Daniel’s POV.
I went back to my villa thinking of a plan B. I sat at the dining table, my laptop open in front of me, staring at the video I had recorded weeks ago when Aria had come here for dinner.
I had invited her under the guise of discussing her academic future, and she had come, hesitant but trusting-always so trusting. That trust, I had realized, was both her greatest strength and her greatest vulnerability.
The video wasn’t incriminating in the way most people might imagine. There were no intimate moments, no suggestive touches. But it was enough. Enough to spark the whispers, to ignite the rumors. A student and her professor, alone in his villa, sharing dinner in a way that could easily be twisted into something forbidden.
I had recorded it for this exact moment, though at the time, I hadn’t fully committed to using it. Now, with Aria gone, having cut herself off from me completely, I had no other choice.
She had left me no other choice.
I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair, my jaw tightening as I stared at the screen. Sending this video would destroy my reputation at the university. It would cost me my career, my standing among my peers. But none of that mattered anymore.
What mattered was Aria.
What mattered was ensuring she had no other path but the one that led back to me.
—
I spent the next hour setting everything in motion. The video was carefully edited, trimmed to highlight just enough to fuel the scandal without revealing too much. It was perfect-ambiguous enough to make people assume the worst but not explicit enough to completely ruin her.
I created an anonymous email account and uploaded the video, attaching it to a message that would be sent to every group and mailing list in the university. Students, professors, administrators-everyone would see it.
My finger hovered over the send button for a moment, hesitation creeping in.
Once I sent this, there would be no going back.
But then I thought of Aria-her defiance, her stubbornness, her refusal to answer my calls or explain herself. She had left without a word, without giving me a chance to fix things.
If she wouldn’t come back willingly, I would make sure she had no choice.
I pressed send.
—
By noon, chaos had erupted.
My phone buzzed incessantly with messages and calls, each one more frantic than the last. I ignored them all, already knowing what they would say. The scandal was spreading like wildfire, consuming the university’s reputation and mine along with it.
Good.
I sat back, watching it unfold with a grim sense of satisfaction. The whispers, the outrage, the accusations-it was all going exactly as I had planned.
But this wasn’t just about the university. The real purpose of the video was to ensure it reached Aria and her father.
I knew how the packs operated, how quickly information traveled among them. By now, someone would have shared the video with Aria’s father, Alpha Xavier Nightshade. He would see it for what it was-a potential disgrace to their family name, a scandal that could tarnish Aria’s reputation among the packs forever.
And when he did, I would be ready.
—
That evening, I poured myself a glass of whiskey and sat in the dim light of my study, waiting for the fallout. My phone buzzed again, and this time, I picked it up, seeing the name I had been expecting.
Alpha Xavier.
I let the phone ring a few times before answering, keeping my voice calm and steady.
“Alpha Xavier,” I said, as if I hadn’t been anticipating his call all day.
“What the hell have you done?” his voice thundered on the other end, laced with fury. “Do you have any idea what this video has done to my daughter’s reputation?”
“I assure you, Alpha, I had nothing to do with the video being leaked,” I lied smoothly, my tone measured. “But I’ve seen it, and I understand the implications. I’m as shocked as you are.”
“Shocked?” Xavier spat. “This scandal could destroy her prospects, her standing in the packs. Who will want her as their Luna now?”
And there it was-the opening I had been waiting for.
“Alpha,” I began, my voice dropping into a tone of practiced sincerity. “I understand your concerns, and I want to help. Aria is a remarkable young woman, and it pains me to see her reputation dragged through the mud like this.”
“Help?” Xavier barked. “How exactly do you plan to help, Daniel?”
I took a slow sip of my whiskey before answering, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make him uneasy.
“I want to propose a solution,” I said finally. “One that would not only protect Aria’s reputation but also strengthen her position within the packs.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and I could almost hear Xavier’s mind working, weighing the possibilities.
“I’m listening,” he said, his tone wary.
“I care deeply for Aria,” I said, letting the words fall deliberately. “And I would be honored to take her as my wife. By becoming her husband and her Alpha, I can ensure that this scandal is forgotten. No one would dare question her integrity or her worth as a Luna if she were married to someone of my standing.”
Xavier was silent for a long moment, and I could feel the weight of his consideration.
“This would be a way to save her reputation,” I continued, pressing my advantage. “The packs would see her as a strong, capable Luna-someone who rose above the whispers and rumors. And I would do everything in my power to ensure she is protected and respected.”
“You think a marriage proposal will erase this mess?” Xavier asked, his voice sharp.
“I think it’s the only way,” I replied, my tone firm. “And I’m willing to stand by her, no matter what it costs me.”
Another long silence stretched between us before Xavier finally spoke.
“I’ll speak to Aria,” he said grudgingly.
“She may be resistant at first,” I said, already anticipating her reaction. “But I believe, in time, she’ll see that this is the best path forward.”
Xavier grunted in acknowledgment before ending the call without another word.
I set the phone down, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips.
The pieces were falling into place.
Aria could fight this all she wanted, but in the end, she would have no other choice. By my side, as my wife and Luna, she would find her place in the world.
And I would finally have her.