Those silver-gray eyes pinned me in place, sharp as a blade.
"You there," his voice cut through the night, harsh and direct. "Got a nice view of the act?"
My heart lurched, slamming against my ribs.
Without thinking, I bolted. My boots kicked up dirt as I sprinted to the far side of the pond, breath coming in ragged gasps. I didn't dare look back. He wouldn't follow me why would an Alpha waste time on a nobody?
I stopped at the edge, chest heaving, palms pressed against my knees. The pond's reflection wavered under the moonlight as I tried to steady myself.
And then-
"I'm sure you know you're not a great runner."
The voice came from behind me, closer than I expected. Low, steady, without that old sharpness. For the first time in ten years, Leonel had spoken to me without coldness… without hate.
I turned, and for reasons I hated myself for, my eyes sparkled with a happiness I didn't want him to see.
He stepped closer, shadows wrapping around him like a cloak. "You're the Redclaw leader's daughter, right?"
I blinked, raising one brow. Did he really not remember me? "Yes," I said carefully.
His gaze lingered on me, heavy. He inhaled slowly, like he was trying to place me, trying to catch a scent that wasn't there. "You're a Beta."
I held his eyes, blank as stone. Inside, something cracked. He… didn't remember me. Not the girl who once told him her secret. Not the friend he'd left behind with three words.
My throat tightened as tears threatened to form, but I forced them down. I lowered my gaze and whispered, "Yes"
For a heartbeat, silence stretched between us, heavy and unspoken. His eyes narrowed, studying me like I was a puzzle with the wrong pieces. And just as he took a step closer
A twig snapped in the darkness.
We weren't alone.
My head whipped toward the sound, heart hammering again. Shadows shifted near the treeline, deliberate but soft-footed. Leonel tensed, shoulders tightening, eyes narrowing.
"Stay here," he muttered, gaze fixed on the trees.
I swallowed, instinctively pressing myself closer to the water's edge. My pulse screamed at me to run but I stayed.
A soft voice called from the shadows.
"Aria?"
I blinked. Relief and warmth flooded through me. It was Serene, my best friend, stepping lightly onto the grass. She chuckled, the kind of laugh that always made me feel at home.
"I didn't think I'd find anyone out here."
Her presence was comforting, ordinary, and for a second, I let my shoulders relax. She didn't see the tension in my chest, didn't notice Leonel watching us from across the pond.
I smiled faintly. "Hey, Serene."
Serene leaned closer to look at the pond's rippling reflection, unaware of the silent storm building nearby.
And Leonel's gaze didn't leave me.
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