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,"

Aria's POV

"Chloe. I hate that I'm a fvcking sidepiece." Her eyes narrow in on me and I can see the confusion in them.

"What could you possibly mean by that?" She draws in closer.

I catch my breath. "This is all Lucien's fault. He uses my ideas to please his brat of a girlfriend. He calls my ideas brilliant, great; you name it. My taste for high-class fashion impressive, but only when it has to do with her."

My whole body is coursing with anger at this point, my veins twitching, my heart pounding so hard in my chest. My feelings for Lucien might cost me a lot this time, but I couldn't care less. Chloe's eyes are filled with sympathy; she takes my hands into hers.

"Oh my God, Aria. I'm so sorry, I had no idea Lucien would ever do that to you." I try to lock in my anger, but it only grows worse. I can't really tell if it's the intoxication of the alcohol that keeps fueling it. My eyes steal a glimpse of Lucien with Mara and that infuriates me even more. I squeeze Chloe's hands, forcing her attention to stay on me.

"That's not all you know. That birthday dress she has on. I point in Mara's direction, shifting Chloe's focus to the dress. "Guess whose idea that was?" Chloe's face wears a puzzled look, but I don't allow her to say a thing before voicing out again.

"Me. The purse, guess who? And if you're thinking it's me, yes, you are correct. It's all me. Everything was my idea all along." I slam my fist repeatedly onto the table.

It makes a sound that captures a few people. They flash both of us scrutinizing looks. But I couldn't care less what is going through their minds at the moment.

Chloe grabs hold of my hand, trying to get me to stop. "Take a chill pill, Aria. Everyone is staring," she says, her voice low and rushed.

"I can't take a chill pill, Chloe. I feel like an endless fountain of ideas that he taps from whenever he runs out of ways to impress his so-called girlfriend." My hands curl up against my face in a frustrated gesture, like I could strangle the surrounding air around me.

"And the truth is that I let him. Jeez, I always fvcking let him, because of my stupid..." I break off midway, scared that I might spill the secret about my feelings. I take a deep breath, eyes closed, and as they flicker back open, I sight a waiter serving a tray containing glasses of whiskey. I snatch a glass from the tray.

I gulp it all down, dodging Chloe's protest to take the drink from me. She manages to grab hold of the empty glass. "Oh no, you don't. You can't have any more drinks, Aria."

I rise to my feet, trying to help myself to another drink. Suddenly, my distaste for consuming alcohol has long gone, and I want more of it. Chloe steps in front of me, blocking me from taking another step.

"No more drinks, Aria. Not another this time. Anger and alcohol aren't a very nice combo."

I rub against my temple in frustration. My head is pounding, and I can hear the thumping sound of my heart. I feel wasted. Is this what love looks like? Every time I think about it, I only wish Lucien could see how much I've grown to love him, wish he could be mine. A drop of tear trickles from the corner of my eye, rolling down my cheek. I dab the corner clean.

My mind flashes back to all the sacrifices I've made for him in the past. My heart hurts, it hurts so badly that he might never know my reasons for doing such. I glare at Chloe; I know she can see my frustration right through me.

"Chloe," I say, my hands cupping hers in mine. "I don't want to be a middleman anymore. I can't be a shortcut for Lucien to go about impressing Mara. I just can't do it anymore." My voice catches a sob while my eyes close shut.

By the time they are open, I feel dizzy. My legs suddenly feel wobbly, I try to keep my balance but end up tugging hard on the table carrying the champagne tower, sending the entire thing crashing to the ground.

The sound of shattering glass fills the air. Gasps cut through the room. I shake my head in a bid to clear off the hazy feeling inside. My eyes snap shut, the room erupts into more gasps, and people start whispering.

"Aria!" I hear Chloe scream at the top of her voice. The hall suddenly observes pin-drop silence. I can feel my head spinning while I tug harder on the table, my whole weight resting on it for support, preventing me from falling flat on my face.

"Aria..." Lucien's voice cuts through the air. Chloe and Lucien close in on me in time. Lucien takes me into his arms. I'm too weak to give any response. My hands dangle in midair, weightless, as if lifeless.

"Oh my God. My champagne tower; it's all ruined," Mara cries out in frustration.

"What happened to her?" Lucien questions Chloe.

"She had a lot to drink, Alpha Lucien. I feel that's why she passed out."

"She's drunk," I hear Mara's voice once more, and then she scoffs. "That's it. She ruined my party, and now she'll just pretend as though she is drunk. That's really it."

I wish she could just stop her whining already.

"Mara, this is not the time for all this. You can see she is not herself," I hear Lucien protest against her complaints. Suddenly, I feel myself drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Please, Alpha Lucien, we need to hurry." I can sense the fear in Chloe's voice as she pleads.

Lucien readjusts me in his arms and rushes through the crowd.

"Aria, Aria, what happened to her?" Mum's voice pierces through the air, curious and troubled as she closes in on us.

"Aria. Is she alright?" Dad also asks, making his way toward us.

"We need to get her home. She is feeling nauseous," Lucien says, not slowing down for a second.

As we get into the car, I hear Chloe's voice. "Hang in there, Aria, you'll be alright," her tone is subtle, and the other voices I hear in the background start to grow faint.

I slowly fall into a trance of haziness. Even the sound of the engine starts to fade out in my mind, and as I slowly black out, I hear Lucien's voice last, rimmed with distress.

"Hang in there, Aria, stay with me. You'll be just fine," he utters before I slowly black out.