All Chapters of Broken Ring, Hidden Queen: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Aria's POVI scrambled backward, frantically pulling myself out of Ray's embrace.My heart was hammering against my ribs, and my pheromones were in complete disarray, spiking with sudden panic and embarrassment."I'm so sorry, Ray," I stammered, my cheeks burning."Are you OK? What... what are you even doing here?"Ray didn't seem bothered at all. He adjusted his rumpled collar, his movements smooth and effortless.The rich, grounding scent of fresh pine and cedar rolled off him in subtle waves, soothing the jagged edges of my frayed nerves."I'm fine," he said, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips."Though I think I'm getting used to this. Every time I run into you, you seem to be in some kind of trouble."I let out an embarrassed laugh. "Yeah... I guess you're not wrong about that."Then, Ray's eyes dropped to the terra cotta pot cradled in my arms. "Wow. It's pretty.""Huh? What?" Following his gaze, I remembered what I was holding."Oh! I bought this plant for my neig

Aria's POVMonday morning, I finally stepped through the sleek glass doors of Silver Star Studio. Standing in the bustling lobby, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia washed over me.When Jane first launched this business, I was still a university student balancing textbooks and dreams.Time had flown, and what started as a cramped, chaotic startup had grown into one of the most prestigious, trend-setting design studios in the entire werewolf territory.The office floors required a secure keycard to access.I didn't want to bother Jane by making her come down to fetch me, so I figured I'd just wait by the turnstiles for another employee to walk past and slip in behind them.Right on cue, a woman wrapped in a luxurious cashmere coat clicked past me on stilettos.She scanned her card, but as she stepped through the barrier, she glanced back.She caught my eye and deliberately pressed the close button.The security gate locked firmly back into place, blocking me out.I narrowed my eyes, study

Aria's POVJulian's name flared brightly on the screen.Ever since I walked out of that hospital room, I had never contacted him again.My wolf bared her fangs in my mind, giving a resentful growl.My pheromones spiked into a bitter chill.Without hesitation, I slid my thumb across the glass and hung up.Whatever he wanted to say to me, I had zero interest in hearing it.An hour later, I wrapped up my work and stepped out of the Silver Star Studio building.As I stepped out of the gate, I noticed a dense crowd gathered near the curb, whispering and pointing.Parked directly under the streetlights was a sleek, jet-black Rolls-Royce.My heart skipped a beat.The heavy, oppressive scent of bitter charcoal and smoke drifted through the air, suffocating the natural smells of the city.Julian.I pulled my coat tighter around my shoulders, ducking my head as I tried to blend into the others."Aria."His voice cut through the ambient noise like a blade.The entire crowd went stiff.Dozens of

Aria's POVThe internet had turned into a bloodthirsty colosseum.Every single troll was screaming at me, eagerly waiting to watch me burn.Yet, sitting in the quiet of my living room, I had never felt so strangely, chillingly calm.The wild tempest of my wolf had suddenly settled into a dark, focused stillness.I called Collin."Collin, about my rumors online. Don't let grandpa know it, OK? ""Yeah, sure thing. Don't worry about it," Collin said, his voice laced with anxiety."Aria, this is getting completely out of hand. Let me contact some tech guys. I'll get these trending hashtags scrubbed off the internet right now."I looked at the endless screen of toxic slurs."Thanks, but don't bother," I replied, my voice steady. "They are targeting me. Even if you take down one thread, Kierra's PR team will just fund ten more. They won't stop barking until they get what they want."Collin went silent.Right on cue, Kierra dropped a new update on her social media page.Kierra, "I'm OK, ever

Aria's POVHer words left me completely stunned.A strange, warm sensation blossomed deep within my chest.My wolf slowly stopped her restless pacing, letting out a soft chuff.I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced my voice to remain steady."Thank you."Before ending the call, I made a firm promise, "I won't let Moonlight Co. down."The official interview was scheduled for three days later.To ensure everything went well, someone from their brand's PR team came over that afternoon.I took the list and prepared the questions they had prepared for me.With Moonlight Co.'s powerful backing, the tide on the internet began to turn.Most of the malicious allegations were gone.In return, I was determined to do my best on the interview.But amidst the triumph, I knew I had loose ends to tie.I made a mental note to head back to Julian's estate after work. I needed to retrieve my official Mate Bond certificate.If the situation escalated any further, that silver-stamped document would