Aria’s POVXander hadn't said a word to me since we entered the room. I had expected an explanation after the little jealousy stunt he pulled earlier."You should get some rest. Lucas wants to start your withdrawal treatment tomorrow," he told me."Is that a question or an order?" I asked him placing a hand on my hip. He stared at me for a brief moment, then raked his hand through his curls, appearing frustrated. I wondered what it would feel like to touch those soft locks. But I quickly pushed the thought away."Your health is my top priority, and I won't sit around watching you slowly get ill when there's a cure," he said.I rolled my eyes at his apparent concern, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. I could sense my wolf's disapproval with my attitude."You need to get some sleep. I have some work to finish up in my office," he said before making his way out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I took a deep breath, acknowledging that he was right. I needed as
Aria's POVThe withdrawal process was nothing as I imagined. Healer Lucas, along with another named Rose, prepared a detoxifying tonic. From the smell, I knew it wouldn't taste like candies or fruits.Xander had left for something urgent, I told him to go. Despite wishing he stayed, being an alpha, he had pack duties.I hesitated before taking a sip; it tasted worse than any herbal tonic I’ve ever had.“It doesn’t have the best taste, but if you take three big gulps, it’s quite manageable,” Healer Rose advised.I nodded and downed the remnants of the tonic with my eyes closed, following her suggestion.When I finished, I passed Lucas's empty cup to him. Our eyes met; concern etched on his face. "Aria, you need to take a walk, let the detoxification tonic work its magic. Move around a bit," he urged.Appreciating the advice, I began pacing the hallway, feeling the coolness of the stone floor beneath my feet. Uncomfortable with the curious glances, I decided to explore elsewhere.Rose's
Aria’s POVOne week later.So, I didn't die. I don't know if I should thank the heavens for letting me live or if I should curse the heavens, Lucas, and Xander.In that case, I think I should hate the heavens for making me go through what I experienced—the suffocation, the pain, and the helplessness. I felt as helpless as I did years ago under the bed. Just thinking about those memories makes my brain and heart ache.And Lucas, for detecting the ketamine and then forcing me to consume that weird-ass tonic with the bland and awful stench, which made my body glitch.Poor Lucas. I vividly remember how disoriented he looked when he saw me lying in Xander's arms, resembling a blow-up doll. I use the term "blow-up doll" because, in that moment, the only difference between me and one was the fact that I had blood and flesh, and my eyes were blinking. Lucas seemed a bit scared, trying to figure out where he went wrong, he thought my body was reacting perfectly to the tonic. But clearly, not s
Aria's POV:“I’ve set the date for our mating ceremony,” Xander says, setting me down on the couch.“You did what?” I bark, standing up from the couch. I have been trying to irritate him, make him hate me, and maybe even kick me out of the pack or something. But hearing him tell me he has set the date for our mating ceremony? I can’t let that happen; mating with him means tying myself to him, in other words, staying in this pack forever.“It’s high time you meet the pack members. The healers haven’t said anything, but the patients going in and out the bay have been curious. We can’t have any rumors going around about your identity,” he states.I can’t have that ceremony or whatever it is happen. It can’t.“So? Rumors don’t kill, you know. They can say whatever they want,” I tell him.“That shouldn’t be a reason for you to set the date without my consent. Oh my God, Xander! Why are you so inconsiderate?” I yell.“Rumors or no rumors, we’re supposed to have mated and marked each other b
Aria’s pov It has been three days of silence hung between us, making the house feel smaller. Xander's presence was there, but he kept to his study, and when we crossed paths in the kitchen, he'd just stare and vanish into his study.He stopped cooking for me. Jackson brought food, and the fridge was stacked with microwaveable dinners. I hadn't gone back to the healers, Lucas only visited once and told us my case is complicated but I’ll try to find some solution soon. I’m currently seating on Xander's bed, wearing a white tank top and one of his sweatpants—the only wardrobe I had since leaving the healers. Then, a crash from Xander's study broke the silence. He'd been so quiet lately, and oddly enough, I found myself missing him.I missed those soft forehead kisses, his warmth, and even our nightly arguments that weirdly felt like home. The silence became too much, so I decided to face him. I made my way to his study. Jogging down the stairs, I sensed he must've heard me from the
Aria's pov:Things have been going great between Xander and me. He's back to being the old Xander, even better than before.Being around him feels so right. I left content as I nestled on the couch with Xander, wrapped up in the soft glow of the movie. His tongue explored every inch of my mouth as our kiss wove into the background noise of the film, creating a private world within its scenes. Suddenly, Xander's phone buzzed persistently in his pocket, shattering our tranquility. I gently pulled away, suggesting, "You might want to pick that up."Xander let out a reluctant groan as he retrieved his phone and answered the call with a serious demeanor. He excused himself to answer the call.When he returned, a weighty expression lingered on his face. "We gotta go to the healers," he announced, leaving me slightly taken aback."Right now?" I questioned, the surprise evident in my voice.Xander nodded, urgency etched in his eyes.“Okay,” I told him. It must be something important if Lucas
Aria’s POVI feel like my soul is placed in the body of a different person. Everything about my body feels strange, but in a good way. I tried sitting up, but I can't."Oh, my heavens, she's awake. She's finally awake," Rose says. I don't know if she was screaming, or my hearing seems to have sharpened, but I could hear everything Rose was saying in my ears like a very loud drum.I feel her steps coming closer; she props me up, placing pillows behind me. "Aria! How are you feeling?" Rose says like she has been waiting for me to wake up for a thousand years.I part my lips to tell her I feel like shit, but nothing comes out, so I only smile. "It's official, Aria. I think you're related to Sleeping Beauty," she smiles, sitting on the seat next to my bed and holding both my hands."Do you know how worried I've been? I thought you were planning on staying in that bed for another week-""Who are you talking to?" Lucas asks as he opens the door."Dear heavens, she's awake?" he asks, surpris
Aria's POV:“You know you don’t have to go if you don’t want to, right?” Xander tells me as I rummage through his closet for my clothes and a few of his hoodies.I only smile at him as I stuff the clothes into a duffle bag I found somewhere in the closet.“I’m serious, Aria. If you don’t want to go, I can tell Meredith you won’t go,” he says.I still haven’t regained my complete strength. Zipping the duffle felt like a very hard task. But the a few extra pull and curses under my breath, I manage to zip it up.I realize I never asked Xander if I could borrow the duffle, so I turn to him. “You don’t mind me borrowing this, right?”“You don’t have to ask; we are mates for heaven’s sake,” he chuckles a bit.“Okay, I’m ready to go,” I tell him as I stand up from the floor.“Are you sure you want to do this?” He sounds concerned.“What choice do I have?” I force a smile.“I can talk to Meredith if you don’t want to,” he offers.“Just so she can rat me out to the healers' council, right?” I
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
ARIA'S POV “Gentlemen,” Xander says, his voice shifting to a more casual tone as we approach the group. “Meet my mate.”I force a small smile, trying to appear calm despite the uneasiness in my chest.“Meet my brothers, sunshine,” he says to me, his tone softening just a little.“This is Jacob,” he adds, motioning toward the man in the black suit and tie. Jacob simply nods at me, his expression unreadable.“And you’ve already met Caine.”I glance at Caine, but he’s too lost in his own thoughts to even notice that we’re talking about him.“And over there is Russel and his mate, Kristie,” Xander finishes.“Hey, I’m Aria,” I say to Kristie, offering her a polite smile.“It’s nice to meet you, Aria,” Kristie replies warmly, unlinking her arm from Russel’s and stepping forward to give me a hug.For some reason, despite just meeting her, I feel an odd sense of familiarity. It’s as if I’ve known her forever.“Do you want to head to the food stand?” she asks, a playful gleam in her eyes. “Th
ARIA'S POV “If you so much as let another man hold you, I will make sure they don’t spend another second on this earth,” Xander says, his voice low and threatening. He closes the gap between us, his intense gaze pinning me in place. Then, without warning, he captures my lips in a firm, possessive kiss.For a moment, I melt into it, my anger and resistance fading. I hate how much I miss this how much I miss him. As much as I want to stay in this moment forever, I know I can’t.The memories of yesterday flood back like a tidal wave, and I feel a sharp, massive pain shoot through my neck. The betrayal, the hurt it’s all too much.“No!” I manage to say between breaths, breaking away from the kiss.“I am not yours,” I bite out, my voice shaking with emotion.I try to push past him, desperate to get back to the crowd where I can breathe again, but Xander grabs my arm and pulls me back against the wall. His touch is firm but not forceful, though it leaves me no room to escape.He takes a d
ARIA'S POVVictor’s smirk falters for a split second but quickly returns, his usual confident demeanor sliding back into place. “Ah, Alpha Xander,” he says smoothly, his tone dripping with mock politeness. “Always swooping in at the last minute. How charming.”Xander doesn’t reply. Instead, he keeps his firm hold on me, his silver eyes blazing with quiet intensity. The look sends shivers down my spine, making my heart race, even though I’m furious at him for what he did to me yesterday in the woods.Victor’s gaze shifts between us, his lips curling into a faint smile that reeks of amusement. He finally steps back but not before giving me one last lingering look. “Enjoy your evening,” he says, his voice calm yet loaded with meaning.Without a word, Xander pulls me away from where Marcus and I were standing. He doesn’t stop until we’re in a quieter spot, far away from the crowd and behind the tall fence that encloses the area.“What were you thinking?” Xander hisses, leaning closer so o
ARIA'S POV. “Now, you stay close to me at all times unless you plan on staying by your mate’s side,” Marcus said in a low voice, his tone serious. “The people here are dangerous.”I didn’t need him to warn me about that. The tension in the air was enough to tell me everything I needed to know. The powerful auras surrounding us were suffocating, and my instincts were on high alert. There were too many strong wolves gathered in one place.And when has having so many powerful wolves in one gathering ever been a good idea?The chances of this ending peacefully were slim to none. Something always goes wrong in situations like this.“Are you even listening to me?” Marcus whispered sharply in my ear.“Of course I am,” I lied smoothly, giving him a quick glance.The truth? I hadn’t heard a single word he said. My mind was elsewhere, already bracing for the chaos I was sure would erupt before the night was over.“Great,” he muttered, clearly unconvinced. “When we see my dad, let me know immed