Aria All my life, I thought rogues lived in caves with rocks for a pillow and a pile of leaves for a bed. But after meeting Peter, my views about them totally changed. Rogues had a reputation for being the worst criminals in werewolf society. The majority of them were plunderers, thieves, and killers. They were known to have committed the worst crimes you could possibly imagine. To be called one was not only derogatory but a curse to carry as well. In our laws, the worst possible punishment you could receive was not the death penalty. Rather, it was banishment from your own pack. To live alone in a world where staying in solitude would mean danger, it wasn’t surprising that most rogues die young. If not murdered, they mostly passed away due to hunger. They were men of discord and haters of peace. But Peter Scott was different. His life as a rogue was one of a kind. “Welcome to my humble home.” I scanned the place as Peter guided me inside. The log cabin was not as big as ours yet
Aria Today, I found myself standing on top of a rough boulder, my heart throbbing inside my chest like crazy. “What are you waiting for? Jump, Aria! Jump!” “I-I can’t do it,” I whispered, looking down with my mind filled with doubt. “Yes, you can, young lady! Don’t give me that lame excuse that you can’t!” I looked at him, still terrified about what he asked me to do. He was standing at my back and purposely convinced me to kill myself. This man wanted me to jump off this mini cliff and shift in mid-air! “I’m sorry, but I really can’t do it. It’s too early for me to do this. I am not yet ready.” I couldn’t be as honest as I could possibly be, stating those words. It had been two months since Peter asked me to stay with him. As promised, he started supervising my training. I thought he would go easy on me, but I was wrong. Every day, I would go hiking with him. While he ran in his majestic, black wolf form, I was on my bare feet. My soles grew calluses running through the thick
Aria The next day, we descended from Craigwood Mountain as Peter had promised. It didn’t take long before we reached a small town called Darkwood, a few miles from the base of Craigwood Mountain. To a regular human, the distance couldn’t be covered by foot. But for us werewolves, it was nothing. However, since I was wearing a dress, Peter decided to bring the truck. True to his word, he didn’t want to waste my effort of fixing myself for this occasion, and I agreed. It was a rare occasion for me to dress up like a doll, the last time being during Cassie’s grand eighteenth birthday celebration. As expected, we reached the place in no time. I scanned the outside of the bar the moment I stepped out of the truck. The place looked fancy but not in an overbearing way. It was both rustic and chic, a very unusual combination, if you ask me. Needless to say, the bar looked inviting, especially to someone like me who hadn’t been to any place like this before. There were two old trucks parke
Aria Never dreamed of coming your way Never thought of feeling this way You put happiness into my life It is my dream to be your wife. As I looked into your eyes I see stars, flowers, and butterflies Your promises will be kept For me, you are perfect…” Just in time for me to sing the last verse, I turned off the shower knob. I took the towel I hung from the rack and slowly dried myself. When I felt that clean feeling on my skin, I smiled. It might be weird, but I really enjoyed my time in the shower. Ever since Peter came into my life, I started to enjoy the simple things that life has to offer. After I was done fixing myself, I got out of the room. The smell of toasted bread slices welcomed me. I strode to the kitchen immediately, very eager to find out what Peter was making for our afternoon snack. After a few steps more, I reached his location. I saw him working on assembling slices of what appeared to be roasted meat slices, tomatoes, lettuce, and the toasts I smelled fro
Aria The clapping of the crowd continued, but I felt that my world stopped. I remained rooted in my spot, not knowing how to react. By the looks of it, it seemed like my body forgot how to move, as I felt nothing on it. I could only hear the wild beating of my heart and my constant breathing. I want to punch Peter so hard. How could he do this to me? Another minute had passed, and I saw the crowd begin whispering amongst each other. They started scanning the place as they waited for where the mysterious singer would come out. And though Nixon continued clapping, a string of worry could be seen on his face. On the stage, I saw Sex Deity pointing in my direction and addressing the crowd once more. “Ladies and gentlemen, again, let’s give it up for Miss Aria Williams!” Game over. I no longer had the opportunity to run away, as the crowd already knew who I was. There’s no turning back now. Even if I wanted to, I could no longer get out of this situation unscathed. “You can do it!”
Aria “My next song is dedicated to a very special man in my life. Almost eighteen months ago, he had found me in the middle of Craigwood Mountain, cold and alone under the rain. Not only did he give me food and a place to stay, but he also changed my life for the better. I will not be in this place if not for him. Pops, this is for you.” On my cue, Chris, who was our lead guitarist, began strumming his guitar to the tune of Tyler Collins’ hit song “Thanks to You.” I looked at Peter, whom I now call Pops, who was beaming with pride. And then, I began to pour every ounce of emotion through the lyrics of the song. “Thank you for teaching me how to love Showing me what the world means What I've been dreamin' of And now I know, there is nothing that I could not do Thanks to you..” Eighteen months ago, I was a runaway teenager who didn’t know where else to go after my own mate rejected me to favor my own sister. With the number of betrayals I received from the people around me, I vow
Aria “An order of your apple crisp, please.” “That would be $4.98.” I handed a crisp five-dollar bill to the cashier and took the receipt. Then, I patiently waited on one of the tables for them to hand it over to me. Today was my day off. I did not have a live performance tonight so I am free to do whatever I want. “Here’s your order, ma’am. Thank you for coming and enjoy your apple crisp!” the waiter uttered. I smiled at him and waved goodbye. Then, I guided my feet toward the next block where Royal Cave was located. About two hours ago, Nixon called me and asked me to come over to the bar. He told me that Sex Deity, I mean Alpha Axel, wanted to talk to me about something. To be honest, he could have just discussed the matter with me over the phone so I didn’t need to come down from the mountain. But since Nixon stated it was important, I decided to come down and visit them. I still wondered what that talk would be about. But still, I tried my best not to think about it that much
Aria’s POVIt was a beautiful Sunday morning. From the windows of my room, I could see peace and quiet outside. Some of the small animals began to peak from their wholes and were about to start their day. I let myself feel the heat of the morning sun one last time before I got out of bed. I headed straight to the shower afterward. Contrary to the usual time I was spending washing my body, I got out of it faster than I normally would. I had a very important appointment today. For this day, I finally agreed to visit the Darkwood pack and meet Alpha Axel’s congregation. I chose to wear high-waisted leggings and a gray hoodie. I was just glad that because of my work in the Royal Cave, I would no longer have to borrow the clothes of Peter’s dead wife. “Just in time. Breakfast is ready,” Peter uttered. The smell of crispy bacon and pancakes welcomed me when I passed by the kitchen. “Sorry, Pops! But I have to go. I don’t want Alpha Axel to wait for me. You know how much he hated latecome