Aria’s POV.
The streets blurred as I ran, tears streaming down my face, clouding my vision.
My chest felt like it was on fire, each breath coming in short, shallow gasps that only made the ache worse. My feet stumbled over the cracked pavement, and I nearly tripped more than once.
The cold night air bit into my skin, sharp and unforgiving, but I barely noticed it.
All I could feel was the pain in my heart, a pain so heavy it felt like it would crush me entirely.
Zander’s voice echoed in my mind, over and over again, each word cutting deeper than the last. His accusations, his cruelty, the way he had dragged me to that clinic like I was nothing-like I was a liar, a cheat, a piece in his cruel game of revenge. I couldn’t escape the memory of his cold eyes, his harsh tone, or the way he had looked at me like I was someone he hated.
*”You’ve lost me forever, Zander. You’ll never have me again.”*
I had meant those words. I had put every ounce of my shattered heart into them, and I thought saying them would bring me some kind of relief-some kind of closure. But it didn’t. It didn’t make me feel better at all. Instead, it left me feeling empty, like there was a hole in my chest where my heart used to be. I felt hollow, broken in ways I couldn’t even begin to describe.
The streets around me were silent, the faint hum of distant traffic the only sound breaking the stillness. My sobs came quietly, mixing with the cool air as I kept walking. I didn’t know where I was going. I had no destination, no plan. I just knew I couldn’t stay. Not in the castle where memories of him haunted me. Not in the dorm where he might come looking for me. Not anywhere that reminded me of him. I had to leave-leave everything behind.
I turned the corner sharply, my legs trembling with exhaustion. The city lights were dim here, casting weak, flickering glows on the nearly empty streets. The buildings loomed tall and gray, and the whole area felt lifeless. My head spun, dizziness creeping in as the weight of the past few weeks caught up to me. I felt like I was carrying the world on my shoulders, and my body was finally giving out.
Then, suddenly, I heard it-the roar of an engine cutting through the quiet.
I froze in place, my feet glued to the ground as I turned to see where the noise was coming from. My breath caught in my throat when I saw the headlights speeding toward me, blinding and terrifying in the darkness.
The car was close-too close. There wasn’t enough time to think, to move, to react.
For a moment, I couldn’t do anything. My body refused to move, frozen in fear as the sleek black car sped toward me. I could only watch, helpless, as it screeched to a stop just inches away from where I stood. The sound of the tires skidding filled the air, the smell of burning rubber stinging my nose. The force of the stop sent a gust of wind past me, but I couldn’t even flinch.
My knees buckled beneath me, and the world around me went dark. Everything disappeared.
—
When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I noticed was warmth. It wasn’t the kind of warmth you feel from a blanket or a fire-it was too much. I felt like I was wrapped in heat, almost suffocating in its intensity.
I blinked a few times, trying to clear my blurry vision. My gaze darted around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. I was in a car. A luxury car, sleek and polished, with soft leather seats beneath me. The interior was spotless, and the faint scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air.
“Are you okay?” a deep voice asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
I turned my head quickly, startled by the sound. My heart pounded in my chest as my eyes landed on the man sitting beside me. He was powerful-everything about him radiated strength and authority. His sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and faint scruff gave him a rugged yet commanding appearance. But it wasn’t just his looks-it was something else, something primal and undeniable.
He was an Alpha.
“I-” I tried to speak, but my voice cracked, weak and raspy. My throat felt raw, my body trembling as if I’d been plunged into icy water. “What… what happened?” I managed to whisper.
“You ran into the street,” he said, his voice calm but laced with concern. “I almost hit you with my car.”
The memory of the blinding headlights came rushing back, and a shiver ran down my spine. “I-I didn’t see-” I stammered, my words trailing off as I tried to make sense of it all.
He held up a hand, cutting me off gently. “It’s okay,” he said firmly. “You fainted from the shock. I couldn’t just leave you lying there, so I brought you into my car to make sure you were alright.”
I stared at him, my mind swirling with questions. Who was he? Why had he helped me? What was he going to do next? I didn’t know whether to feel grateful or terrified.
“Where do you live?” he asked, his tone soft but commanding. “I can take you home if you’d like.”
“No!” The word burst out of me before I could stop it, my voice louder than I intended. I couldn’t go back. Not to the castle. Not to the dorm. Not anywhere Zander might find me.
The Alpha raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my outburst. “Alright,” he said slowly, his tone measured. “Then tell me where you’d like to go. I’ll take you wherever you need.”
I hesitated, my hands trembling in my lap. I didn’t have an answer. I didn’t know where I wanted to go or where I could even be safe.
“Are you cold?” he asked gently, his eyes dropping to my shaking hands.
I nodded, unable to speak. The cold had seeped into my bones, and I couldn’t stop shivering.
Without saying anything else, he reached for the car’s controls and adjusted the heat. Warm air filled the cabin, easing the chill in my body. The kindness of the gesture, so simple yet unexpected, made something inside me crack. Before I could stop myself, tears started falling down my face again, silent but steady.
“Hey,” he said softly, his brows furrowing as he watched me cry. “It’s alright. You’re safe now.”
Safe. The word felt strange, foreign, like something I didn’t deserve.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, wiping at my cheeks with shaking hands. “I didn’t mean to cry-”
“Don’t apologize,” he interrupted firmly, his voice full of understanding. “You’ve obviously been through something. You don’t need to explain if you don’t want to, but don’t feel bad for how you feel.”
I shook my head quickly, unwilling to talk about everything that had happened. The memories were too fresh, too painful.
“Alright,” he said again, his tone steady. “Then how about this: I’ll take you to a nearby cafe. You look like you could use something warm to drink, and we can figure out where you want to go after that.”
I hesitated, staring into his eyes. There was something there-something calm, steady, and reassuring. It made me feel like, for the first time in weeks, I could trust someone.
“Okay,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.