Third Person POV
By now, the entire pack had heard the whispers trailing after Alpha Kael of Dravenwood—his broken betrothal to Aria and the sudden presence of the omega girl, Livia, lingering at his side.
Elder Naomi, Kael’s mother, saw it all too clearly. She had spent decades standing beside her Alpha husband, carrying the weight of the pack with him, and she understood how quickly honor could be shattered when emotions clouded judgment. What she feared most was simple and devastating—that her son would lose himself completely to the omega and erase Aria from his life as if their bond had never existed.
So she kept Kael occupied. She guided him across the hall, placing him among other Alphas, Betas, and council elders, ensuring he was busy with polite conversation and the duties expected of his rank. Meanwhile, Livia found herself alone, her wide, searching gaze drifting over the crowd until her feet led her toward the banquet tables.
That was where trouble found her.
Ryan, one of Dravenwood’s merchants and a man infamous for his wandering eye, cornered Livia near the wine. His breath smelled of alcohol, his gaze sharp with desire as he leaned far too close. “A delicate little omega like you shouldn’t be standing here by yourself,” he slurred. “Come with me. I’ll show you a kind of luxury that Alpha can’t give you. You’ll forget all about him.”
Livia stiffened, panic filling her eyes as tears gathered. “P-please… don’t do this.”
Ryan only grinned, his fingers brushing along her arm.
The growl came first—low, dangerous—before the hand could move further. Alpha Kael appeared as if summoned by the threat itself, his presence slicing through the crowd like a blade. Wolves nearby immediately lowered their heads as the weight of his aura surged outward.
“She belongs to me,” Kael snarled, his voice echoing with power. “No one lays a hand on her.”
Ryan, bold in his drunkenness, laughed. “Belongs to you? Isn’t Aria your fiancée? Then why—”
Kael’s restraint shattered. “I said Livia is mine!” he roared.
The hall fell silent. Conversations died where they stood. Every wolf in Dravenwood turned to witness the declaration. Aria, seated quietly in a shadowed corner where fewer eyes lingered, heard him clearly. Her body stiffened, but her expression remained composed, as if she had expected nothing else.
But the next moment still pierced her like a blade.
Kael pulled Livia to him and kissed her—hard, possessive, in full view of everyone present. When he pulled away, Livia trembled, leaning into his chest as though that place had always belonged to her.
Then Kael lifted his voice again, making sure every wolf heard. “Livia saved my life. Any wolf who dares touch her answers to me. I will kill without hesitation.”
Murmurs burst across the hall. Once, those same voices had praised Aria as the perfect future Luna—graceful, noble, worthy. Now they circled Livia instead, offering comfort, whispering that she was safe, that none of this was her fault. Aria watched it all with a hollow detachment.
Without addressing anyone, she inclined her head in a shallow bow and turned toward the exit. Her phone buzzed—Elder Naomi’s name lighting the screen. Aria stepped aside, her voice quiet as she answered. “Elder… forgive me. I think it’s best if I leave.”
Naomi’s voice wavered with guilt. “Child, I am so sorry.”
Aria had nearly reached the outer corridor when a rough hand seized her arm and yanked her back. The smell of wine hit her first. Ryan.
“Well now,” he slurred, his eyes gleaming. “Why should I waste time chasing an omega when you’re right here? Noble blood, refined beauty—you’d be far more satisfying.”
Disgust twisted in Aria’s stomach. Her voice dropped, cold and sharp. “You dare lay hands on me within Dravenwood territory? Think carefully before you make that mistake.”
Ryan only chuckled, leaning closer. “Alpha Kael used to guard you like treasure. Now he barely spares you a glance. That means you’re fair game, doesn’t it?”
He leaned in, his mouth lowering toward hers—but Aria shoved him back with all her strength, her wolf snapping beneath her skin. With shaking hands, she pressed the emergency rune on her phone—a direct line to her Alpha.
The call connected. “Alpha,” she said quickly, panic threading her voice, “Ryan—he’s trying to force himself on me. I need you—”
Kael’s response was a heavy, impatient sigh. “Aria, enough with the games.”
Her heart dropped. “I’m telling the truth—”
“I won’t be fooled. Livia was just harassed, and now you’re pretending? Stop humiliating yourself.” His tone turned to ice—and the line went dead.
She tried reaching him through the mind-link again and again. Silence answered every attempt.
Ryan lunged once more. Aria shifted instantly, her wolf sleek and pale, eyes blazing with fury. She darted past him, claws scraping against the stone, and raced up the stairs.
Fate placed salvation in her path.
Elder Naomi stood near the balcony, turning in alarm as the white she-wolf approached. Aria shifted back into her human form, trembling, sweat dampening her skin.
“Elder,” she gasped, words stumbling over fear and humiliation, “Ryan… he tried to—”
Naomi’s expression hardened, fury blazing in her eyes. “Enough. You’re safe now.” She wrapped Aria in her shawl and turned sharply to the nearby wolves. “Escort her to the guest chamber. Prepare fresh clothes and hot water immediately.”
The maids hurried to obey. Hours passed before Aria’s trembling eased, before the scent of fear faded from her skin. But whatever fragile calm she found shattered the moment she stepped outside and overheard voices drifting from the hall.
Kael’s voice.
“What if Aria was telling the truth?” Beta Lewis asked cautiously.
“She’s in Dravenwood territory,” Kael replied with a dismissive scoff. “Who would dare? Her background is respectable enough, even if she lost her parents early. Ryan wouldn’t risk it.”
A brief pause followed. Then Kael added, his tone cold with contempt, “But if he did, then so be it. She deserves it for all her dramatic talk about ending our engagement.”
A few of the officials chuckled.
“So the future Luna means nothing now,” one of them remarked.
Kael gave a short grunt. “She still has her place. But Livia—Livia is my sworn debt to the Moon Goddess, sealed in blood. She comes first.”
Aria stood frozen in the hallway, every word carving into her. Important? The word almost made her laugh. Important—yet left to fight alone. Important—yet dismissed as a liar when she begged for help. Important—yet not worth protecting when another woman so much as shed a tear.
Her hands curled into fists, nails biting into her palms. The word had never sounded so empty.
When she finally descended the stairs, Elder Naomi was waiting for her. The older woman reached out, sorrow etched into every line of her face. “Child… forgive my son. He has lost his way.”
Aria shook her head slowly, forcing a faint smile. “Elder… I can’t stay here anymore.”
Naomi’s voice trembled. “Please. Stay—for me, if not for him.”
But Aria lifted her chin, her wolf steady and resolute behind her gaze. “I’ve already agreed to an arranged match in the capital. My aunt arranged it. Maybe… maybe I’ll find peace there.”
Naomi’s shoulders slumped, resignation heavy in her sigh. “If that is your choice, I will not stand in your way. Just promise me one thing.”
Aria’s voice softened. “What is it?”
“Come visit me,” Naomi said quietly. “I have no daughter but you.”
For the first time that night, warmth flickered in Aria’s eyes. She stepped forward and rested her forehead gently against Naomi’s shoulder.
“I promise.”
