Aria
“Who would’ve thought a cruise ship had a whole-ass salon?” Lily’s jaw is practically on the floor as she gawks at the sparkly sign of the salon.
“I swear, it’s magnificent.” I nod, pretending not to feel my bank account screaming. But then reality hits. “But, uh, guys… this salon looks hella expensive.”
Mia just scoffs and waves her hand like she’s Beyonce or something. “Puh-lease. Whatever the cost, we got you. You’re getting that blonde back, and you’re gonna look hot as hell while we do it.”
“Facts,” Lily chimes in, and before I can argue, they drag me inside.
And let me tell you, this place is ridiculous. Chandeliers, velvet chairs, mirrors that make you look like a goddess-like, why does a salon on a ship need to be this extra? Anyway, true to their word, Mia and Lily helped me cover the cost because I’m pretty sure my card would’ve bounced.
An hour later, I’m staring at myself in the mirror, and damn. My hair is dirty blonde, soft waves cascading down my shoulders, and it looks like something straight out of a shampoo commercial.
“It’s so fucking gorgeous,” Lily squeals, practically vibrating.
“You’re making me wanna go blonde,” Mia fake pouts, running her fingers through her auburn hair.
I laugh, flipping my hair dramatically. “Suck that, Ethan,” I mutter under my breath, feeling liberated. Like, for the first time in forever, I don’t feel like I’m living under anyone’s shadow.
“Alright, time for action.” I stand up, full of confidence, and we strut out of the salon majestically.
“So now what?” Lily crosses her arms, giving me her usual skeptical look. “Are you really gonna… you know… do that?”
“Don’t make it sound so fucking bad, Lily,” Mia cuts in, rolling her eyes. “This is payback. Alpha Lucas deserves it after what he pulled.”
I sigh. Lily’s not wrong…she never is but I’m too pissed to care. “Let’s just walk around. Maybe we’ll… find someone.”
The ship is busy as hell. People are everywhere-chatting, walking, sipping cocktails. There’s music in the background and the faint hum of the ocean. It’s like a scene straight out of a movie.
Mia suddenly points at some guy laughing with his friends in the corner. “What about him?”
I glance over. He’s tall, blond, good-looking… but nope. “Pass.”
“Why?” Mia pouts.
“He reminds me of Ethan.” The name tastes bitter on my tongue.
We keep walking, and Lily points out another guy. I recognized him immediately. “Nah. He goes to our academy. Hard pass.”
“She’s right,” Mia agrees. “Nobody from our academy is touching Alpha Lucas’ ‘girlfriend.’ They’re all terrified of him.”
“Fine, what about that guy?” I motion toward someone sitting alone on a bench, sipping soda. He’s tall, dark-haired, broad-shouldered, and has this broody vibe going on.
Mia raises a brow. “He looks like Alpha Lucas.”
“What?” I glare at her. “He does not.”
Lily smirks. “Yeah, Alpha Lucas is hotter.”
“Don’t bring him up,” I snap, rolling my eyes. My wolf growls in agreement, but I shut her up.
Mia’s already grinning. “Well, he’s perfect. And he’s alone.”
“Oh my fucking goddess, he’s looking at us,” Lily gasp, and we all turn our attention to the guy. She’s right-he’s staring, and damn, he’s not even trying to hide it.
“He’s looking at you, Aria,” Mia teases, practically vibrating with glee. “He already likes you. Go for him. We’re cheering you on!” She gives me a gentle push, but it feels like I’m being shoved straight into the fire.
Suddenly, my legs feel like Jell-O. My heart races, and I start second-guessing everything. What the hell am I doing? I’ve never pulled something this crazy before.
The guy notices me approaching and, to my utter horror, waves. Waves. Like we’re in some cheesy rom-com.
“Hey,” he says, flashing a smile that could melt glaciers.
It’s only then that I realize I’m standing right in front of him. I don’t even remember walking over here.
“Uh, hi,” I manage to squeak, feeling my cheeks burn. “You wanna, uhmm…” I stutter, my cheeks heating up. Shit, Aria, get it together.
He smirks, probably amused by my awkwardness. “You wanna drink, or maybe share a walk?” he suggests, catching me completely off guard.
“A walk! Yes, a walk will do,” I blurt out, probably a little too enthusiastically.
He extends his hand, all smooth and confident. “I’m Jay.”
“Aria,” I smile, shaking it. His grip is firm but not too tight-classic alpha vibes.
He stands, and we start walking. I glance back at Mia and Lily, who are squealing and giving me double thumbs-ups like total maniacs. Crazy girls. Why do I even hang out with them?
“So, how’s your day going, Aria?” Jay asks after a few moments of silence.
“You know, just great,” I reply, trying to sound casual. “Enjoying the day.”
We walk for a bit without saying much. I’m starting to think he’s kind of boring when we stop at this gorgeous spot where the water glistens, and the breeze hits just right.
“This is lovely,” I let out a sigh, taking it all in.
“But not as lovely as you,” he says, his eyes trailing from my lips to… oh. My boobs. Alright, Mr. Smooth, you’ve got my fucking attention now.
I flip my wavy hair over my shoulder, making sure he gets a good look at my neckline. Time to bring out the A-game.
“Thanks… and you’re not bad yourself,” I mutter, licking my lips slowly. Gail, my wolf, is practically punching me in the back of my mind.
And then, because apparently, I’ve lost all sense of self-control, I throw my arms around his neck, pressing my chest against him. His eyes darken instantly.
“You’re playing a very dangerous game,” he murmurs, his voice low and deliciously seductive.
“Well, I love dangerous games,” I quip back, even though internally, I’m like, What the actual hell am I doing?!
His hands move to my waist, then my ass, squeezing. Oh, fuck, I wasn’t ready for that. Next thing I know, his lips crash onto mine. The kiss is hot-like, melt-your-brain hot. For a moment, I forget everything. But then, like a traitor, my mind flashes to him. Lucas. Nope. Not today. I shove Lucas out of my head and pour all my focus into the kiss, pulling Jay even closer.
When we pull apart, we’re both panting.
“Gosh, that was fucking hot!” Jay gushes, grinning like a happy child.
But me? I don’t feel it. There are no butterflies, no fireworks. Not like with Lucas. And then, as if on cue, I spot Mia and Lily in the distance. They’re literally jumping up and down, waving their arms like they’re at a Taylor Swift concert. What the fuck are they doing?
Jay leans back in, his lips brushing down my neck, and that’s when it hits me. His scent. Lucas!
My eyes dart around, and there he is. Lucas, heading straight for us with his friends, looking like he’s ready to murder someone.
Oh, shit.