She touches her cheek, voice trembling: "I can still feel him… Not in my mind… But in my blood." Aria release her hair out of the bun, and allow it to tumble over her shoulders. Momentarily looking at her reflection again.
The golden flecks in her eyes pulse softly—almost like it's following the same rhythm of her heart.
"This doesn't make sense…" She murmurs, "It can't be real…"
Her body suddenly goes still—so suddenly she barely even inhales—when the first shiver ripples through her. Warmth uncoiling under her skin like fire licking through her veins.
It's him. He must have woken up, Aria thought as she admires the way her hair suits the new shade of her eyes.
Aria doesn't realize she's smiling until she sees it reflected in the mirror—soft, unconscious, almost intimate—as if her soul knows something her mind is still fighting to deny.
It's not just that the gold suits her. It's that it feels... right. As if those eyes have always belonged to her… as if they were just waiting for him to wake up and call them forward. Distantly, like from across a forest clearing, Derek inhales sharply in his cabin—And with that breath?
Her pupils dilate.
His heartbeat echoes inside hers—slow at first, then picking up speed. A sync so deep it defies reason.
She places a hand over her chest, feeling the pulse beneath it.
"Can he be awake already...? Yeah, I'm sure of it. And somehow… The connection feels more intimate..."
***
He growls as he slowly stood up, every fiber of his body tender. He feels completely stimulated... sexually stimulated yet unsatisfied. Derek has no idea about the physical impact their unexplainable night had on Aria.
He paces like a caged animal—barefoot, shirtless, skin still humming with unresolved energy.
Each step sends a jolt through him—not painful, but awareness. His body feels too sensitive. Overloaded.
And worst of all?
He can't stop thinking about her.
Not just Aria. But the way she felt last night—even when he hadn't touched her. The way she moaned his name like it was sacred… and how it all defined gravity like he was already hers.
Derek growls again, low and broken, "This isn't me. I don't lose control. Not like this."
His wolf doesn't care about denial. Doesn't care about distance or self-control or fear.
All it knows is that its mate is close.
And whether they're ready—or willing—doesn't matter anymore. Because fate already made the choice on their behalf.
***
Back in the bathroom where Aria locked herself in, a knock came to the door. Aria quickly scrambled to return the shades back to her eyes, before opening up the door.
Aria swings the door open, blinking quickly to keep herself under control. The last thing she needs is Stiles seeing these eyes. "Uh… hey, Stiles. What's up?"
"You've been in there an awfully long time." He arched a brow.
Aria leans against the door frame, forcing a casual smile. "Yeah… uh… I needed some girl time." She waves a hand dismissively. "You know, pampering and all... that girly stuff."
Without warning the shades are being removed from Aria's eyes, but instinctively she shut her eyes as to shade them from the sudden light. "Not funny! Give it back..." Aria reaches out blindly, trying to grab the glasses. "Come on, Stiles—not cool… Mom....!" Aria called out.
Stiles holds them out of reach, grinning.
God he is such a pain, Aria thought.
"Ah-ah! Not until you explain what happened. And don't even try to tell me nothing. I know a good cover-up story when I see one. Now… the truth, please."
"I have nothing to say... Nothing to hide.... Nothing.... No secrets.... Nada..." She quickly thinks out a fabrication and used it hoping that the smart ass won't see right through her stunt. "My contacts feels and looks weird today."
Stiles narrows his eyes, holding up the sunglasses as if inspecting them like evidence. "Contacts…?" He smirks, turning to face her. "Aria. You've never worn contacts in your life. I've seen you squint at movie screens from the front row. And suddenly today—out of nowhere—you're rocking magical vision correctors?"
A beat of silence stretched out between them.
"Nice try. Now either tell me what's really going on… Or I start calling people." He reaches into his back pocket for his phone with exaggerated slowness.
"Just drop it... Okay!" She snapped defensively. Eyes still close.
Stiles freezes at the edge in her voice—something raw, almost panicked beneath the anger. And just like that, his smirk fades. He lowers the phone. Quietly he said: "Okay…"
He doesn't say it to point out that she wins this time around, no on the contrary, he says it because he sees it—really sees it now. Something's wrong. Not funny-wrong or teenage-drama-wrong… But deep, unsettling, supernatural-wrong. And Aria's terrified of what happens when someone finds out.
Stiles sighs, softening. "Look… I may be an obnoxious pain-in-the-ass most of the time--But I'm still your brother… in the technical sense… and if something—or someone—is messing with you… I want to help."
He hesitates, then holds out the sunglasses slowly—not taunting anymore—but offering them back like peace. "Just don't lie to me and say you're fine," he murmurs. "Because we both know that ship sailed when your eyes started glowing."
"What are you talking about? My eyes aren't glowing. I've told you that their just sensitive... Now stop pretending to care. You and I both know that you don't want me here!" Aria said tiredly, not completely sure where that even came from.
Stiles stares at her like she just slapped him. After a moment silence, he finally swallows hard. "Is… is that really what she think…?" The words come out in a broken whisper. As he watched her walk away.
Aria rushed out the front door and made a run for it, not telling anyone where she would be going. Nobody in the house even knows that she'd left. Her feet's silently hitting against the asphalt as she ran. She knows not where she's going but her blood seems to lead her. Her soul knows the way. The second heartbeat within her own chest intensified the closer she came to Derek Hale's cabin in the woods.