KNIGHT’S PENTHOUSE, NY

Aria was still staring at the street through the wide glass window from Knight’s home. It's been hours since she bumped into her best friend Rina and yet she still couldn't believe that she met her friend.

The omega couldn’t help but remember everything Rina had told her but one thing stayed with her.

‘Lexi became close to Cyrus after you left. There's a rumor that they're getting married soon.'

Aria closes her eyes as she tightens her grip on the wine glass she was holding. She is all alone in the penthouse and since she was already getting paid as a music producer, she can afford to buy bottles of wine for her and Knight when they hang out. 

It's one of the many things they both share and since she was still living at the penthouse for free, she always made sure to buy Knight’s favorite wine no matter how expensive it was.

"He’s getting married but why the hell won't you leave my skin?" Aria lifted her free hand to graze over the mate mark on her neck. 

She might not see it but she can feel it as if it's mocking her at the moment.

She knows that a mating mark isn't something you can just get rid of, especially for fated mates like them. 

She learned in high school that the mating mark would only vanish when the one who made it dies or loses his feelings toward the person carrying the mark.

 It is also the reason why she thinks she’s still alive because she had always thought that her mark was a symbol that Cyrus still has feelings for her somehow. 

But now that she learned of her ex-husband's relationship with her best friend, then maybe the feelings that are keeping a mark on her are not love.

"Must be hatred then...it's the only feeling as strong as love." She mumbles again before she drowns her drink.

 It hurts, it really hurts knowing that the person you've been wanting to find you doesn’t even care and is already smitten with your friend.

 Aria chuckles bitterly at her thoughts and how pathetic she is for thinking that her mating mark still means something to Cyrus. 

Now that she remembers that she also put a mark on the alpha, she feels even more embarrassed because she's sure Cyrus might be thinking that she is still longing for him.

Aria pours another drink into her glass. 

 She needs the alcohol to knock her out tonight or else he wouldn't get any ounce of sleep with her head running a mile a minute. 

That night, she drank her sorrow away knowing that she’d wake up tomorrow with the feeling still lingering on her.

CARTER MANSION

Cyrus sighed for the nth time that evening after making sure his little princess was sleeping peacefully in her bed.

 Be came home late again and her nanny was the one who put her in bed that evening. 

The pure-blood alpha is so thankful that they have the old woman taking care of his pup because Felicia just seems to know how to deal with Kiana even when she's difficult.

Ever since he started participating in politics, he became so busy that he rarely spends time with his daughter but Felicia made sure that Kiana is being taken care of. 

She will be turning 4 soon and one thing she has learned from her nanny is to listen to different types of music. 

He even bought his daughter a vinyl player for her room because Kiania fell asleep faster with her music on. She loves music just like her mother.

Cyrus smiles fondly at his sleeping daughter when the music from the recorder changes. The song is new.

 This time the song sounds so sad. Even the lyrics reminded him of someone, the someone he's been looking for so long. 

Cyrus stands up and walks towards the player as if listening to the song would suddenly reveal the person he's looking for. He closed his eyes as he listened to the song. it sounded familiar but unfamiliar.

When the alpha feels like the song is suffocating him, he quickly turns the player off before he leaves the room. 

He didn’t know why he felt like the song was speaking to him so he went to bed trying not to think of anything.

Three days have passed and Aria couldn’t seem to forget what Rina has told her. 

She already finished her recording with the group but here she is in her office drowning herself in  work hoping she could just forget everything and go back to when she didn’t have that knowledge.

Heaven knows she's trying her best to forget and just move on with her life now but everytime she tries to take a step forward something from her past will just drag her back to where she started. 

She feels so helpless. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realize that it was past the time to go home.

 She almost fell off her seat when her colleague’s head popped in from the door.

"Not Going home yet?" Kyrie asksbut Aria just pouts and points at the scattered paper in front of her.

"You know, they told me that a good musician needs a muse to be able to make good music. Come on Ivy, why don't you join me for a drink? Maybe you'll meet  that someone"

"Thanks Kyrie...you know I don't go to clubs and I'm not up for mating. Just go and have fun!" Aria even waved his hand towards the older producer.

Kyrie just scrunches his nose as he retreats because he knows he could never convince her.

Aria sighs when she sees he’s  gone. She knows he is right about having a muse, but Kyrie is so wrong for thinking that she doesn't have one because she knows deep in her heart she has his angel and she will be forever her muse.

The omega couldn’t help but feel the longing in her heart again when she remembers her pup. 

She slowly tidies up her table and tries to divert her mind to anything but her daughter because she doesn't want to cry herself to sleep for once. 

He looks at the calendar sitting on top of her desk and realizes that it's already the weekend.

"Hmmn, I suppose it's time to pay Lucas a visit then" Aria mumbles to herself. 

She already bought a present for the older man. She knows Lucas is rich and probably has everything he wants in life except a mate but then Aria knows how the older alpha is plant obsessed and loves wooden things so she bought him a cute little bonsai tree that is now sitting on the table inside her studio.

Aria smiles to herself as she grabs her bag and picks up the present for Lucas.

She looks at her watch to check the time. She still has enough time to get to the metro so she can go see her brother.. She fishes out her phone and types a short message informing Knight that she's going to see her brother.

The alpha is still in his vacation house and would probably be back in a few days so Aria took the opportunity to leave now. 

But to her surprise the moment she stepped out the building she's working in, she spots the familiar alpha leaning on his black Audi A8.

"Knight!" Aria squealed when their eyes met. She hates how excited she sounds but Knight’s smile really made her feel better.

"How are you Ivy?" Knight beams and immediately takes the gift from her hands and her bag.

Aria laughs at Knight’s calling her by her pseudonym. Ever since she started working at Gem-harmony, the pure blood alpha started calling her that every once in a while.

"I'm fine! I actually sent you a message just now because I didn't expect you to be back soon. I'm planning to go to the country side!" Aria says.

Knight opens the car door for her and only replies when they're already inside the car.

"Yeah, I saw your message. But  Aria, you know it is dangerous for you to travel alone, right? Do you mind if I'll go with you? Or if you are not comfortable with me then I can send Justin to drive you and…"

"NO! I mean, …..I'll be fine. You don't have to drag Justin or me again. I bet he already hates me enough because you keep making him check on me whenever you're gone as if I can't take care of myself." Aria said matter of factly. 

She doesn't know how to feel with the attention Knight has been giving her; she's worried that Justin would think that she's an opportunist who's taking advantage of the kindness of his friend.

"Justin could never hate you. Hell, he is practically bouncing whenever I ask him to check on you. I guess he has also become your fan, well just your number 2 fan because I'm the number 1!" Knight grins as he starts the car.

Aria suddenly froze in her seat when she heard his words.

 Those are the exact words Cyrus said to her when he first learned that she used to sing at Lucas’s restaurant.

 She still remembers how her ex husband used to go to the restaurant every night just to watch her perform before they got married. 

Cyrus was once her number 1 fan or so she thought.

Knight noticed the omega's silence and didn't comment on it.

 He knows that whenever he accidentally says something connected to Aria's past, she goes quiet.

"So, how about we drop by for chicken and pizza first before we drive out tonight? You know I also want to visit their famous strawberry farm there." Knight suggested that made Aria smile.

"Oh goodness, how could I ever say no to fried chicken? Let's go then!" Aria replied.

At first, she thought about insisting to go alone but then she remembered Rina’s words. 

Everyone seems to have moved on already, maybe it's time for her to move forward with her life too. Maybe it's time for her to just focus on herself and the people who actually care for her. With that in mind, Aria looks at Knight’s side profile.

Maybe, it's really time for her to open up to someone else too.

Aria decided to go back to where she started just to let herself be at peace with who she is, Little did she know that they are not the only ones who are going to that place.

Cyrus is gripping the steering wheel of his car hoping to finally find the person he's been looking for.

The pure-blood alpha doesn't even know why he is still searching for the person who already left them years ago. 

He hates himself for going through all the trouble just to find her when he knows that Aria left on her own accord!

"So...I assume you have a plan for when we eventually find her there., care to share?" Dylan breaks the tense silence in the car because he feels like he's about to explode taking in the distressed scent of his cousin.

Cyrus lets go of the breath he didn’t even know he was holding. He also relaxes a little in his seat behind the steering wheel.

"I...I really don't know Dylan. I just need to see her." Cyrus hates how he can't keep his mouth shut whenever he talks to his older cousin. 

He is not sure if Dylan is one of those gifted by the moon who has the ability to compel people to be honest because he feels like he is.

"That's a good plan, kiddo, but we need something a little more specific, a more solid plan." Dylan scoffed because he couldn’t believe Cyrus left his daughter at home just to find Aria only to know that all he wanted to do was see the omega.

"I know… I know...but I can't just give myself another false hope. What if Dad was right? What if Alex and the rest of them are telling the truth? That she left us. There's no other reason for her to leave Dylan unless..."

"The mark engraved in your skin is more than enough reason for you to hope Cyrus. I thought you already knew that you know the law of nature, and the mark of the Moon would never betray you. Always remember that." Dylan says before he reclines the chair because, to be honest, he is getting frustrated for his cousin too.

He doesn't want to give him a false hope. He doesn't want to see him suffer again like Aria suddenly vanished but Dylan has known the omega too.

 He knows that Aria would never exchange his family for a career or any amount of fortune just like how Alex and Julius told Cyrus when they showed him the divorce paper and letter from the omega.

The only question in Dylan's mind is, what actually made Aria leave? Who made her leave? And why the hell would she suddenly appear only to hide again?!

The older alpha fell asleep with a lot of thoughts in his head. He is surprised when Cyrus wakes him up after a few hours because they finally arrived at her hometown.

"Dylan, we're here." Cyrus pointed at the restaurant that turned into a cozy bar at night.

Lucas Monroe almost cried not only because of the beautiful gift that the Omega had gifted him but because he was beyond happy that she finally returned home.

Lucas is one of the few people who got worried and grieved when Aria suddenly vanished.

 He also tried to contact Alex and Rina since he knows the two are Aria’s friends but they just simply gave him vague replies before they cut him off.

 "I can't believe you still came to look for me. Look at you, still so beautiful." Lucas pulled the younger for another hug because he truly missed his baby sister.

"I missed you so much, too. You are as handsome as always. I missed your pasta & steak!" Aria uttered, trying not to cry because of the sudden nostalgia of coming back to the place where she first started a place that felt like home.

"Oh right, you still love those. I will cook them for you and this handsome gentleman here only if you will grace me one song. I missed seeing you sing on that tiny stage." Lucas pointed to the makeshift stage at the center of the restaurant.

"Woah, come on Ria...you wouldn't say no to your brother right?" Knight tries to convince her.

Aria stares at the stage and the grand piano on the side for a while before a tiny smile breaks into his lips.

"I actually wrote a new song when I met that little girl in the restaurant. Do you want me to play it here?" Aria smiled at the two older men.

"Of course! We'll love that." Knight quickly replied with a big smile.

"The stage is yours Ria!" Lucas even ushered her to where the piano was before he led Knight to the vacant table closest to the stage.

Aria can't help but smile giddily thinking that she's really going to play the piano in front of an audience while singing a new song.

"Go, Ivy!" Knight even whistled when Aria finally uncovered the keys of the piano.

Aria closes her eyes the moment her fingers touch the ivory keys of the musical instrument. She is more than aware that there are many people in the restaurant who are curious about what she has planned.

He hears some murmuring and whispering, but she is more focused on how Knight is encouraging her.

The omega couldn’t help but smile thinking that it really was time for her to move on.

She starts to sing as she plays the beautiful melody on the piano.

The audience is in awe not only with the beautiful melody coming from the piano but most especially her honey-like voice singing the song she recently wrote.

Knight's eyes never left Aria on stage so he saw how the Omega suddenly froze on his seat. The melody suddenly stopped in the middle of the song as the omega snapped her head towards the entrance of the restaurant.

Aria has never been so quick to turn around the moment she takes a whiff of the familiar scent of a pure-blood alpha that never fails to make her weak. the scent that once brought comfort and then heartbreak.

It may have been 3 years since she last saw Cyrus, it might have been 3 years since she last smelled that scent but it would take her a lifetime to forget the only scent that can make his wolf feel so alive.

"Cyrus?."

Aria whispered to herself only to regret it right after because the said man suddenly lifted his gaze and found her eyes focused on her too.

"Aria?."