Aria
“Mia, what the fuck? Why didn’t you tell us this?” I ask, hands on my hips, giving her my best What is wrong with you? glare. I mean, seriously, we’ve shared everything…from crushes to that one time Lily ate five burritos in one sitting and ended up crying on the toilet for hours. But this? This…she keeps to herself?
Mia looks up at me, guilt written all over her face. “Guys… I was just so embarrassed, okay? And honestly, it’s not something I enjoy remembering.” She gets up and starts pacing, her arms crossed like she’s holding herself together.
“Mia, girl, you have to talk about it,” Lily says. She’s got that look on her face, the one that says I’m about to mom you so hard right now. “It’s clearly eating you up.”
I nod. “Yeah, Mia. We see how you get all weird and twitchy whenever someone even mentions mates. It’s like you’re allergic to the word or something.”
Mia sighs, running a hand through her hair. “You’re right,” she mutters. She looks away, staring at some spot on the floor like it holds all the answers to her problems. “After that day, the whole mate thing just… it scares me. It pisses me off.”
Lily and I exchange a look, already bracing ourselves for whatever traumatic shit she’s about to drop on us.
“It was during the New Year celebration at our pack,” Mia begins nervously. “You remember Rick, right?”
Oh, we remember Rick. How could we not? Tall, ripped, stupidly handsome, and Mia’s long-time crush. Back in the day, she couldn’t even say his name without blushing so hard she looked sunburned.
Lily and I nod, and I can already feel the dread pooling in my stomach.
“So,” Mia continues, taking a deep breath, “it was a full moon, and a lot of people were meeting their mates that night. Including me.”
Oh no. Oh hell no.
She hesitates, like the words are physically hurting her. Finally, she gets it out. “They’d just gotten back from a pack run, and I was excited…like, finally gonna see Rick excited. Then… I caught the scent.” Her voice cracks, and tears spill down her cheeks like someone turned on the waterworks.
Lily and I don’t even think twice. We’re up in a flash, wrapping her in the kind of hug that says We got you, girl.
Mia sobs into my shoulder for a moment before continuing. “It was him. Rick. I was so happy. But then…” She pulls back, wiping at her face. “He looked at me like I was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe. He hated that I was his mate. He… he insulted me, body-shamed me, and then rejected me. Right there. Just like that.”
My jaw drops. I think I black out for a second from pure rage. Lily looks like she’s about to throw hands.
“That asshole,” Lily hisses, her fists clenched. “We’re so sorry, Mia. We had no idea.”
“It’s fine,” Mia says, though her trembling voice betrays her. She pulls away from us, her arms crossed like she’s trying to shield herself. “That’s why I can’t imagine being mated to anyone again. I just… I can’t.”
“But Mia,” Lily starts softly, “not everyone is like Rick.”
Mia shakes her head. “No, Lily. Look at Aria.” She gestures toward me, and I blink. “She’s been betrayed twice. Twice, Lily! I’m not letting that happen to me again.”
Ouch. Okay, she’s not wrong, but damn, she didn’t have to call me out like that.
“Damon doesn’t want to reject you, though,” Lily points out, always the optimist.
Mia lets out a bitter laugh. “I don’t give a fuck. Do you hear the crap he said about Aria? He’s no better than Alpha Lucas.”
I flinch at the mention of that annoying jerk but don’t say anything.
“Mia…” I try, but she cuts me off, her voice rising.
“No, Aria. No. Damon’s body-shamed me too. Called me a fatso once. Made his little friends laugh at me. So no, I’m not giving him the time of day.”
Lily gasps. I groan, dragging a hand down my face. Fuck. I was really trying to give Damon the benefit of the doubt, but he’s making it real hard.
“Okay, fine,” I mutter. “Let’s stop talking about these losers. Seriously, we’re all down so bad right now it’s pathetic. We need to let out some steam.”
Lily perks up, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, I have an idea.”
Oh no. That look never ends well.
“Lily, if this involves glitter or getting in trouble, I swear to-”
“Just trust me!” she cuts in, grinning so hard.
…..
Forty minutes later, we’re at the club, dressed to fucking kill. I’m talking skin-tight dresses that leave nothing to the imagination…like, nothing. One wrong move, and we’re flashing the whole damn place. But hey, tonight’s about letting loose and forgetting all the bullshit.
The second we step inside, the music punches me in the chest. It’s loud as hell, the bass so deep I swear it’s vibrating my bones. The place is packed. Bodies are swaying, drinks are spilling, and the air smells like sweat and alcohol.
“This place is insane,” I yell over the music, scanning the crowd. It’s like every hot guy in the universe decided to show up tonight, and I’m not mad about it.
Mia shrugs, looking entirely too casual for someone who suggested this place. “Yeah, Damon brought me here once.”
I blink. “Oh.” Well, that’s awkward.
Lily claps her hands, breaking the tension. “Okay, no more moping. We’re here to party, bitches!”
Hell yes. We hit the bar, order some drinks, and dive right into the chaos. The three of us stick together at first, dancing like maniacs. My hips are swinging, my hair’s flying, and I’m pretty sure I’ve already sweat off half my makeup. But I don’t give a fuck…it feels good to just let go.
“This is fucking awesome!” I shout, downing the rest of my drink. It burns going down, but I’m too light headed to care.
Lily giggles, pointing across the room. “Hey, Aria, that guy’s been staring at you all night.”
I follow her gaze and, oh damn, she’s not kidding. Blond hair, killer smile, and a body that looks like it belongs on the cover of GQ. The dude winks at me.
I grin back. “You know what? Fuck it. I’m gonna have some fun before we leave this stupid ship.” I hand my bottle to Lily and flip my hair over my shoulder.
Mia narrows her eyes. “Where are you going?”
“To see that hunk.” I give her a little wink before sauntering off toward the dance floor.
The guy’s already waiting, leaning against a railing like he owns the place. “Hello, beautiful.”
I don’t even let him finish. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I smirk. “Just shut up and dance.”
“Feisty. I like it.” He chuckles, clearly into it. His hands find my waist, pulling me close as we start moving to the music. And when I say moving, I mean we’re practically grinding. The chemistry is insane, and I can feel his breath on my ear when he leans in.
“Danny,” he says.
I furrow my brows. “What?” The music’s so loud I can barely hear him.
“My name,” he says, grinning. “It’s Danny.”
“Aria.”
We keep dancing, the heat between us building. He’s good…confident without being cocky, and for a second, I actually forget about all the drama. That is, until he walks in.
Lucas.
He’s at the bar with Serena, looking like the perfect fucking couple. My chest tightens, and for a moment, all I can do is stare. He catches sight of me, and his eyes go wide like he wasn’t expecting to see me here.
Well, two can play this game.
I tilt my head up, locking eyes with Danny. “Kiss me,” I challenge.
Danny doesn’t need to be told twice. His lips crash into mine, and it’s messy and heated and exactly what I need. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lucas freeze. His jaw clenches, and for a second, I think he might actually lose it.