LOGINI shook my head violently. “No.”“Aria Vale,” he said again, sharper this time. “You are no longer part of this Pack’s affairs. You need to leave the premises immediately.”The words didn’t land properly, they passed through me without meaning. All I could feel was Damon or what was left of him.I p
Aria’s POVI woke up before my eyes even opened, not because of light or sound, but because the bond wasn’t right.It felt broken, like something vital had been stretched too far and snapped somewhere in the distance. I lay still for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling as my mind tried to piece to
My hand slowly moved to my stomach, resting there through the wet fabric of my clothes. The gesture was instinctive, protective, grounding in a way nothing else was anymore.“You’re still here,” I whispered, barely audible. “At least I still have you.”My throat tightened again, but this time I didn
Aria’s POVThe cabin was farther from the Pack territory than I remembered, or maybe it only felt that way because I walked most of the distance in silence with nothing but my thoughts and the sting still burning in my chest.Lex had given me the location weeks ago—casually, like it wasn’t something
“Mira,” I said slowly, forcing calm into my voice even as my pulse roared in my ears. “Let go of me.”She leaned closer instead, her breath uneven. “You think I didn’t see it?” She hissed. “You think I didn’t notice how Damon looked at you? How he changed when you walked into a room? And Kade… pathe
Aria’s POVMira’s apartment felt colder than I remembered, even though nothing about the room had changed. The same narrow hallway, the same faded curtains that never quite blocked out the streetlights, the same scent of dried herbs she used to burn when she wanted to ‘calm energy.’ Tonight, even th
Aria’s POVI woke up tangled in Damon. One of his arms was wrapped tightly around my waist beneath the blankets while my face rested against his chest, warm skin and steady breathing surrounding me completely. For a few seconds, I stayed still, letting myself exist there without thinking about the c
A hidden compartment rested beneath the vanity drawer, I found it almost immediately. My heart hammered violently while I placed the velvet box inside.Then I closed it and walked away. By the time I returned to Damon’s room, my hands still trembled.I remember slipping back beneath the blankets car
Aria’s POVI had barely fallen asleep when shouting outside ripped me awake. For one disoriented second, I thought I was back in the infirmary. My body jolted hard against the mattress, pulse racing, lungs tight with panic before reality settled around me again.My apartment.The dim orange glow fro
“That’s generally how clothes work,” I muttered.“Still sarcastic. Good. She’s recovering.”I stared at Alina carefully because there was no hostility in her voice. That alone felt suspicious.“I came to see Aria,” Alina said calmly. “There’s a gathering in the east sitting room.”My stomach tighten







