AriaAs I jolted awake, a piercing scream ripped through the air, my heart pounding wildly in my chest and my breaths coming out in gasps. I felt the nightmare clawing at my sanity, its memories so vivid they seemed to etch themselves onto the back of my eyelids.And then, I felt two arms wrap around me that brought some small measure of comfort, but not enough to erase the terror that still gripped my soul."Aria, calm down. It was just a dream," the familiar deep voice comforted me.Ah, that's right. I was sharing a bed with Nathan, so I wasn't alone. I leaned into his embrace, enjoying his warmth as he stroked my hair.My chest heaved as I remembered Destiny in my nightmare, she was in agony at Alpha Aldric's hands."De...Destiny," I choked out her name, "she is in agony. Alpha Aldric was torturing her, and she..." I could no longer suppress my tears."Shh...you don't know that," he murmured softly. "She smiled when you saw her, right? She still has hope." Nathan's words were gentl
NathanI could tell Aria expected more from me than what I was giving her, but I couldn't bring myself to open up to her fully, not after what happened to my mate, Emily.She was everything to me, and when I lost her, I felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. She was more than just a fated mate to me. She was my best friend. We shared our dreams, our fears, and our deepest secrets. She had been there for me in ways no one else could understand.She was the stark opposite of Aria.Aria was headstrong and stubborn, while Emily was shy and sweet.Fuck...what was I doing comparing Aria to Emily anyway?I felt Aria fidget behind me. "Can't sleep?""I...I am nervous about tomorrow," she whispered. "What Alpha Aldric doesn't agree to give me the maid's position?""Don't worry about it. I will convince him. You just stay quiet and do as I say. And for the love of Moon Goddess, don't be sassy," I said and chuckled."I am not sassy!" she barked."You are being sassy right now, Aria," I s
Destiny I took a deep breath to inhale fresh air. I was finally allowed outside! "Don't go too far, Ms. Destiny. Alpha will be angry," Delora had warned before I stepped outside." "You think I don't know that?" I groaned. "Where would I go anyway? It's not like I can escape with this thug watching me." I pouted and pointed at the man Alpha Aldric asked to follow me around. "Who are you calling a thug?" The man barked. Delora chuckled. "That's Henrick. He is the omega of the pack. And he is far from a thug." As if I cared. I stride toward the garden outside. The flowers were in full bloom, and sweetly scented vines looped through every space available, creating a wind tunnel that carried the perfume of the blooms to me. I was nearly breathless with delight. I had never seen a more beautiful place. "Hey! Slow down, girl! I can't keep up," the omega named Henrick shouted behind me. I ignored him and kept walking toward the small pond by the rose garden. I reached the pond, wher
AriaI blended in with the other maids as much as possible. Natasha gave me a maid's uniform and a small room so I could be their in-house maid, which made things even easier for me.I didn't go look for Destiny right away. There was no way I could do without raising suspicion today, so I decided to lay low for now.As I settled into my new identity, I felt a mix of excitement and dread. If I made any mistake, it might draw attention from Alpha Aldric and I will fall under his radar.The small room Natasha had assigned to me was humble but cozy, tucked away in a corner of the grand mansion. I had just enough space for a bed, a tiny dresser, and a small window that offered a view of the sprawling garden.As I dressed in the uniform Natasha had provided, I couldn't help but worry about Destiny. Was she okay since the last time I saw her?Today, I had to bide my time. I couldn't risk attracting attention to myself by making a hasty move. I knew Natasha was no fool; she had her reasons fo
Aldric "What did you say to the girl?" I asked, scowling. Henrick looked at me as if I had suddenly sprouted two heads. "Pardon me, Alpha?" I held back a growl and stared him in the eye. Irritation flashed like lightning through me. I fought to keep my control. "You know very well what I mean. What did you tell her to make her laugh like that in the garden?" A smile teased his lips. "Oh. That." My irritation grew. "Will you answer me?" "Nothing much, really," Henrick shrugged nonchalantly. I roared in frustration. "Nothing!? I haven't seen that girl crack a smile, let alone laugh, but all of a sudden, you had her chuckling like a hyena?" Henrick cocked his head to the side, a half-smile on his lips. "What's the matter, Alpha King? Are you jealous?" I clenched my fists, feeling a surge of frustration coursing through me. Jealousy was not an emotion I was accustomed to, and the fact that Henrick had even suggested it only served to stoke the flames of my irritation. "Jealous?"
DestinyI stood in silence. I didn't know what to do after Alpha Aldric left me. My body felt hot as the touch of his lips still lingered on mine. I could still taste him.He had kissed me. Not for a long time, but it was long enough to make my toes curl. The worst part is that I couldn't deny how much I enjoyed it. In fact, the truth is that I loved every moment of it."Ugh!" I groaned out loud and buried my face in the pillow.My first kiss...it wasted on the notorious Alpha King."Miss Destiny? I brought you some dinner."I looked up and saw Delora standing at the door with a tray in her hands.I forced a smile. "Thanks, Delora."She placed the tray on my bedside table and sat next to me. "Is everything okay, Miss Destiny?"I took a deep breath and exhale slowly, trying to calm my nerves. "Alpha Aldric kissed me," I said, surprised at my own words.Delora raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow! I didn't think he was capable of showing affection."I scoffed. "I don't think it was him
AriaI kept a close eye on the woman named Delora as much as I could. It was difficult because Natasha assigned me to specific tasks around the mansion.But then, finally, I had the perfect opportunity to meet Delora when I went back to the kitchen. She had just gotten back with a handful of dishes."Do you mind washing these?" she had said with a smile.I nodded. "Sure.""You must be new," she said, eyeing me up and down."I just started yesterday," I said quietly. I kept my hands steady as I scrubbed the dishes.Delora broke the silence. "You seem like a quiet one," she said, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.I gave her a small smile. "I suppose I am. It's just that this place is so... overwhelming. I'm still trying to find my way around."She nodded in understanding. "This mansion can be quite a maze. But you'll get used to it. My name is Delora, by the way."I extended my hand, still keeping up the appearance of a shy, new employee. "I'm Aria."Delora's hand was warm as we s
Destiny Flirt with the king? How am I supposed to do that when his mere existence terrified me!? But I promised Aria I would help and I wanted to escape this place with her so I suppose that didn't leave me much option. I needed to do everything to survive. So when Delora came back to check on me later that night, I asked her, "Is Alpha Aldric back from hunting yet?" She looked at me with surprise. "Yes, he is. He is resting in his room now. Why do you ask, Miss Destiny?" I hesitated. "Well...I was wondering if I could go see him." Delora chuckled. "You want to initiate a visit with him? I am surprised. I thought you'd prefer to avoid him at all costs!" I couldn't help but blush, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. This was a bad idea. "It's not that I can avoid him anyway. He calls me into his room whenever he pleases, so why can't I go see him on my own?" I asked. "That's a good point. And since you are his mate, you should be able to show up at his door whenever you feel