Kaelen left the room with a last, quiet reminder "Just try not to get in trouble."
Aria POV
When the door shut, the silence pressed in. I let out a long breath, dropped onto the bed, and flopped backward, staring at the ceiling. My head was a storm I couldn't quiet.
Childhood memories bled into last night the boy who once looked at me like I mattered, and the man now who could smile at Serene's confession of being an Omega but wouldn't spare me the same grace.
I turned onto my side, clutching the blanket tighter. My voice slipped out, soft and raw, meant for no one but me.
"I wish he'd accepted me… like he accepted Serene."
The words stung, echoing in the quiet. Before I knew it, my eyes grew heavy, and sleep dragged me under.
Morning came with a jolt.
I shot up, breath ragged, hands trembling, the nightmare still clinging to me like a second skin. It was the same dream the same memory. Leonel's voice, flat and merciless. I hate Omegas.
The words never seemed to fade, no matter how many years passed.
Groaning, I shoved a hand through my hair, tugging until the sting grounded me. "When will this stop?" I muttered, dragging myself toward the mirror. My reflection glared back: sharp eyes, hair falling into my face, a girl who tried too hard to look unshakable. I smoothed the strands, combing them back into something presentable.
By the time I stepped into the dining hall, my mask was firmly in place.
My parents sat at the long wooden table already, with Kaelen beside them. He glanced up when I slid into the seat next to him, his smile softer than I expected.
"Feeling better?" he asked, voice warm, steady.
I forced a grin. "One hundred percent."
He didn't look convinced, but he let it go. We fell into easy chatter, a rhythm that was comforting in its normalcy. Then Serene slipped in with a small, cheerful wave, other pack members following to fill the table with clattering dishes and chatter.
For a while, it almost felt ordinary. Almost.
Until my father cleared his throat, his voice carrying over the table. "Aria."
I looked up.
"There's a village on the outskirts. Smaller, weaker than ours. They've been struggling, and it's our responsibility to make sure they're provided for. I want you to check on them today."
I nodded. "Of course. I'll go."
Kaelen leaned forward immediately. "I'll come with you."
"No." My answer was quick, firmer than I intended. I softened it with a half-smile. "I can handle it alone. It's just a supply check, nothing more."
He frowned, like he wanted to argue, but finally gave me a reluctant nod.
I packed a small bag of supplies and changed into simpler clothes, boots fit for walking. Yes walking because the supplements I took to hide I am omega makes it very painful to turn in a wolf and even when I do my omega scene will surely slip out ..The path stretched long and winding, the kind of journey that left plenty of time for unwanted thoughts. By the time the roofs of the smaller village came into sight, my muscles ached and the sun had started its climb high overhead.
But then...
I froze.
My chest tightened suddenly, painfully, as if invisible chains had wrapped around my ribs. The air felt heavier with every breath, pressing down until it was hard to stand straight.
An Alpha.
The realization slammed into me instantly. My wolf stirred in panic, claws scraping inside, instincts screaming. But this wasn't Leonel's sharp, dominant presence. This was different uglier.
This aura was suffocating, not commanding. It carried no steady authority, no protective edge. Only malice. Only hate.
My pulse spiked, vision blurring at the edges. My knees nearly buckled under the weight of it. Whoever this Alpha was, their intent wasn't to lead. It was to destroy.
And I'd walked straight into their shadow.