Lucas
I stride down the hallway with Lily keeping pace beside me. Honestly, I have no idea what we’re supposed to be looking for.. Goddess knows, but I don’t care. My mind’s somewhere else.
Or rather, on someone else.
Aria.
And that bastard, Ethan.
I can’t stand the thought of him being anywhere near her. Leaving her alone with him feels like handing her over to a damn snake. If he so much as breathes wrong in her direction, I swear I’ll kill him. No hesitation. That fucking bastard doesn’t deserve to be in the same room as her.
“Alpha Lucas, are you even listening?” Lily’s voice cuts through my haze, yanking me back to reality.
“What?” I blink and glance at her.
She pouts, her blue eyes doing that fluttery thing that I guess is supposed to be cute. “You haven’t said anything about the clue. Where are we going?”
I roll my eyes, trying not to groan. “Sorry, puzzles aren’t really my thing.”
“Let me see,” she says, holding out her hand.
I raise the paper up instead, scanning the words: Round and cold, a winter’s delight, find me where the frost takes flight.
“Huh. Ice… sculpture,” I mutter, piecing it together. “Yeah, I think I know where it is. Follow me.”
Before we can take two steps, a commotion down the hallway catches my attention. Two fools from another team sprint past us, followed by Damon and Mia tearing after them.
“Get back here with my candy cane, you dickheads!” Mia yells, her voice echoing through the hall. Damon’s right on her heels, looking equally pissed.
I stop and watch the chaos for a second, shaking my head. “What the hell was that?”
“Uh… I think someone stole their candy cane,” Lily says, trying not to laugh.
“Crazy lot,” I mutter, turning back to our own task.
We walk in silence for a few moments before I glance over at Lily. She’s shy, quiet…not the type to start a conversation-but I need answers.
“So, Lily,” I start casually, “how long have you known Aria?”
She looks up at me, then away, her cheeks pink. “Since we were kids. The three of us met in middle school.”
I nod, pretending that doesn’t bother me. “And her childhood? How was it?”
Lily hesitates before answering. “It… wasn’t easy. You know she’s an orphan, right? Her parents died when she was a baby, so she grew up in the pack house as one of the Alpha King’s omegas. They took care of her until she turned sixteen. After that, she started fending for herself with part-time jobs. Thankfully, she’s smart. She got into Crescent Wolves Academy on a scholarship.”
A tug pulls at my lips. Of course she’s smart. She’s Aria.
“What about her parents? How did they die?” I ask, keeping my tone neutral.
“I’m not really sure,” Lily says slowly. “But according to what the Alpha King’s servants told Aria, they tried to help a traitor and got killed for it.”
My brows knit together. “A traitor?”
“Yeah.” She nods. “From your pack, actually…at least that’s what the rumor says. Her parents tried to help some woman escape, and your father’s men crossed Full Moon’s boundary to chase her down.”
I stop walking, frowning as the story clicks into place. It sounds familiar. Too fucking familiar.
“And how the hell would her parents know a woman from my pack?”
Lily shrugs. “No idea. It’s just a rumor. I’m surprised you haven’t heard it before, Alpha Lucas.”
I don’t respond, because I have heard this story. Only it wasn’t a rumor, and it sure as hell didn’t go down the way she’s describing.
“Do you know her parents’ names? Or even just her mother’s?” I press.
“No, not at all. You could ask Aria, though.”
“Why hasn’t she told me any of this?” I ask, more to myself than to Lily.
“Don’t blame her,” Lily says softly. “Because of these rumors, Aria’s been bullied her whole life. Called a traitor’s daughter, ostracized in the pack. And when she finally found her mate…” Lily pauses, her jaw tightening. “Sorry-ex-mate. She thought she’d finally be respected and treated well. But you know how that ended.”
My jaw clenches at the mention of Ethan. I hated that asshole before, but what he did to Aria? Unforgivable. He’s no better than my stupid ass father.
“Where are we going, Alpha Lucas?” Lily asks, pulling me back to the present.
“To the lobby. There’s a statue there,” I say, though my thoughts are still spinning. This story about Aria’s parents is too close to something I already know, and it’s messing with my head.
“There it is!” Lily points as we reach the ice sculpture display.
I grab the item, a frozen ball encased in a block of ice and inspect it.
“We need something to smash it,” Lily says, glancing around.
I smirk. “Nah, we don’t.”
With one squeeze, the ice cracks and melts in my hand, leaving the ball free. I hand it to Lily.
“Wow.” Her eyes widened in awe. “You’re so freaking strong! Oh, sorry…I forgot you’re an Alpha.”
“Not all Alphas can do this, Lily,” I say with a cocky grin. “I’m just built differently.”
She rolls her eyes, laughing, but I stop mid-chuckle when I spot Aria across the deck.
And Ethan.
The way he leans toward her, like he has any right to be that close, makes my jaw tighten.
“You okay?” Lily asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah,” I say quickly, forcing my gaze away. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Teamwork!” Lily says with a grin.
I barely hear her, my focus drifting back to Aria and Ethan. They’re arguing about something, and every instinct in me is screaming to march over there and drag her away.
“Oh, it’s Aria,” Lily groans, spotting them too. “And that bastard. I wonder if he’s giving her trouble.”
Fucking Ethan. He’s trouble just by existing.
“What’s your problem?” Aria’s voice suddenly rises, cutting through the air sharply.
I see him grab her hand, tugging at her like she’s some doll. “Let me go!” she snaps desperately.
And that’s it. I see red.
I warned him. I told that piece of shit to stay the hell away from her, but clearly, he’s too damn stupid to listen.
Taking a steady breath, I start marching toward them, every step deliberate, every muscle coiled tight with fury. Ethan’s about to learn exactly what happens when you mess with what’s mine.