My fingers tighten around the phone 108

Ethan’s POV
Two hours after David and Aria stormed out of my office, I couldn’t shake the restlessness crawling under my skin like
ants. I paced the length of my office, stopping occasionally to glare out the window. Every muscle in my body felt tight,
ready to snap at the slightest provocation. I wanted to punch something—preferably a wall—just to release some of this
tension building inside me.
Every time Aria’s face flashed in my mind, that knot in my chest tightened further. The way she and David had exchanged
those silent looks right in front of me drove me crazy. What secret were they keeping? What was so important that they’d
formed this bond that clearly excluded me?
I’d thought about cornering David, maybe slamming him against a wall and demanding answers. Hell, I could use my
Alpha voice if I wanted to—force the truth out of him. But deep down, I knew better. David wasn’t just loyal to me; he was
like a brother. If he was keeping something from me, he must have his reasons.
Still, knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less.
The memory of Aria’s eyes when she looked at me today twisted something painful inside me. Those beautiful amber
eyes that once sparkled with laughter now only showed pain when they met mine. Each time we saw each other, the
distance between us seemed to grow wider, deeper—a canyon I had no idea how to cross.
God, I missed her. I missed Lucas. I missed how it felt when the three of us were together, like we could be a real family. My leg bounced uncontrollably under my desk as I thought about her, my body physically aching to be near her.
My phone buzzed on the desk, Emma’s name lighting up the screen. Since I’d discovered she’d drugged me, her calls had
become less frequent, but they were still filled with the same fake tears and dramatic excuses. I was done with it all.
Step one was clear: cut Emma out of my life completely, like removing a tumor that had been poisoning me for too long.
Step two would be the hardest thing I’d ever done—look Aria in the eyes and confess every ugly, shameful detail of my
past. My stomach twisted at the thought of watching her expression change as she learned the truth, but I couldn’t keep
living behind walls of secrets and half-truths.
Voices in the hallway caught my attention. I recognized Emma’s high-pitched tone immediately.
“Keep chasing after her like some lovesick teenager,” Emma sneered. “It’s pathetic. She doesn’t want you.”
“Back off, Emma.” Leo’s voice was tight with anger. “Your games don’t work on me anymore. I see exactly what you are
now.”
I moved closer to the door, hardly daring to breathe as I listened.
Emma’s laugh scraped against my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. “Do you really think your fancy Northern pack would
ever accept her? A warrior with no wolf and a bastard kid? Dream on.”
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“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?” Leo growled low. “Don’t you ever get tired of living this way?”
Emma’s voice turned into a sharp hiss. “How dare you speak to me like that!”
I’d had enough of this conversation. I yanked my office door open and glared at their surprised faces. “Know your place,
Emma.”
“Ethan! My darling!” Emma’s voice shot up three octaves as she clasped her hands dramatically against her chest, eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. “Oh thank heavens! I’ve been absolutely desperate to find you!” She fluttered her
eyelashes so rapidly I thought she might generate a breeze.
I turned to Leo, completely ignoring her theatrics. “Did you need something from me?”
Leo shook his head, his expression making it clear he was as uncomfortable with Emma’s performance as I was.
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“Then go,” I said, jerking my thumb toward the exit. Leo hesitated, glancing between us with a mixture of curiosity and
concern before nodding once and walking away.
The moment Leo was gone, Emma’s entire demeanor transformed. Her shoulders slumped forward, her bottom lip jutted
out in a practiced pout, and her eyes suddenly shimmered with perfectly timed tears that somehow never actually fell.
“Ethan,” she whispered, her voice quivering like a leaf in a hurricane, “you’ve been ignoring all my calls and messages. I’ve
been absolutely beside myself with worry!” She pressed one hand against her forehead. “I just wanted to say how deeply,
truly sorry I am about that teensy little misunderstanding. I was simply overcome with how much I adore you. Love makes
us do such silly things sometimes!”
I stared at her, wondering if she actually believed I was stupid enough to fall for this act. The drugging incident had been
a “teensy misunderstanding”? The woman was delusional.
Emma took my silence as encouragement and inched closer, her lips curving into what she clearly thought was a
seductive smile but looked more like she had severe indigestion. “I cross my heart I’ll never, ever do anything naughty like
that again,” she cooed, actually tracing an X over her chest with one finger.
When she placed her hand on my chest, I felt my skin crawl beneath my shirt, as if my body was physically rejecting her
touch. I stepped backward into my office, putting distance between us.
“Go back to your fucking home, Emma,” I said, gripping the doorknob so tightly I was surprised it didn’t warp under my
fingers.