Zander’s POV.
The report came in late at night, just as I was finishing up yet another exhausting meeting with the council.
The discussions had dragged on for hours, leaving me drained and irritable.
I was ready to call it a night when Liam, my Beta, walked into my office. His expression was guarded, his shoulders tense, and I could tell immediately that whatever he had to say wasn’t going to be good.
Liam was never one to look nervous unless the situation called for it, and the look on his face set me on edge.
“What is it?” I asked sharply, my irritation leaking into my voice. I didn’t have the patience for games, not after the day I’d had.
Liam hesitated, standing there with a folder in his hand. He looked like he was trying to find the right words, which only made my annoyance grow. Finally, he spoke. “It’s about Aria,” he said carefully, his tone cautious.
The moment her name left his lips, my chest tightened, and my focus sharpened. “Is she okay?” I asked quickly, my voice harder than I intended.
“She’s fine,” Liam said immediately, almost too quickly. But there was something in his tone that didn’t sit right with me. He wasn’t telling me everything-I could feel it. “But… we’ve been keeping an eye on her, as you ordered. She’s been… uh…”
I narrowed my eyes, the tension in the room thickening. “Spit it out, Liam,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin.
Liam finally sighed, shifting his weight uncomfortably. “She’s been dating,” he admitted, his voice hesitant as though he wasn’t sure how I’d react. “Human guys. Her friend Naomi has been setting her up on blind dates.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. *Dating?* Aria was *dating?*
My wolf immediately growled in my head, the sound so loud and aggressive that I had to clench my fists to keep him under control. My vision blurred for a second as my anger surged.
“She’s been on two dates so far,” Liam continued, completely unaware of the storm building inside me. “The second one was with a guy named Ethan. He’s a human-an architecture student. He seems harmless enough, but…” He trailed off, his eyes darting to me nervously, clearly unsure if he should say more.
“*But what?*” I growled, my voice dangerously low. The anger in my tone made the room feel colder, and Liam shifted uncomfortably under my glare.
Liam sighed again and finally placed the folder on my desk like it was some kind of shield. “He bought her a dog,” he said. “Some kind of gift. Apparently, she mentioned liking dogs during their date, and he surprised her with one. She named it Max.”
A dog.
That human thought he could win her over with a damn *dog.*
The growl in my chest grew louder, and my wolf snarled, clawing at me to let him take control.
I stood abruptly, pushing back my chair so hard it scraped against the floor. My gaze locked onto Liam, sharp and unrelenting.
“Where is this Ethan now?” I demanded, my voice colder than ice.
Liam shifted again, clearly uncomfortable. “Back at the college, I assume. Aria hasn’t seen him since the date, but she’s been spending time with the dog in her room. She seems… happy.”
*Happy.*
That single word felt like a dagger to my chest. Aria was supposed to be *my* Luna. She was supposed to be mine, in every way that mattered. And yet, here she was, moving on, letting some human idiot into her life. The thought of her smiling or feeling content because of someone else-*especially* someone who didn’t belong in her world-made my blood boil.
My jaw tightened as I began to pace the room. My thoughts were spiraling, my anger building with every step. I couldn’t let this continue. I wouldn’t. The idea of her being with someone else, of her forgetting what we had, was unbearable. She was mine, even if she didn’t realize it right now.
“Send a warning to this Ethan,” I said coldly, each word dripping with menace. “Make it clear that if he so much as *looks* at Aria again, he won’t live to regret it.”
Liam’s eyes widened in shock. “Zander, he’s just a human,” he said carefully, almost pleading. “Do you really think-”
“Do it,” I growled, cutting him off before he could finish. My voice was sharp and filled with authority, leaving no room for argument. “And make sure he understands that I don’t make empty threats.”
Liam hesitated, his expression torn. But he knew better than to argue with me when I was like this. Finally, he nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Consider it done,” he said quietly.
I didn’t respond as he left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. My wolf was still growling, still pacing restlessly in my mind. The thought of Aria-my Aria-being with someone else was enough to drive me mad. She could try to move on all she wanted, but it wouldn’t change the truth.
She was mine. And I wasn’t going to let anyone take her away.