. I could not let him see me break. "Is that how you treat people who help you?”

"Help me?" he scorned, "I'm helping you, You're a hybrid, right? A fox? You're never going to mate, not truly. I did some digging on your family, too. Your mother's whole vendetta was pathetic, trying to get an Alpha into the family while she wallowed in disgrace—"

Instinct kicked in, and I slapped him. The sting against my palm was well worth it if only for that second of satisfaction.

But Aiden barely flinched. His eyes darkened, and the smirk on his face grew. "You think this hurts?" he pointed at my arm "What you've done to me and this pack—that's real pain."

Before I could react, he sent me from his office, the door slammer closing with an echo that rattled the already frayed nerves of my body.

"F*ck," I muttered, going for my room, my heart beating at my eardrums. But before I could go far, a knock sounded on my door.

"Who's there?" I didn't have the energy for another fight.

"It's me," Damien's voice, was soft and somehow reassuring.

I opened the door, and just seeing him made everything feel a little less unbearable. "Hey."

"How's the arm?" His eyes flicked to the bandage, concern softening his features. "I stopped by the Med Bay, but they said you were with Aiden."

"Yeah. It's fine. Healing," I said, trying to sound like I had it together.

"Well, when you're ready, we can get back to training. Just you and me, this time," he added with a reassuring smile. And just like that, my chest didn't feel quite as tight.

**A week later**

So, how's college looking for you?" Damien asked as he flipped me effortlessly onto the mat, his grin far too pleased with itself.

"Ugh. I was thinking of applying to a state college in Silver Moon after graduation," I huffed, reaching for my breath.

"And now?"

"I'm not exactly Ivy League material, okay?" I lunged at him, trying to get the better of this sparring match. "Maybe something local."

Damien raised an eyebrow, barely even fazed by my attempt. "You could apply to Smirten. It's where I go. You'd like it”

“Oh yeah?" I grinned, tightening my hold on him."Tap out”

"Never," he groaned, wriggling beneath me, but I was quicker, wrapping my legs around his neck and pulling him into a lock.

"Seriously, though," he said, breathless. "I think you'd like it there. The pack pays for it."

"Sweet deal," I said, half-serious as I strained to keep him pinned.

He easily picked me up from the mat and flung me onto one of the beanbags nearby. I landed on it like a feather, not feeling any weight at all.

"Ugh," I grunted, unable to help but laugh.

"Let’s call it a day," he said, reaching for his water bottle. "You look like you need it."

Just then, Aiden's voice boomed from the entrance. "Ariana."

Ugh, I groaned inwardly. I knew I noticed this place suddenly smelled of sweat and douchebag.

"Get cleaned up, and meet me in my office," he said brusquely, turning to stride away already.

Damien mind-linked with him for a moment. I couldn't hear Aiden's response, but Damien's expression was enough.

"You'd better hurry," he said, his voice tinged with worry. "Elder Marbel and Elder Joseph are here. It's pack business."

I raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be in on that too? You are the Alpha's brother."

He shrugged, looking casual. "I've got school, remember?"

"Lucky you," I sighed, heading off to clean up.

***

I knocked quietly on the door after my shower, steeling myself for whatever awaited me inside.

"Great that you could join us, Ariana," Elder Marble said as soon as I stepped in.

"Didn't have much of a choice," I replied, plopping down across from Aiden.

"Would you control your mate, Aiden?" Elder Joseph shot, his glare like daggers aimed at my heart.

That was funny.

"Sorry, Elder Joseph," Aiden muttered, throwing me a glance that screamed behave.

"Anyway, today we're going to talk about the Luna ceremony," he continued, fidgeting through some papers as if he had some kind of scandalous secret hidden among them.

Luna ceremony?" I blurted, my heart plummeting. I thought I knew what it was, but deep down, I so wished I was wrong.

"Er. you know, the ceremony or bonding between the Luna and her Alpha," Elder Marbel said, half-heartedly as if she'd just discovered a damp sock in her wash.

Bond?

"But that was supposed to be done at the end of the year," Aiden protested, as taken aback as I was by this news.

"Yes, but your Alpha ceremony can't happen until you've completed the Luna ceremony. And if you haven't noticed, you're not the only one gunning for the Alpha position," Elder Joseph said, smirking.

"But I am Alpha!" Aiden growled, his red eyes flashing dangerously at Elder Joseph. “And just 25”

"No one's denying that, but if you recall, when Alpha Greg was sick and. well, *maniacal*, your father stepped in and killed him." There was something deeply unnerving about the tone Elder Joseph used to convey a sense of respect.

"So he could be Alpha. I know that," Aiden said, teeth gritted.

"And ever since then, it has been a tradition of the council to make certain that nothing but the best Alpha is selected for the pack Zia, especially during such sensitive moments," Elder Joseph added, sitting me up straighter.

"Even if it means helping to kill the present Alpha," Elder Marbel explained further, making Aiden do a double-take.

"What?!" Aiden snapped, his voice an explosive mix of anger and disbelief.

"Whoa," I all but snorted. Sounded like omnipotent Aiden had to be on his best behaviour. I gave him a similar look to the one he had bestowed upon me last week. He glared back. I couldn't help but savor the moment.

An earsplitting silence filled the room, thick enough to be cut with a knife.

"Therefore, going back to the Luna ceremony—it should be done in the middle of the year so that your rite could follow right after," Elder Joseph said in conclusion, as he stood up for his exit.

"That would be all," he said in a final tone as he left.

Elder Marbel stayed behind, looking at Aiden as if she waited for the stale atmosphere left by Elder Joseph to dissipate.

"You know they won't kill you, Aiden. It's just a last resort in case you go manic or power-hungry," she said, and for the first time, I detected the ring of real emotion in her voice.

Aiděn just growled low in his throat, refusing to even look up.

Former Alpha Greg's lineage wants the Alpha position back, and we have to fight them," appended Elder Marbel, her tone unyielding. "They're not lineage for it, and everyone knows that."

Aiden snorted. "But the council still lets them challenge me." His frustration seeped through in his words.

Because this position is a stolen one. When you prove that you've earned it and that you're better than your father, I'm sure you won't face challenges quite as often." She laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

I felt weirdness seep in and promptly said, "This might be a little bad timing, but I'm applying to college."

Again, there was silence.

What?!'' Aiden asked his face a picture of confusion.

"Last I heard, Daphney is making an amazing recovery, so she might be alright before the Luna ceremony," I added, rising as hope surged within me. "Which means I can get back to my life college!"

"Well, that isn't so bad of a plan, Ariana," Elder Marbel said, breaking the awkward staring contest between Aiden and me.

That wasn't the response I had expected, but I smiled at her before leaving.

I nearly ran into Kehlani in the hall.

"Oh, hi. Ariana," she said, her tone tentative as I nodded and walked past her.

I wasn't sure how to act around her since her mate broke my arm.

She said again, "I wasn't taking sides, but I am also sorry about what Shannon did," and I could feel the sincerity in her tone.

"It's cool," I said, still trying to shake the tension off me.

Once in my room, I fired up the laptop and checked the email regarding my application. Still nothing. But I held on to hope as if it was my only lifeline.

Then I saw myself in the mirror. My mind strayed to earlier when Kehlani had mind-linked me briefly to inform me Damien was in a hurry to warn Shannon to back off. Just because she was Aiden's beta didn't mean she could mess with me.

Two things slammed into my mind with a vicious force:

Damien stood up for me again.

And Shannon was Aiden's beta.

Just freaking great.