CHAPTER ONE : Love and Lies
Aria's POV
He pulled me so close that our lips were only inches from each other
"You can't seal the bond aria ,we'll find a way "
Kael said his eyes filled with longing
Then he placed kisses on my forehead
Suddenly
Footsteps
Lucian's boots echoed against the polished floors as he stepped inside,
uninvited
His sharp gaze scanning the room like a predator sniffing out prey.
I sat up in bed, pulling the sheet around my bare skin, heart thundering in my chest not from guilt, but from the weight of what could be discovered.
Lucian's icy blue eyes narrowed.
"You're not dressed," he said flatly.
"I was about to," I replied, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands hidden beneath the sheets.
He crossed the room slowly, pausing by the edge of my bed.
"The elders are waiting. You're not just any bride, Aria.
You're mine.
The bond will be sealed tonight."
"Nooooo"
My soul screamed. But my face stayed calm.
"I know what tonight means," Inwhispered, though the ache between my ribs said otherwise.
From the closet, Kael held his breath, every muscle in his body tight, one wrong move away from disaster.
I could still feel the heat of his skin on my fingertips, still hear the words he'd whispered against my mouth.
I love you.
Now, here he was, hidden like a secret… watching his brother stake a claim he had never earned.
Lucian stepped closer, his fingers brushing a strand of my hair back.
"You've been quiet lately. Distant."
I met his gaze. "You've always preferred it that way."
A dangerous flicker sparked in his eyes, but it passed just as fast.
"Don't mistake tradition for cruelty," he said, pulling back.
"We all play the roles we were chosen for. Even you."
He turned toward the door, pausing in the doorway. "Be ready in ten."
Then he was gone.
The soft click of the door shutting behind Lucian echoed like a gunshot.
For a heartbeat, the room was silent.
Then the closet door creaked open, slow and cautious, as Kael stepped out shirtless, breath shallow, fury simmering just beneath his skin. His jaw was clenched, the muscles in his neck tense like a man on the edge of breaking.
I barely had time to breathe before he was in front of me again.
"That was too close," I whispered, pressing my hand over my heart, which still pounded like a war drum in my chest.
"He touched you,"
Kael said, his voice low, gritted. "I heard every word. Every step."
"He doesn't touch me. Not like you do,"
I murmured, rising from the bed and letting the sheet fall from my shoulders.
I stood before him, Bare and unafraid.
Kael swallowed hard, his eyes devouring me with a mix of reverence and rage. "I should've stayed. Told him the truth."
"You'd be dragged before the elders and executed for dishonoring the Alpha heir's mate," I said, caressing his face. "And I'd lose the only man I've ever loved."
He closed his eyes at my touch, leaning into my palm.
"Aria, I can't do this much longer. Hiding in shadows. Watching him own what was never his to begin with."
"You think I don't feel that every time he looks at me like I'm his trophy?" I snapped, pain laced in my voice. "Like I'm not a woman, not a wolf just a crown waiting to be placed on his head?"
Kael's hand slid around my waist, pulling me into him. "You're not a crown, Aria. You're the storm that could bring this whole damn empire to its knees."
My breath caught.
"I would burn this pack to the ground before I let them force you into that bond," he said, each word slow and lethal.
I pressed my forehead to his. "We can't let them know… not yet. But I need you. Tonight. Whatever happens after."
His lips brushed mine.
soft, tender, then possessive.
"We'll take this world apart, piece by piece," he whispered against my mouth, "until there's nothing left but us."
He kissed me again ,slower this time, Less desperation, more worship.
He held Me like he might never get the chance again.
He put me on the bed like a baby then slowly left traces of kisses in between my Thighs
As soon as I rested my head on his chest Excitedly ,a howl rang out in the distance.
Urgent. Warning.
We pulled apart instantly.
Kael's eyes darkened.
"That was the patrol signal."
My heart stilled.
"What does it mean?" I said
Kael's voice was razor sharp.
"It means someone saw me come in or saw me leave."