Aria
My eyes scan the girl from head to toe. She’s tall…like, runway model who could strut in six-inch heels without breaking a sweat tall. Her long, jet-black hair looks like it belongs in a shampoo commercial, all glossy and perfect. Those hazel eyes of hers sparkle like she’s been genetically engineered in a lab for maximum perfection. And her skin? Ugh, smooth, olive-toned, and glowing like she bathes in liquid gold. Honestly, if we weren’t in this situation, I’d probably be begging her for skincare tips.
She arches a perfectly plucked brow at me. “Can I help you?” Her voice is smooth, but her tone? Full of sass.
Oh, this is who Lucas didn’t come home for? Perfect.
“Who are you?” I snap, crossing my arms. “Where’s Alpha Lucas? And what exactly were you doing in there?”
She stares at me like I’ve just told her Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie, then starts laughing. LAUGHING. Like I’m the joke here.
Before I can say something that might get me banned from Christmas forever, the door swings open, and there he is. Alpha Lucas, looking all broody and handsome.
“Aria,” his brows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”
I blink at him, dumbfounded. “What am I doing here? Oh, I don’t know, maybe checking to see why my so-called mate didn’t come home last night. And now I know-it’s because you were in here, fucking around with some girl!”
“Aria,” he growls, his eyes narrowing like I’m the one in the wrong. “It’s not what you think.”
I scoff so hard I nearly choke. “Oh, please. Spare me the ‘it’s not what it looks like’ speech. Do I look like a fool to you?”
The girl chuckles, covering her mouth like this is the most entertaining thing she’s seen all year.
“You know what? You’re no different from that bastard Ethan!” I snap, my voice cracking as tears prick my eyes. “You’re all the same!”
“Aria, listen-”
“No!” I cut him off, my chest heaving. “I’m done with your crap, Alpha Lucas. Have fun with… whatever this is!” I shoot the girl one last glare before bolting out of there.
I make it halfway to the cafe before I spot Mia and Lily at the door. Great. The last thing I need is an audience for my breakdown. I quickly wipe at my eyes, but they’re already rushing toward me.
“Aria, what happened?” Lily asks.
“He was with a girl,” I choke out, bursting into tears and practically falling into Mia’s arms. “He was with some girl. He’s no different from Ethan. I’ve been cursed with another stupid mate! He didn’t even run after me.”
Mia rubs my back. “That fucking piece of shit. Don’t waste another tear on him.”
“Exactly,” Lily adds. “He’s not worth it.”
I nod, trying to pull myself together. “I’m fine, guys. Really. I just… I need some time to clear my head.” I force a laugh that sounds faker than the snow in those Hallmark movies.
“Are you sure? You’re not even going to eat breakfast?” Lily asks, frowning.
“No, I think I just need to lie down for a bit.”
“Alright,” Mia says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “By the time you wake up, you’ll be ready for the Christmas party tonight.”
Yeah, right. Like I want to go to some party where Lucas will undoubtedly be, probably brooding in a corner and ruining my life by just existing. But I don’t tell them that.
Back at Lucas’s suite, I hesitate at the door. Should I pack my bags and leave now? The thought of seeing his face…or, worse, his alluring scent lingering in the room makes my stomach churn. Tomorrow… I’ll deal with it tomorrow.
“Thanks, guys,” I mumble, flopping onto the bed.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to bring you breakfast?” Lily asks, lingering by the door.
“I’m fine. I just need to be alone.”
Mia sighs, fluffing the covers for me. “Aria, are you sure you don’t like Alpha Lucas?”
I glare at her. “I don’t. It’s just the stupid mate bond making me act this way.”
“Alright,” she says, clearly not convinced. “We’ll see you later.”
The second Mia and Lily leave, I lose it. Tears pour out of me like someone just opened a floodgate, and no matter how hard I try to stop, I can’t. My chest aches, and it feels like my heart is being stomped on by the Grinch himself.
And Gail? My fucking wolf? She’s groaning in my head, pacing like she’s the one with the heartbreak. Her restlessness only makes me angrier. She’s been acting up ever since I stormed out of the games room. What’s her deal?
‘Really, Gail?’ I hiss under my breath, pulling the covers over my face like they’ll shield me from all this chaos. ‘You wanted me to stand there and let him embarrass us? Are you kidding me?’
She whines in response, which, honestly, just pisses me off more. What am I supposed to do with that?
‘Stupid wolf,’ I mutter, rolling onto my side and clutching the pillow like it’s a life raft. This is officially the shittiest Christmas ever. Forget snowflakes and holiday cheer; all I’ve got is heartache and a wolf who seems to be on Team Lucas. Great. Just great.
……
Mia
“I can’t believe Alpha Lucas would do such a thing to Aria.” Lily sighs next to me, sounding like a tragic heroine. “I mean, the guy’s supposed to be her mate. The literal one-in-a-million match! And yet here we are, cleaning up his mess while she cries her heart out.”
I roll my eyes so hard I swear I see my brain for a second. “Why not? He’s nothing but a fucking whore who can’t keep it in his goddamn pants,” I mutter, letting my voice carry just enough to make a statement. Then I start scanning the cafe, my eyes narrowing like I’m a mom at a PTA meeting, looking for the kid who stole my daughter’s lunch money.
Lily leans closer, whispering like we’re in a spy movie. “What are you looking for?”
“Those fucking bastards.”And then-bingo…I spot them. Damon and Theo, standing there, chatting up some girls like the cocky assholes they are. I jab a finger in their direction. “There they are. Let’s go.”
Lily grabs my arm like I’m about to storm Area 51. “Mia… what are you planning to do?”
“Nothing.” I give her my best innocent face, which isn’t very convincing. “Just tell them a piece of my fucking mind.”
Before Lily can stop me, I’m striding across the cafe like I’m about to accept a Best Actress Oscar. We stop right in front of them, and I don’t even give them a chance to notice me before I pat Damon on the shoulder…hard enough to make his stupid smirk falter.
“Hey, Mia.” Damon’s smirk returns, cocky as hell. It’s the kind of smirk that makes you want to throw a shoe at someone.
“Are you proud of yourself?” I ask sweetly, folding my arms. “Did you giggle and kick your feet when you all made a fool out of Aria?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Theo frowns, and for a split second, he actually looks confused.
Oh, so now we’re playing dumb. Cute. I raise an eyebrow, my sarcasm dial cranked to max. “Don’t act like you don’t know. The reason you two didn’t want Aria to go to the games room is because Alpha Lucas was in there fucking some other girl.”
“What?” they both exclaim, looking genuinely surprised.
I narrow my eyes at them. Why the fuck do they look so shocked? Aren’t they in on this? If this is some kind of Oscar-worthy acting performance, I’ll give them credit. But something about their reactions feels… off.