Alpha, Let's End This Bond!

- Aria

My eyes snapped open to the sound of my twins screaming their tiny lungs out. The nursery camera on my phone was glowing at two in the freaking morning.

Ugh! Not again.

I let out a heavy sigh that felt like it took a piece shit of me with it.

"Luca, they're crying again," I called out with annoyance, even though I already knew he wasn't home.

Messy-haired and crooked-shirted, and my boobs aching like crazy because of breastfeeding, I swung my legs out of the big, empty bed. The sheets were cool on my side, untouched since Luca left the mansion a year ago. He hadn't come back yet. Probably won't be until tomorrow morning at our second anniversary party, just in time for the pack run and to pretend we were a happy family for a few hours.

I padded down the silent hall and dashed into the nursery. If the twins didn't make noise tonight, I felt like I was the only ghost living here.

The twins, Adrian and Aurora, were standing up in their cribs, their teary little faces scrunched and red with misery. Their howls weren't just cries but were full-blown wolf cub whines, a sound that could cut glass and my patience simultaneously.

I rushed to the crib, trying to figure out who was the louder one tonight.

"Shhh, my little monsters," I murmured, scooping up Aurora first. She had that great smell of milk and baby powder, and her tiny body felt fragile against mine. "Mom's got you."

Adrian wailed louder, a clear protest at not being picked up first. Typical boy. Seriously, even as a two-year-old, he's a little alpha in the making, demanding all the attention.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you, Your Highness," I said, lifting him with my other arm.

I was the Luna, but honestly, I felt more like the live-in babysitter, doing everything on my own.

Raising two toddlers at once was not easy, but I was getting good at it. I carried them to the kitchen, even though my back screamed in protest.

In the kitchen, I warmed up some milk while rocking both twins. They quieted down while they drank, their tiny bodies finally relaxing in my arms.

Silver, my wolf, stirred in my mind. Her presence was a constant comfort, even if I couldn't shift yet. She was empathetic, more so than any wolf I had ever heard of, and she could feel the twins' distress as keenly as I could.

"The tension is getting to them," she murmured in my head. "The pack is uneasy. Luca is too. They can feel it."

"And what about me?" I shot back, my mental voice sharper than I intended. "Do I get to be uneasy, Silver? Or am I supposed to just smile and play the perfect little Luna for a husband who never wants me?"

Silver stayed quiet for a second, but I could feel her warm, knowing presence buzzing in the back of my head. "You've always been stronger than you realize, Aria."

"I'm tired of being strong," I whispered to the empty room, the words swallowed by the silence. "I just want to be happy."

But in StormRidge, happiness felt like a currency I didn't have.

I looked out the window at the vast forest surrounding the StormRidge pack lands and wondered where Luca was now. Was he with Ivy? The thought sent a bitter taste in my mouth. Probably laughing with her and touching her. Probably giving her the version of himself I never got. All the things a Luna was supposed to have. but somehow I was the one left alone in this house with babies on my hips and silence in my bed.

I pushed the thought away. It didn't matter anymore.

I'd known what I had to do for months, but tonight, that choice became absolutely set in stone and final. I was done with this loveless, hollow life. Done with playing house for a man who couldn't stand the sight of me.

An unexpected heat that forced us together, leading to a pregnancy that wasn't supposed to happen, and a Council mandate that didn't care about feelings-that's how I ended up married to Luca Stormbourne, Alpha of StormRidge Pack, the man everyone believed was destined for another she-wolf, while I was never meant to be anything more than the mistake that complicated his future.

For two years, I had endured the cold shoulder, the public neglect, the whispers of the pack members who still saw me as the wolf who trapped their Alpha with an accidental pregnancy. But now, I had my children to think about. They deserved to be raised in a place where their mother wasn't a pariah, where they weren't the children of a Luna who was never wanted.

After an hour, the twins finished their milk and started getting sleepy. Adrian buried his face in my neck, and I could feel his warm, milky breath. Aurora was already deep asleep and was a total dead weight in my arms.

As I carried them back to their cribs, my heart just ached with how much I loved and wanted to protect them. I tucked the blankets around them with gentle care as I watched their little chests rise and fall.

Then, I went back to my room and checked my phone. There was an unread message from Ivy Castemont.

"Happy anniversary, Luna. I hope you don't mind that I'm the one he's celebrating with."

I stared at the words for five full seconds, clenching my jaw so tight it hurt.

"Wow, classy," I spat out, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth.

I deleted the message and took a deep breath. But before I could spiral too much into my own anger and hurt, another message popped up, this one from Nova.

"Need me to burn anything for you tonight? Anything at all? Just say the word."

Despite everything, a small smile touched my lips.

"No, thanks. But I'm taking you up on that offer soon."

"Good. I've got the gasoline ready."

I put the phone down, feeling a little better. I wasn't completely alone. I had Nova and my kids.

But this life, this marriage, it was suffocating me. Tomorrow, at our anniversary party, I'll end it for good. I would tell Luca I wanted to sever our bond. I'd finally ask the Council for an annulment on the grounds of an unwilling union.

The thought of leaving him was terrifying, but the thought of staying was worse.

I walked to the closet and pulled out a small, worn-out bag from my teenage years. I started packing a few essentials, just in case. A change of clothes, a toothbrush, a photo of me and Nova from before I came to StormRidge, and a small, wooden wolf figurine that my mother had given me before she died.

Suddenly, the front door downstairs slammed open. Keys hit the floor, and I heard heavy footsteps coming right up the stairs.

My wolf, Silver, went on high alert inside my head, building a low growl in my chest.

I froze, and for a second I just stared at the hallway, wondering who the hell would be coming into the house at this hour. My heart hammered against my ribs as I realized with a jolt that the footsteps were too heavy to be anyone else but Luca.

My husband. He was home early.

I quickly stuffed the half-packed bag under the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress, trying to look like I had just woken up. My mind was racing. What was he doing here? He wasn't supposed to be back until morning.

My bedroom door was thrown open with so much force that it hit the wall.

Luca stood there, a dark silhouette in the dim hallway light. The moment he walked in, his pine and whiskey smell just filled the air and knocked the wind out of me.

He leaned against the doorframe like he owned the whole damn world and had just decided to stroll back into mine. His chest was heaving; he looked furious, exhausted, and smelled like booze.

He stared at me without saying anything for a moment. Finally, he broke the quiet with a low and menacing voice.

"You're packing."

I blinked, clenching my jaw tight. "Wow. How observant for someone who disappeared for a year."

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a slow shove that somehow felt louder than the slam.

"Don't do that," he said.

"Do what? State facts?" I let out a sharp, totally humorless laugh. "I haven't seen you since the twins' first birthday. I think I've definitely had the right to notice you exist."

Luca ran a hand through his hair, pacing once like a caged wolf. "Aria, you know why I had to leave."

"Do I?" I snapped. "Because all I know is you left without a goodbye, without a message, and even without checking if your kids were alive."

Something dark flashed in his eyes, but I just didn't care anymore.

"You think I didn't want to come back?" he growled.

I rose from the bed with every nerve in my body screaming. "No, I think you didn't care to."

Luca took a step closer, towering over me, and Silver bristled inside my head.

"You think I didn't want to see them?" His voice cracked. "You think I didn't think about them every damn day?"

I let out a cold laugh. "Oh, poor you. It must've been exhausting to think about them from afar. But I was the one doing all the work: feeding, changing, soothing, training, and lying about where their Daddy was for a whole year."

His jaw clenched until I thought his teeth might shatter. "I stayed away because I had to."

"No, you stayed away to be with your old crush because you wanted to," I countered. "Don't pretend things were different just because you've been sober long enough to remember you have a family."

His eyes darkened. "You think I was with Ivy all this time?"

I shrugged. "I think you were with anyone but us."

Luca snatched the edge of the dresser, clenching his hand so hard the wood started to creak. "Aria. stop talking like this."

"So what? You disappear for a year, and I'm supposed to greet you with a welcome-home kiss and a casserole?" I snapped. "What do you want me to say, Luca? That I missed you? That I waited? That I wished for you to walk through that door?"

His voice dropped to a whisper, raw and jagged. "Did you?"

I felt my throat tighten, but I kept my face straight. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Luca looked at me then. Perhaps this was the first time he really looked at me. His eyes swept over my rumpled pajamas, the dark circles under my eyes, the messy hair I didn't have time to care about, and the bitterness in my voice.

And for the first time, he looked genuinely scared.

"Aria. what are you planning to do?"

I held his stare. "Tomorrow, in front of the Council, I'm going to ask to sever our bond."

His breath punched out of him like he'd been stabbed.

"No." The word popped out instantly. "No, you're not."

"I am determined."

He shook his head and took a step toward me. "No one severs a Council-forged bond. Besides, it's against my grandfather's wish, and I won't dishonor him."

"I'll be the first."

His hand darted out and caught my wrist. It wasn't rough, but I couldn't pull away.

"You're not leaving me."

I kept staring, absolutely refusing to back down. "You left me first."

"If you ask the Council to end us." His nostrils flared, his wolf pushing beneath his skin. "I will drag you off that stage myself."

I ripped my wrist from his grip. "Then tomorrow, we'll find out who I'm more afraid of-you or living like this for the rest of my life."

Luca's chest rose and fell like he was trying not to shift right there.

"Don't you dare!"

I stared at him, the man who had been gone for a year and still somehow expected me to stay frozen in place waiting.

"I already did."

And for the first time since the day we were forced into marriage, Luca Stormbourne looked like he might break.

****

- Aria

Luca stood frozen in the middle of the room like he couldn't believe I'd actually said it. Then his expression shifted.

"Of course," he muttered. "Now that you've secured your place with the twins, you want out."

I blinked at him. "Secured my place?"

He scoffed. "You're the mother of the future Alpha. The pack won't dare push you aside anymore. You're finally safe, so now you're brave enough to play the victim?"

My jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "That's what all the nasty women do. They get what they want, then they threaten to leave like it's going to scare their mate straight."

I let out a loud, furious laugh that probably sounded a little crazy. "You really think this is a bluff?"

Luca paced the room like he couldn't stand still. "Aria, you signed up for this. You knew this marriage was about duty, commitment, and sacrifice."

"No," I shot back, "I knew what the Council demanded. I knew what the bond forced. But don't you dare stand here and talk about sacrifice like you've bled even a drop for this family."

His eyes snapped up, instantly sharp and intense. "I've sacrificed more than you'll ever understand."

"No. I've sacrificed sleep, sanity, dignity, and two years of pretending to be happy next to a man who won't even look at me."

He stepped closer. "You think I never looked at you?"

My voice came out low and shaking as I spoke. "Not the way a husband looks at his wife. Definitely not the way you look at Ivy."

Something dark rippled through him. "Don't bring her into this."

"Why? Feeling guilty?" I challenged. "Every wolf in this pack knows the only reason you married me was that I got pregnant and forced your hand. They all whispered that Ivy was always your real choice. You never wanted me. And I'm done waiting for you to change your mind!"

Luca's wolf was pushing at the surface now, his scent roaring with fury. "That is not true!"

"Then what is?" I yelled back. "Seriously, what's the truth? All I've seen for two years is a man who wants nothing to do with me!"

His jaw was clenched, and he looked desperate, like he was dying to say something but couldn't let it out.

I shook my head. "That's what I thought."

I turned away, refusing to let him see me cry. "Just. go back to her. Go back to whatever life you've been living that makes you happier than this one. I'll handle the Council tomorrow."

A muscle in his jaw tightened. "I am not discussing this with you right now."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Fine with me. There's nothing left to discuss."

His fists clenched at his sides. "You're not ending our bond, Aria. I won't let you."

"Watch me."

He slammed his palm against the doorframe and moved fast to grab my wrist.

My wolf instantly went on high alert. I hated him for knowing exactly where my weak spots were.

"Luca. let go of me."

His other hand shot out and gripped my chin. "You really think you can leave me? You think you can just walk away from us?"

I tried to pull away, but he was way too strong. "Go ahead and watch me."

His inner wolf just took over. It was pure, uncontrolled instinct, fueled by something primal and clearly broken inside him.

He took two steps, backed me into the wall, and his mouth crashed onto mine in a frustrated kiss.

"Stop-" I gasped against his mouth.

He kissed me more fiercely, acting like losing me was the last breath he had. Even though every part of me was yelling to push him off, my body totally betrayed me and remembered that night we had sex.

"You can't walk away from this," he murmured against my neck. "Not from me."

He stepped closer, and I could feel the heat radiating off him.

And before I even realized it, his hands were on my waist, and my fingers were tangled in his hair. The room spun into something reckless and wrong but painfully familiar.

The bond snapped shut around us like a jaw. For a split second, it was like we were real mates, and the past two years had just been a bad dream.

Silver whined in my mind, confused. "Aria, he's our mate."

"He's not," I thought back, shoving him away. "He's not our mate. He never was."

"You really want to sever the bond with him?"

"We have to."

But Luca was so insistent that my determination just faded away.

"Stop fighting me," he growled, pinning my hands to the wall.

"Or what?" I shot back. "You'll force me again?"

Saying that out loud was a mistake. Because the very next thing I knew, he shoved me right onto the bed. My head bounced off the mattress as he climbed on top of me.

I glared up at him. "You don't get to touch me anymore. You lost that right a long, long time ago."

He didn't back down. Instead, he lowered his face to mine, and I could see the war waging inside him.

"Why pretend you're scared? You've already done this. It's not the first time."

"I'm not pretending anything!"

He was a breath away from my lips. "Then prove it."

"What?"

"Tell me you don't want this."

And I couldn't. Because a small, stupid, pathetic part of me did want it. I wanted to feel wanted for once in my life.

I tried to shove him off, but he was a rock. "Luca, get off me."

He leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Make me."

Before I could make a move, he lowered his head and gently bit my neck. Not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to make me gasp.

The wolf inside me was a total mess, whining like crazy. She missed him. She wanted her mate.

"I hate you," I repeated, my voice cracking.

"I know," he said again, his hands tracing the curves of my waist.

He kissed me again, and this time, I didn't fight him.

The kiss was desperate and messy, all rough biting and licking. It wasn't about love but about something darker, more primal. It was about ownership and territory, a desperate attempt to reclaim what had been lost.

His hands roamed my body like he was trying to memorize me again. His touch was both familiar and foreign, a ghost of what we once were. My body responded against my will, arching into him, while my fingers gripped his shoulders.

It was wrong. So, so wrong. But it felt so right.

He kissed me like he was starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy his hunger. His hands were under my shirt, tracing the skin of my stomach, and I shivered.

"Luca," I breathed.

He growled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated through my entire body.

He kissed me harder, and I knew I was lost.

I was drowning in him, totally overwhelmed by the feel and the taste of him. Nothing outside this room mattered. It was just him, me, and this intense heat between us. I started feeling that familiar, deep ache in my core, remembering the heat that got me stuck. I didn't want to feel that fire again.

He unbuttoned my pants, and I lifted my hips to help him. As his wet lips kissed my stomach, I grabbed his hair. I was completely at his mercy, and I absolutely hated myself for it.

But this wasn't a forced heat. It was my own body that betrayed me, responding to the one man I should hate.

I pulled away, gasping for breath. "Luca, we can't."

He didn't stop. "We already are."

His fury spiked, and so did his lust. He grabbed my wrist way too hard, feeling like he was about to completely destroy me. Pain was hammering through me, so I used pressure points to make him release his grip, but it wasn't enough.

He spun her around using his hold and immediately pinned me to the bed. I yelled and tried to kick out, but he got his hand around my throat.

"I said, that's enough."

He completely ignored me. My shirt came off, and he began kissing my collarbone, his hands exploring my body. I couldn't help but moan, letting my head rest on the pillows.

"Let go of me."

"I won't." He pressed against me, letting my smooth skin against his calm him down. "Time for a little payback."

"What are you doing?"

"What goes around comes around."

"Huh?"

Releasing my wrist, he shoved his hand between my legs to cup my pussy. He badly wanted to slide two fingers into her wet heat, but he held back just enough. He moved his middle finger up my slit, rubbing it against my clit. "Tell me you want this, Aria."

The only reply was her loud breathing and the small movement of her thighs. "That won't work."

He made himself freeze his hand, fighting a battle he was quickly losing as his fingers got wet with my desire. "Say yes," he demanded. "Tell me you want this. Tell me to make you come."

Luca was back on top of me, and I could feel his cock was hard and ready against me.

Then there was no time to talk because I was too busy coming. I yelled out, and he cursed. He didn't pause, keeping the orgasms coming so intensely that I had to push my forehead against the headboard to stay up. I barely noticed him moving a hand from my pussy until his knuckles brushed my ass.

He spanked me, and I yelped.

I couldn't believe this was the same cold, distant man who'd ignored me for a year. This was a side of him I'd never seen-possessive, demanding, and completely in control.

He spanked me again, harder this time. "Tell me you want me."

"Luca, stop," I gasped.

I shook my head, refusing to give him the satisfaction. But my body was betraying me again. I could feel myself getting wetter with each impact.

He spanked me again, harder than before. I could feel the sting on my skin, but it was mixed with a strange pleasure.

He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear. "Tell me you want me."

I hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "I want you."

He rewarded me by slipping a finger inside me, and I gasped.

"More," I begged.

He obliged, adding another finger, and I moaned. He moved them in and out, hitting a spot inside me that made me see stars.

"Luca," I breathed.

"Tell me you want me to fuck you," he demanded.

"I want you to fuck me," I said, my voice barely audible.

He didn't need to be told twice. He pulled away for a second to shuck off his pants, and then he was back, positioning himself at my entrance.

He pushed into me in one smooth thrust, and I cried out. He was big, stretching me in a way that was both painful and incredibly pleasurable.

He started moving, setting a punishing pace. Each thrust was harder than the last, and I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge.

"Luca," I cried out.

"Cum for me, Aria," he commanded.

And I did. I came hard, my body convulsing around him. He followed me over the edge, spilling himself inside me. Then he collapsed on top of me, both of us breathing heavily.

For a moment, we just lay there, with our bodies all tangled up once it was over. I can feel his breath fanning my neck, his hand resting on my stomach as if he'd never let go.

I quietly slid out of his arms, putting some distance between us.

Last night was a mistake. It wouldn't happen again. And the next time we touched would be in the Council chamber. when I ended us for good.

*****

- Aria

I woke up to a throbbing ache between my thighs, the kind of pain I hadn't experienced in years, and it felt shamefully real.

What have I done?

My head throbbed, and my chest felt heavy. His side of the bed was messed up and still warm, so it wasn't cold anymore. I sat up slowly, wrapping the sheet around myself.

"Great," I muttered into the pillow, wincing as I moved. "Exactly what I needed today."

The sunlight was barely creeping through the curtains when I dragged myself upright. The first thing I noticed was the silence. The twins never slept this late.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I headed for the nursery and found it empty. The cribs were made, and all the toys were gone.

"Oh, hell no-"

Panic surged. "Adrian? Aurora?" I called out, pushing myself over the cribs and holding onto the cabinet because every step hurt like hell.

A nanny stepped out from the hallway. "Oh, good morning, Luna. The Alpha asked us to take the twins early so you could rest. They're having breakfast."

I froze.

"The Alpha asked."

Luca. After a year of silence, he finally decides to act like a father now?

"Thank you," I murmured, forcing a nod.

The nanny left.

I gripped the crib railing so hard that my hands shook. The memory of last night hit me like a punch. I couldn't forget how Luca kissed me as my body leaned into him, and the bond screaming at me to love him and give up the fight.

I whispered to the empty room. "I asked for a divorce. so why did I let him touch me?"

When I returned to the bedroom, my phone buzzed on the dresser. A single message from Nova: "So. did you tell him?"

I typed slowly: "Not yet."

Nova: "Why?"

I stared at the screen, throat tight. Why? Because last night made everything harder. I didn't know which was worse. I wasn't sure if the divorce would kill me. or staying would.

And then I heard footsteps behind me, followed by Luca's voice, "The nanny gets them already."

I flinched before I turned. He was leaning on the doorframe like nothing had happened last night. Fully dressed, hair brushed, back to the emotionless Alpha facade.

"Yeah, the nanny told me."

"They needed feeding," he said flatly. "You were sleeping like the dead."

Feeling suddenly embarrassed, I quickly wrapped my arms around myself. "Right. Because that's all I'm good for, sleeping through my own children's cries."

Luca raked a hand through his hair. "I don't have time for this kind of chit chat. Magnus collapsed."

My breath caught. "Old Alpha Magnus? When?"

"Late last night." He walked past me, already heading out. "He's in the hospital."

I didn't know what to say. Magnus was the only Stormbourne who had ever treated me with warmth and kindness. He was the reason the Council mandate had even been approved. Otherwise, who would want a lowly orphan like me, whose wolf had been dormant for years, even though I reached an age when my wolf should be awakened?

It was because Old Alpha Magnus could see through me, and he knew that I was not just a lowly wolf but was born of an ancient lineage with hidden power. He never told me about it, but he commented once, "There's more to you than you know, child. Your lineage . your wolf. It's a legacy thought lost. The Moon Goddess has plans for you."

He was the one who told me the twins' births were destiny, not accidents. He called them "miracles."

I was confused, but honestly, I was thankful for him.

Wrecking the family structure made me feel bad-I knew he cared about it. But staying married to Luca? That was still unbearable.

I cleared my throat. "I'm coming with you."

Luca turned, eyebrow raised. "You're not invited."

I stared him down. "I'm their Luna and the mother of your children. He's my grandfather-in-law. Try and stop me."

For a second, I thought he might argue. Instead, he just scoffed with a small, bitter smile playing on his lips. "Fine. Get dressed. We leave in five minutes."

After I showered, I went to the closet. My hands lingered on a simple, dark blue dress. I pulled it out, feeling the soft fabric in my hands. I stared at my reflection. My eyes were wide, dark, and held a hint of sleepless nights I couldn't hide. I forced myself to meet my own gaze.

Today, I would tell the world I was done. I couldn't help but feel a small, treacherous part of me whispering, "What if you're wrong?"

Luca appeared at the door. "Come on. He's been asking for you."

I swallowed hard. "Why?"

He shot me a hard look over his shoulder. "He didn't tell you? He always says you're the heart of this pack." Then he turned his back without another word.

I stood there, confused. Luca's words were the last thing I expected to hear.

I grabbed my jacket and hurried after him. The pain was stabbing with every step, but I swallowed it down.

In the car, Luca started the engine in silence. We'd barely been on the road five minutes when his phone rang, and the display flashed Ivy Castemont.

I stiffened instantly.

"Hey," Luca answered, his voice suddenly softening. "Yeah, I'm on the way. Don't worry, I'm fine."

The sting was instant and ugly. He had a comforting tone in his voice for Ivy. For me? I got orders and cold words.

He ended the call with a low, "Thanks, Ivy," like she was some freaking angel saving his life.

I couldn't hide my snort. "Still pretending you don't have feelings for her?"

He didn't look at me. "This isn't the time."

"No," I said quietly, staring out the window, "it never is."

It seemed that no matter what happened between Luca and me, he would never forget Ivy, his long-time love, the pride of the Castemont family, the perfect princess everyone thought was destined to be Luna of StormRidge Pack.

Of course, he wouldn't forget a woman like that.

Ivy, with her flawless beauty, had always been by Luca's side since childhood. She never had to try hard to get anyone's attention. especially Luca.

And me? His legal wife, the woman he chose only because circumstances forced him to. The woman who raised his children. but who remained second in his heart.

Every time Ivy's name crossed my mind, it felt like something cold and heavy was pressing down on my chest as if I were just a shadow interfering with their love story.

The hospital parking lot was overflowing with Stormbourne warriors. Pack members bowed when they saw Luca and slid their eyes right past me like I was nothing but his shadow.

We walked toward the critical ward together, but not really together. There was a full yard of tension between us.

The moment we rounded the corner, his mother, Helena, shot to her feet.

The entire family has gathered outside the ward. All eyes are on us, especially accusing eyes on me as we walk closer.

"Luca, finally!" she rushed toward him. "It has been too long since we tried to reach you."

She then turned her eyes on me like knives. Her face was pinched with disapproval when she saw me.

"What a surprise," she said dryly. "The Luna finally graces us with her presence. If you hadn't delayed Alpha Luca, he would have been here earlier."

I ignored the jab. "How is Old Magnus?"

Helena's lips curled into a sneer. "Dying. And you're here because you think he's going to leave you something in his will?"

My stomach dropped. "I didn't-"

"Enough," Helena hissed. "Your selfishness knows no limits."

"She said it's my fault," I whispered to Luca, hoping he'd just defend me for once.

He didn't look at me. "This isn't the time for arguments."

So that was his answer.

The entire Stormbourne family filled the corridor: Brooke, Oliver, Helena, cousins, and the Elders. I could feel their judgment before any of them spoke. I stood at Luca's side like an outsider wearing a Luna's title I didn't deserve.

And then the doctor approached.

"Only Alpha Luca and his Luna can enter," he said.

Luca moved immediately.

Helena grabbed his arm. "Surely I go in first-"

"No," the doctor repeated. "He asked for his grandson and his granddaughter-in-law. No one else."

The hallway froze. Every head turned.

Luca and I exchanged a stunned look. Of all the people Magnus could have asked for, but me?

Silver stirred inside me, her voice low and wary.

"Be prepared, Aria. Something is coming."

I swallowed. "Yeah," I whispered back in my mind, "I can feel it too."

Because if Old Alpha Magnus wanted me right before he might die, then whatever he had to say could change everything.

And that terrified me more than anything that everyone ever could.

*****