Aria’s POV.
I pushed the door open without knocking, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might jump out of my chest. I didn’t know what I was about to see, but I prepared myself for the worst thing imaginable. My mind raced with all the possible horrors waiting for me on the other side. My breathing became quick and shallow as I braced myself for what I might find in the room.
But what I saw when I stepped inside was nothing like I had imagined. It wasn’t terrifying or horrifying in the way I had expected. Instead, what greeted me was something that left me confused and unsettled. It was not the nightmare I had pictured in my head, but it was still far from comforting.
“Asher?” I said, my voice shaking as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing. My throat felt tight, and I could barely get the words out. I didn’t understand why he was here or what was going on. Everything about this felt wrong.
He was standing right there, in the middle of the room, with this smug, confident grin on his face. When he turned to look at me, his expression didn’t change. It was like he had been waiting for me to walk in. His eyes sparkled with satisfaction, as if he knew something I didn’t.
“Aria,” he said in a smooth, calm voice, as if this was all part of some plan. “You came.” His tone was relaxed, but there was something in it that sent a shiver down my spine. He sounded too sure of himself.
“Where’s Zander?” I demanded, my eyes scanning the room as quickly as I could. I was looking for any sign of him, anything to tell me he was there. But no matter where I looked, I couldn’t see him. My stomach twisted with worry.
Asher took a step closer to me, his grin growing even wider as he moved. “He’s not here,” he said easily, like it was no big deal. His confidence made me feel uneasy, like he was in full control of the situation.
I froze in place as his words sank in. The realization hit me like a wave of ice-cold water, chilling me to the bone. My hands trembled as I tried to piece together what was happening. “What is this?” I asked, my voice soft but full of fear.
“It’s a trap,” he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. The way he said it made my skin crawl. He sounded so proud of himself, like he had been planning this for a long time.
Before I could even think about what to do, he reached out his hand, his fingers brushing lightly against my arm. The touch made my stomach churn, and I instinctively jerked away. A mix of fury and disgust bubbled up inside me, hot and fierce.
“Don’t touch me!” I snapped, stepping back quickly to put some space between us. My voice was sharp, filled with anger and defiance. I didn’t want him anywhere near me.
But Asher didn’t seem to care about my reaction. He kept moving toward me, his steps slow and deliberate, like he had all the time in the world. “You deserve better than Zander,” he said softly, his voice trying to sound kind, but it only made me angrier. “He doesn’t see your worth. But I do.”
I clenched my fists tightly, feeling the strength of my wolf stirring deep within me. My instincts screamed for me to protect myself. “Get away from me, Asher. Now,” I said firmly, my voice steady despite the anger burning inside me.
He smirked again, like my words didn’t bother him at all. In fact, he looked amused, as if he thought my anger was entertaining. “Come on, Aria. You’re wasted on him. He doesn’t-”
Before he could finish what he was saying, I shoved him hard with both hands, catching him completely off guard. He stumbled backward, his grin finally faltering for the first time. When he straightened up again, there was a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
“You’re pathetic,” I spat, my voice shaking with rage. I couldn’t hold back the anger any longer. “You think you can manipulate me? Trap me? You’re nothing compared to him.” My words came out sharp and forceful, filled with all the fury I felt.
But before I could say anything else, the door suddenly burst open behind me. The loud sound made me spin around, my heart racing once again.