Aria
“So, what are we gonna do about this?” Mia glares at the box sitting like some cursed artifact in the trash can.
I cross my arms, scowling at the damn thing. “I don’t know, but whoever’s doing this is seriously grinding my nerves.” I glance at the boutique behind us. “We were outside, then went in. Maybe they shoved it in there while we were distracted.”
“Or when we stopped at the restaurant,” Lily chimes in, suspicious.
I tug at my hair, frustration clawing at my scalp. “I don’t care where or when! All I know is this asshole is messing with us.”
“No scent,” Mia sniffs the air like a bloodhound. “They definitely masked it. Smart, sneaky bastard.”
Lily hugs herself, staring at the box like it’s a ticking bomb. “Aria, maybe we should just tell Alpha Lucas. Let him deal with this.”
“No, not yet.” I grab the box and hug it to my chest. “We don’t need to bring him into this. I’ve got it under control.”
Mia arches a brow so high it might’ve hit orbit. “Oh, yeah? How exactly, Einstein?”
I sigh, already bracing for their judgment. “I think I know who did it.” I motion for them to follow me, and they trail behind, muttering like grumpy extras in a horror flick.
“Where the hell are we going?” Mia demands, practically stomping.
“To Vanessa and Ethan. I’ll bet my last piece of chocolate it’s one of those fucking assholes.”
“And what’s your plan, Sherlock? Show up with no proof and look like idiots?” Lily whispers.
“Yeah, or better yet, get accused of murder,” Mia snaps.
Okay, valid points. “Fine, fine! I’ll just… get rid of it again.”
Mia and Lily groan, but I’m already speed-walking toward the ship’s deck. I have to make sure this box is what I think it is.
But then…. Vanessa appears, striding toward us like she’s on a mission to burn the world down. Or maybe just cry on it. Her face is covered, but the sobs shaking her shoulders are a dead giveaway.
“Is she… crying?” Mia whispers like we’re watching a Lifetime drama.
“Looks like it,” I mutter, my wolf, Gail, pacing in my head. Something’s off. “Come on.”
I clutch the box like it’s some cursed treasure and move quickly, tailing Vanessa. She’s speed-walking toward the lobby, her heels clicking loudly. Mia and Lily are right behind me, practically breathing down my neck.
“She’s heading to the restrooms,” Mia mutters. “Now what? We just barge in there too?”
“Duh,” I snap, glancing over my shoulder. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Gail’s restless, and honestly, so am I. Something’s not right.”
We push through the restroom door, the hinges creaking like a horror movie setup. The place smells like floral air freshener and something else I can’t place my fingers on. Vanessa isn’t in sight at first, but then a stall door swings open, and there she is.
She freezes like a deer in headlights, her wide eyes darting to the mirror and back to us. “What the fuck?!” she yelps, stumbling a step back. “What are you doing here?”
I start to say something snarky, but the words die in my throat when I see her face, purple bruises blooming like awful flowers on her cheek, her eyes red and swollen.
“What happened to you?” Mia blurts, completely ignoring any sense of tact.
Vanessa’s jaw tightens. “None of your fucking business. Get out.” She avoids our eyes, staring hard at the mirror like she’s trying to will us away.
“Did Ethan do this?” The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.
“Shut the fuck up, Aria. I told you to forget about him. He’s mine. You have a mate now, don’t you? So just leave me and Ethan alone.”
“You’re seriously defending someone who-”
“Nobody did this to me!” she cuts me off.”I fell, okay? Get off my fucking case.” She rubs her face like that’s gonna erase the bruises. “Just need some ointment. I’ll be as good as new.”
I stare at her, my brain short-circuiting. How can someone be this deep in denial? It makes my stomach churn.
Lily tugs at my sleeve. “Come on, Aria. I don’t think she’s the one.”
She’s right…Vanessa’s got her own mess to deal with. No way she’s behind the box. But still…
“Are you still here?”Vanessa groans, snapping me out of it. “Just fucking-” She pauses, sniffing the air dramatically like a fucking dog. Her eyes narrow. “You’ve been marked, haven’t you? Alpha Lucas?”
The way she spits his name like venom makes my heartbeat rise.
I arch a brow. “Aren’t you supposed to be happy for me or something?”
“You don’t understand,” she mutters, clearly anxious. “Just… leave, okay?”
“Vanessa, what-”
“GET THE FUCK OUT!”
Before I can respond, Mia and Lily grab my arms and haul me out like I’m a damn sack of potatoes. The restroom door slams shut behind us, leaving me more confused than ever.
“What the actual fuck?” Mia breathes, her eyes wide. “She’s lost it.”
“She seemed… off,” I mumble, glancing back at the door.
“Yeah, well, not our problem,” Mia snaps. “Come on, we still need to figure out what to do with that creepy-ass box.”
We make our way toward the lobby, but my mind’s stuck on Vanessa. Did Ethan really hit her? I knew he was a grade-A asshole, but this?
I’m so lost in thought, I don’t see him until I almost walk straight into his smug face. Speak of the devil.
“Watch it,” I snap, clutching the box tighter. My eyes flick over him, looking for any sign of guilt, but his expression is as infuriatingly unreadable as ever.
Ethan crosses his arms, his gaze dropping to the box for a split second before locking back on me. “Something on your mind, Aria? Or are you just going to stand here and glare at me?”
I start to leave, but something keeps me rooted. My gaze flicks back to Ethan, and the words spill out before I can stop them. “I saw Vanessa’s face. Did you do that to her?”
“What?” His voice wavers, a little too high-pitched, and the guilt flashes across his face like a neon sign.
“You’ve really hit rock bottom, Ethan. You should be ashamed of yourself.” My stomach churns.
“Shut the fuck up.”
I scoff, tilting my head as a cold smile curls my lips. “Goddess, I’m so glad I have nothing to do with you anymore.” I turn to Mia and Lily, motioning for them to follow me, but before I can take another step, his hand clamps around my arm.
“Wait!” His voice cracks, desperation dripping from the single word.
I spin around, yanking my arm, but his grip is firm. “Let go of me.”
His eyes flicker to my neck, and his expression darkens. “You… you’ve been marked?” His voice is barely a whisper, but it’s laced with disbelief and anger.
My heart stutters as his gaze lingers on the mark. The raw pain in his eyes might have softened me…if he weren’t such a fucking bastard.
“You let another man mark you?”
My stomach knots, but I square my shoulders. “Yes. I belong to Alpha Lucas now.”
Ethan’s grip tightens, his entire body trembling. “How dare you…You’ve really lost it, Aria.”
“Let. Me. Go.” My voice is calm, but my wolf is ready to tear him apart.
Mia steps between us. “Let her go, Alpha Ethan.”
His nostrils flare, and for a moment, I think he might snap. “You’re going to regret this,” he spits, releasing my arm like it burned him.
He stares us down, the rage smoldering in his eyes making my stomach twist. Without another word, he storms off.
“What the actual fuck was that?” Mia mutters, running a hand through her hair like she’s trying to process what just happened.
I shake my head, still feeling the ghost of his grip on my arm. “I don’t know, but he’s pissed. And not in the normal Ethan-is-an-asshole kind of way.”
“Something’s not right about him,” Lily sighs, “Maybe we should tell Alpha Lucas-”
A deep voice cuts her off, sending chills down my spine. “Tell me what?”
I whip around, my breath catching as Lucas steps into the lobby. His narrowed gray eyes flick to the box clutched in my arms.
“What’s that?” His tone is calm, but there’s a dangerous edge that makes my pulse race.
Great. Just what I needed.