Aria's POV

Whoever this message is from must be someone who knows me well, too well. The words keep ringing in my head, circling over and over like a curse I can't escape.

I tried to think, to trace the voice behind the words, but there was nothing to hold on to. Just emptiness and confusion.

I know the hate toward me is much. Being an omega in this pack automatically makes you an outcast. But this... this feels deeper. Personal.

The morning workout helped a little. The burning in my muscles replaced the fire in my chest. Every punch against the bag was a silent scream, every drop of sweat a release of something heavy. By the time I stopped, my body was trembling, not from weakness, but from holding back too much for too long.

I stood in the middle of my small gym house, the air heavy with the scent of iron and sweat. My sanctuary. My little world where nobody could remind me of my rank or my past.

But today, even this space couldn't silence the chaos in my head.

I locked the door behind me and sighed. I wasn't in the right frame of mind to handle clients or smiles today. The silence in the gym was comforting, but my heart wasn't still. It beat too fast, restless, uneasy.

The walk back to the pack house felt longer than usual. Each step echoed against the dirt road, the sound of birds fading into the distance. The sun was blazing high, sharp and golden, telling me that the day had already gone far. I must have spent more hours inside than I thought. That's how the gym traps me, once I'm there, time disappears. It's my only escape, yet somehow, it reminds me of everything I'm running from.

When the large, tall shape of the pack house appeared, my stomach twisted. I slowed my steps, dragging them against the ground as if my body already knew something I didn't want to face.

Then came that voice, smooth, mocking, and laced with fake sweetness.

"Hi, Aria."

I froze. My skin went cold. I turned slowly toward the sound, and there she was, Selene.

She was sitting in the garden, all glowing and perfect, like she had been waiting for me.

And beside her, Damon. My mate. My supposed other half. His hand was locked with hers, fingers intertwined like they had been doing it for years.

The sight hit me like a dagger. My heart clenched, but my face didn't show it. I glanced at them once, sharp and cold, then turned away, refusing to give her the reaction she wanted.

"Aria," Damon's voice thundered behind me. "Be nice. She's talking to you."

I stopped. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. The Alpha's command was never to be ignored, even when it came from a mate who treated you like nothing.

I turned around slowly, my eyes meeting his. For a second, it was like time paused. His face was calm, emotionless, the same face I've looked at every morning for three years, trying to find even a hint of love. But there was none. There never was.

I wasn't angry anymore. Just tired. Tired of trying. Tired of pretending.

It's obvious now, I can't earn the love I've been fighting for.

Selene smiled then. That kind of smile that isn't meant to be kind. She tilted her head and said, "Don't worry, Dam, it's not her fault." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. Then she turned her gaze on me. "I'm sorry, Dam loves me more than you, Luna."

That word, Luna, stung, the way she said it, like a joke she was proud of.

I looked at her and smiled faintly. "I know. And it's fine."

My voice came out calm, steady. It surprised even me.

This man doesn't deserve my love anyway. I've given enough, lost enough.

"Can I go now?" I asked, still smiling. That smile, the one I had mastered over time, was my only shield now.

Their faces changed. Surprise flickered between them, as if they expected me to cry, scream, or crumble. But I didn't. I couldn't. I've already done all that when nobody was watching.

Selene blinked, then chuckled, her tone sharper now. "C'mon, I know you're hurt. You don't need to cover that. It's not my fault Dam chose me over you." She rested her head on Damon's shoulder, eyes still fixed on mine, waiting for a crack in my mask.

"I can see that," I said simply, still holding that forced smile.

A silence settled, thick and uncomfortable. Even the breeze seemed to pause. Damon's eyes darkened, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

"Enough, Aria." His voice was cold, sharp as ice.

He stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the stones. "See you in the room now."

I didn't move. I just stared. For a second, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes, guilt, maybe? Or anger? I couldn't tell anymore.

"I'll be right there, Selene," he said, softer this time, and then turned to me. Without waiting for my response, he grabbed my wrist.

His grip wasn't painful, but firm enough to make me stumble as he dragged me toward the pack house. My heart pounded, not out of fear, but from everything I was holding back.

The garden fell silent behind us. I didn't look back, but I could feel Selene's smirk burning into my spine.

Each step toward that door felt heavier. My chest tightened with a thousand words I wanted to scream but couldn't. The walls of the pack house loomed closer, swallowing the sunlight as we entered the shadows.

I could still hear Damon's breathing, slow and steady beside me, but he said nothing.

And maybe that silence hurt more than his words ever could.

As the door shut behind us, I realized something.

The woman he was holding in that garden wasn't just another rival. She was the spark he once had with me, now burning in someone else's hands.

And the man dragging me through the hallway wasn't just my mate. He was a stranger wearing the face of the one I used to love.

The sound of the door slamming echoed through the pack house, leaving a stillness so deep it made my skin crawl.

I swallowed hard, forcing the tears back down. No, not here. Not in front of him.

If Damon wanted a show, he wasn't getting one.

So I straightened my shoulders, kept my chin high, and walked beside him into the silence.

Whatever was waiting behind that door, 

I knew it was going to change everything.

Aria's POV

"What was that display outside there?" Damon's voice echoed through the room the moment we entered. His tone was sharp, his jaw tight.

I sat on the bed, folded my arms, and tried to hold myself together. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't act dumb, Aria," he snapped. "You were rude to my guest, and you know it."

My heart twisted. "Damon, how exactly was I rude?" I asked softly, trying hard to stop the tremble in my voice.

He scoffed and turned to face me fully. "Look, I never forced you into this marriage. If you're tired of it, just say it. Of course, you won't, unless you want to end up sleeping on the street where you belong."

That cut deep. The words hit harder than a slap.

"Is that all that matters to you?" I whispered. "What about my heart?"

He gave a cold laugh, lit a cigarette, and blew the first puff in my face. "Your heart? What business do I have with that? The only thing that matters is how your body responds to my touch."

His hand slid to my breast.

I flinched and pushed it away. I once craved that touch, every bit of it. But not anymore, not from a man who doesn't see me, doesn't love me, doesn't even respect me.

His eyes darkened. "Don't you dare remove my hand again," he growled, gripping my neck.

I gasped, struggling to breathe as smoke brushed against my face again. My mind screamed for air, but he didn't care. Damon loved control, loved the way fear danced in my eyes.

He pressed his lips against mine, rough, possessive, trying to remind me who held the power. I turned my head, but he forced the kiss harder. My chest tightened.

And then I bit his lip, hard.

He cursed, stepping back in anger. "You dare..."

But before he could finish, a voice came from the door.

"Dam, I have something to tell you," Selene's voice floated in.

Damon shot me a deadly glare. He wiped the blood from his lip, straightened his shirt, and hissed, "You've grown wings, Aria. Don't worry, I'll show you why I'm called Alpha Damon."

He stormed out before I could reply.

The door slammed.

My knees gave way, and I sat on the edge of the bed, trembling.

"I've been telling you to leave him," Elly, my wolf, growled inside me. "He doesn't love us at all."

"I know," I whispered, my throat tight. "I thought he would change. I thought after everything, after all my sacrifices, maybe he'd see me differently."

Elly hissed in anger. "He never will. We should have left the moment he made us his Luna only by name."

She was right. Damon never saw me as his Luna. I was just a shadow in his life, a bed he visited when his ego needed warmth.

From now on, I promised myself, I'd stop caring. I'd focus on my duties, not my heart.

My phone rang, breaking the silence.

"Hello?" I answered, forcing my voice steady.

"Luna, sorry to disturb you," Beta Liam's calm voice came through. "There's an emergency in the office."

"I'll be there in a jiff," I replied and hung up.

I walked to the mirror. My eyes were red, but my face had to look strong. A Luna should never show weakness. I changed into a soft lavender dress that gave me a little confidence, brushed my hair, and left the room.

The late afternoon sun burned gently against my skin as I walked through the hallway toward the office. The golden light fell through the windows, to but nothing could warm the coldness inside me.

Then, I heard laughter behind me.

"Omega will always be omega," Ruth's voice rang out. "No matter how she tries to act high and mighty."

Her friends laughed along.

I clenched my jaw and kept walking. Their voices didn't sting like they used to. I had grown used to the mockery.

"Her reign as Luna is almost over," another girl sneered. "The real Luna is already here to take what's hers."

I didn't turn around. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

I reached the office entrance and stood quietly, waiting for Liam. My phone buzzed again,a message from him.

Wait for me at the hallway entrance. On my way.

Their laughter continued, louder this time.

"She's nothing but a bed warmer," Ruth said.

That one stung.

Elly stirred within me, restless. "Let me out, Aria. Just once. Let me show them who we really are."

"No," I whispered in my mind. "Not here. Not now."

Ever since I joined this pack, I'd never shifted in front of anyone. When the pain of rejection became too heavy, I ran deep into the woods and shifted alone. There, I could breathe without judgment.

"Enough!" Liam's voice boomed behind me. "All of you, out. Now!"

The girls froze, then scurried away, mumbling under their breaths.

Liam approached, giving me a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry about that, Luna."

I nodded, pretending not to care. "What's the emergency?"

He cleared his throat. "There are rogues spotted at the northern border."

My eyes widened slightly. "And what did the Alpha say?"

"He said we can handle it," Liam replied, hesitation in his voice. "He has... something important to discuss with Selene."

I swallowed my bitterness. "Of course he does."

Liam tried to avoid my eyes. "I've already gathered a few warriors. We're ready to move."

"Good," I said, my tone clipped.

We walked down the corridor toward the training field where the warriors waited. I could feel Liam's gaze on me.

"By the way," he said lightly, "you look stunning today. You should dress like this more often. It fits your Luna title."

I gave a small, humorless smile. "Thank you, Liam. But titles don't mean much if no one respects them."

He sighed, looking at me with something like pity, or maybe admiration. I couldn't tell.

Within minutes, we reached the field. The warriors were ready, weapons in hand, tension thick in the air. The late afternoon light was dimming now, streaks of orange brushing the clouds.

"Let's move," I commanded. My voice was firm, the voice of a Luna, even if my heart was breaking inside.

We began the journey toward the border. The air grew colder, and the forest ahead was strangely silent.

"Elly, you feel that?" I whispered in my mind.

"Yes," she growled. "Something's off. The scent isn't just rogues. It's stronger... darker."

Then came the growls. Low, deep, spreading from the shadows.

"Positions!" I ordered.

The rogues lunged out, fast and wild. I ducked, grabbed a fallen branch, and swung hard, straight to the ribs of the first attacker. It dropped, whining.

Another came from the left. I turned sharply, kicked it hard in the jaw, then used my momentum to strike another from behind. My body moved on instinct.

Liam fought beside me, his claws out, while the warriors formed a tight circle.

It wasn't easy, but I never once let my wolf out. I didn't need her strength to win. Every strike, every move, was mine.

By the time the last rogue fell, my hands were bloodied, my breath heavy.

The woods fell silent again.

Liam wiped his arm. "That was too organized to be random."

"Yeah," I said slowly. "They weren't here to kill. They were testing us."

"Testing us for what?"

I looked toward the thick forest beyond the clearing. "I don't know."

The air grew strangely still. Not a leaf moved. The kind of silence that comes only when something, or someone, is watching.

Elly's voice came quietly in my mind. "We're not alone."

A chill crawled up my spine.

I turned slowly, scanning the shadows. The forest was dark now, the last of the sunlight dying behind the hills.

"Let's move out," I said quietly. "No one stays behind."

Liam nodded, signaling the warriors to pull back.

We walked away from the border, but I could still feel it, eyes on me, watching from the darkness.

I didn't look back.

I didn't need to.

Whatever was out there, it wasn't done with me yet.

Damon's POV

The bite Aria gave me still stung. Every time my tongue brushed the torn skin on my lip, I could taste the faint copper of blood mixed with her defiance.

That woman had grown wings, sharp, proud, and untamed. She was no longer the quiet omega I once brought into this house. She looked at me differently now, not as her mate or her Alpha, but like someone she was ready to fight.

Why does she act like I forced her into this? She should be grateful. Any omega would be. But Aria isn't any omega. She's bold. She challenges me with her silence, with her eyes, with that stubborn pride that makes me question everything.

If not for my father, I would have rejected her a long time ago.

But my father believed in her. He said she carried something rare, strength wrapped in humility. He said she was chosen for the pack, not for me. And maybe he was right.

Over these past two years, I've learned something. Aria might not be the mate I wanted, but she is the Luna this pack needs. Strong, calm, and painfully loyal. She runs things smoothly, even when I'm gone for weeks. She never complains, never lets the pack see her weakness.

Maybe that's why I can't reject her. She completes the pack... just not me.

Love? I don't think I understand that word anymore, not since Selene.

Selene...

The name alone brings a rush of bitterness to my throat. My first love. My curse.

Her father was my father's gamma before he left to start his own pack. Even after that, Selene stayed here. We were inseparable. I thought I'd found the one person who truly saw me, not as an Alpha's son, but as Damon.

Until the night I caught her with a rogue.

Her hands on him. Her lips.

She didn't deny it. She just looked at me with those same beautiful eyes and said, "You're overreacting."

I almost killed the rogue that night. But I didn't.

She manipulated me into forgiving her. And weeks later, she disappeared,vanished into thin air.

I searched for her for months, thinking maybe she'd been taken. But no... she left on her own.

And now she's back.

The same smile. The same scent.

But something about her feels darker now. Different.

A knock on my office door pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Come in," I said.

Liam, my beta, stepped in and closed the door behind him. His clothes were still dusty from patrol.

"How was it?" I asked without looking up from my desk.

"It went well, with the help of the Luna," he said, brushing a hand through his hair. "But I think not all the rogues died. Some escaped into the woods. There's something strange about their fighting pattern, though. Their formation... it felt familiar."

I looked up then. "Familiar how?"

"I don't know," he admitted, frowning. "They fought like trained wolves, not wild ones. Their speed and coordination, it wasn't normal."

My brows furrowed. Rogues rarely fought with order. They attacked like savages. But what Liam described sounded like military formation.

"Find out everything," I said, my voice low. "Who trained them. Where they came from. Report to me once you know."

"Yes, Alpha." Liam nodded, then hesitated. "Aria fought well. Really well. If she hadn't been there, we'd have lost men."

I froze at that.

Aria.

Even after everything that happened between us today, she still went to battle.

Still fought for my pack.

A strange mix of pride and guilt tugged at me, but I pushed it down. "That's her duty," I said flatly. "You can go."

He nodded once and turned to leave.

But before he reached the door, it burst open without a knock.

"Dam, you're here," Selene said, stepping in like she owned the place.

I clenched my jaw. "I told you to knock before coming in."

She gave a playful pout. "Why are you being mean to me? You were so nice earlier, in front of Aria."

She sauntered closer, her perfume filling the air, a sweet scent that used to drive me crazy but now made me uneasy.

"I'll take my leave," Liam muttered quickly, slipping out before I could stop him.

Selene smiled as she moved closer, her long lashes fluttering. "I know you still love me," she whispered, cupping my jaw. Her touch was soft, calculated. "I'm sorry for what happened, Dam. My father needed me. I lost my phone. I couldn't contact you."

Her lies slid easily off her tongue. I could hear the false sweetness in every word.

"You expect me to believe that?" I asked, my voice low.

She tilted her head. "You don't have to believe me. Just feel me again."

She leaned in, her body pressing against mine. I should have pushed her away. I wanted to. But something about her pull... it still worked like poison.

"Do you really love me?" I asked quietly, half-hoping she'd tell me the truth this time.

Her lips curved into a smirk. "You already know I do."

I stepped back, breaking her touch. "Then give me space. We'll talk later."

Her eyes glimmered with amusement instead of hurt. "At least have dinner with me, Damon. Just dinner." She moved closer again, voice dropping to a whisper. "If you do, maybe I'll show you how much I missed your rough, sweet touch."

Her words hit me like fire.

Damn it, she knew my weakness. She always did.

"Fine," I muttered. "Go ahead. I'll be right behind you."

She grinned like a cat that just caught its prey. "I can't move. My ankle hurts," she said, her voice dripping with false innocence. "Can you carry me to the dinner table?"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. She was playing games again. The same games she used to play before breaking my heart.

"Selene..." I warned.

"Oh, come on, Alpha," she teased. "You wouldn't want your guest limping through the hallway, would you?"

I hesitated for a moment before crouching slightly. "Fine. Just this once."

Her laughter was soft and triumphant as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel her breath on my skin, and for a brief second, I hated how familiar it felt.

As I carried her down the hall, a few pack members turned their heads in surprise. Their Luna's mate carrying another woman, it would definitely stir gossip.

But I didn't care. Or at least, that's what I told myself.

When we reached the dining hall, I gently lowered Selene into her seat. She smiled up at me, that same smile that once had me wrapped around her finger.

"Thank you, Alpha," she said sweetly.

I didn't reply. I simply took my seat beside her, forcing my expression to remain unreadable.

Moments later, the door opened, and Aria walked in.

She wore a simple navy gown, her hair loosely tied back. No jewels, no attempt to impress. Yet she drew every gaze in the room. Calm. Composed. Regal without trying.

She bowed her head slightly. "Alpha. Selene."

Selene's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Join us, Luna," she said, dragging out the title like it was a joke. "You must be exhausted from pretending to be a warrior."

Aria didn't respond. She just took her seat at the far end of the table and began to serve herself quietly, as though Selene's words meant nothing.

That silence, it stung worse than any insult could.

Selene laughed softly. "Oh, come on, Aria. No words for me? Or are you afraid your Alpha might notice which one of us he truly wants beside him?"

Aria finally looked up, her eyes meeting Selene's with a faint, icy smile. "The Alpha has always known what he wants," she said simply, then went back to her meal.

Selene's smirk faltered for a moment, and I felt my chest tighten, pride, guilt, and frustration all mixed into one.

Selene reached for my goblet, took a slow sip, and whispered, "Still the same taste. Strong. Familiar. Unforgettable."

Aria didn't even flinch. She finished her food, placed her cutlery neatly, and rose. "If you'll excuse me, Alpha," she said calmly, her voice smooth as glass. "It's been a long day."

"Aria...."

She paused at the doorway, not turning around. "You don't owe me an explanation," she said, her tone steady, controlled. "Good night, Alpha. Selene."

Then she was gone.

The silence she left behind was heavier than any argument.

Selene leaned back, twirling her hair between her fingers. "She's cold," she murmured. "Are you sure she's even capable of being your Luna?"

"Enough, Selene."

She laughed softly, leaning closer. "Fine, Alpha. But when you're ready for warmth..." She stood, letting her hand trail along my arm, "...you know where to find me."

Her perfume lingered as she left the hall, and her last words echoed through my head like a dangerous whisper.

"See me in my room."

I sat there for a long while, staring at the empty doorway, Aria's calm voice still echoing in my mind, fighting against Selene's temptation.

For the first time in years, I didn't know which woman truly held power over me.