MasukChapter 56 Aria's POV "Are you insane?" I hissed from the bed. "You have a table full of elders downstairs. My mother is down there. Jace is down there. You just—""I know who's down there.""Then what are you doing up here?""What does it look like I'm doing?""It looks like you're trying to destroy both of us."He crossed the room‚ closing the distance between the door and the bed while his dark eyes never left mine."What were you doing down there?" I asked‚ my voice shaking despite every effort to keep it steady. "Under the table‚ Kael‚ with my mother sitting right next to you and Jace right next to me and a dozen elders watching your every—""I needed to touch you.""You needed to—are you hearing yourself right now?""I couldn't sit there and watch him feed you off his fork at my table in my house without—""So your solution was to finger me in front of the entire South Territory elder council?""Yes.""You're sick.""I know." He stopped at the edge of the bed. Looking down at
Chapter 55Aria's POVUnder the long silk tablecloth‚ out of sight of my mother and the stern territory elders‚ Kael's hand suddenly hitched my skirt up.His fingers moved fast‚ bunching the fabric up my thigh in one smooth motion while his face stayed perfectly composed above the table‚ his mouth forming words about territorial border security that I couldn't process because his left leg was swinging over mine under the linen‚ his calf hooking around my ankle‚ his thigh pressing heavy against my knee‚ pinning my legs apart while his hand kept pushing my skirt higher.His fingers found the thin string of my thong.He didn't pull it aside gently. He yanked it. This rough sideways tug that snapped the fabric against my hip as he dragged it away from my center‚ and then his fingers were right there‚ two of them pressing flat against my bare clit with zero warning."AH—" The gasp tore out of me before I could stop it‚ my hands flying to the edge of the table and gripping so hard my knuckl
Chapter 54Kael's POVDays later‚ I hosted a formal political dinner for the South Territory pack elders at the mansion.The garden had been set up with a long mahogany table under string lights‚ white linen‚ crystal glasses‚ the whole performance. Every elder who hadn't already been bought by Ronan was sitting at that table‚ Blackridge elders‚ a handful from Ashworth‚ two from Greyton who were still on the fence. The ones who mattered. The ones whose votes could swing the entire territorial election if I played this right.Vance was seated three chairs to my left‚ his wine barely touched‚ his sharp eyes watching the table dynamics‚ reading who was leaning in‚ who was leaning back‚ who was engaged and who was performing engagement. He'd been instrumental in pulling this dinner together‚ working the guest list‚ making the calls‚ convincing the Ashworth and Greyton elders that an evening at the Blackridge Alpha's table was worth their time despite Ronan's deep pockets.Diane was at my r
Chapter 53Aria's POVI arrived at the mansion‚ heading toward my room‚ when I heard the sound of someone crying.It was coming from the master bedroom. I’d grown up with that sound. My mother’s crying was one of my earliest memories‚ which meant something had either fallen apart or was about to.I dropped my bag outside my bedroom door and followed the sound down the hallway."Mom?"The master bedroom door was open. The walk-in closet light was on. I stepped inside and found her sitting on the floor of the closet surrounded by empty hangers and bare shelves‚ her cream cardigan bunched in her fists‚ her face swollen and blotchy‚ mascara running down her cheeks in dark streaks that made her look ten years older than she was."Mom‚ what happened?""He's gone." Her voice cracked on the word‚ this wet shattered sound that shook through her whole body while she clutched the cardigan against her chest. "He moved everything out‚ Aria. Everything. He didn't even tell me which room. He just...
Chapter 52Kael's POVShe wouldn't look at me‚ but all I could see was her. Sitting at that table with her head down‚ her eyes fixed on her soup‚ refusing to lift her gaze even though I knew she could feel me staring because I watched the way her shoulders tightened‚ watched her press her thighs together under the table where there was nothing but bare skin.My wolf growled. This low dangerous sound rolling through my chest while that boy wrapped his arm around her shoulders."Not now‚" I muttered. "Not here."I forced myself to turn away. Made it through the rest of the day on autopilot‚ teaching lectures I didn't remember‚ signing documents I didn't read‚ because my entire mind was stuck on her.---Back at the mansion‚ I locked myself in my study.I’m glad you liked the previous one. Here’s a smoother version that keeps Arthur’s bitterness and obsession with Aria while making the transition into the campaign rule feel more natural.I pulled the High Council regulations from the cab
Chapter 51 Aria's POV *Say it. Just say it.* "I just..." My throat closed around the words. "I haven't been fair to you lately. I've been distant and distracted and I know you've noticed and I'm sorry." "Hey." He took my hand. Laced his fingers through mine. "You don't have to apologize for being stressed. That's what I'm here for." "No‚ Jace‚ that's not what I—" "Listen‚" he said‚ squeezing my hand‚ his face lighting up with that excited energy that made him look younger. "This weekend. I already talked to my dad about borrowing the cabin near the eastern ridge. He said yes. So it's just going to be me and you. No campus‚ no pack stuff‚ no stress." *Don't.* "I'll cook for you and everything." *Don't say something sweet right now‚ Jace. Don't make this harder.* "You can't cook‚" I said. "I can baby." "Oh really?” "Yup." He kissed my cheek again‚ lingering there‚ his breath warm against my skin. "I just want to take care of you‚ Aria. Please. You've been runnin
Chapter 8 Aria's POV I couldn't sleep. I tried for three hours. Tossed and turned until my sheets were tangled around my legs and my pillow was warm on both sides. Every time I closed my eyes I saw my mom's hand on his thigh and then my brain replaced it with my hand and then I was back at The
Chapter 7Aria's POVMy mom cornered me in my bedroom while I was changing out of my university clothes."I've made a decision‚" she said‚ sitting on the edge of my bed like she was about to deliver good news. "I'm going to fix things with Kael."I pulled my shirt over my head and kept my back to h
Chapter 6Aria's POVI grabbed my bag and stormed up the stairs with my whole body shaking. I shoved through the door and almost crashed into a woman standing right outside.Dark hair. Tight bun. Sharp‚ watchful eyes that flicked from my flushed face to the closed door behind me and back again."So
Chapter 4Aria's POV"What the FUCK!" he roared as he jerked upright‚ grabbing my waist and shoving me off him.I stumbled off the bed and hit the wall while my thighs were still shaking. He stood on the other side of the room‚ breathing hard‚ staring at me as if he had just seen a ghost.Well I fu







