Mia
We’re standing in the middle of the pack’s training clearing, surrounded by sweaty warriors sparring like it’s the freaking Olympics. I swear, if one more guy with a six-pack walks by shirtless, I’m gonna forget why we’re here.
“What now?” Lily mutters, looking around like a lost tourist.
I roll my eyes and elbow her. “We find Vanessa. She’s always hanging out here in the evenings, doing…goddess knows what.”
Lily shrugs. “Sounds shady?”
I ignore her and start scanning the area. And then I spot Vanessa, sitting in a corner with a group of her cool kid squad, laughing and chatting.
“There,” Lily says, pointing at them.
“Alright, let’s do this.” I adjust my jacket, take a deep breath, and plaster a fake smile. “Let’s go.”
We walk over, and the second we’re within earshot, Vanessa and her friends all stop talking, turning their heads toward us like we just interrupted something important. The looks on their faces? Pure disgust. Like we’re cockroaches crashing their exclusive VIP lounge.
“Vanessa,” I say, forcing my voice to sound cheerful. “Hi.”
Her eyes narrow, and she tilts her head like she’s trying to figure out if we’re lost or just stupid. “What do you want?” she finally asks.
“Can we talk to you?” I say, trying not to sound desperate.
Vanessa lets out the most dramatic sigh I’ve ever heard, like just standing up is a massive inconvenience. She doesn’t even bother saying anything to her friends before strutting off ahead of us, arms crossed.
When she finally stops, she spins around, folding her arms tighter. “Alright, what the fuck do you guys want?”
I glance at Lily, who looks like she’d rather be anywhere else. I nudge her with my elbow, and she nods.
“We need your help,” I say, but not too pushy.
Vanessa raises an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smirk. “My help? With what, exactly?”
“Our friend Aria,” Lily jumps in. “She… she was taken this morning by Alpha Steven’s warriors. We don’t know what they’re doing to her, but it’s bad. Please, Vanessa, we need you to help us find out what’s going on.”
Vanessa rolls her eyes. “Why don’t you just mind-link her or something?”
“We tried,” Lily says quickly. “Nothing’s getting through.”
Vanessa lets out a sarcastic laugh, her nails tapping against her arm. “And you think I’m just gonna stroll up to the Alpha’s mansion and ask what’s going on? What, do you want me to play spy or something?”
“It’s not spying,” I argue, throwing my hands up. “It’s… it’s investigating. Please, Vanessa, you’re the only one who can get in there without raising suspicion.”
Vanessa snorts. “Yeah, no thanks. Ethan’s always hanging around the mansion, and I’m not about to deal with that fucking bastard. I’m trying to get my dad to tell the Alpha I don’t want to be Ethan’s Luna anymore.”
“Vanessa,” Lily pleads, stepping closer. “We don’t have anyone else to turn to. Please. We don’t even know if Aria’s safe.”
She shakes her head, stepping back a little. “Look, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. Call Alpha Lucas. Isn’t she his mate? Let him deal with it.”
Vanessa turns to leave, and my blood boils. Oh, hell no. “You know,” I say, my voice louder than I intended, “if you were in Aria’s position, she wouldn’t have abandoned you. She would’ve helped you, no questions asked.”
Vanessa stops mid-step. For a second, I think she’s gonna keep walking, but instead, she slowly turns around, her expression unreadable. She stares at me for what feels like forever before sighing.
“Fine,” she says. “I’ll do it. But only because Aria was the one who kept telling me to dump that asshole Ethan.”
Lily and I practically launch ourselves at her, wrapping her in a bear hug before she can change her mind.
“What the-get the hell off me!” Vanessa shrieks, squirming like we just doused her in slime.
We let go, laughing as she glares at us like we’re insane.
“Thank you, Vanessa,” I say, still grinning.
“Yeah, yeah,” she mutters, brushing imaginary dust off her jacket. “Don’t make me regret this.”
……
Vanessa
I step out of my car, slam the door shut, and head for the gate. The guards barely glance at me before stepping aside. Perks of being the beta’s kid, I guess. Respect or fear…it’s all the same to me.
The moment I’m inside, I make a beeline for the living room, my mind racing. What the actual fuck am I doing here? I don’t even like Aria, let alone care enough to risk my ass for her. But then I think about that bastard Ethan and the shit he’s been putting her through. No one deserves that…well, maybe Ethan, but definitely not Aria.
“Vanessa!” Alpha Steven’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. He’s lounging on the couch, glued to whatever garbage is on TV.
I plaster on a smile and walk over. “Hello, Alpha,” I say, leaning in for a quick hug. Fake it till you make it, right?
“None of that ‘Alpha’ nonsense,” he says, pulling back and waving a hand. “Call me Dad. I’ve told you that a million times.”
“Right. Dad,” I say, forcing another smile. Goddess, this is awkward. I glance around the room, stalling.
“You’re looking for Ethan, aren’t you?” he asks with a knowing smirk.
“Uh, yeah,” I lie, letting out a nervous chuckle.
“He’s in his room,” he says with a laugh, clearly amused.
“Thanks, Dad,” I mutter, already heading for the stairs.
I climb up, my stomach knotting tighter with every step. I don’t even know if they’re keeping Aria in the mansion. What if she’s in the dungeon? But no, Ethan’s gross obsession with her makes it more likely she’s stashed away in one of these rooms.
I walk past Ethan’s door and start quietly checking the others. Most are empty…just guest rooms and storage. Then I spot a door at the far end of the hallway, looking sketchier than the rest. My gut tells me this is it. I creep toward it, holding my breath. When I get there, I reach for the knob, praying it’ll just swing open. Nope. Locked. And unlike the other doors, no key conveniently dangling around. Great. Could Aria be in there?
I press my ear to the wood, straining to hear something…anything. “Aria? You in there?” I whisper, knocking lightly. “Aria?” Silence. Not even a creak. My shoulders slump in frustration.
Just then, a voice booms behind me. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
I jump so hard I almost dislocate my spine. Spinning around, I spot Ethan, standing a few feet away, looking like so fucking hot. He’s in a plain T-shirt and pants, towel-drying his damp hair. Fresh out of the shower. And yeah, if I didn’t know better, I might’ve fantasized about him pinning me to the wall because, damn, he’s looking fine. But I do know better, and this asshole is evil.
“Hey, Ethan!” I force the fakest, cheeriest smile I can muster, even though my pulse is practically doing jumping jacks.
He narrows his eyes suspiciously. “What the fuck are you doing there?”
“You, of course. I was looking for you.” I throw my hands up laughing, as I start walking toward him, trying to act casual as hell.
He doesn’t budge. “That’s not my room.” His gaze shifts to the door behind me, and my stomach twists.
I let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, well, I got confused. You know, I’ve only been to your room, like, once… maybe last month?”
His brow arches, and he crosses his arms. “Try five times. And you were here right before that trip.”
Shit. “Well, who’s counting?” I chuckle weakly, waving him off like it’s no big deal. My heart is hammering so loud I swear he can hear it.
Ethan stares at me, his expression unreadable. “What the fuck are you doing here, Vanessa? Didn’t you tell me you were done with me?” He spins on his heel and stalks toward his room, not even waiting for an answer.
I trail after him, slipping into his room and shutting the door behind me. “Well, I wasn’t going to come, but my dad wouldn’t stop bugging me about it.”
He snorts, tossing the towel onto a chair and slamming his laptop shut. What’s he hiding in there? I make a mental note to check. “And you came,” he says flatly, like he doesn’t buy my excuse for a second.
I shrug, glancing around the room. “Yep.”
His gaze darkens as he steps closer. “What’s your deal? You here to beg me or something? After all the shit you said to me?” He sneers, and I clench my fists at my sides to keep from punching him. “Save it. I’m telling my dad I’m done with you.”
Internally, I cringe. This fucking asshole actually thinks I’m here to grovel. “Well, good for you,” I say with a forced grin. “But, you know, I was hoping we could still… stay friends.”
He laughs. “Friends? Fuck no. I don’t need you, Vanessa. Not for anything, not even sex. And let’s be real, you weren’t good at that anyway.”
I want to shove my fist down his throat, but instead, I plaster on a fake smile that’s practically cracking my face.
A knock on the door saves me from replying with something that’ll blow my cover.
“Come in,” Ethan calls out,
One of his dad’s men steps inside, looking stiff as hell. “Alpha Ethan, your father would like to speak with you in his room.”
Ethan groans dramatically, running a hand through his still-damp hair. “Fine, I’m coming.” He turns to me, his eyes narrowing. “You better be gone when I get back.”
I watch him leave, holding my breath until the door clicks shut. Then, I rush to his desk, flipping open the laptop. A video pops up, and my jaw nearly hits the floor. There she is…Aria. Pacing back and forth in a room that looks more like a prison.
“Gotcha,” I whisper, my lips curling into a grin. But then my stomach drops as I take in the details. The windows are sealed tight, and the walls are covered in wolfsbane. No wonder Mia and Lily couldn’t reach her. This place is a fucking fortress.
I need to find that room. Fast. But first, the key. I scour the desk, the headboard, the shelves, nothing. Then I spot a jacket tossed carelessly on the couch. Bingo. I dig through the pockets, and there it is. I snatch it up, barely stopping myself from doing a victory dance.
Clutching the key, I sprint back down the hallway. My heart’s pounding as I reach the locked door. I jam the key in, twist it, and hear the click. It actually fucking worked. Drawing a deep breath, I push the door open just enough to peek inside.
Aria’s head snaps up, and her eyes widen with shock. “Vanessa?” she whispers.