Aria’s POV
We arrived at a spot in the forest. I slid from Denderick’s back and looked around.
The campsite was simple, nestled within a small clearing surrounded by towering trees. The ground was mostly dirt with patches of grass, and a few large rocks were scattered around, making for makeshift seating. In the center, Alpha Denderick had set up a small fire pit with stones arranged in a circle to contain the flames. However, the flames in the pit had been killed, leaving only charred wood.
Nearby, there were several rolled-up blankets and a leather satchel, likely containing supplies.
Alpha Denderick turned to me, his eyes gentle. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
I blinked, confused. No one had ever asked me that before. Slowly, I nodded, unsure of how to respond to this unexpected kindness.
He smiled at me, and for a moment, something fluttered in my chest-a warmth I hadn’t felt in a long time. I watched him as he gathered some sticks, his movements efficient and purposeful. After arranging them in the fire pit, he struck a flint stone, and soon, a small fire crackled to life.
“Get warm by the fire,” he instructed. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll scout the area for some game.”
I didn’t move until he disappeared into the woods. My mind raced, trying to figure out what he could be up to. But as exhaustion crept in, I finally surrendered, collapsing onto the ground beside the campfire. I cradled Edward close to my chest, letting the warmth of the fire soothe my tired body and calm my racing thoughts.
Alpha Denderick returned not long after, a freshly caught rabbit in hand. He moved with a calm efficiency, not wasting any time as he began preparing the rabbit.
My eyes widened as he removed his shirt, revealing a muscled chest that glistened slightly under the light of the fire. I quickly looked away, trying to focus on the flames instead of the man before me.
It was hard not to feel the tension between us-an awkwardness that hung in the air, thick and unspoken. Every time I dared to glance back, I found my gaze drifting to him, to the way his muscles rippled with each movement.
I hated myself for the way my heart beat a little faster, for the way I couldn’t seem to control the thoughts that flashed through my mind. This man had bought me like I was nothing more than a commodity, yet here he was, acting like he cared. It made no sense.
He finished skinning the rabbit and placed the meat on a spit above the fire. The flames licked at the flesh, sizzling as the juices dripped down. I expected him to turn away, to retreat into silence like Logan would have, but instead, he turned to me, his eyes filled with an interest that made me uncomfortable.
“I need to know how you survived in Logan’s custody.” His voice was gentle, but the question was sharp, cutting through the silence.
I stiffened, not wanting to answer. Those memories were too painful, too fresh. But as I looked into Denderick’s eyes, I realized I owed him this much. He’d saved my life, and if nothing else, he deserved to know the truth.
“It wasn’t easy,” I began. “Logan… he was cruel, heartless. From the moment I stepped foot in his pack house, I was nothing more than a possession to him. I was expected to be perfect, to never question his authority. I had no choice but to convince him that the baby I carried was his. I had to survive.”
Denderick nodded, his expression unreadable. I forced myself to continue, even though every word felt like a knife twisting in my chest.
“He would belittle me, call me names, degrade me in front of everyone in the pack house. The title of Luna was given to me, but he never really saw me as his Luna, just… just a breeder. All he saw when he looked at me was a vessel to carry his children.”
I swallowed hard as I continued. “I was someone to give him an heir and nothing more. When I had Edward, I prayed and hoped for my situation to get better, but things only got worse. He would use our son as a way to control me, to keep me in line. Any time I tried to stand up for myself, he’d punish me. He punished me so much!”
Denderick’s eyes darkened, his jaw clenching at my words. “He laid his hands on you?”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “More times than I can count. He was always so angry, so quick to lash out. And when he found out the truth about Edward, that was when… that was when he locked me away. No food, no water, nothing. Just darkness. It was horrible.”
For a moment, the only sound between us was the crackling of the fire. Denderick didn’t speak, but the fury in his eyes was unmistakable. He reached out as if to comfort me, but I pulled back instinctively, not ready to be touched.
He sighed, lowering his hand. “I’m sorry, Aria. For everything.”
I didn’t respond, not trusting myself to speak. The fire crackled between us, and I found myself wishing, just for a moment, that things could be different. But I knew better. I couldn’t afford to trust him, not after everything that had happened.
We sat in silence, the rabbit slowly roasting over the flames, and for the first time in a long time, I felt a strange sense of peace. Even if it was just for tonight, I wasn’t alone.
When the rabbit was done, Denderick cut up a piece into a bowl for me, gently placing it by my side alongside a skin of water. He murmured a few words of encouragement and even a joke that he wouldn’t poison me, but I was too distracted to care.
It took me no time to pounce on the food and devour it in three or four gulps. Shamelessly, I asked for more, until I’d consumed more than half of the game.
Denderick only stared at me with a smile on his face- it was clear that he was relieved I was eating again. The food weighed me down, and soon, I felt my eyes dropping shut.
Pulling my son to myself, I drifted into an easy sleep.