Aria’s POV.
The air outside the restaurant was cold, sharp, and stung against my skin, but it was nothing compared to the storm of emotions inside me. Every step I took away from Zander felt heavier, as though the weight of our conversation was trying to pull me back. My chest was tight, and my breathing came in shallow gasps. I clutched my coat tightly around myself, hoping it might bring me some comfort, but no amount of warmth could chase away the icy chill that had settled deep inside me.
Seeing him again-hearing his voice, feeling his presence-it felt like reopening a wound that I had only just started to heal. I told myself that I was stronger now, that I had moved on, that I could face him without falling apart. But the truth? The truth was that his words had shaken me more than I cared to admit.
Why now? Why, after all this time, did he suddenly decide to show up and act like he cared? Where was this concern when he rejected me, when he shattered my world into tiny pieces and left me to put it back together on my own? The memory of that day was still fresh, no matter how deeply I tried to bury it. The pain, the humiliation-it all came rushing back the moment I saw him sitting across from me, looking at me like I was still the most important person in his life.
I hated him for that.
But deep down, there was a small part of me-a foolish, fragile part-that wanted to believe him.
—
The streets were quiet as I walked, the city lights casting long shadows on the pavement. I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t want to go back to Daniel’s estate, back to the cold, suffocating walls of a life I hadn’t chosen. But I couldn’t stay out here forever. Sooner or later, I would have to return. Sooner or later, I would have to face the reality of what I had agreed to.
Daniel.
Just thinking about him made my stomach twist. I didn’t hate him-not the way I hated Zander. But I didn’t trust him either. Daniel was a mystery-a man who wore charm and confidence like a shield, but underneath it, I knew there was something darker, something calculating. He didn’t want me because he cared about me. He wanted me because I was useful to him. To Daniel, I was a prize, a tool to help him gain more power.
I had agreed to be his Luna because I thought it was the right thing to do-for my family, for my pack, for everyone who was counting on me. But the more time I spent in his world, the more I felt like I was losing myself.
Zander’s words kept playing in my mind: *”You don’t have to do this. You have a choice.”*
But did I? Did I really have a choice?
—
When I finally reached the gates of Daniel’s estate, the guards nodded and let me in without saying a word. The massive iron gates creaked open, and I walked inside, the crunch of my boots on the gravel path the only sound in the still night. The estate was grand, cold, and intimidating. It was everything the Huntington pack stood for-power, control, and ambition.
As I approached the front doors, they swung open, and Daniel stepped outside to meet me. He was, as always, perfectly dressed. His sharp blue eyes studied me with a mix of curiosity and something that looked like concern. “You’re back,” he said smoothly, his voice calm and controlled. “I was beginning to think you’d decided to stay in the city tonight.”
There was a faint smile on his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Nothing about Daniel ever felt completely real. He was always watching, always calculating, always planning his next move.
“I just needed some air,” I said, brushing past him and stepping into the grand foyer. The warmth of the house hit me instantly, but it didn’t bring me any comfort.
Daniel closed the doors behind me, his footsteps echoing as he followed me inside. “And did you find what you were looking for?” he asked casually, though there was a weight to his words that made my stomach clench. I knew he wasn’t just asking about my walk.
I turned to face him, forcing my face to stay calm. “I just needed to think,” I said. “That’s all.”
He studied me for a long moment, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly, but he didn’t push. Instead, he gave me that same practiced smile-the smile that always felt like a mask. “Well, I’m glad you’re back,” he said. “You’ve had a long day. You should get some rest. We have an important meeting with the council tomorrow.”
I sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle on my shoulders. “Why?” I asked, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
Daniel stepped closer and, to my surprise, took my hands in his. I flinched slightly at the touch, but his grip was firm. He looked directly into my eyes, his expression intense. “To talk about the engagement preparations,” he said.
My stomach sank. “Why so soon?” I asked, my voice unsteady. I didn’t want to rush into this. I didn’t want any of it.
His eyes hardened slightly, and his voice dropped lower. “Because we are mates, whether you believe it or not,” he said firmly. “I am your true mate, Aria.”
—
Later that night, I sat alone in my room, the weight of the day crashing down on me like a tidal wave. I leaned against the edge of the bed, my head in my hands, trying to make sense of everything.
Zander’s face appeared in my mind again, his voice playing over and over like a broken record. *”You’re not the kind of woman who lets herself be used.”*
Was he right? Had I let myself become a pawn in Daniel’s game? Or was I doing what I had to do to protect the people I cared about?
I didn’t know the answer. All I knew was that I felt trapped-trapped between a past I couldn’t escape and a future I didn’t want.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt truly, painfully alone.