Aria
Finally, I pull up to the restaurant Aunt Esther works at. It’s in some random suburb in New York. I push open the door and the scent of pancakes hits me. I’m starving. I look around and notice a few people scattered, minding their business, thank goddess. Aunt Esther works two part-time jobs…waitressing by day, receptionist by night.
“Aria!” Aunt Esther calls out, and damn, that gets a few heads turning. I look around, confused, until I see her running toward me.
I would’ve run to her, too, but honestly, I’m so fucking drained…emotionally, physically, every-which-way.
“My baby,” she says, wrapping me in a tight hug. “Are you alright? You look…”
“Aunt Esther,” my voice cracks before I can stop myself, and just like that, the tears start pouring out.
“Aria, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” She pulls away, gently wiping my tears, her hands so tender. Then she tugs me into the back room, the air damp and musty, but I don’t care.
“Sit,” she says softly, guiding me to a beat-up couch.
I look up at her, even through blurry eyes, thankful that Aunt Esther still looks so damn beautiful, tall, curvy, with curly brown hair. Damn, I missed her.
“Aren’t you gonna tell me why you’re so damn sad?” She chuckles, but there’s a little concern in her eyes. “You look like you’ve been through hell.”
I laugh, sniffing, and I guess it’s a little true. I had been running through the damn woods, using my wolf form just to get here. I didn’t have cash, so my wolf did all the work. Now? Both me and my wolf are fucking exhausted.
“I left my pack, Aunt Esther. And I left my mate.”
“Thank goddess,” she mutters, sitting down beside me. “You shouldn’t cry over that asshole. Ethan’s not worth it.”
“No… I left that bastard already. I’m talking about my second-chance mate. I left him,” I say, voice cracking.
“You had a second-chance mate?” She almost shouts, eyes wide. “And you left him?”
I nod, my heart breaking again. “It’s Lucas Russo from Shadow Pang Pack.”
“Shadow Pang?” she says, narrowing her eyes. “I know that pack. Hold on…” She stops, glancing at me. I can tell she’s holding something back.
“I know about my parents’ death. About Alpha Marcus and his wife. I know everything,” I add, rolling my eyes a little.
“How the fuck do you know, Aria?” She looks at me like I’m some kind of mystery she hasn’t figured out yet.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I choke. “Why? All these years I’ve hated my parents for something they didn’t do. All because they were decent people!”
“Aria,” Aunt Esther says, reaching for my hand. “I wanted to tell you, but whenever I did, you’d say you didn’t want to hear it, that I was making excuses for your parents. I didn’t know much about them, but I knew they were good people. Alpha Marcus and Alpha Stevens? They’re the real assholes. That’s why I left the Full Moon Pack. I was tired of the lies and the manipulation.”
“You should’ve taken me with you,” I cry, wiping my eyes.
“I wanted to, but Alpha Stevens didn’t allow it. Aunt Esther shakes her head. “I’m so sorry, Aria. I should have insisted. But damn, why did the Moon Goddess give you two assholes as mates?”
I laugh, but it’s hollow. “Lucas isn’t an asshole. He’s sweet, lovely, and a great person.”
“Then why did you leave?” she asks, and I feel my heart break all over again
This past week has been horrible, but I’ve been distracted-mostly because I’ve been running…just trying to get to New York, but now the pain comes rushing back. I can’t breathe as I choke on my sobs.
“Because I couldn’t stand him losing everything because of me, Aunt Esther. I just couldn’t. His father… he didn’t like me. He threatened my life and locked Lucas up. And when we escaped…” My voice cracks. “The few days we spent together were amazing, but I couldn’t be the reason he didn’t become the next Alpha. I couldn’t be the reason he lost his inheritance. How could I?”
Aunt Esther sighs and pulls me close, hugging me tight. “It’s okay, Aria. You’re going to be fine.”
“No… no. I don’t know how much longer I can take this. He’s been trying to mind-link me, and I’ve been blocking it. Even my friends… I don’t know how much my wolf can handle. It’s weakening us,” I whisper, barely able to speak through the sobs.
Aunt Esther pulls back, her face serious. “There’s only one way. You’re going to have to take the Wolfbane injection. Just enough to neutralize your wolf.”
I choke out a gasp. “But I don’t want to lose my wolf.”
“It’s the only way,” Aunt Esther says softly.
I nod, tears blurring my vision. “Is that what you did?”
“No,” she shakes her head. “I was banished, remember?”
I nod tearfully, and the pain in my chest intensifies. Aunt Esther had always been there for me…she was the only one who cared when I was kicked out of the pack house, the only one who visited me in my tiny apartment. She was disappointed when they chased me out, just because I turned sixteen and Alpha Stevens didn’t want me to be his responsibility any longer.
She was banished just because she challenged the Alpha for his poor treatment of his omegas. She bravely left with her head held high.
“But are you sure about this? You look miserable, Aria,” Aunt Esther says, concern written all over her face.
I nod, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. “My friends… I miss them. And Lucas… I don’t know how I’m supposed to survive without him, Aunt Esther. I didn’t even get to tell him I love him.” The tears start again, flooding my face.
Aunt Esther hugs me again, trying to soothe my pain. “It’s going to be alright.”
But I can’t believe it. “No, it’s not. I lost him, Aunt Esther. I lost my mate.” The pain hit me like a ton of bricks. My chest aches, and suddenly a sharp pain explodes in my heart, spreading to my stomach.
I gasp, clutching my chest, feeling like I can’t breathe.
“Aria… What’s the matter?” Aunt Esther’s voice shakes as she holds me, but I can’t answer. The pain is too much. I scream, the world going black.
—
When I wake up, I shift slightly, groggy and disoriented. I notice I’m lying on a bed, and a man with a graying beard and glasses is standing by my side.
“She’s awake,” the man says. Aunt Esther immediately rushes to my side, grabbing my hands.
“Thank goddess, you’re awake, Aria,” she sighs in relief.
“What happened to… me?” My voice is hoarse, my mouth dry.
“This is Doctor Rish, one of the best werewolf doctors around,” Aunt Esther says, motioning to the man beside me. “He checked you out. The reason you collapsed…”
I look at her, waiting for her to explain.
“You’ve been banished from your pack,” Doctor Rish says. “Two packs, actually. And the ties between you and your mate have been severed. That’s why you were in pain…your wolf couldn’t handle it. It was too much.”
My heart sinks as I hear those words. “So does that mean I’m a rogue now?” I ask quietly, a pit forming in my stomach.
Aunt Esther nods slowly, looking at me sadly. “I guess…”
I let out a long, shaky breath. “That’s what I wanted,” I say, tears beginning to fall again.
“Let’s give her some time alone,” Doctor Rish says.
“Alright,” Aunt Esther says, kissing my forehead gently. “I’ll go prepare something for you to eat. You must be hungry.”
As soon as the door closes, I lose it. The tears pour out of me, faster than I can breathe. This is it. I’ve lost everything. Lucas. My pack. My friends. It’s all slipping through my fingers, and I can’t stop it.
It’s over. And it fucking hurts.