Chapter 13
*Aria’s Pov*
The kitchen was chaos. Pots clanged, orders were barked, and the scent of roasting meat filled the air. I stood at the far end, carefully polishing a tray of crystal glasses meant for the high table. My hands trembled slightly as I worked, the tension of the event bearing down on me. Tonight was important-something about securing alliances-and Alpha Leon had made it clear that nothing could go wrong.
The maids worked in silence, their movements quick and efficient. I felt like an outsider, fumbling to keep up with the pace. Elena, the head maid, had been on my case all day, glaring at me as if I didn’t belong.
“Aria!” her sharp voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Stop dawdling and bring those glasses to the dining hall. Now!”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, nodding quickly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Balancing the tray carefully, I made my way toward the door. My heart pounded as I walked through the crowded kitchen, trying not to bump into anyone. I had to do this right.
But then it happened.
The corner of the rug caught my foot, and I stumbled forward. The tray tilted, and before I could stop it, the delicate crystal glasses slid off and shattered against the stone floor.
The sound was deafening. The entire kitchen froze.
I stared at the mess in horror, my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach. Shards of glass glittered like ice, mocking me.
“What have you done?” Elena’s voice was sharp and full of fury. She stormed over, her face red with anger. “Do you have any idea how much those glasses cost? They were custom-made for the Alpha’s table!”
“I-I’m so sorry,” I stammered, my voice shaking.
“Sorry won’t fix this!” she snapped. “Do you think you can just waltz in here, acting like you’re above the rest of us, and ruin everything?”
Before I could defend myself, the door to the kitchen burst open, and in walked Beta Damian. His towering figure and stern face silenced the already tense room.
“What’s going on here?” Beta Damian demanded, his sharp gaze locking onto me and then the shattered mess at my feet.
Elena wasted no time. “This girl-she ruined the glasses for the Alpha’s table! She’s clumsy and careless, and now she’s put tonight’s event at risk!”
Beta Damian’s eyes darkened as he stared at me. I wanted to explain, to tell him it was an accident, but the words caught in my throat.
“Alpha Leon needs to deal with this,” Beta Damian said coldly. “Come with me.”
I barely had time to process his words before he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the kitchen. My heart raced as I stumbled after him, the whispers of the maids following me like a cloud of shame.
We reached the grand hall, where pack members were beginning to gather. The room was grand and intimidating, with high ceilings and elaborate decorations. Beta Damian stopped in the center of the room and turned to me.
“Stay here,” he said before walking toward Alpha Leon, who was standing near the high table, deep in conversation with a group of elders.
My stomach twisted as I watched Beta Damian approach Alpha Leon and whisper something in his ear. Alpha Leon’s expression didn’t change, but the moment his piercing gaze shifted to me, I felt the weight of his authority crush me.
He walked toward me with calm, measured steps. The room seemed to quiet as he approached, the pack members sensing the tension.
“Aria,” he said, his voice cold and commanding. “Do you understand what you’ve done?”
“It was an accident,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
“An accident?” His tone was sharp, cutting through me like a blade. “You’ve embarrassed this house in front of our guests. Do you think an apology will fix that?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Beta Damian stepped forward, his voice low but firm. “The pack needs to see consequences, Alpha. She can’t go unpunished.”
Alpha Leon’s jaw tightened, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. But then his expression hardened, and I knew what was coming.
“Aria,” he said, his voice like ice. “Kneel.”
My legs felt like lead as I sank to the floor. My cheeks burned with shame as I knelt before him, the eyes of the pack burning into me.
“This is your punishment,” he said, his tone devoid of emotion. “Let it serve as a reminder to everyone that carelessness will not be tolerated.”
He ordered me to hold out my hands, and I obeyed, my heart pounding in my chest. He struck my palms with a leather strap, the sting sharp and unforgiving.
I bit my lip to keep from crying out, but tears blurred my vision. I could feel the humiliation washing over me, drowning me.
When it was over, Alpha Leon stepped back, his face unreadable. “You may go,” he said coldly.
I stood on shaky legs, avoiding the stares of the pack members as I stumbled out of the hall. My hands throbbed, and my heart ached even more.
In the safety of my room, I let the tears fall. I didn’t understand how he could be so cruel, so distant. The man who had held me so tenderly last night now felt like a stranger.
And yet, a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder if it hurt him just as much as it hurt me.
Five days had passed since the incident in the grand hall, but the sting of Leon’s punishment lingered-not just on my hands but deep in my chest. His words, his cold demeanor, the humiliation… It wasn’t something I could easily forget.
I’d done my best to avoid him since then. Whenever I felt his presence nearby, I found a reason to leave. He hadn’t made it easy, though. There had been moments when I caught his gaze across the dining hall, his expression softer than I’d ever seen it. He’d even tried speaking to me a few times, but I’d brushed him off, unwilling to face him.
Today, I found solace in the pack’s public library. It was one of the few places where I could disappear, surrounded by the calming scent of aged paper and leather-bound spines. The quiet here was comforting, a stark contrast to the chaos of the packhouse.
I ran my fingers along the rows of books, looking for something that could distract me from the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind. A history of the pack’s founding? No. A collection of poetry? Maybe. I reached for a book on myths and legends, its dark cover worn from years of use.
Just as my fingers brushed the spine, I felt it-a presence behind me. My heart skipped a beat, and I froze.
“Aria,” Leon’s deep voice said softly, sending a shiver down my spine.
I turned slowly, clutching the book to my chest like a shield. He stood close-too close-towering over me as his piercing eyes searched mine.
“What are you doing here?” I whispered, glancing around nervously. The library wasn’t crowded, but anyone could walk in at any moment.
“I needed to see you,” he said, his voice low but firm.
“Leon, you can’t-” I glanced over my shoulder again, panic rising in my chest. “Someone might see us.”
“Let them,” he replied, taking a step closer.
My back pressed against the shelf as I tried to put some distance between us. “You need to leave. Please.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, his tone softening. “Not until you forgive me.”
“Forgive you?” I hissed, keeping my voice low. “Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me? How much it hurt?”
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might snap back. But instead, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know, Aria. I know I hurt you. And I hate myself for it. But I didn’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. “You chose to make an example of me. You chose to stand there and let them see me like that.”
His hand reached out, brushing against my arm, but I flinched away. “Aria,” he said, his voice almost pleading now. “You have no idea how much I regret it. I’m sorry. I’ve been trying to tell you that for days, but you won’t even look at me.”
“Because it doesn’t change anything,” I said, my voice trembling. “You can’t just say you’re sorry and expect everything to go back to normal.”
“Aria-”
“Please, just go,” I begged, turning my face away.
He didn’t move. Instead, his hand gently gripped my wrist, and before I could protest, he pulled me toward a small alcove hidden behind the tall shelves. It was secluded, tucked away from view, but not entirely safe. If someone walked to this section, they’d find us.
“Leon, what are you-”
“Listen to me,” he said, his voice firm but quiet. “I’m not leaving until you hear me out.”
I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. His presence was overwhelming, his scent intoxicating.
He was backing the wall and my back, pressed against him with a shelf covering us.
“This isn’t the time or place-”
“I don’t care,” he interrupted, stepping closer. “I need you to understand, Aria. That day… it killed me to do what I did. But Damian and the others-they expected me to act. If I’d shown weakness, it would have caused chaos. I had to think of the pack.”
“And what about me?” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Did you think about how I’d feel?”
His eyes softened, and for a moment, I saw the man who had held me so gently before. “You’re all I’ve thought about, every second since then. I hate myself for hurting you. But I swear, Aria, I’ll make it up to you. Just give me a chance.”
I shook my head, my resolve crumbling under the weight of his words and the intensity of his gaze. “Leon-”
He took another step, his body so close now that I could feel the heat radiating from him. “Say you forgive me,” he murmured, his voice like a caress.
My breath hitched as he leaned in, his lips hovering just inches from mine. “Leon, someone could see us…”
“Let them,” he whispered, his hand gently cupping my cheek. “Let them see how much you mean to me.”
My heart raced, torn between anger, hurt, and the undeniable pull I felt toward him. His thumb brushed against my skin, and I closed my eyes, a tear slipping free.
“Please, Aria,” he whispered. “Forgive me.”
I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze. The sincerity there was undeniable, and it chipped away at the walls I’d built around my heart.
“I don’t know if I can,” I admitted, my voice barely audible.
“You can,” he said, his forehead resting against mine.
Then I suddenly felt his hands under my blouse, making me freeze instantly.
“Leon.. what .
“Shh.. ” He breathe against my ears, biting down on it seductively.
“Not here.. ” I muttered, pushing my head backwards against his chest when I felt his hands cupping my breasts.