Aria’s POV.
The cafe was peaceful, and the quiet hum of voices mixed with the soft glow of warm lights made the atmosphere feel calm and safe. Everything about the place seemed to wrap around me like a comforting blanket, giving me a moment to breathe.
The Alpha-Daniel-guided me to a small table by the window. From there, I could see the city streets outside, the occasional car headlights cutting through the darkness. The world felt distant, like I was watching it from behind a wall of glass.
“What’s your name?” Daniel asked after we sat down. His voice was steady, gentle, and didn’t carry the commanding tone I expected from an Alpha.
“Aria,” I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. I wasn’t sure if he even heard me, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak louder.
“Aria,” he repeated, like he was testing how it sounded in his voice. “I’m Daniel,” he added after a pause, his tone calm and casual.
Daniel. The name felt fitting for him. It matched the calm authority he carried, the quiet strength he seemed to radiate.
A waitress appeared at our table, her presence snapping me out of my thoughts. Daniel ordered two coffees without even looking at the menu, his tone polite but firm. Once she left, his attention returned to me. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked, his piercing blue eyes soft with concern.
I nodded, but it wasn’t the full truth. The shaking in my hands had stopped, and the warmth of the cafe was comforting, but my mind was still a storm. Thoughts of Zander, memories of the clinic, and the uncertainty of what to do next spun in my head like a whirlwind I couldn’t escape.
The coffees arrived quickly, the mugs steaming as the waitress set them down. I wrapped my hands around mine, letting the warmth seep into my cold fingers. The heat felt good, grounding me in the moment, even if just a little.
“Do you have someone you can call?” Daniel asked gently after a long moment of silence. His voice didn’t push, but the question hung heavily in the air.
I hesitated, my mind racing. The only person I could think of was my father. He was the one person I could always turn to, even when things felt hopeless.
“Can I use your phone?” I asked, my voice soft, almost unsure. I glanced up at him, afraid he might refuse.
Without a second of hesitation, he pulled his phone from his pocket and slid it across the table to me. His movements were smooth, his expression calm.
“Thank you,” I murmured, wrapping my hands around the phone. It felt cool and unfamiliar in my hands as I dialed the number that was burned into my memory.
The phone rang twice before the familiar sound of my father’s deep voice came through. “Aria? Where are you? What’s going on?” His voice was steady, but I could hear the worry beneath his words.
Tears welled up in my eyes at the sound of him. Just hearing his voice made everything feel more real, and the weight of it all pressed harder on my chest. “Dad,” I said, my voice trembling. “I’m okay. I just… I needed to get away for a while.”
“Get away? From where? What happened?” he asked quickly, his tone sharp with concern. I could picture him pacing, worry etched across his face.
I glanced at Daniel, who was watching me quietly. His expression was unreadable, but his presence felt oddly steady. “I can’t explain everything right now,” I said to my father, my voice quieter now. “But I’ve decided-I’m going to continue my studies in London.”
“London?” he repeated, his voice rising with surprise. “Aria, are you sure about this? That’s a big decision to make without thinking it through.”
“Yes,” I said firmly, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “I need a fresh start. I need time to figure things out. I don’t want Zander to find me, at least not for a while. Not until next year.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. I could hear him sigh softly before he finally spoke. “If that’s what you want, then I’ll support you,” he said, his voice calm but heavy. “But you need to be careful, Aria. If Zander finds out where you are-”
“He won’t,” I interrupted quickly, my voice sharp with determination. “I’ll make sure of it, Dad. He’s not going to find me.”
“Alright,” he said after another pause. His tone was resigned but still filled with concern. “Call me as soon as you’ve made arrangements. I’ll help however I can. Just promise me you’ll stay safe.”
“Thank you, Dad,” I whispered, my chest tightening with emotion. Tears fell again, but this time they weren’t just from sadness-they were from relief, too.
I ended the call and slid the phone back across the table to Daniel. The weight of that conversation still lingered, but I felt a little lighter having spoken to my father.
“London, huh?” Daniel said after a moment, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. His expression was calm, but there was a hint of curiosity in his tone.
I nodded, lifting the coffee mug to my lips. The warmth of the drink spread through me, but it didn’t chase away the chill in my heart. “I need to get as far away from here as I can,” I said softly, my voice carrying the weight of my decision.
He studied me carefully, his eyes thoughtful as if he were trying to understand everything I wasn’t saying. “Running away doesn’t always solve everything,” he said finally, his voice low and serious. “But sometimes, it’s the only way to find yourself again. Sometimes, distance is the only way to heal.”
His words hit something deep inside me, stirring emotions I hadn’t been ready to face. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a tiny flicker of hope-a small light in the darkness that had surrounded me for so long.
Maybe, just maybe, London could be the fresh start I needed. Maybe it could be the place where I finally found myself again.