Aria’s POV
The weight of Daniel’s words pressed down on me long after he left. His confidence, the way he’d spoken about the future, the power we could have together-it all sounded too convincing. His promise of strength, of a life where I wasn’t a pawn in my father’s game… I almost believed him.
But I couldn’t. I couldn’t allow myself to fall for the lies he wove so effortlessly.
As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, I felt like I could breathe again. My chest felt lighter without him in the room, his presence lingering in the air like a thick fog I couldn’t shake off.
I had played along. I’d nodded, pretending that I was convinced. I even said the words-I’ll stay with you-but the truth was, I couldn’t stay. Not with him, not in this web of lies he was trying to trap me in.
I wasn’t his true mate. I knew that deep down, and I wasn’t going to let him use me as a stepping stone to gain power. I wasn’t some piece on his chessboard. I had my own life, my own future, and it was time to take it back.
I walked to the window, looking out at the busy streets below, feeling the cold air from the open window hit my face. The city felt so far from the chaos of the packs, from the weight of all the expectations that had been thrust upon me. It was time to make a clean break. I wasn’t going to let Daniel manipulate me any longer.
I grabbed my phone, dialing my father’s number with a trembling hand. My heart hammered in my chest, but I couldn’t afford hesitation.
“Father,” I said when he picked up, keeping my voice steady. “I’m leaving tonight. I’ve made up my mind.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and I could almost hear the gears turning in his mind, his disappointment, his frustration. But he didn’t argue. He never did.
“I’ll have everything ready for you,” he finally said. “Make sure you come straight home. We’ll discuss everything when you arrive.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, trying to hold back the wave of emotion that surged through me. The connection between my father and I was strained, but I couldn’t afford to focus on that now. I had to do this for myself.
I ended the call and immediately went to my closet, pulling out a small suitcase. I moved quickly, mechanically, packing clothes I might need-simple things, essentials. The items that mattered to me most. My favorite books. A few mementos. I didn’t have the luxury of time to think about what I was leaving behind.
I couldn’t stay in this place, with the constant reminder of everything I wanted to escape. The memories of Daniel, of his manipulation, of the tangled mess he had thrown me into-it all felt suffocating.
After I zipped up the suitcase, I grabbed my coat, throwing it over my shoulders, and picked up my phone again. The number I dialed was the one I had promised myself I wouldn’t contact. But I had to make sure. I had to make sure he wouldn’t follow me.
I shut my phone down, the screen turning black in my hands. There. That was it. No more texts, no more calls. Daniel wouldn’t be able to find me. He couldn’t control me anymore. I didn’t owe him anything, and I wasn’t going to let him ruin what little I had left of myself.
I left my apartment, the door clicking shut behind me, the weight of my decision sinking in. I felt a strange calm settle over me, the decision already made. There was no turning back now.
I stepped out into the cold night air and hailed a cab. The driver didn’t ask questions as I gave him the destination-just a nod, a grunted acknowledgment. The ride was quiet, the hum of the city passing by in a blur. My mind was a storm of thoughts, memories, doubts. But in the end, I knew this was the only way.
I couldn’t let Daniel dictate my life, and I couldn’t let my father’s expectations define who I was. I had to take control, even if that meant cutting ties with everything I had known.
The airport loomed ahead as the cab pulled up, and I paid the driver, giving him a tip before walking into the terminal. I felt the weight of my suitcase in my hand, the cool metal of my passport still inside, the final piece of the puzzle falling into place.
I walked through the security line, my heart beating faster now as I neared the gate. This was it. I was leaving everything behind. Leaving Daniel, leaving the pack, leaving the past. The only thing left was the unknown, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like freedom.
I sat at the gate, waiting for my flight to be called, and for a moment, I allowed myself a small breath of relief. The first step toward finding myself again, toward reclaiming who I was, had been taken. There was no turning back.
The plane would carry me away, far from Daniel’s lies, far from everything that had tried to control me.
And when I landed, I would begin again.
I just hoped I could find the strength to keep moving forward.