Aria's pov.

My knees... gods, I couldn't even feel them anymore. It was like they had stopped being part of my body. Just stone pressing into bone, over and over, six long hours of it. My legs had gone numb, then the burning sensation came, then back to numb again. My whole body felt like it wasn't mine.

Six hours of silence, Six hours of laughter, Six hours of her voice in my ear, it was tormenting.

Vanessa.

She came out every chance she got, like she had been waiting for this moment her whole life. Her voice sang, high and fake sweet, but every word was dipped in poison.

"Don't you look pathetic, omega? You should thank me for even looking at you."

"Don't slouch. Do you want the Alpha to see you like this? Oh wait....he already did."

Her friends laughed like trained pets. Every time, like a chorus made just for her.

I sat there, back straight, because if I bent for even a second, she would notice. My chin were down because that's what omegas did, my hands pressed into the dirt until my nails hurt. My dress clung to my body, damp with water she had thrown at me earlier. She said I spilled it on her, but I knew the truth. And so did the snake in front of me.

I kept telling myself it didn't matter, that this wasn't forever. Alpha Zac had promised me, he told me I would be his Luna. He told me to wait, just wait. My birthday was in a week. Just seven more days, and I would never kneel again.

But still, it broke something in me. Being out there like that, being laughed at, taunted, while he stayed away. Six hours of it. Six hours of her voice in my head.

When Marcus finally came and told me it was over, my body almost gave out. My knees screamed when I tried to stand. I stumbled, caught myself on the wall of her house, and for a second I thought I might faint.

But I didn't. I kept walking. Step after step back toward the Alpha's mansion. Every part of me throbbing with pain and the ache in my chest was the worst of it all.

I told myself I just needed to be at the guest quarters. Just to get inside, close the door, and breathe where no one could see me. A cold refreshing bath then Sleep and forget about today but his voice cut through my thoughts.

"Aria."

I stopped at my tracks, my breath hitched at the thought of who that might be. I slowly turned my head and saw him, Alpha Zac. His eyes were on me. I couldn't read them. Cold? Warm? I didn't know again.

My heart jumped anyway.

"Shower," he said. His voice was sharp, commanding, the Alpha voice. "Be in my room in thirty minutes."

That was it. No softness, No explanation, Just an order.

And I... I obeyed.

The water stung when it touched my knees. They were red, scraped raw. I winced as I washed, my hands trembling as I ran the cloth over my skin. The bruises on my arms stood out darker now that the dirt was gone. My reflection in the mirror looked hollow. Eyes swollen, lips dry, face pale.

But I still went. Because no matter what had happened, no matter how cold he had been in front of everyone, I couldn't stop myself. He wanted me in his room. He wanted me.

And that was enough.

I knocked on his door before the thirty minutes were even up. My hand shook against the wood.

"Come in," his voice called from inside.

I pushed the door open.

He was there, standing by the bed, his jacket gone, his shirt sleeves rolled up. His eyes landed on me instantly, dark and piercing.

Before I could even speak, he closed the space between us. His hand caught my wrist, pulling me inside. The door slammed behind me.

He dragged me to the bed. My knees hit the mattress as he pushed me down gently, not rough, not like earlier. His face shifted, the cold Alpha mask fading.

"I should have stopped it," he said, his voice low, softer than it had been in weeks. "I should have taken your place."

My chest ached at his words, my throats burned with words filled with emotions that were threatening to spill out.

"Then why didn't you?" My voice were now laced with hint of tears "Why did you look at me like I was nothing out there? Why did you......"

"Because it's not time," he cut me off, his hands cupping my face now, thumbs brushing my skin. "Because if I defend you now, they'll tear you apart. They'll never stop. But once you're mine....once you're my Luna...they won't dare touch you."

He pressed his forehead to mine, his breath felt soft and soothing against me. "One week, Aria. Just one more week, and it's over."

Shira, my wolf, stirred inside me, humming, almost purring. 'He's ours. He's telling the truth'

I wanted to believe it. Goddess knows how much I wanted so badly to believe it.

His hands slid down, brushing my arms, pausing when his fingers found the tender spots where Vanessa had shoved me earlier. He cursed under his breath, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Let me tend to you."

I nodded because I didn't trust my voice anymore.

He pulled a small jar from his desk, the scent of herbs filling the air. He lifted my legs onto the bed, his fingers gentle as he spread ointment across my scraped knees. The cool touch soothed the sting, but it was his hands, his care, that broke me open.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, almost too soft to hear. "Forgive me."

I closed my eyes, tears slipping free. "Just... don't let me go, Zac. Not again."

He leaned forward, kissed the tears off my cheeks.

And then his mouth was on mine.

The kiss was desperate, raw, his lips crushing against mine like he was trying to prove something, like he was trying to erase the last six hours. His hands slid up my arms, pulling me closer, pressing me into him.

I kissed him back just as hard, all the anger, all the hurt, all the need spilling into it.

His weight pushed me down into the bed. His hands slid under my damp nightdress, fingers grazing my skin, making me shiver.

"Aria..." he murmured against my lips.

"Please," I whispered. I didn't even know what I was begging for, comfort, proof, love. All of it.

He pulled the dress up over my head, tossing it aside. His eyes darkened as they roamed over me, hungry and soft all at once.

"You're mine," he said, voice rough. "You've always been mine."

His mouth moved down my neck, biting softly, sucking at my skin until heat spread through me. I gasped, my hands clutching at his shoulders.

When his lips found my breast, I moaned, arching into him. His tongue flicked over my nipple, then he sucked harder, and my body jolted with need.

I was trembling, my thighs pressing together, aching for him.

He slid his hand down, fingers parting me slowly, finding me already wet, already desperate.

"Gods, Aria," he groaned, pressing a finger inside me, slow, deep. "So ready for me."

I gasped, clutching at the sheets. The stretch burned and soothed at the same time. He added another finger, moving them in and out, his thumb circling my clit until I was shaking under him.

"Zac... please," I moaned, my body arching, begging.

He kissed me hard again, pulling his hand away only to undo his belt, shove his pants down. My eyes widened when I saw him, thick, hard, ready. My body ached for him, my walls tightening at just the thought of being filled.

He positioned himself between my legs, his eyes locking on mine. "Tell me you're mine, Aria."

"I'm yours," I whispered, tears slipping free again. "Always yours."

He pushed into me, slow, stretching me wide. I gasped, nails digging into his back. The pain mixed with pleasure, sharp and consuming, until all I could do was moan his name.

He moved deeper, groaning against my neck. "So tight. So perfect."

When he pulled back and thrust again, harder this time, my body cried out. The bed creaked under us. His hips slammed into mine, over and over, faster, deeper, until my moans filled the room.

"Zac....please..faster.."

He growled, obeying, pounding into me, his lips finding mine again, kissing me through every thrust. His hand slid down, fingers rubbing my clit while he fucked me harder, and I screamed his name, my body shaking.

The pleasure built fast, too fast, curling tight inside me until it burst. I cried out, clinging to him as my climax ripped through me, my whole body trembling.

He didn't stop, driving into me harder, chasing his own release. His growl grew louder, rougher, until he buried himself deep inside me and cummed, his body shaking against mine.

We collapsed together, breathing hard, sweat slicking our skin. He kissed my forehead softly, his hand still on my waist, holding me close.

"One week," he whispered again, voice hoarse. "One week, and you're mine forever. No one will ever touch you again."

I closed my eyes, burying my face in his chest. Shira was happy and kept siding with him, after he was our mate and being by his side was all that matters.

But I still remembered the way he looked at me earlier when Vanessa and her gang of plastic Barbies had bullied me, his cold eyes, his cold tone, making me question which man was real.

The Alpha who punished me, or the lover who held me now.

Aria's POV.

I woke up that morning with the same twist in my stomach I'd been feeling for days, but this time it was different. It wasn't just nerves or the thought of Vanessa's voice in my ear again. It was something else that I just couldn't explain.

I walked into the bathroom, the old mirror fogged from steam. My hands shook as I held the small stick I had hidden under my mattress. My breath caught in my throat as I stared down at it, waiting, praying, my heart beating so loud I thought the whole pack would hear it.

Two lines.

For a moment I didn't breathe. My knees felt weak, and I had to grab the sink just to keep myself standing.

Two lines and it was clear as the daylight.

Pregnant.

The word felt unreal to me. My chest opened, and everything inside me spilled out in a rush of shock and joy so strong it hurt. Tears blurred my vision. My lips parted, a broken laugh escaping me as I pressed my hand to my stomach, flat and small but suddenly sacred.

"I can't believe it," I whispered, my voice trembling. "All this while, I had thought it was nerves but it was you all along."

I slid down to the cold tiled floor, both arms wrapped around my middle like I could already shield the tiny life inside me. My tears wet my cheeks, warm against the chill of the room. I pressed my forehead against my knees and laughed and cried at the same time.

Shira, my wolf, stirred with something that felt like approval, a soft hum, a warmth that made me cry harder

'Our pup.' she whispered in my head.

I wanted to run to Zac. I wanted to burst into his room, into his arms, shove the test into his hand, scream the words, 'we're having a baby, Zac, your baby, my love, ours.' I wanted to see his face light up and I wanted him to hold me, to whisper the promises again and again, but this time with more, with forever.

But I decided against it, I would wait till Tonight to surprise him. After the ceremony, after he chose me in front of the entire pack and then I would tell him. No more sneaking into his room at night, no more silence when Vanessa spat at me. Tonight everything would change for the better.

All through the day I walked with a light in my chest. Vanessa shoved past me in the hall, her perfume thick and choking, her laugh laced with cruelty, but I didn't care. Her friends whispered "omega" like it was dirt on their tongues, but I only smiled.

Let them laugh now.

Tonight they would choke on it, tonight Alpha Zac would speak my name and the whole pack would see me not on my knees, but standing at his side.

I pressed my hand to my stomach over and over as if to remind myself it was real. His child. Our child, The very proof of our love.

When the sun began to set, I pulled the dress from its hanger with trembling hands. Blue, soft, shimmering like water. Zac had given it to me for my eighteenth birthday.

The memory came back so clear it felt like yesterday. He had stood in front of me, shoulders heavy with the burden of becoming Alpha after his father's sudden death. His eyes had been red from crying, his voice raw, but when he gave me that dress he smiled.

"You're my gift, Aria," he whispered, pressing it into my arms. "But I wanted to give you something too."

That was the night he promised me, the very night he told me to hold on, that when I turned nineteen nothing and no one could stop us. That was the night I believed with all of me that I was his future.

Now my birthday was only hours away, and I was carrying his child.

I slipped the dress on slowly, my fingers trembling over the smooth fabric. It fit perfectly, hugging my figure, glimmering under the faint light. I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair back, and for the first time in so long I felt beautiful. Not just a servant or an orphaned wolf or just an omega but I felt like his.

I touched my stomach again and whispered, "Tonight, little one. Tonight your father will claim us both."

The ceremony hall was alive with voices and music. Wolves in gowns and suits filled every corner, laughter spilling like wine. The lanterns glowed overhead, soft and golden, casting shadows that danced against the walls.

I slipped inside, my heart pounding so loud it drowned the music. My eyes found Zac instantly. He stood tall at the front, his presence filling the room before he even spoke. He wore black sharp and regal suit , his shoulders squared, his jaw strong. My chest ached just looking at him. My love, my alpha, the father of my unborn child.

Vanessa was there too, draped in silver, her hair shining under the lanterns, her lips painted blood red. She laughed too loud, her arm brushing against her friends as if she owned the hall. She looked at Zac with hungry eyes, but I didn't care, I knew the truth. I knew his heart.

Whispers rippled through the crowd as the Winchester Alpha entered, tall and devilish handsome with a commanding aura, his wolves trailing behind him. The she-wolves around me gasped, their voices low and desperate.

"I hope he picks me." "Imagine being chosen." "He's stronger than any Alpha I've seen."

I rolled my eyes, let them dream. My dream was already alive, kicking softly under my ribs, my future stood only but two feet away.

The ceremony moved forward with speeches and dances, but all I heard was the pounding of my heart. All I saw was Zac. My palms were damp, my throat tight. The air grew heavier with every passing minute until finally, finally, the moment came.

The music had stopped hinting that it was time for the main order of the day. The elders stood tall, their faces were serious like they just couldn't wait to get down to business, their eyes on Zac.

Alpha Zac stepped forward.

My stomach was twisted with nerves and excitement; this was it. The moment I had waited for since I was sixteen. The moment I had dreamed of every night I slipped into his room, every time he whispered, "Soon, Aria. Soon."

He raised his chin, while holding his glass of drink. His eyes were beaming with excitement as it landed on me, he was going to pick me. My heart melted at the thought, before he turned away and he said in his loud voice.

"In front of the moon goddess and the elders of the pack," he said, slowly. "I pick Vanessa as my lifelong mate and my Luna."

Aria's POV.

The voices from the ceremony were still ringing in my head, blending with the steady pounding of my heartbeat. Every step I took down the corridor felt heavy, like my feet were made of stone. The noise of the pack celebrating Zac's choice for Luna echoed far behind me, but it clung to me all the same, like sharp claws digging into my back.

Vanessa's laughter lingered most of all. That smug, triumphant sound. She had won. At least, that's how it looked to everyone in the hall.

I didn't understand. I couldn't. Just a week ago, Zac's hands had been on me, his lips whispering promises only I could hear. His voice had been soft then, his touch gentle. We were in love, we had plans. Tonight was supposed to be the night everything changed for us. For me.

And it did. Just not the way I thought.

I found him standing in the torch-lit hallway, his back against the stone wall, his posture relaxed as if nothing had happened. My chest tightened so hard it hurt. How could he look so calm after destroying me in front of everyone?

"Zac," I whispered first, my voice breaking even though I wanted it to come out strong.

His eyes slid toward me, sharp and cold, like I was nothing but an interruption.

I swallowed, clutching the front of my dress to stop my hands from shaking.

"What just happened out there?" My words tumbled out too fast, too desperate. "You..you were supposed to pick me. We talked about this. You told me I was your Luna, that tonight..."

"Stop." His voice cut through mine like a blade.

I flinched, but I forced myself to keep going, tears pricking my eyes. "Tell me what this is, Zac. Tell me why you said her name instead of mine. Please I need..."

He pushed off the wall slowly, towering over me now, and the small smile curling his lips made my stomach twist. It wasn't kind. It wasn't loving. It was smug and it was cruel.

"What happened, Aria," he said with a sharpness that made my knees weak, "is that I chose what was best for me. For this pack. For my future. And it was never you."

The words slammed into me like someone had just punched me in the stomach.

I shook my head, tears blurring my vision. "No, no, that's not true. Don't say that. You loved me, Zac. I know you did. Everything we've been through, everything we shared..."

"Shared?" He laughed bitterly, the sound echoing down the hall. "Don't flatter yourself. You were never more than a distraction. A warm body in my bed when I needed it. Did you really think you were anything more than that?"

My chest felt tight, I couldn't breathe. His words burned through me, stripping away every memory I had of us, every touch, every whispered promise.

"You're lying," I whispered. "You're saying this to hurt me because you're scared. You don't mean it..."

"Oh, I mean every word." His voice was low, mocking now as he leaned closer, his eyes cold but glinting with satisfaction. "You were just convenient, Aria. Nothing more. I never loved you. I never wanted you. You were good enough to warm my bed, but never good enough to stand beside me, and how do you expect an orphan with only goddess knows her roots to become a Luna."

My world shattered at that moment.

I stumbled back, shaking my head, my tears spilling fast now. My hands clutched my stomach instinctively, a protective move he didn't even notice. He didn't know yet about the baby, our baby. The proof that what we had was real, wasn't just some twisted illusion.

But how could I tell him now? How could I place that fragile truth in the hands of a man who had just torn me apart?

My voice broke when I asked, "Then why? Why all these years? Why hold me, why whisper promises, why talk about our future if it was all a lie?"

"Because it was easy," he said flatly, his lips curling. "Because you were foolish enough to believe me. And because you were always there, waiting, desperate to be chosen. You made it too easy, Aria."

I felt my legs weakening under me, the weight of his cruelty crushing me. But I still couldn't stop. I still needed something, anything, that made sense because everything happening right now doesn't make a single sense.

How was I to accept it, just like that?

My voice was a broken whisper. "I gave you everything. I stood by you when your father died, when you became Alpha, when you said you couldn't do it alone. I was there for you. And this is what I get?"

His eyes flickered for just a second, almost like he remembered. But it was gone just as fast. His expression hardened again, sharper, colder than the last time as he pushed me against the wall. I felt a sharp sting of pain, burning where he gripped me tightly.

"You were useful then," he said, his tone final. "But I don't need you anymore, you've served your purpose."

My breath hitched, and for a moment, I thought it couldn't get worse than this. I thought I had reached the very bottom of heartbreak. But Zac wasn't done.

He straightened back as he smiled at me, his voice carrying a cruel pride now, like he was making some grand announcement.

"And since you're so desperate to know, Aria... this isn't just about Vanessa. It's just a first step to my path of greatness, I would be the greatest alpha the pack has ever had and you my lovely dear, has been sold."

The words froze me where I stood. "S-sold?" I stammered, my body trembling.

He nodded once, smugness dripping from him. "Yes. To the Winchester Alpha. As proof of our alliance. Consider it your final role, your last usefulness. You'll make a fine little offering to keep the peace."