Chapter 5 Tangled Promises

Aria's POV.

The next morning, I woke up with a deep, dull ache in my chest. It wasn't the kind of physical ache that could be fixed with rest or medicine-it was the heavy kind that clung to you after a night of tossing and turning, haunted by restless dreams.

The sunlight streamed gently through the sheer curtains of my room, painting golden patterns across the floorboards.

For a fleeting moment, as I lay still in bed, I let myself hope that the events of last night had been nothing more than a cruel, vivid nightmare. But as the seconds ticked by, the weight of reality pulled me back down, like an anchor dragging me into the cold depths of truth.

The engagement. My father's unyielding demands. The shame of my unshifted wolf. And now... Kael's mysterious surprise.

A groan escaped my lips as I rolled onto my side, burying my face into the pillow in an attempt to escape my thoughts. But the shrill buzz of my phone on the nightstand pulled me back into the present. At first, I hesitated, staring at the device as my heart sank. Another message from Kael. Reluctantly, I reached for it and read the text that lit up my screen.

**"Good morning, Aria. I hope you're ready for today. I'll be at the castle by noon. Wear something comfortable."**

Comfortable? My brows furrowed as I stared at the message, confusion swirling in my already anxious mind. What kind of surprise required me to wear something comfortable? Was it a hike through the woods? A sparring session in the training grounds? Neither possibility eased my nerves, and the uncertainty gnawed at me. No matter what he had planned, I wasn't ready-not for the surprise, and certainly not for Kael himself.

With only a few hours left until his arrival, I forced myself to get out of bed. The thought of facing him sent a wave of unease rolling through me, but wallowing in my room wouldn't change anything. I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water cascade over my skin. It did little to ease the tension twisting in my chest, but at least it managed to wake me up. After drying off, I chose a simple outfit-a soft lavender sweater that hung loosely and a pair of well-worn jeans. Nothing fancy, but it would do.

The castle was unusually silent as I made my way downstairs. The emptiness of the halls only served to heighten my anxiety, as if the entire building was holding its breath in anticipation of Kael's arrival. On my way to the dining hall, I passed a few maids. Their gazes darted toward me briefly before quickly turning away, as though they were afraid to meet my eyes for too long. I could hear the faint murmur of whispers trailing behind me, but I ignored them. I was used to it by now. For years, I'd been the subject of gossip-the "weak Alpha's daughter" who couldn't even shift.

When I entered the dining hall, my father was already seated at the head of the long wooden table. He looked as composed and unyielding as ever, sipping his coffee while reading through the stack of reports in his hands. He didn't even glance up as I approached.

"Good morning," I said cautiously, my voice quiet.

"Morning," he replied curtly, his attention still fixed on the papers in front of him.

I took a seat across from him, though I had little appetite. The air between us was thick with unspoken tension, suffocating and inescapable. I poured myself a small cup of tea and nibbled on the corner of a piece of toast, but my stomach churned too much for me to eat more than a bite.

After a long silence, Father finally spoke. "Kael will be here soon." His tone was calm, but there was an edge of authority in his words. "You'd do well to make a good impression."

My jaw tightened as I fought back the retort bubbling up in my throat. What was the point of making an impression when my entire future had already been decided for me? I was nothing more than a pawn in this game of power and alliances. Instead of arguing, I nodded stiffly and excused myself from the table, retreating to the solitude of my room.

The next hour passed painfully slowly as I paced back and forth, my nerves building with every tick of the clock. The closer it got to noon, the harder it became to breathe. Finally, the sound of a knock echoed through the castle, sharp and deliberate. My heart leapt into my throat. He was here.

I strained to listen as faint voices drifted up from downstairs-Kael exchanging polite words with my father, their tones formal and measured. Moments later, footsteps approached, stopping just outside my door. A second knock followed, softer this time, but just as insistent.

"Come in," I called out, trying to steady my voice.

The door creaked open, and Kael stepped inside. His presence filled the room instantly, commanding and confident, as though he belonged in every space he entered. He was dressed casually-a black sweater that hugged his broad shoulders and dark jeans that made him look effortlessly regal. His silver-gray eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, the air seemed to leave the room entirely.

"Good morning, Aria," he said, a small, charming smile tugging at his lips.

"Good morning," I replied, though my voice was barely above a whisper.

"I hope you're ready," he said, holding up a long garment bag. "I brought something for you."

I frowned in confusion as he unzipped the bag, revealing several stunning dresses. Each one was more exquisite than the last-rich fabrics in deep crimson, gold, and emerald, adorned with intricate embroidery and delicate beading.

"I thought we could choose one together for the engagement ceremony," he explained, his tone casual, as though this was a perfectly normal conversation for two people who barely knew each other.

I stared at the dresses, unsure how to respond. They were beautiful, yes, but they felt more like gilded chains than gifts. "Thank you," I managed to say, though my voice was strained. "You didn't have to go to so much trouble."

"It's no trouble," Kael said, his smile widening. "I want this to be special for you."

Before I could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air from the hallway.

"Special for her? Or special for yourself, Kael?"

I froze as the figure stepped into the room, her presence as sharp and cold as a blade. My heart plummeted as recognition struck me like a blow.

Mara.

My cousin. My best friend from childhood. The girl I once trusted more than anyone else-until she disappeared from our lives without a word two years ago. And now, here she was, standing in my room, her green eyes blazing with calculated malice.

"Mara," I whispered, my voice trembling as if it could barely hold itself together. The sight of her standing in my room, after all these years, felt impossible to process.

My heart pounded in my chest, and I struggled to keep my breathing steady. I couldn't understand why she was here, why she looked so composed and confident when I felt like my entire world was falling apart. "What are you doing here?" My voice wavered, barely audible, but the question hung heavy in the air.

She didn't even glance in my direction. It was as if I wasn't even there, as though my feelings, my presence, didn't matter at all. Her piercing green eyes were locked on Kael, and there was something sharp and dangerous in her gaze. "You didn't tell her, did you?" she said, her voice dripping with venom, each word cutting through the tense silence like a knife. Her tone was cold, calculated, and filled with accusation. It was clear that this moment had been planned, and I was the last to know.

Kael's usual confidence-the air of control and power that seemed to surround him no matter where he went-vanished in an instant. His face darkened, his jaw tightening as he stared at Mara. For the first time since I'd met him, he looked uncertain, caught off guard. "This isn't the time, Mara," he said, his voice firm but laced with unease. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced by tension that made the room feel even smaller.

"Not the time?" Mara scoffed, her laugh bitter and dripping with mockery as she took a step closer to him. The movement felt deliberate, like a predator circling its prey. "You're engaged to her, Kael. Don't you think she deserves to know the truth?" Her words were sharp and challenging, meant to provoke him, to force him into a corner where he couldn't escape. I could feel the tension between them like a storm brewing, ready to explode.

"Truth?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The word felt foreign on my tongue, but I couldn't stop myself from saying it. My gaze darted between the two of them, desperation clawing at my chest. "What truth?" My stomach churned as I asked the question, terrified of the answer but unable to stop myself from needing to know.

Kael opened his mouth as if to respond, but Mara didn't give him the chance. She stepped forward, her eyes still locked on him, her voice softening just enough to sound almost pitying. "The truth that he's been lying to you, Aria," she said, finally turning her gaze toward me. For a brief moment, her expression softened, but it only made the moment more unbearable. "That he's not the perfect Alpha you think he is. He's my boyfriend. We've been together for over a year. He promised to marry me."

Her words hit me like a physical blow, the force of them knocking the air from my lungs. I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me, like I was falling and there was nothing to catch me. "What...?" I managed to choke out, my voice weak and trembling. My mind spun as I tried to piece together what she was saying, but it felt impossible. None of it made sense. None of it could be true.

"It's not what you think," Kael said quickly, his voice urgent as he stepped toward me. His silver-gray eyes were wide with something that looked like desperation, but I couldn't tell if it was for me or for himself. "Mara and I-"

"Don't you dare," Mara snapped, cutting him off before he could finish. Her voice was sharp and commanding, filled with anger that seemed to echo in the room. She turned on him with a fury that made her presence even more overwhelming. "Don't you dare try to twist this, Kael. You told me you loved me. You told me we had a future together. And now you're throwing it all away for her?" She pointed at me as if I were nothing more than an inconvenience, the cause of everything that had gone wrong in her world.

I stared at Kael, my chest tightening with a mix of anger, confusion, and heartbreak. The weight of Mara's words pressed down on me, suffocating me, but I needed to hear it from him. I needed to know the truth, no matter how much it hurt. "Is this true?" I demanded, my voice trembling but firm. "Were you with her?"

Kael hesitated, and the silence was louder than anything he could have said. His jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists at his sides as if he were bracing himself. Finally, he answered, his voice low and tense. "Yes," he admitted. "But it's complicated."

"Complicated?" Mara laughed bitterly, the sound filled with anger and disbelief. "It's not complicated, Kael. You're a liar. You used me, and now you're using her." Her words were like daggers, cutting into him and into me at the same time.

"I didn't use anyone," Kael shot back, his voice rising as he turned to face her fully. There was frustration in his tone, but I couldn't tell if it was directed at Mara or at himself. "Things changed, Mara. I didn't have a choice-"

"You always have a choice," I interrupted, my voice trembling with fury as I finally found the strength to speak. My hands were shaking, but I didn't care. The betrayal I felt was too overwhelming to hold back. "And you chose to keep this from me."

Kael reached for me, his expression desperate. "Aria, please. Let me explain-"

"No," I said firmly, stepping back to put distance between us. Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "I've had enough lies for one lifetime." My voice cracked, but I held my ground.

Without waiting for his response, I turned and fled the room. My heart shattered with every step, the pain threatening to consume me entirely. As I ran down the hallway, Mara's voice echoed behind me, sharp and taunting.

"You're making a mistake, Kael. And once she knows the whole truth, she'll never forgive you."

But I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. My life had unraveled in the span of a few minutes, a tangled web of betrayal and secrets I hadn't asked for. And deep down, I knew I might never find my way back to the life I thought I knew.