Aria's POV

"Are you okay?" Lucien spins in my direction, asking with concern rimmed in his tone.

I nod, reassuring him there’s nothing to worry about.

"Get ready, Aria, I’m expecting you at the party. Okay." He turns in my direction to confirm my answer, but I stare at him with pursed lips before retorting.

"Why must I be there, Lucien?" Mara doesn't even like me to begin with. "

"No more excuses, Aria. You are coming and that's final," he says, flashing me a stare. Jeez, he is such a control freak, always making sure things go his way.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes, seeing it was a losing game, and I wasn't winning at any time, while Lucien takes his leave.

I feel a shiver run up my spine. I can't comprehend how I'll do all this, only for Mara to end up as Lucien’s mate. This thought settles in my head, but I wave it off immediately. That isn’t going to happen. Lucien always makes up crazy scenarios in his head and this isn’t anything far from it.

There is so much I can take, like their public display of affection, watching him play doting boyfriend to her, while I hope on the side he becomes mine. But finding out she is his mate is not one of them. I would rather die than watch Lucien become Mara’s mate.

I snap my eyes shut, while I whisper a silent prayer to the moon goddess. If anything, just don’t make her his mate. I wouldn't bear to see that happen.

It flickers right open, and I head upstairs towards my room. My door shut at my back while I collapse into my bed. I need to clear my head. I give my last conversation with Lucien a quick run through....but slowly drift into sleep before I know it.

In the evening,

I wake up to a knock on my door, my hand clumsily searching my dressing table for my phone to look up what the time says. It’s 6:30 pm and the party starts at 7:30 pm. I still have like an hour to prepare, I think in my head. The knocking continues, with the person at the other end pushing so hard, but somehow the door won’t budge. Then it dawned on me, I had locked the door from inside before going in for a nap.

"Aria…..dear. Are you in?" I hear Mum’s voice against the steel door. I immediately get myself out of bed, my legs sliding into my flip-flops beside my bed frame. I dash towards the door, turning the knob and cracking the door open.

Mum’s worried look is what greets me at first glance.

"Hey Mum, sorry I didn’t hear a thing the whole time. I was fast asleep," I say, stretching out, while my fingers encircle the knob.

"I can see my love. Just wanted to check up on you. Now get dressed, you don’t want to be late to Mara’s party, okay."

"Okay Mum. I'll." She smiles and pecks me on my cheek before heading out. I close the door behind me and head to the bathroom to freshen up.

Once out, I go into my wardrobe, my eyes fall on the sheer red dress that I set aside for today’s party. I slip into it, throw on light makeup, while accessoring the look with some gold jewelry.

Satisfied with my look, I run a fit check, and I’m in love with my look already. I head downstairs, making my way into the car. As I sink into the seat, I can finally inhale and exhale freely.

These past few days have been nothing but… Mara, Mara, Mara. After tonight, her damn party will finally be over. Lucien is so obsessed with her, it’s sickening; I honestly don’t know what kind of spell she has on him.

Speaking of Lucien, I don’t see his car around. How great, he gets to arrive early for his girlfriend’s party. Punctual Alpha boyfriend, I guess, not him making it in time for an occasion when it has to do with Mara.

I pull my seatbelt across and click it in place. On the other hand, the driver fires the engine before I know it, we’re hitting the open road with Mum and Dad’s car in front of mine.

We pull up at the venue where the party is taking place. Music, people’s chatters and the clinking sound of glass welcome us as we make our way in.

Everything is beautiful, just like I envision it to be. Lots of people, a big tower cake, champagne glass tower, music playing in the background. Very typical of Mara, I don’t call her queen of highlights for nothing.

"Nice to have you here, Alpha Gales, Luna Kate and Aria." Beta Maverick’s voice catches our attention. Just at the same time, Mum and Dad step forward to greet him.

"Beta Maverick, what a lovely party you have going on. It’s indeed beautiful," Mum compliments. The parents chuckle, while I can only force a smile.

"Please, over here, if you don’t mind." Mum and Dad follow suit, but I just stand there just surveying the entire building. If not for anything, maybe for a familiar face I might know.

"Aria," Mum calls out to me. She gestures for me to follow suit, but I decline.

"You guys go on without me. I’m okay right here." They return their gaze to where Beta Maverick is taking them, while I slip into the crowd, and then I see some familiar faces from college. Chloe had told me earlier that she was going to be at the party. While Raymond bails out on the party, it sucks. I just wish Chloe doesn’t bail out on me at the last minute.

Chloe and Raymond are my very close friends. Chloe is my best friend. We have been friends since elementary school and have been inseparable since then. Raymond, on the other hand, is part of our little circle, the only guy in our clique, that just makes everyone pop. He is friendly and has a great love for basketball.

While my eyes are on the lookout for Chloe, I help myself to a drink. Funny enough, I don’t see Lucien anywhere either. Strange, I think to myself, if he wasn’t at the party where could he possibly be? My thoughts run wide while I calmly sip from my drink.

At the moment, I can’t help but notice a figure hovering over me. I try to brush it off, but then I hear a familiar voice from behind that catches me off guard.

"Just look who we have here, if it’s not Aria."

Aria's POV

Even in my sleep, I never fail to recognize that voice on a first guess. I turn around and there she is; Mara Frovaste, the devil herself. She’s rocking the pink mini gown I helped Lucien pick out earlier today. Her wavy hair elegantly flows down her face, complimenting her oval facial appearance with a front bang perfectly sitting on her temple.

The silver accessories do a good job on her bronze-tanned skin, elevating her overall look. I have to admit, she never turns out looking this good if not for me.

Mara takes her seat beside me and I immediately know it can only mean one thing. Trouble. She never misses a chance to stir it up, and I also never miss a chance to get back at her for it.

“Aria, you did show up after all. Didn’t think you were going to come,” she says, helping herself to a drink. But I ignore her, seeing she isn’t worth the energy.

She places the wine glass on the table, her fingers resting at the bottom of the glass as she gently twirls the wine inside. It sparkles, catching the light from the surrounding area.

"For a low-ranking wolf of your status, I think my party should be the last place you'll come to." She continues, her voice rimmed with disdain. "But you do have guts Aria, always showing up to places you are not wanted."

I scoff at how crazy she sounds right now. I wish someone would give her the memo. She sounds completely stupid for a high-ranking wolf.

I lean in closer," Low-ranking wolf....hmm how unbelievable. You look like you're suffering from an identity crisis, way bigger than anyone else. I let a soft huff before continuing, "I know who I'm, Mara, and you or your rank got nothing on me."

Her smile wavers and she looks like cat got her tongue at this point. Just then, my phone buzzes, catching my attention. A voice message from Chloe; she must be around here somewhere.

Mara peels herself out of her seat ready to leave, but I don't let her get away so easily.

"And a little advice for you, Mara," I say, while she halts her step at my words. I peel myself out of my seat and head in her direction, stopping right in front of her.

"Don't mistake your rank for power over me." She doesn't speak, just smirks at me dangerous.

My eyes drift towards her dress and I gesture at it. "And when you see Lucien, tell him I didn't get any thanks for picking out such a lovely dress for you today."

She looks at me with disdain, her brows knitted together in anger. But I don't give a care about what she's going through her mind, as I take my leave to a less noisy corner of the hall. There, I play Chloe’s voice message. Her tone is laced with worry. She thinks I didn't show up for the party, when I’m right there.

I stroll out of the corner, my eyes scanning in all directions for Chloe. My phone pressed to my ear, I wait for the line to connect. It rings once, then she picks up.

“Aria, where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she snaps immediately the lines connect.

“I’m at Mara’s party. Where are you?” My eyes scatter around, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, and I do. I see her pacing up and down in a champagne-colored dress.

“Don’t worry, I have seen you.” I cut the line just when she’s about to reply. As I walk in her direction, my peripheral vision catches a glimpse of Lucien and Mara together. Their hands snaked around each other, while Lucien looks breathtaking in his maroon velvet suit over plain black trousers. He looks even more handsome than he does on other random days. Both him and Mara are chit-chatting, she says something and the next minute they’re both laughing like hopeless romantics.

My breath hitches, fingers slightly twitching as I study their closeness. Mara almost catches me, but Chloe calls out to me, shifting my attention towards her. She waves and then begins heading in my direction. We close in on each other, and she immediately goes in for a hug. She pulls away, and now I can finally see her face.

“Aria, thank the moon goddess you made it.”

Her hands slide down my arms, cupping my elbow midway. She leans in close to whisper something into my ears.

“Guess whom I just met.” My eyes zero in on her, while her lips curl up in excitement.

“Who?” I ask, curiosity rimmed in my tone.

She slightly nudge my head in a playful manner. “You’re supposed to guess, silly.”

When I don’t seem to think of anyone, she blurts out, saving me the stress.

“It’s Drake.”

My jaw flexes just when she mentions the name. “Drake… You mean Drake, Raymond’s teammate?” She nods in approval, lips curled into a wide smile. We can’t help it anymore, when we let out a squeal together in excitement.

Chloe has had a crush on Drake for the longest time, and to crown it up, they never talk. She always hinted at his excellent skills during basketball practice and even cheered him on. Crazy, right? But let’s just say that’s Chloe for you; a die-hard fan and a sucker for love.

Chloe is about to dive into more details when the party host interrupts us. He tries to get everyone’s attention by kick-starting the party. The atmosphere in the room suddenly feels warm, everyone’s expressions lighting up as he follows through with every activity on the party menu.

Before I realize it, we’re halfway into the party. Then Lucien draws the host’s attention, whispers something into his ear, and gets called on stage for his speech.

He gets on stage and proceeds with his speech. Everyone cheers in excitement as he rains praises on Mara. I try to act unbothered, playing with my fingers, watching out for when all this will finally be over.

Just when I think it’s over; just his speech and nothing more; Lucien pulls another string. Someone steps onto the stage with a small box in hand, leaving me guessing at what his surprise is. Lucien takes the box and turns back to address the curious crowd.

“Alright guys, I just want to take this moment to surprise my amazing girlfriend with the keys to a brand-new car in this box. Parked outside for her.”

Wait… what? A car? Lucien has got to be kidding. My chest tightens as the crowd erupts in cheers around me.

Aria's POV

Lucien exits the stage and makes his way into the crowd. Mara stands to her feet, and as he gets closer she pulls him into her embrace. Her hands snake around his neck as she leans in for a kiss.

My breath hitches, my jaw tightens. Is it just the shocking reveal or the jealousy of seeing them together? Lucien gestures to everyone to make their way outside, to unveil the car.

We all stand to our feet, one after the other making our way out. Mara is beaming with smiles, her friends Alaina and Sara are too. They whisper something among themselves and squeal in excitement while we step out.

Once out, we see it all. Mara moves forward with Lucien, for a closer view. She jumps in excitement, throwing her hands around Lucien, planting kisses everywhere on his face. I grab hold of my champagne glass, squeezing to suppress the jealousy I feel building up inside me. Everyone has their phones out, videoing the lovely scene.

"Oh my god, babe, it is a Mercedes Maybach. It's beautiful," Mara says, her eyes inspecting the car while running her fingers on its body. She gets into the car to survey what the inside looks like.

"This is lovely babe. I love it." She draws in closer to Lucien's face and leaves a kiss on his lips. This time around, I squeeze my glass even tighter; any more pressure I apply could send the glass scattering into pieces. My chest tightens, jaw flexes as I watch them lock lips.

Chloe tugs unto my arms, her face lighting up like she has just seen some true-life romance play out in real time.

"Aria, isn't this the sweetest thing ever?" She says, her lips curling into a wide smile. "I know Mara can be a bitch, don't get me wrong. But seeing her with Lucien, don't you think it's just beautiful?" She rests her head against my arm, sighing with satisfaction before lifting her head to glare at me. Once her eyes meet mine, I force a smile, showing I totally agree with her. She grins back; typical Chloe.

Mara's car drama is finally over, and now I can relieve my fingers from the painful sting I feel from the pressure of pressing against my glass flute. We make our way back in. Once we're in, there's a sudden shift in the music; soft instrumentals play, modern, classy, and timeless all at once.

Lucien approaches Mara for a dance, and they both take to the dance floor. Soon a few groups of young people pair up and join in. I watch as the dance floor grows bigger. Just then Drake approaches Chloe and I, pausing right in front of us. He is tall, dressed in an elegant grey suit, his short hair slightly curly, complementing his very handsome facial features.

"Hey," he says, his tone warm and even. His eyes glance at me for a short while, then he returns his attention to Chloe.

"Mind if I steal your friend for a dance?" he gestures toward the dance floor. Chloe's eyes immediately lock in with mine, and from the look in her eyes I can tell she's down for it. She tries to fidget, but I squeeze her hands reassuringly.

"Don't worry, you'll be alright," I whisper at her side, while she lets Drake take her hands, leading her to the dance floor. On the dance floor, Lucien and Mara look like they are having the best time of their lives; great. He gets to use my ideas to impress her, just great. His hands snake around her waist, while she reciprocates around his neck.

He leans in and whispers something into her ear, she giggles softly. Not stopping there, he presses a kiss to her cheek. My jaw suddenly feels tense, my throat dry. I flag a waiter carrying a tray of wine and grab hold of a glass. I take it in one swift gulp, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

"Get me something stronger," I mutter. He nods and heads off, bringing back another drink. I also take that in, the sting burning my throat as it makes its way down, but that doesn't bother me at the moment. I watch Lucien and Mara's public display of affection intensify with every second they spend dancing.

It moves from short soft kisses and stolen whispers, to long lingering touches, eyes locking while their foreheads press against each other. I try to keep my emotions in check, not showing any signs of jealousy while taking in some more drinks.

Soon one drink turns to two, then two to three. Before I knew it, I had more drinks than I can count. My vision starts to blur, but I don't keep my gaze off them. My mood shifts; it's jealousy at first, but slowly anger crawls in. With every swift shift in the music, they seem to bond even better. I clench my fingers into a fist, my heart pounding while my veins twitch.

Chloe breaks her dance with Drake and begins heading in my direction, her face beaming with smiles like she has just left a fairytale world. She stands right next to me, looking a bit worn out from all that dancing. Her hand finds a bottle of water, which she uses to ease her exhaustion.

"Wow. Aria, that was a lot," she says, with arms resting on a table.

She further adds, "You know? Drake is such a good dancer, but I... I'm a very terrible dancer. It took me forever to stop stepping on him while we danced. But he was such a gentleman and handled it well."

She sighs, like she has indeed been holding it in for so long.

"You know Aria, it's funny how you never told me about your crush. I know that is solely up to you, but don't you think that secret may be long overdue?" She teases with a grin plastered on her face.

Before I can give any response, the effect of the drink starts to wear on me. I feel a wobble in my feet that causes me to stagger forward, but Chloe's reflexes are fast, and she catches me in time.

Her hands pin me in place while she helps me into a seat. "Whoa... Aria, take it easy."

I drop into a seat beside her, a light headache tugging down on my head, though not enough to make me pass out. She seizes the glass from my hands, sensing I might be drunk.

"Wow, you have to stop drinking. You can hurt yourself."

Chloe also takes her seat beside me. The image of Lucien with Mara lingers in my head, fueling my anger and making me desperate to vent to her.

I grab hold of Chloe's hands, my eyes locked with hers while she looks at me with keen interest. "I have something to tell you,"