Zander’s pov.
The memory of that night played in my mind like an unrelenting storm. Even as I sat in my office at Silverfang, brooding over the events that had unfolded, my anger simmered beneath the surface. Aria Nightshade had tested my patience, and she had failed spectacularly.
It had started the moment I left her father’s castle after that strained meeting in the study. Something about the way she looked at me-defiance mixed with desperation-had unsettled me. I knew her type. Women like her were always scheming, always looking for a way out when things didn’t go their way.
I wasn’t going to let her slip through my fingers, not when so much depended on this alliance. My future as Alpha King, the strength of the Silverfang pack-it all rested on this union.
By the time I returned to my pack, I had already made up my mind. “Keep an eye on her,” I ordered my guards, my tone cold and unyielding. “I want to know everything she does. Every move she makes. If she so much as breathes in a way that seems suspicious, I want to hear about it immediately.”
The guards didn’t hesitate. They knew better than to question me.
“She’s at her father’s castle, Alpha,” one of them ventured cautiously, as though trying to gauge my reaction.
“For now,” I replied, my jaw tightening. “But Aria is unpredictable. She’s not going to make this easy, and I don’t intend to give her the chance to ruin everything.”
I had barely slept the next few nights, too on edge, waiting for any news about her. I knew it was only a matter of time before she tried something reckless. And I was right.
It was late, well past midnight, when a knock at my door pulled me from my restless thoughts. One of my guards entered, his face tense. “Alpha,” he said, bowing slightly, “we have news about Aria Nightshade.”
I leaned forward in my chair, my patience already wearing thin. “What is it?”
“She’s attempting to leave,” he said quickly. “We followed her to the airport. She’s trying to board a flight to London.”
The rage that surged through me was immediate and all-consuming. My fists clenched at my sides, and I had to take a deep breath to keep myself from slamming them into the desk. “She’s trying to run?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous.
The guard nodded, clearly uneasy under my glare.
“Bring the car around,” I ordered, standing abruptly, my voice sharp and leaving no room for hesitation.
My patience had already worn thin, and every second wasted felt like fuel being added to the fire burning within me. “Now,” I repeated, my tone a growl designed to push my staff into instant action. The room fell silent except for the hurried footsteps of the guard leaving to carry out my order. I couldn’t sit still another moment, not with the thought of her attempting to slip away like a coward.
My blood boiled at the audacity, the sheer nerve of her trying to leave when she knew exactly what was expected of her.
The drive to the airport was a blur. My thoughts were in chaos, a storm of anger and disbelief that only grew fiercer with each passing moment. My fingers tapped relentlessly on my knee, a rhythm born out of the frustration simmering inside me. How dare she? Did she really believe she could outsmart me? That she could run from the responsibilities she owed to me, to her family, and to the alliance? The thought made my jaw clench tightly. The idea of her slipping away, of escaping my grasp, was unthinkable. She didn’t understand that there was no escape-not from me.
By the time we arrived, my entire body was tense, my anger barely restrained as I stepped out of the car. The sight of her standing at the ticket counter only made it worse. There she was, clutching that ridiculous little bag like it was her lifeline, her head tucked down as if that would make her invisible. She looked so small, so defiant in her own quiet way, but all I could see was her betrayal. For a brief moment, just a fleeting second, I almost pitied her. Almost. But the pity was quickly swallowed by my fury.
“Running away, Aria?” I said, my voice slicing through the noise of the airport like a blade. My tone was calm, but it carried the weight of my authority, leaving no doubt that I was furious.
She froze. Her entire body stiffened at the sound of my voice, as though it sent a chill down her spine. Slowly, she turned to face me, her wide eyes betraying a mix of fear and defiance. That look in her eyes, the way she seemed to want to challenge me even as she trembled, was almost amusing. Almost.
“You didn’t think I’d let you leave so easily, did you?” I asked, tilting my head slightly as I stepped closer to her. My voice was cool, deliberate, meant to make her feel the full weight of her mistake.
“Leave me alone,” she said, her voice trembling but still laced with defiance. She clutched her bag tighter, as though it could somehow protect her.
I smirked at her words, though there was no humor in it. If anything, it was a smirk born of disbelief at her audacity. “Oh, Aria,” I said quietly, my tone dark and dripping with warning. “You’ve already caused enough trouble for one night. You’re not running away from this. You’re coming back with me, whether you like it or not.”
Her grip on the bag tightened, and she took a small step back, shaking her head. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said, her voice breaking slightly as her fear began to seep through her defiance.
I didn’t even dignify her words with a response. Instead, I stepped forward and grabbed her arm, my grip firm but controlled. I leaned in closer, lowering my voice to a dangerous growl. “You’re done playing games,” I said, my eyes locked on hers. “You’re coming with me. Now.”
“Let me go!” she protested, her voice rising as she struggled against my hold.
“You’ve already made this difficult enough,” I snapped, pulling her toward the exit. Her resistance was futile-I was stronger, and I refused to let her go. “You’re lucky I’m not dragging you back in chains,” I added coldly, my anger seeping into every word.
The ride back to her father’s castle was heavy with silence. The tension in the car was suffocating, thick enough to cut with a knife. She sat beside me, rigid and unmoving, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. She refused to look at me, her stubbornness still burning bright despite everything. I didn’t speak either, but my thoughts swirled, my frustration simmering just beneath the surface. She had embarrassed me, disrespected me, and yet, she still didn’t seem to grasp the consequences of her actions.
When we arrived at the castle, I didn’t hesitate. I stormed inside, dragging her behind me as though she were no more than a rebellious child in need of discipline. Her father, Alpha Xavier, appeared in the grand hall, his expression darkening with confusion and concern as he saw us enter.
“What is the meaning of this?” Xavier demanded, his voice sharp as his eyes flicked between me and his daughter.
“Your daughter tried to run away,” I said coldly, my grip on her arm tightening slightly as I spoke. My voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, leaving no room for misinterpretation. “If you can’t keep her here, then she’s coming with me to Silverfang. I won’t tolerate this kind of behavior.”
Xavier’s eyes shifted to Aria, his expression hardening as he took in her disheveled appearance. “Is this true, Aria?” he asked, his tone heavy with disappointment.
She didn’t answer. She kept her head down, refusing to meet his gaze. Her silence spoke volumes, and I could see the faint flicker of anger in Xavier’s eyes.
“She’s coming back with me,” I said firmly, my voice cutting through the tension in the room. “If she can’t fulfill her duty here, then I’ll make sure she does at Silverfang.”
Xavier hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line as he considered my words. His eyes narrowed slightly, but after a moment, he nodded. “Do what you must,” he said quietly, his voice resigned.
I didn’t wait for further approval. I pulled Aria toward the car, ignoring her protests as she stumbled to keep up. She was furious, but I didn’t care. She needed to learn that running wasn’t an option-not now, not ever.
The journey back to Silverfang was much the same as before: silent, tense, and filled with unspoken anger. When we arrived at the castle, I wasted no time. I led her inside, my frustration evident in every step I took. The guards and staff lowered their heads respectfully as I passed, but I barely noticed them. My focus was entirely on Aria and the lesson she needed to learn.
I brought her to one of the guest rooms, though calling it that was generous. It was more like a luxurious prison cell, complete with heavy locks and no means of escape. I stepped inside with her and shut the door behind us, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet room. I turned to face her, my expression cold and unyielding as I spoke.
“These are the rules,” I began, my voice firm and leaving no room for argument. “You don’t leave this castle without my permission. You’ll join me for every meal, and you’ll arrive on time. You’ll wear what I decide for you. If you disobey, there will be consequences. Do you understand?”
Her eyes widened, and I could see the tears brimming in them, but she refused to let them fall. “You can’t do this,” she said, her voice breaking with the weight of her emotions.
“I can,” I replied simply, my tone devoid of sympathy. “And I will. You’ve proven you can’t be trusted, Aria. So now, I’ll decide what’s best for you.”
She turned away from me, her shoulders trembling as if she wanted to cry but was holding it in. I didn’t care. This was her fault. If she had just done what was expected of her, none of this would have been necessary.
“Your wedding day is in a week,” I said as I moved toward the door. My voice was calm now, but the authority in it remained. “Until then, you’ll stay here. And you’ll follow my rules. Don’t test me again, Aria.”
With that, I left her alone in the room, slamming the door behind me with enough force to shake the walls.
She thought she could defy me. She thought she could escape. But she was wrong.
Aria Nightshade was mine now, and there was no running from that.