ARIA

Wait. How did he know about my window?

My father did not know about it. I was sure of that. If he ever found out, I would be dragged underground and locked away. There would be no arguing. No mercy.

"I do what I am told," I said quietly. My throat felt tight. "I will obey you."

"Yes," he said with a slow smile. "I hear your wolf is very obedient. I enjoy that." His hand grabbed my backside, rough and careless. "And this dress. Very bold. Why don't we find somewhere private so I can look properly?"

This was supposed to be my moment. The moment I had prepared for. The moment Alaric Stonefang would truly see me. I was meant to offer myself, just like my father trained me to do.

But I could not move.

My chest felt locked. Each breath scraped its way in. The lights blurred. The voices around us melted into noise.

When he tried to guide me forward, I pulled back instead. His grip snapped tight around my wrist.

"What do you think you're doing, little red?"

"I just need air," I said. My head felt light.

"What is it?" he asked. "Thinking about your lover?"

"My... lover?" I blinked at him.

"Your lovers," he corrected, louder now so others could hear. His smile turned sharp and cruel. "I know everything about you, Aria. What you do at night. And what your father wants from you."

At night, I did nothing. I sat alone on the roof. I watched the sky. I let the moonlight wash over me and pretended I was not trapped.

"My father wants us to marry," I whispered. My thoughts scattered.

This was wrong. Somewhere deep inside, I had hoped Alaric would rescue me. That he would be my true mate. Someone who would treat me as more than property.

Another part of me had hoped for less. That he would take me in secret and leave me alone the rest of the time. That kind of distance would have felt like freedom.

But this was neither.

"I don't know if I can," I started.

"You are vile," Alaric snarled.

He shoved me without warning.

I crashed to the floor. Pain tore through me. I heard fabric rip. Cold air hit my skin. I curled inward, dragging the dress back up with shaking hands.

Laughter echoed around me.

A woman stepped forward and slipped her arm through his. I recognized her instantly.

"He dresses you this way because he knows exactly what you are," Alaric said. "Most wolves think with their urges. I don't. I need a queen. I can take a cheap girl to bed anytime. But marry one?" He laughed. "Never. Someone like me would never choose you."

My eyes locked on my cousin. Lyra Devereaux. She had always smiled at me. Always spoken gently.

Now she watched me like I was nothing at all.

"Go back and tell your father I have decided," Alaric said calmly. "I, Alaric Stonefang, Alpha of the Ironwill Basin Pack, reject you, Aria Blackwood. I choose Lyra Devereaux. A woman with real strength."

Applause filled the Grand Moon Hall. Laughter followed close behind.

I forced myself upright. I clutched my torn dress with both hands and ran.

Tears burned as they fell. My heels snapped before I reached the doors. Everywhere I looked, people whispered. Fingers pointed. Smiles followed me.

Tonight was meant to save me.

Instead, I had become a spectacle.

And my father...

Victor would not forgive this.

I sobbed as I ran into the gardens behind the hotel. Someone shouted after me. I tripped and hit the ground, rolling hard.

Men surrounded me.

"Well," one said, grinning. "What is this?"

"Looks like she wants attention," another laughed.

Hands grabbed at me. I fought, kicked, twisted.

"Finally," someone said. "These gatherings are dull. Let's have some fun."

A zipper sounded nearby.

I screamed. I kicked again, hitting someone. They laughed louder. More weight pressed me down.

This could not be real. My mind refused to accept it.

"Stop," I cried. "Please, stop."

"That's enough."

The voice cut through the chaos like a blade.

The hands vanished. The men stepped back at once. Heads lowered. Eyes dropped. Some whispered apologies.

"Leave," the man said.

They obeyed without question.

He pulled me to my feet. My dress slipped again. I gasped and held it closed, my whole body shaking.

He was enormous. The largest man I had ever seen. His eyes were so dark they looked empty. A scar cut through one eyebrow. His face showed nothing at all.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I fixed my dress and looked around. Only a few men remained nearby, standing stiff and silent. Everyone else was gone.

Was he saving me?

Or was this only another kind of prison?

My hands trembled as I finally met his eyes.

There was no kindness there. No pity. He studied me like a problem he had decided to deal with.

"Silas," he said, never looking away from me. "Bring the car."

My heart slammed hard against my ribs.

"You're coming with me."

KAEL

The small red-haired woman did not speak once during the drive. She did not look out the window. She did not shift in her seat. She did not ask where we were going. She sat perfectly still, hands clasped in her lap, her face blank, like whatever was inside her had already gone quiet.

When the car stopped, my men opened the doors and helped her out. She did not fight them. She followed them to the hotel room without a sound.

The trip had been quick. Fifteen minutes, maybe less. Brex's suggestion. Somewhere close, in case I never made it back to the Grand Moon Hall. He always thought ahead. Usually, I respected that.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Then again. I ignored it. Someone would pull Brex's attention away soon enough. They always did.

I still did not fully understand why I had taken the redhead from the ball. At first, it was simple. A reason not to go back inside. An easy escape. But the truth came quickly after. Alaric Stonefang had found his mate tonight.

And it had not been her.

She was beautiful. That was clear once I truly looked at her. Smaller than most wolves. Fragile in a way that stood out among stronger bodies. Her face was soft and round, framed by red hair streaked with gold. Freckles dusted her nose. Her skin was pale, smooth, untouched by sun or outdoor life.

But that was not why I took her. Beauty surrounded me every day. Women were always offered. Smiling. Hopeful. Waiting for interest or destiny to choose them. I liked women. I always had. But none of them caught my attention the way she did.

I did not know why.

Maybe it was the fear in her eyes when she ran. Not loud panic. Quiet fear. The kind that lives deep inside. My wolf reacted to that. He wanted to pull her close, to protect her.

Maybe it was the thought of her torn dress in a room full of wolves. She would not have been safe like that. Wolves did not always stop themselves.

The private elevator lifted us in silence. Her arms stayed locked around her body, holding the ruined dress together.

My wolf stirred again. Uneasy. Angry. We had both seen the bruises on her back earlier. Dark marks. Shaped like fingers. I assumed they belonged to Alaric.

Maybe she liked rough hands. Some women did. Even so, I did not like seeing marks on her. I did not like knowing she had been hurt. I especially did not like the idea of another man leaving his mark on her. That reaction surprised me. I rarely cared about a woman's past or who she had been with.

"What's your name?" I asked when we entered the penthouse.

"Aria."

"Aria." I repeated it slowly. "Do you know why I brought you here?"

"It's obvious." Her voice was calm. Then she let her hands fall.

The top of her dress slid down. She did not rush to pull it back up. She looked straight at me. Challenging. Exposed. Her breasts were full, pale, soft, her nipples light pink. My chest tightened. My wolf approved loudly.

I smiled instead.

"I don't have another dress for you," I said. "So you won't be going back to the ball. But you don't have to stay in that all night."

Confusion crossed her face as I walked to the closet. Brex hated careless appearances. He said it looked bad when women left wearing the same clothes as the night before. Hotels like this always kept extras. I found jeans and a t-shirt that looked close to her size and tossed them onto the bed. Then I turned around.

"Do you want a drink?"

"What?"

"Something to drink." I kept my voice calm. My eyes caught her reflection in the mirror. She was watching me. She still had not changed. "Liquor. Beer. Wine. Soda."

"Wine. Red."

She pulled the t-shirt over her head and let the dress fall to the floor. I looked away and poured the drinks. Bourbon for me. Red wine for her.

When I turned back, she still had not put on the jeans. The shirt barely covered her thighs. Bare skin. Pale and smooth. It pulled my attention more than it should have. It was summer, and most wolves carried color from the sun. She did not.

I looked longer than I meant to.

I reminded myself that I had not brought her here to sleep with her. I told myself again. I brought her here to get her away from danger. To give her space. To let her leave if she wanted. But she moved through the room half-dressed, and my thoughts slipped.

Her eyes moved over me, curious and open. When I noticed, she turned away fast.

Submissive.

My wolf pushed closer to the surface. My interest followed. Images came to mind before I stopped them. Calling her closer. Telling her what to do. Touching her skin to see if it was as soft as it looked. I shut those thoughts down hard.

I handed her the glass. She drank too quickly and coughed.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Twenty-two." She paused. "Can I have another?"

"Later." I took the glass back. "If you put the jeans on, I can have someone take you wherever you want to go."

"You really brought me here just to change clothes?" Her eyes sharpened.

"And to let you calm down," I said. "You stood out. Wolves fight. They don't run. What kind of wolf runs like that?"

"A princess," she said quietly. Then she laughed, like the sound surprised her. "So you're saving me?"

I snorted. "I'm not a hero."

"I'm not heartbroken," she said. Her eyes went distant, heavy, like something inside her would not move.

She looked shattered anyway. Completely. Her words did not match her.

"Then what are you?" I asked.

She did not answer. She walked to the window and stared outside. "I don't know this place. Where should I go?"

I wanted to push. I was not used to being ignored. I did not like not knowing. But I remembered why I was here. I had responsibilities. Meetings. An end to this night.

"Home."

Her face tightened. "I can't. I need air. I need time."

"You'll think clearer with pants on."

She looked at me. "You really don't understand women. No one thinks better in jeans."

"What are you thinking about?"

"That it's finished," she whispered. So softly I almost missed it. "So that's it? You just brought me here to fix me up?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"I see how you look at me."

I smiled faintly. "I can mean well and still notice."

"Why were you outside the hotel?"

"You ask a lot of questions, little bird."

Her eyes widened. "Little bird?"

"Small. Wounded. Not ready to fly yet." I waited for her to argue. She didn't. She nodded.

"I'm stalling," she said softly. "Is that bad?"

"No." I paused. "I was stalling too. Balls are not my kind of night."

KAEL

She snorted, then laughed. It was sharp and sudden. She rolled her eyes, and for the first time I saw a flaw in her mask. Something real moved beneath her control.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You're an alpha and you don't like balls? I don't buy it."

"Don't you?" I asked.

"Oh, come on." She flicked her hand. "Alphas love showing power. You do it in your own lands, with your packs, where no one can truly test you. But a ball is different. That's where it counts. Leading a pack is easy. At a ball, you all stand around and compare yourselves. Who matters most. Who is strongest. Who keeps the tightest hold on their wolf. They call it unity, but it's really just one long fight to see who stands on top."

She stopped talking. Her shoulders pulled tight. Then she looked down and scrunched her nose.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"No," I said evenly. "You shouldn't have. But you aren't wrong. Balls serve no real purpose."

"To you."

I tilted my head. "Say that again."

"They're useless to you. And maybe to the other alphas too. But not to women." Her voice slowed, softer now. "You alphas make the rules. Some packs make those rules even harsher for women. Sometimes the only way to leave a pack is to marry into another one."

Her gaze drifted, distant.

That was when I understood. Aria was not breaking because Alaric Stonefang rejected her. She was breaking because her way out had disappeared.

"What pack are you from?" I asked.

"Does it matter?" she said. "They're all the same."

They were not. I let it pass.

"I'm not from here either," I said. "If you refuse to go home, I don't have advice for you."

"That's fine." She shrugged. "It's the same crap everywhere." Then, quieter, "Thanks for the clothes."

"Full moon tonight," I said. "After the ball, they plan to run together. Don't you want to go?"

She moved to the window. Moonlight spilled over her hair and skin. She stood still and let it touch her.

"No. I can control my wolf. I don't need to let it loose just because it's a full moon." She glanced at me. "Do you need to run?"

"I don't need to."

That answer made me look at her again.

"Do you want to run?"

"Not with them." She hesitated, then met my eyes. "I was thinking of another way to burn this off. Are you mated?"

Direct. Bold.

"No."

"I don't even know your name," she said. "Or your clan, Alpha."

"What makes you think I'm an alpha?"

She studied me, slow and thoughtful. "We're in the Grand Moon Hall. It's packed with alphas. You've been giving orders. This room costs too much for anyone else. Either you have a very kind alpha backing you, or you are one. There's power in you. It feels... wrong. Not like the others. Or maybe I just don't get out much."

She saw too much.

"All you need to know," I said, "is that I could kill you right now and no one would stop me."

I wanted her to understand exactly who stood in front of her.

She only shrugged.

"That doesn't make you special. Anyone in a pack could kill me. No one would care."

Interesting.

"I'm Kael," I said. "Goldenreach Pack."

I did not know why I said it. Or why I lied. If I had told her the truth, she would have fallen to her knees without question. I could have taken whatever I wanted. She would have learned soon enough anyway. Nearly every alpha in the region knew my name.

But when was the last time someone touched me without wanting power, safety, or status?

"Never heard of it," she said. "I don't know much about packs outside this place."

I let a small hint of my power fill the room. Not enough to frighten her. Just enough to see what she would do. Almost fifty alphas had come for Alaric's ball. If she truly believed she would be his mate, she would have studied every guest.

She would have known me.

I cursed under my breath. She made no sense. I could drag a wolf to the surface with a thought, yet hers barely stirred. She knew how to act around alphas, but she had not done any of it with me. Trained, yet resisting.

Aria was guarded. Sealed tight. And far from dull.

"If you had one night with no rules," she asked, "what would you do?"

I took my time answering.

"There was a time when I had nothing but freedom," I said. "My brother and I had no duties. No watchers. No one telling us what we had to be. It feels like another life now."

"That sounds nice," she said.

"It was," I said. "I didn't appreciate it. You never do until it's gone. If I had one night like that now, I'd do whatever made me feel like myself again. Like I was the one in control."

"Like sleeping with a woman who wants you?" she asked. "No strings."

I held her gaze.

"I never lack willing women, Aria. Many of them are beautiful."

Her mouth tightened. I saw real disappointment flash before she hid it.

"Then I guess I don't have anything you want."

"You want to spend your night with someone?" I asked softly.

"I just want to feel something good." She breathed out and walked to the bed, picking up the jeans.

Something twisted in my chest before I knew why.

"What are you doing?"

"I thought it was clear. I'm going to find a little pleasure." She looked at me. "I should probably be dressed for that."

"No."

She stopped and turned back.

"I want a choice," she said. "What happened earlier taught me not to walk up to men half-dressed."

Was she really planning to leave and find a stranger? My wolf pressed hard against my control. I hated the idea. I hated how much I cared.

She stepped past me toward the bathroom. I reached out and caught her arm.

"You think going out alone to find someone is smart?" I asked.

"What do you care?" she whispered.

Heat stirred low in my body. I lifted her and set her on the back of the couch. The jeans slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor. I ran my hands down her bare thighs, slow enough to stretch the moment.

"I leave tomorrow," I said.

"Then I won't be in your way," she answered.

This trip was meant to be business. Simple. Controlled. Now my focus was gone. My teeth ached to mark her, to claim something I could not name.

My hands moved to her hips. I felt it at once.

"No bra. No panties." My voice dropped. "Under that dress. Did you come here to test wolves? Don't expect me to be soft."

"I'm not asking for soft." She opened her thighs and held my gaze. Calm. Sure.

"Hard and fast," she said. "That's what you want, right?"