Aria’s POV.
The scent of freshly mowed grass filled the air, mingling with the soft hum of excited voices and faint laughter as I stepped through the gates of the university.
My first day of college. I wanted to feel a spark of excitement, a rush of hope for something new and normal. But I couldn’t. The weight of everything-*everything*-pressed down on me like an anchor tied to my chest, refusing to let me rise above the surface. My life was anything but normal.
My thoughts were tangled, pulling me back to the morning.
The bond with Zander hummed faintly in the back of my mind, always there, unshakable.
Breakfast had been tense, made worse by Sarah’s constant batting of her lashes at him. It was so obvious, her infatuation with him-so obvious that I’d planted that awkward kiss on his cheek just to spite her. My face burned at the memory.
What had I been thinking? The look Zander gave me afterward was a mix of confusion, annoyance, and something I couldn’t quite place. Maybe I’d wanted to remind Sarah that he was mine, even if it wasn’t the kind of “mine” I wanted it to be.
I sighed deeply, adjusting the strap of my bag as I moved closer to the administration building. This was supposed to be my escape, my chance to breathe and leave behind the suffocating weight of expectations.
Just for a few hours, I wanted to forget that I was the Luna of the Silverfang Pack or the daughter of Alpha Xavier Nightshade. Here, I wasn’t bound by titles or roles. I could just be *Aria*, a college student trying to figure out her place in the world.
The building buzzed with energy, students swarming the halls like busy bees in a hive. Some were standing in tight groups, chatting and laughing as if they’d known each other for years. Others wandered aimlessly, staring at schedules or maps, their wide eyes betraying their nervousness. I spotted a short line leading to the registrar’s desk and quietly joined the back of it, clutching the strap of my bag like it was the only thing tethering me to reality.
“Next!”
The sharp voice of the woman behind the counter startled me. Her dark-rimmed glasses sat crooked on her nose, and her fingers flew across the keyboard with practiced efficiency. She barely looked up as I stepped forward, her tone clipped and businesslike. “Name?”
“Aria,” I said, my voice soft but steady. Then I hesitated, my stomach twisting. “Aria-uh-Ashford.” The last name felt foreign on my tongue, awkward and unfamiliar, like a pair of shoes that didn’t quite fit. I hadn’t fully adjusted to using Zander’s last name. Did I even want to?
The woman typed something into her computer, her expression neutral, and a moment later, she handed me a crisp sheet of paper. “Here’s your schedule. Classes begin tomorrow, but orientation starts in fifteen minutes in the main hall. Don’t be late.”
I nodded quickly, clutching the paper like it was a lifeline. “Thank you.”
Walking away, I unfolded the schedule and scanned it. My first class was biology, followed by history, then a break before literature. I let out a small breath of relief. It seemed manageable, at least on paper. I was still studying the list when a cheerful voice broke through my focus.
“Hey, new here too?”
Startled, I looked up to see a girl with curly red hair that bounced around her face like springs. Her freckles were scattered across her cheeks like a constellation, and her grin was so wide it was almost infectious. Her green eyes sparkled with curiosity as she waited for my response.
“Yeah,” I replied, managing a small smile.
“Me too!” she said, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. “I’m Lily.” Without waiting for me to say anything else, she extended her hand, and I shook it hesitantly. Her energy was a little overwhelming, but there was something genuine about it that I appreciated.
“I’m Aria,” I said, grateful that my nerves didn’t make my voice crack.
“Aria! That’s such a pretty name,” she said brightly. “So, are you heading to orientation?”
I nodded, folding my schedule and tucking it into my bag. “I guess so. I don’t really know where the main hall is, though.”
Lily’s grin widened. “Perfect! Come on, we’ll walk together. This place is huge, and it’s way too easy to get lost. Trust me, I’ve already walked into the wrong building twice today. It was embarrassing.”
I couldn’t help but laugh softly, feeling some of the tension melt away. “Thanks. I’d probably do the same if you weren’t here.”
“Don’t worry, Aria. Stick with me, and we’ll survive this madhouse together,” she said with a wink.
As we made our way through the bustling halls, Lily kept up a steady stream of chatter, pointing out random things like the campus cafe and the overly dramatic statue in the courtyard. I nodded along, occasionally chiming in, but mostly, I was just grateful for the distraction. For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t thinking about Zander, Sarah, or the overwhelming responsibilities of being a Luna.
When we reached the main hall, Lily turned to me and grinned again. “See? I told you we’d find it. Piece of cake.”
“Thanks, Lily. I really appreciate it,” I said sincerely.
“No problem! Hey, after orientation, maybe we can grab lunch or something?”
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Great! It’s a deal,” she said, giving me a playful nudge before we stepped into the crowded hall.
For the first time in a long time, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this could be a fresh start.
By the time orientation ended, I had met a small group of people-Lily, her best friend Callie, and a quiet, serious-looking guy named Ben. They were all human, of course. None of them had the faintest idea about the world I came from, the weight I carried, or the secrets that surrounded my life. For a fleeting moment, I envied them deeply. Their lives seemed so simple, so free of the burdens that constantly followed me. They weren’t bound by pack politics, mating bonds, or the looming threat of betrayal. They didn’t have to watch their backs or navigate the world with the constant awareness of predators lurking in the shadows.
We decided to grab lunch together at the campus cafe. The place was bustling with students, the air filled with the sound of chatter and the smell of coffee and pastries. As we sat down with our trays, we laughed about the painfully boring orientation speech, which had dragged on for far too long, and compared our schedules for the upcoming term. For the first time in weeks, I felt something close to normalcy. It was… nice. Relaxing, even. I could almost imagine that I was just another college student, not the Luna of the Silverfang Pack or the wife of Alpha Zander Ashford. For a little while, I allowed myself to enjoy the moment, to feel like I belonged.
But the fragile peace didn’t last. The moment I stepped out of the cafe, breathing in the crisp afternoon air, everything changed. A familiar scent hit me, carried on the breeze. It wasn’t subtle or faint-it was unmistakable. My heart skipped a beat, my entire body freezing in place as my instincts kicked in. Slowly, I turned my head, and there he was. **Alpha Asher.** He stood casually against a lamppost, his tall frame relaxed, his dark, piercing eyes locked directly on me.
What was *he* doing here? My mind raced, trying to make sense of it. This wasn’t his territory. He had no reason to be here, especially not at a human university. Yet there he was, his presence as sharp and unsettling as I remembered.
I felt my pulse quicken, my chest tightening with unease as I tried to process the sight of him. Asher wasn’t just any Alpha-he was the Alpha of the Stormclaw Pack, a pack notorious for its cunning and unpredictability. I had only met him once before, at a pack summit, and even then, his presence had been unnerving. There was something about him that sent a chill down my spine, something that made me instinctively wary.
His lips curved into a smile as he pushed off the lamppost and began walking toward me. His movements were smooth and deliberate, like a predator closing in on its prey. “Aria,” he said, his voice rich and low, carrying a warmth that didn’t match the sharpness in his eyes. “What a coincidence, running into you here.”