Page 6

ARIA

A fter Malik stormed out of the room, sleep evaded me. Instead, I decided to shower in an effort to find clarity amidst the turmoil in my head. I turned the water to hot and waited until steam rose to the ceiling before slipping inside.

Almost immediately, I sank onto my backside on the stone floor and hugged my knees, allowing the scalding liquid to rain down on my head and shoulders. I welcomed the burn. It distracted me from the strange tightness in my chest.

I must’ve read Malik’s note a hundred times after he left, memorizing its contents and the way he’d scrawled the letters across the paper. The note… confused me.

It hinted at affection, with his use of the endearment ‘little dove’ and the words ‘our home.’ Something in my stomach fluttered at the way he’d signed the note, ‘Yours, Malik.’

Yours. Did he mean that?

Moon Goddess, I didn’t know. Because his actions starkly contrasted the note’s warmth. He’d snatched his hand away from me, as if he couldn’t stand the thought of touching me. Then, without another word, he’d stalked out of the room like I’d angered him.

Had I angered him? I cradled my head in my hands, letting my wet hair fall in front of my face. I groaned in frustration, even while I blinked back tears that stung my eyes.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

After sitting on the floor of the shower for several minutes longer, I forced myself to rise and step into the drafty bathroom to dry off. Rather than snoop through the drawers and cabinets for a fresh towel, I grabbed Malik’s towel off the nearest hook.

With water still dripping in rivers down my naked body, I brought the towel to my nose and inhaled a shaky breath.

There, mingled with the smell of soap and dampness, was his scent.

Tobacco leaf and mint and something else…

Something that made my blood warm and seep directly to the spot between my legs.

Oh hells. I closed my eyes and recalled the feeling of him pressing into my lower back, nestled between the globes of my backside.

As soon as he woke up, he’d jerked away from me and retreated to the bathroom to shower, but my heightened senses could still scent the evidence of his arousal—his need —on this towel, even after he’d gone.

He desired me, that much was clear. Satisfaction curled in my stomach at the knowledge. At least his body recognized our bond.

I dried off, hoping that hints of my mate’s scent would linger on my body throughout the rest of the day.

With newfound hope in my steps, I left the bathroom in search of fresh clothes to wear.

Unfortunately, I could only find spare t-shirts in the closet.

The accompanying men’s jeans would’ve fallen off of my body, so I opted to wear my same pants as yesterday in combination with one of Malik’s shirts.

The fabric hung off of my body like a potato sack, hiding any good feature I possessed. The t-shirt’s hem reached the middle of my thigh, and the collar sagged below my clavicle. I’d need to get in contact with my father, both to check in on him and to ask him to send me a few boxes of clothes…

By the time I finished dressing, the first rays of dawn started to leak through the window. I combed my fingers hastily through my damp hair before approaching the door.

Malik’s note had promised that his friend, Emerson, would be waiting for me. A part of me doubted that she’d already be there, but when I dared to crack open the door, a young woman stood with her hands clasped in front of her, a pleasant smile gracing her lips.

“Good morning,” she chirped, her smile widening.

She had a slightly crooked front tooth and a smattering of freckles across her pretty face, and auburn hair fell straight to her breasts. She couldn’t have been much older than me, in her mid-twenties at the most.

“Emerson?” I wondered, peering a bit further beyond the heavy door. I’d nearly forgotten how dark and, frankly, medieval the hallways were.

She responded with an eager nod. “And you’re Aria. Malik told me to stay with you until he returns from training.”

Training. So that was where he’d run off to.

“That’s what he told me, too.” I gave her a small smile and stepped out of the bedroom.

Emerson instinctively stepped backward in response, as if repelled like a magnet.

I frowned and allowed my gaze to sweep over the rest of her body in quick analysis.

Her collarbones protruded and her cheekbones stood out a bit more than was natural.

Whereas every shifter I’d seen since arriving at the Intonat Nocte compound exuded strength and power, Emerson appeared frail by comparison.

She’s an omega. I blinked back my surprise.

Growing up in my father’s pack, we didn’t have any omegas. With such a small pack, our roles were limited, and excessive rankings weren’t necessary. We survived without the ruthless hierarchy that many larger packs utilized and relied upon.

I bit my lip, discomfort churning in my stomach at her natural submission. I didn’t want anyone to have to act that way around me.

Immediately, I offered Emerson my widest smile. “He also told me you’re a friend, and I could use one of those right now.”

Her cheeks reddened, making her freckles turn a shade darker. “The General has always been very kind,” she responded, quieter than before.

My brow furrowed. “General?”

She nodded once, a small dip of her chin. “Alpha Roman’s enforcer. Whereas Roman makes every decision, Malik executes them.”

Enforcer. A shiver skittered down my spine at the insinuation of that word.

It reeked of bloodshed and violence. We definitely didn’t have those at home.

In fact, my father never really needed to enforce his rules or dominance.

If he did, I was certain he’d do it himself and not dole it out to another male or female.

It seemed I had much to learn about life in the Intonat Nocte Pack… Something like unease skittered down my spine at the prospect of it all.

Down the hall, a door opened and footsteps sounded, and Emerson stiffened.

“We should get going now,” she murmured, ducking her head before turning on her heel and spearing toward the same staircase that Malik led me up the day before.

I hurried to follow her, glancing one last time down the hallway behind us, where another woman left a room and walked, thank the Moon Goddess, in the other direction. Judging by Emerson’s reaction, I didn’t want to encounter another pack member this morning.

“Uh,” I practically jogged to catch up to her. “Where are we going? To Malik’s house?” To eat, I hoped.

A small nod, but Emerson kept her eyes ahead. “The other pack members will be far less inclined to bother you there. As it stands, you’ve made quite a splash. Everyone wants to see the female that the General snatched from beneath the Alpha’s nose.”

I resisted the urge to flinch at the memory.

The wrongness of Alpha Roman’s closeness.

My father’s decision to offer me to the brute for the sole purpose of breeding with him.

Finding my fated mate had numbed the sharp sting of betrayal, but the pain was still there, deep and waiting to be processed.

Another time, I decided, pushing the ache down again. I’ll ponder my father’s betrayal later. Maybe in a therapy session. Do they even have therapists in this pack? I added that to my ever-growing list of questions.

“I was never Alpha Roman’s to begin with, so Malik didn’t snatch me away from him,” I muttered, scrunching my nose at the primitive narrative.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and booked it toward the main foyer. If I took a deep enough breath, I could still smell traces of my father’s scent lingering in the air. It comforted me and pained me, all at once.

So far, we hadn’t passed anyone in the halls, but I wondered if that would change once we stepped outside. I glanced sideways at Emerson, who wore her unease like a cloak.

“Emerson, are we… in danger or something?” I asked as we approached the door.

“Danger?” she echoed and quickly shook her head. “No. No one would dare to hurt you. Malik wouldn’t have left you if that wasn’t the case.”

I didn’t quite believe her. I’d heard enough stories about the beasts in the Intonat Nocte Pack to know that they were an unforgiving, bloodthirsty group.

And, although there was a biological, chemical connection binding me to Malik, no affection or emotion cemented that bond.

Why else would he have treated me so coldly?

I frowned. “Then why are we sneaking around like a pair of thieves?”

She paused with her hand on the doorknob and gnawed on her bottom lip.

“Alpha Roman was not happy about the turn of events yesterday. Even he wouldn’t dare to harm you or infringe upon your fated mate bond, but…” She lowered her voice, and her eyes took on a silver gleam. “He’s not the sort to let bygones be bygones.”

She spoke as if she had experience— intimate experience—with Roman’s inability to let matters go. Pity swelled in my stomach. I couldn’t imagine what she might’ve endured as an omega at the hands of the elite, with Roman as the ringleader.

“Let’s hurry up and get to Malik’s house then,” I offered, unwilling to embarrass her by asking her to explain further. “I’d be happy not to run into Roman again for at least a fortnight.”

One corner of Emerson’s lips curled in a smile that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes, but she seemed grateful for my willingness to believe her.

The sun still hadn’t crept over the horizon, but a brightening shade of blue smeared across the sky. Dew coated the grass, and a light breeze ran its fingers across my forearms. I inhaled deep, unknowingly searching for a familiar, intoxicating scent in the morning air .

Disappointment pricked at my chest when I found no trace of Malik.

We followed a path away from the monstrous pack house and toward a tree line, where I could just make out shingle roofs cresting above the evergreens.

“Is Malik nearby?” I questioned, feigning casual curiosity. In truth, I burned to know where I might find him.

Emerson shook her head, and I pretended that the gesture didn’t feel like a knife to the gut. “Alpha ordered him to take the latest training class on a patrol to test their?—”

“ Emerson! ” A loud male voice barked from behind us.

My red-haired guide came to an immediate halt, and every muscle in her body went rigid. Fear radiated off of her in waves, clogging the air with the scent of her submission.

I spun on my heel to face this newcomer, and momentary relief swept through me when I realized that Roman hadn’t tracked us down.

That relief was short-lived, though. I recognized him as one of the males that flanked Roman in the outdated throne room yesterday evening.

He had the blonde hair and broad shoulders of a magazine model.

“Anders,” Emerson bowed as she spoke, her voice trembling in the slightest. “Can I help you?”

He sneered at her, as if disgusted by her display of servitude.

Of course, if she dared lift her voice or raise her head, he’d undoubtedly strike her down for her insolence.

My old pack might not have engaged in the practice of a strict, harsh hierarchy, but I’d heard enough stories about the tragic lives of omegas.

“You can tell me why you’re running off with our newest arrival,” he ordered. Thank the Moon Goddess he turned his attention away from Emerson and now stared solely at me.

His pale blue eyes flickered down my body, and I thought I saw his nostrils expand. Then, a small, smug smirk distorted his features.

Bile crept up my throat.

“The General—” Emerson began to explain herself, but he interrupted her immediately.

“Does not matter,” Anders drawled. “Alpha Roman has demanded that this female be brought to him. Immediately.”

Anger and fear sparked inside of me. My hands curled into fists as I fought to control my breathing. My instincts told me to run.

“I can’t imagine what he wants with me,” I challenged, although my voice betrayed me with a faint wobble. I took a small step forward to put myself between Anders and Emerson.

Again, Anders’ nostrils flared. “Perhaps not. But he is your alpha. Best not to get on his bad side on your first day in the pack. Or should I tell him you disobeyed his order?”

I felt Emerson tremble at my back and knew that there was only one way this would end. I had to go to Alpha Roman or risk incurring his wrath on myself or, even worse, Emerson. I wouldn’t do that to her, no matter that we’d only just met.

“Fine, I’ll go with you,” I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat. Mustering courage that I didn’t know I possessed, I glanced over my shoulder and offered my new friend a small, encouraging smile. “Emerson, why don’t I just meet you later?”

She immediately opened her mouth to argue, clearly unwilling to leave me to the wolves— literally— but I held her gaze pleadingly.

Go, I wanted to beg.

From what she told me, Roman wouldn’t risk harming me. I was his brother’s mate, after all. Emerson, on the other hand… She wouldn’t be safe.

Sensing my reasoning, she ducked her head and nodded. “I’ll see you later then, Aria. ”

Reluctance dripped from her every word, but I turned my attention back to Anders and forced my chin high. I wouldn’t bend to this male, even though he emitted waves of authority and power. One of Alpha Roman’s betas, perhaps?

I didn’t like the way Anders looked at me. There was a wicked gleam in his pale blue eyes, like I was prey, and a sudden wave of homesickness unraveled in my belly.

I wanted to go home, to my father and my pack. To my quiet, safe life .

Anders led the way back toward the castle, leaving me to trail a few steps behind. I wrapped my arms around my waist and prayed that Emerson had contacted Malik to let him know about the situation.

Maybe he would come back to steal me away from his brother again? Or, maybe he didn’t care. He was doing his job, training the pack, after all.

I released a shaky breath and told myself that it would be fine. I’d survive. No one would hurt me.

To my surprise, we walked straight past the castle. I frowned, on-edge now that we were entering unknown territory. “Where are you taking me?”

“Training grounds” he answered, turning his head back to flash me a shark’s grin, wicked and hungry.

My heart stuttered to a halt, and the blood drained from my face.

“The Alpha wants to see you fight.”