Aria’s POV "After my parents' death, I became a lone wolf in a pack known for its large number of members. I'd walk around the woods aimlessly with nothing but resentment and a fueled fire of vengeance in my heart.However, I found interest in the weird-looking herbs and plants that surrounded my house, despite the fact that I moved to the pack house. I used to go back to my old home, but for some reason, I've never had the courage to go inside the house.With the help of my instincts and the little animals from the woods, I found myself creating cures and poisons.After a series of failed experiments and practices, I was able to come up with a lot of cures and a few poisons due to the lack of some elements. I've read through all the healers' scriptures I could find in the pack library, but none of them had any valuable information on poisons, just some erroneous healing procedures which I found useless, because there aren’t healers in the pack, only modern doctors. However, putting
Aria’s POV Torture isn’t as bad as people say it is. Torturing others is said to be a bad thing, but after seeing Bertha, I’ll have to disagree.Growing up, my mother told me stories of violence and how bad people always end up with an awful end. My parents taught me to always resolve issues in a calm and responsible way no matter the circumstance.However, they forgot to tell me how good and easy it was. Seeing Bertha in pain; all her screams and whimpers felt like a sweet melody that I wanted to last forever.Despite the fact that there is a chance of her being innocent in my parents' death, it didn’t stop how seeing her roll around in pain was pleasing.If it turns out she had a hand in their death, I shall come back to this little cottage and make her scream her lungs out until she doesn’t have to anymore. I promise to be her angel of death in a dark cloak.I shall be the end of Bertha.Before all that, I must get Simon and his friends. Every single one of them must pay - with bl
Xander’s pov I always felt a whirlwind of emotions when I thought about her. I desperately needed a break from the stack of files demanding my attention. The place felt suffocating.I'd been confined here for over two long days. I yearned for the soothing embrace of the woods—a sanctuary from loneliness.The border, a place I cherished, where something intriguing often occurred. As I ventured deeper into the woods, the robust scent of the oak trees intermingled with the unique aroma of Lucas's mysterious plants, creating a tranquil atmosphere.The towering oak trees had always fascinated me, but today, for some unknown reason, I felt an irresistible urge to climb one of these ancient giants.So I did.***"Patience is a virtue, young Xander," my father's words echoed in my mind as I perched on a sturdy branch. It was a quote he frequently used, yet I had never truly embraced the concept of patience. I was anything but patient, especially when it came to the things I desired.But seven
Aria’s pov I was on old creaking stairs when I woke up.My eyes fluttered open, and I was immediately assaulted by a searing pain in my head. It felt as if a hundred jackhammers were pounding in unison behind my eyes. I winced and tried to shield myself from the harsh morning light that streamed through a gap in the heavy curtains. The room around me was unfamiliar, a dark-themed, masculine chamber with soft brown silk sheets.I tried remembering how I got here, but my memory was blank.The pain in my head was maybe messing with my memories.I tried again,The only thing I could remember were pieces of what happened. Simon, the patrol wolves, me fainting.And the alpha! I need to get out of here. Possibilities of Simon ratting me out made me panic.I jumped out of the silk sheets I was in. I need to find Simon and get the hell out of here.I cursed myself for acting on instinct. I should’ve strategized.I can’t stay here.I was met with a strange hallway when I opened the door. There
Aria's POV"Hello," the healer, now known as Lucas, says as he takes a seat on the couch opposite me and my mate’s."Hi," I respond."You look better than the last time I saw you," he says observing me."Or maybe worse," I say more to myself.My mate takes charge of the conversation, cutting through the small talk. "Lucas, Aria mentioned that she's been experiencing headaches, and she suspects it might be related to something you’ve given her, like a drug?"Lucas leans back, his gaze shifting between us. "Experiencing headaches after waking up from a mini-coma is normal; it happens in most cases." I frown, "I'm not one of those wolves who fall ill easily. In fact, I can't recall ever being sick, from my pup days to now. So, perhaps something you game me triggered it. I've read few healing scriptures, so I know a bit about how things work you know." "We didn't give you anything unusual. You had no physical injuries or bruises, and our initial tests suggested that your unconsciousnes
Aria’s POVThis must be some sick joke, is the goddess playing with me or something? The test was positive again. “It's been confirmed that I am going to die” I thought to myself as I squeezed the papers in my hands."This isn't as bad as we thought, you know," Lucas said, seated behind his desk across from me and my mate. "To be on the safer side, I would like us to start the treatments as soon as possible to prevent it from getting worse," he added.I, on the other hand, was speechless. I didn't even know what to say or how to act; my whole body was frozen in my seat. I felt like a deer caught in headlights.Lucas kept on talking about a cleansing schedule, but my mind wasn't there. His conversation with my mate felt like muffled sounds as I zoned out into my train of thoughts.I need to think. Time is ticking, and I have to plan everything out, and I need to be fast. But my brain had gone blank. I stood up, making my way to the door. I needed to get out of here. I couldn't think
Aria's POVI couldn't persuade my mate to put me down, but I managed to convince him to take me to his house with a few tears."I told you we don't have to go back to the healer's quarters," I said."We have to go; we need to get your wounds cleaned," he responded.Instead of nagging him as I had earlier, I burst into tears, making him stop in his tracks. "Are you sure you're my mate?" I sobbed."What do you mean by that?" he asked."I told you I don't want to go back to the healers, and you keep insisting on going? It's hard enough for me as it is already. What kind of mate are you?" I cried."I told you it's going to heal with or without going to the healers. Why can't you just listen to me?" I said.I could have sworn I saw a smile cross his face for a very quick second, but he only bit his lip. "Can you please stop crying?" he said.But I didn't. I kept on sobbing, each sob louder than the last. He released a breath. "Fine, fine, we won't go to the healers. We'll go home instead."
Aria's POV"Aria? Is that you?" Jackson says as he stood by the front door. I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that he would recognize me, at least not so quickly."Jackson, right?" I say, amused."Why are you back here again?" Xander asks. "How many times do I have to tell you to knock before coming in?" My mate tells Jackson through gritted teeth, standing in front of me with my legs still wrapped around his waist."I did knock this time; you were just too busy to hear it," Jackson says with a little smirk.My cheeks heat up with embarrassment. I tried unwrapping my legs from Xander's waist but he uses his hands to keep me in place."Let me go," I whisper into his ear. But he doesn't. "Please?" I try again.Almost instantly, he lets me go."Why are you here?" Xander asks him. He was clearly irritated."Oh, come on, Xander. I didn't know you guys were getting steamy out here on the kitchen counter, man, but I have really important things to share with you. I'll wait for you in th
XANDER'S POV“I’m fine,” Aria groans in my arms as I carry her.Aria was discharged two days after being admitted to the healer’s. She recovered faster than expected, but I still insisted on carrying her. I wanted to hold her close. As we walked to the lake, I thought she would want to go straight home, but instead, she asked to stop here.“Xander?”“Yes, Sunshine?”“You can put me down here,” she says with a small smile. “We’re at the lake.”“Are you sure?” I tease.“Yes,” she laughs, playfully slapping my chest.“Let’s sit over there,” she points to some large rocks near the water. I carry her all the way and sit on one of the rocks, her arms still around my shoulders.“Okay, mister clingy,” she chuckles, leaning into me.“Xander,” she says softly after a few moments of silence.“You’ve been avoiding this,” she begins. “Every time I try to apologize, you brush it off. Xander, it’s my fault what happened. You shouldn’t blame yourself. I made a mistake, and I—”I cut her off with a kis
XANDER'S POV It’s been a week without my mate. A week without her barging into my office, a week without her leaving snack wrappers all over the place.If I could go back to that day, I would’ve taken her to the car first and made sure someone took her with the others. But I didn’t. I thought I wouldn’t be able to catch Victor if I did, that he’d escape before I reached the car.If I had, she wouldn’t have risked her life to save mine. She wouldn’t have put herself and our baby in danger.Now, seeing her lying on this bed, with the relentless beeping of the monitor beside her, is the last thing I wanted. Even though she’s passed out before, this time is different. This time, I don’t know if she’ll make it.Lucas said her chances of waking up soon are slim.But just like she didn’t give up on me, even when my heart stopped, I won’t give up on her. She’s a fighter, and I know she’ll wake up.“You’ve got it in you, sunshine,” I whisper, gently squeezing her hand.Lucas said she used e
ARIA'S POV “Alexander, please, you have to wake up,” I said between sobs.My mind was completely blank. I didn’t know what to do or how to help him. All I could do was cry, holding his head on my lap.“You need to wake up,” I whispered, trying to connect with my wolf inside me.“We need to focus. We can save him,” I told her as I finally felt her presence.“No, we can’t,” she replied sadly. “He was stabbed with a silver knife, and it’s poisoned. Not just any poison, Aria it’s strong, and the blade went into his heart. We don’t even have anything to work with. You’ve already used up all the antidotes, and nothing is working. He’s not breathing, and his heartbeat is fading.”“Remember that time we healed a butterfly with just my hands?” I reminded her desperately.“That was ages ago, and it only worked once,” she countered. “Besides, Xander is not a butterfly.”“We have to try. I can’t forgive myself if anything happens to him. I don’t think I’d even be able to keep breathing without h
ARIA'S POVXander stood firm, his icy gaze locked on Victor. The tension in the air was thick, and I stayed rooted to the rock he had placed me on, my thoughts swirling as Victor’s taunts rang in my ears."I have no idea what file you’re after, Xander, but you’re not getting it," Victor said with a smug grin, his stance oozing confidence.Xander’s fists clenched. "Hand over the files, Victor. Or else."Victor chuckled darkly, his laughter echoing through the clearing. "Or else what? You think I’m scared of you? You’ll never get the files, and you’ll never know what’s in them. I’d rather burn them than hand them over."Xander took a menacing step closer. "Then apologize. Apologize to Aria for killing her parents to satisfy your greed."The mention of my parents made my chest tighten. I felt like the ground beneath me was about to give way.victor raises a brow."apologize for killing the holloways" Xander growled, even though Victor had a hand in the fire Xander's family were in why is
ARIA'S POV When I was sure Albert was dead, I dragged what was left of his body to the mud pit at the far end of the clearing. My hands were trembling, and my breathing was uneven, but I had no time to dwell on it.The chaos from the ceremony was still ringing in my ears, and I needed to get back. After wiping my hands on the damp earth, I made my way back to the gathering. But when I arrived, what greeted me was utter destruction.People were running in all directions, panic clear on their faces. Shattered decorations and overturned chairs littered the ground. Fires burned in scattered patches, and the air smelled of blood and smoke.I searched the area for Marcus, but he was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Xander. My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned the chaos. The only person I could make out was Russel, who was helping people escape from the premises.Where’s Victor? I thought to myself, my anxiety growing.Pushing through the chaos, I kept searching until I finally caught s
ARIA’S POV““Hello, Berta. I knew we’d meet again, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon,” I said with a smirk, watching the fear flicker in her eyes. It was clear she hadn’t anticipated this confrontation, and the sight of her trembling filled me with satisfaction.“A-Aria... What are you doing here? And you...” She paused, sniffing the air cautiously. “You smell different.”“We’re not friends or long lost allies, Berta, so what I smell like should be none of your business,” I replied coldly, taking a deliberate step toward her.She stepped back instinctively, and for every step I took, she retreated further, her back finally pressing against the rough bark of a tree.In a sudden, desperate move, she pulled out a knife and plunged it into her stomach. Warm blood splattered onto my hand, and for a moment, I froze in shock.“Berta!” I shouted, my voice rising with disbelief. “What the heck did you just do?”She slumped to the ground, clutching her self inflicted wound, her breaths com
ARIA'S POV From the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar figure a woman with grey hair tied in her usual thin plaits, wearing the same plain dress I'd seen her in countless times before.Her scent hit me before her identity fully registered, and with it came a rush of emotions I couldn’t suppress. Anger, grief, and hatred all mixed into a bitter concoction I’d been forced to swallow over the years.How could I ever forget that scent?For a moment, I hesitated. I wanted to stay and savour the view before me Victor, the man who orchestrated so much of my suffering, unknowingly sipping from his poisoned glass of wine. But this wasn’t just about revenge. It was about justice, and justice demanded answers.I turned on my heel and followed her, keeping my distance. She walked briskly, her movements deliberate, as though she were on a mission. My instincts screamed that this could be a trap, but curiosity won. Whatever this was, I needed to know.My hand brushed the weapon strapped to my
XANDER'S POV"i'm in" Marcus says the desperation in his tone clear as day.“This isn’t the place to talk about these things,” I say, my voice steady but firm. I glance at him, trying to figure out what Aria must have said to him. Something has clearly changed because, out of nowhere, he’s full of determination to join the plan.I still can’t wrap my head around it. The last time we spoke, he made it very clear he had no interest in this event, let alone helping with anything related to it.In fact, he outright told me he wasn’t coming.“That’s exactly why we need to do this now,” he says. His tone is calm but urgent as he pulls a small pocket knife out of his jacket. Before I can even react, he slices his palm without hesitation. Blood seeps from the cut, and he holds out his hand toward me, silently urging me to shake it.For a moment, I’m stunned. I blink, trying to process what just happened. Amusement and shock mix inside me.“Do you even know what you’re doing right now?” I ask,
ARIA’S POV“Oh, hey Marc,” I say, smiling as Marcus steps up beside me from behind.“Hey, Marc,” Kristie echoes, wiping her mouth with a napkin.“Hi,” Marcus responds with a polite nod.“I’m Kristie,” she introduces herself, offering him a hand to shake before I even get the chance to introduce them.“Nice to meet you, Kristie. I’m Marcus,” he says, shaking her hand firmly.We both chuckle at their exchange, though my mind is elsewhere.We need to get out of Xander’s reach, I tell Marcus through the mind link.I haven’t looked back since Kristie and I walked away, but I can feel Xander’s eyes boring into my back, hot and heavy like a burning flame.“He’s just being a good mate, as he should be, Aria,” Marcus replies.“You call making me uncomfortable being a good mate?” I retort.“Well, if it were me…” He pauses for a moment, scratching the back of his neck. “If my mate were still here, I’d probably be staring at her like a lovesick stalker twenty-four hours a day if she wasn’t next t