Fate betrayal

CHAPTER 1 : Death and Rebirth

ARIA POV

"You'll die before the next moonrise."

The words reverberated in my head, icy and definitive. His golden eyes, which had before been warm, pierced through the fog of anguish that obscured my vision and took on a ruthless, cutting look. The blood pooling under me while I lay on the chilly ground served as a sobering reminder of his treachery.

"Darius." I could hardly raise my head and croaked.

With no remorse in his voice, he replied, "You brought this on yourself, Aria." Under the faint moonlight, the sword in his palm shone, its edge still slippery from my blood.

Around me, the world became darker, and as my power diminished, I could see just the outlines of what was there. Even though I could feel death's cold grasp pulling at my spirit, I clung to my hatred and rage.

With my dying breath, I cursed him.

The Moon Goddess was cursed by me.

Then-nothing.

I gasped as oxygen flooded my lungs like fire as I opened my eyes again. Expecting to see the deadly wound, my hands sprang to my chest, but nothing was there. No blood. No discomfort.

Rather, I was in my former bedroom, surrounded by artifacts from a past life that I hadn't seen in a long time.

My heart thumping, I leaped to my feet. The room looked just as I remembered it, with old drapes that hardly blocked the moonlight and a broken mirror over the dresser. I dangled my legs over the edge, bare feet touching the old floors as my bed groaned under me.

"This isn't possible," I said, my voice shaking.

I needed to be sure I wasn't going crazy, so I looked in the mirror. Young and untouched by the atrocities I had experienced, my mirror gazed back at me. I recognized the face for the first time in years-smooth skin, sparkling eyes, untarnished by death or treachery.

Then I noticed it.

The mate mark on my neck, glowing faintly.

"No," I stammered back, choking. When Darius turned me down, that mark ought to have disappeared. It ought to have remained a bitter, faraway memory.

A bitter reminder of the relationship that had doomed me was there, however.

My breath came in short, irregular gasps as I held on to the edge of the dresser. The treachery, the sorrow, and the icy finality of his words brought back memories of my dying.

"How?" With my voice cracking, I whispered.

I was startled by a knock at the door.

"Aria? Are you ok in there?

The voice of Cassie. Her voice seemed younger, less weighed down by the catastrophes that were yet to come.

I forced myself to regulate my breathing and swallowed hard. Yes, I called back in a tremulous voice. "Just a nightmare."

Cassie entered as the door creaked open. She wore her favorite oversized sweater, the same one she wore every day as a teenager, and her brown hair was pulled back in a loose braid.

"You appear pale," she said, her eyes glimmering with worry. "Are you certain you're alright?"

I forced a grin as I nodded. "I'm all right. Give me a minute, please.

After a moment of hesitation and staring at me, Cassie nodded. "Don't be too slow. Alpha Marcus becomes irritated when individuals arrive late, and the pack meeting is about to begin.

The meeting of the pack. My stomach turned over. I had first met Darius's gaze there, and that was when it all began.

I dropped to the floor with my back to the wall as the door snapped shut behind Cassie. I was trying to piece together the inconceivable facts while my thoughts raced.

I wasn't only living. I had returned.

Five years ago, before my world collapsed and before I died, the Moon Goddess had transported me back in time.

However, why?

My gut churned with dread as I saw the mate mark's faint glimmer once again. Darius was here, too, if I was. I was suddenly seized with cold horror at the prospect of seeing him again and those golden eyes that had previously made my pulse beat.

I said, "No," and shook my head. "This time, no."

Grasping the edge of the dresser with quivering hands, I forced myself to stand. I looked back at my mirror, but this time I didn't see the girl who had put her blind faith in destiny. I saw a person who was resolute in their survival and had been hardened by betrayal.

To the girl in the mirror, I said, "This time, I'll destroy you before you destroy me."

However, a chill went down my spine even as I was speaking. Was I destined to make the same errors again, or could I alter my destiny?

My thoughts were again disturbed by a gentle tap.

Cassie cried out through the door, her voice muffled, "Aria." "The Moonshine Pack arrived just now."

My blood became icy.

The Moonshine Pack. Darius's pack.

My nails dug into my hands as I clinched my fists. Already, fate was at work, drawing me back to the guy who had broken me.

Not now.

I took a long breath to regain my composure before grabbing a coat off the back of the chair and throwing it on.

I inhaled deeply to steady myself before snatching a coat from the chair's back and putting it on.

As I stepped out of the room and into the hallway, I could hear the soft whispers of voices from the assembly beneath. Each step I took accelerated my heartbeat, yet I compelled myself to continue.

I wouldn't run. I wouldn't back down.

I would confront him.

I froze as I got to the top of the stairs. Wolves from the Moonshine and Golden Claw packs crowded the main hall. I looked around, fearing, scouring the crowd.

Then I caught sight of him.

Blackthorn, Darius.

His golden eyes scanned the throng as he stood in the middle of the room. As I recalled, his presence was authoritative and fascinating. However, a peculiar glimmer of recognition appeared on his face as we locked eyes.

A slow, piercing, and rapacious grin appeared on his lips.

"Aria," he continued, his voice low and tinged with an unidentified substance.

My heart stopped beating.

He recalled.

Chapter 2: A Promise to Herself

ARIA POV

I said, "I will not be a pawn again," to the empty room.

Fragile yet determined, the pledge lingered in the air. With trembling hands, I packed a tiny suitcase with the necessities: clothing, a concealed cash hoard in my drawer, and the silver blade I had taken from the armory years before. It was for rogue protection back then. It was for defense against the mate bond now.

I was a fool five years ago, thinking that a mate's relationship was unshakable. I was weak and blinded by it. However, it was before I realized how quickly love might turn into treachery.

Never again.

The Golden Claw Pack was the group I had to quit.

I walked around the room, going over my strategy. The packhouse will be busy tonight as the Moonshine Pack had their welcoming feast. It would be simple to go away undetected as everyone would be preoccupied. I would go east, away from him and the packs.

I felt sick to my stomach at the idea of Darius. My anger had been rekindled when I saw him downstairs, his wolf-like grin around its victim. I was cruelly bound to a guy who had stabbed me in the heart by the mate connection.

But my body still deceived me. His thick, earthy smell, reminiscent of smoke and cedar, clung on my memory like a narcotic recall of the past.

I shook my head and whispered, "Stop it." He is a liar and a killer. Nothing else is important.

I was startled by a knock at the door.

"Aria?" Cassie said softly but strongly. "Are you coming? I'm already getting the stink eye from the Alpha for not bringing you down.

Hesitantly, I looked at the luggage on the bed. I was not yet able to attract attention to myself.

I called, making an effort to sound steady, "I'm coming."

Cassie's worried expression greeted me as I entered through the door. Her eyebrows knitted together as she looked me over from head to toe.

She remarked, "You look pale." "Are you sure you're okay?"

I passed her by and fibbed, claiming, "I'm okay." "Let's complete this now."

Currently, the sound of conversations, clinking glasses, and laughter filled the main hall. My stomach growled as the scent of warm bread and roasting meat wafted through the air. While we navigated through the crowd, I remained near Cassie and lowered my head.

Before I saw him, I sensed him.

My skin began to tingle slightly as the mate link tugged at me like a magnet. I stumbled and balled my fists, pushing myself to pay attention to Cassie's conversation.

Did you see Alpha Marcus's expression when the Moonshine Pack arrived late? Invaluable. Cassie laughed without seeing my anxiety.

Then his voice came to me.

"Ariana, it's been a long time."

The world seems to slow down.

My heart thumping in my chest, I turned. Darius's golden eyes met me as he stood a few steps away. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had a commanding presence that attracted everyone's attention-exactly as I recalled.

My throat constricted. I was reminded of his treachery by the knife, the blood, and his emotionless, icy eyes.

I said, "Darius," in a chilly tone.

He stepped forward, a sneer forming on his lips. "You appear...different."

"I could say that about you, too." I made myself look him in the eye without flinching.

He grinned more broadly. You've become more observant. I like it.

Refusing to lash out, I tightened my fists. "What are you looking for?"

"To speak," he said with ease. "After all, we are still friends."

My chest constricted. A harsh reminder of who we were meant to be, the mate link surged between us.

I turned on my heel and said, "I have nothing to say to you."

However, his hand grabbed my wrist before I could move. I felt a shock from the touch, the relationship igniting.

"Ariana, you can't avoid me forever," he remarked in a low, menacing voice. "You are aware of that."

I glared at him as I jerked my hand free. "Observe me."

I left without saying anything more, my heart pounding.

Cassie's eyes were wide when she caught up to me close to the buffet table. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," I clinched my teeth and murmured. "Just someone that I would prefer to forget."

She arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything more.

Forced grins and courteous nods filled the remainder of the evening. I stayed as far away from Darius as I could, blending in with the others.

However, I couldn't get rid of the sensation that his eyes were on me, waiting and observing.

I snuck out as the feast came to an end and made my way back to my room. My luggage remained on the bed, prepared for departure. I looked at the time. Midnight.

The moment has come.

Keeping to the darkness, I threw the bag over my shoulder and slipped along the corridor. The packhouse was quiet now, most of the visitors either gone or sleeping. The chilly night air brushed my cheeks as I arrived at the side entrance, my pulse thumping in my chest.

It was just a few steps to freedom.

"Going out so quickly?"

I was halted in my tracks by the voice.

My breath caught in my throat as I slowly turned.

With his arms folded over his chest, Darius leaned against the doorway. In the moonlight, his golden eyes shone with a mixture of curiosity and a deeper quality.

His voice was surprisingly calm as he inquired, "Where are you going, Aria?"

With my head racing, I tightened my grasp on my bag's strap. "It is none of your concern."

He moved closer, pushing off the wall. "You're my friend. I don't care about anything about you.

"I am not your partner," I growled. "No longer."

The slightest glimmer of emotion appeared on his face as his jaw clenched. "You know it doesn't work that way."

I yelled, "I don't care how it works." "I'm done with you, and I'm done playing the role of the Moon Goddess' puppet."

He outran me as I turned to go. Suddenly he was ahead of me, obstructing my way.

"Ariana, you can't flee from this," he murmured quietly. "You can't escape me."

My fury was more intense than my terror as I gazed at him. "Observe me."

Then, as if my words had touched a nerve, his face softened for the smallest instant. But before I could figure it out, his hand sprang out and grabbed my bag's strap.

"You're not going anywhere," he said firmly.

I pulled on the bag, but he held on to it. "Darius, let go."

"Not until you explain the reason."

I spat, "Because I don't trust you." "Because you ended my life."

A flash of bewilderment and something else-guilt?-crossed his face as his eyes expanded.

His voice was hardly audible above a whisper as he said, "What are you talking about?"

I froze for a second. He was unaware.

The understanding was like a kick to the stomach.

How could I show what he had done if he couldn't recall?

With my pulse pounding in my chest, I ripped the bag free and took a step back. "Darius, keep away from me."

I turned and fled without waiting for an answer, vanishing into the darkness.

However, his words rang in my head as I ran away, freezing me to the core.

"Ariana, you cannot flee from me. I will always locate you.

Chapter 3: Enter Killian

ARIA POV

"You don't look like someone who's supposed to be here," said a deep, gravelly voice behind me.

My breath caught in my throat and I paused in mid-step. Tonight, it was intended that the forest that surrounded the Golden Claw Pack's boundary would be empty. I gently turned, holding the silver blade that was concealed in my jacket so that I could fight myself if needed.

Although he may as well have been a rogue, the guy in front of me wasn't. He was big, broad-shouldered, and had sharp, angular features that made him just as dangerous as the dark forests themselves. His eyes, which were a piercing storm-gray, cold, and calculating, were what held me in place, even though his raven-black hair tumbled in free waves over his face.

Draven Killian.

The Moonshine Pack's Alpha.

and difficulties.

Killian stepped up and said, "I didn't know the Golden Claw Pack permitted its members to wander so near neutral territory."

I said, clutching the blade more tightly, "I don't remember asking for your opinion."

A little smile pulled at his mouth. "Aggressive. Fascinating.

"Give me some space," I yelled, stepping back.

He glanced down at the backpack hung over my shoulder, then back up at my face. "Are we running away? Not less from your partner. Brave.

My heart pounded in my chest with agony. "How are you-"

Killian cut in, his voice cool but firm, "I've been watching." "Determining it is not difficult. Every time Darius is around, your body language screams terror. Such a bond? When it becomes sour, it seems oppressive.

I took offense at what he said. "I don't require your sympathy."

"Good," he responded, grinning even broadly. "I wasn't providing any."

I automatically lifted the dagger as he took a step closer. He chuckled in amusement as his gaze shifted to the sword.

"You believe I can be stopped by that little toy?"

I growled, hating how his confidence made me uneasy. "If you push me, it'll do the job," I said.

He studied me with a tilt of his head. "I'll offer you that you have spirit. However, you will not succeed in this manner.

Echoing the same defiance I'd hurled at Darius only hours before, I added, "Watch me."

Killian's smile vanished, giving way to a more solemn look. "Your reasoning isn't clear. You could have made it through Darius's first time, but out there? He pointed to the trees' shadows. "You are the prey. Not just to rogues, however.

Hating how accurate he sounded, I tensed up.

"What are you looking for from me?" I squinted as I asked.

He seemed to ponder what he was about to say. "I have an offer for you."

I gave a sour chuckle. "There is nothing I need from you."

"No," he said in a quiet, thoughtful voice. But you must be protected. from him.

I couldn't help but feel the weight of his stare pressing down on me.

"What makes you want to help me?" With suspicion, I inquired.

He said rather frankly, "Because you're valuable." Because Darius wants you, you have leverage. But more than that, Aria, I think you have promise. You are a wolf who has been confined; you are not a helpless damsel in need of rescue. I can provide you the independence you want.

I gave him a suspicious look. "What do you expect in exchange?"

Killian's smile reappeared, but it was more piercing and strategic this time. "You'll act like you're my partner."

I was taken aback and blinked. "What?"

"It's easy," he added, sounding like he was talking about a commercial transaction. "Darius will retreat if he thinks you're obligated to me. And before they challenge me, the other packs will reconsider.

I gave a headshake. "You're not serious."

He took a step closer and answered, "Oh, I am." He lowered his voice to a near whisper. "Consider it. Out of his grasp, you'll be safe. Additionally, I benefit from having you at my side. It benefits both parties.

"It's crazy," I whispered.

"Perhaps," he said. However, it's preferable than blindly entering a world that wants to eat you alive. Even the fiercest wolves need companions, Aria, despite your might.

I detested how alluring the notion sounded, and his comments touched a chord. The mate connection was an uncompromising force, and Darius was unrelenting. I would have the breathing space I much needed if I pretended to be bound to another Alpha.

"What if I decline?" I posed a challenge.

Killian's face became stern. "After that, you're alone yourself. But when Darius finds you, don't count on me to flee.

There was strain in the quiet that hung between us.

I considered the stifling weight of the connection that bound me to Darius, the packed bag on my shoulder, and the knife in my palm. Freedom seemed like a far-off fantasy that I would never be able to achieve on my own.

"You would actually do this?" Quietly, I asked.

Killian looked straight ahead as he nodded. "I don't promise things I can't keep. I would defend you with no conditions-apart from the ones we act like there are.

"How is your pack doing?"

"They will follow my example," he said plainly.

I paused, my thoughts whirling. Was this really the solution? Could I rely on him?

"Why me?" My question was hardly audible above a whisper.

For a split second, his gaze softened. "Because you deserve an opportunity to defend yourself."

His comments caused something within of me to break.

With a shaky gasp, I lowered the dagger. "All right," I answered firmly. "I'll carry it out."

Killian grinned again, but it didn't seem as sly this time. "Wise decision."

He held out his hand before I could regret my choice. "Should we finalize the agreement?"

I felt a knot in my gut as I gazed at his extended hand. Though my plans had already gone apart, this was not what I had in mind.

I took a big breath and held his hand. He grounded with a strong grasp.

"Good," he murmured, letting go of me. "Let's then make it seem plausible."

Killian moved closer, encroaching on my personal space before I could inquire what he meant. I raised my head to look into his eyes as his palm touched my face.

"Your aroma," he said, his tone low and personal. It's too powerful. Too...familiar.

Uncertain whether to lean forward or take a step back, I swallowed hard.

With a sly smirk twisting his lips, he replied, "We'll fix that."

"How-"

I was frozen in place when a howl pierced the darkness.

Killian's hand fell to his side as his face became serious. "We have company."

"Darius?" My gut churned with fear as I murmured.

A frightening light glowed in Killian's eyes. "Not just yet. It won't be long, however.

He took hold of my arm and dragged me further into the forest.

"Hold on-"

"No time," he snapped. "You'll follow my instructions to the letter if you're serious about this deal."

There was no space for debate in the earnestness of his voice. My pulse raced with a mixture of terror and excitement as we vanished into the darkness.

Because the game was altering for the first time since my rebirth.

Furthermore, I wasn't certain that I was prepared for the repercussions.