My fingers tighten around the phone 38

Ethan’s POV
The morning sun streams through my office windows, casting long shadows across the pile of wild wolf patrol reports
cluttering my desk. I’ve been staring at the same paragraph for ten minutes, but the words refuse to make sense. Instead,
my mind keeps drifting back to last night’s dinner – Lucas’s bright laughter as he conquered the puzzle box, Aria’s gentle
smile as she wiped chocolate from his chin, the way we’d felt like a… I force that dangerous thought away before it can
fully form.
My phone buzzes, Mother’s name lighting up the screen. As Luna of Shadow Fang, she rarely calls this early unless
something demands immediate attention.
“Mother?”
“Ethan, darling.” Her voice carries that particular tone that means pack business requires my personal attention. “I need
you to handle something. Leo is arriving early from the Northern territories – his flight lands in thirty minutes. As you
know, he’s technically family, even if distant. It would be… appropriate for you to greet him.”
Felix bristles at the mention of Leo’s name. The background reports David compiled flash through my mind – Leo had
been there for Aria when her own pack cast her out, supported her through pregnancy and beyond. He’d been present
for moments I should have… I cut that thought off abruptly.
“Of course, Mother.” I keep my voice carefully neutral, though my fingers tighten on the phone. “I’ll head to the airport
now.”
The drive gives me far too much time to think. Felix paces anxiously in my mind, pushing against my control with
growing insistence. We’re both remembering that night in the hospital – how perfectly Aria fit in my arms, the way she’d
whispered my name, how right it felt to hold her. The thought of Leo having that kind of intimacy with her makes my wolf
snarl.
I catch their scent before I even park – or rather, I catch Lucas’s unique marker, a blend of pine needles and something
hauntingly familiar that always makes Felix whine with recognition. They stand near the arrivals gate, Aria’s dark hair
catching the morning light like strands of silk. Lucas bounces excitedly beside her, his small hand secure in hers as he
scans the crowd.
My chest tightens at the sight of them waiting for another man. Felix’s growl echoes through my mind with surprising
ferocity. I should leave – this isn’t my business. Yet I find myself frozen in place, unable to tear my gaze away from them.
When Leo emerges from the terminal, everything in me goes still. his greeting makes my hands clench on the steering
wheel until the leather creaks – the way he sweeps Aria into a warm embrace, like he has every right to hold her, to
breathe in her unique scentless presence that drives my wolf wild.
Worse is how he interacts with Lucas. The way he drops to one knee, meeting those forest-green eyes that mirror my
own. The casual affection in his gesture as he presses a kiss to Lucas’s forehead – it looks like a family reunion rather than
a friendly meeting. Felix’s growl turns dangerous, pushing harder against my control.
“Go back,” I order my driver, barely recognizing my own voice. The sight of Leo’s hand resting casually on Aria’s lower
back makes something primal and possessive rear up inside me. My wolf’s rage mirrors my own, though I can’t explain
why this affects us so deeply.
The drive back to Shadow Fang territory passes in a blur of conflicting emotions. I find myself running my thumb over my
alpha ring, a nervous habit I thought I’d outgrown years ago. That embrace keeps replaying in my mind – the easy
familiarity between them, how comfortable Lucas seemed with Leo’s affection. The boy’s delighted laughter carries across
the parking lot, the sound both warming my heart and twisting something painful in my chest.
Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you’re on 𝗻𝚘𝑣𝘦𝕃5s.com for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a
click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading!
As we pass through the Shadow Fang gates, a realization hits me with stunning clarity – what I feel for Aria has grown far
beyond mere curiosity or attraction. The possessive fury coursing through me, the way Felix reacts to her presence, the
inexplicable pull I feel toward Lucas… it’s something deeper, something that terrifies me with its intensity.
I reach for my phone, then let my hand drop. What would I even say? That the sight of her with another man makes my wolf howl with jealous rage? That watching Leo kiss Lucas’s forehead felt like someone was trying to claim what should
be mine? The thought brings me up short – when did I start thinking of them as mine to claim?
I think about Emma waiting back home. Everything about her is perfect – her designer clothes, her practiced smiles, the
silver pendant around her neck, but Felix bristles whenever she’s near. Yet with Aria… my wolf practically howls with need.
And Lucas? That boy tugs at my soul in ways I can’t explain.
This realization terrifies me more than any wild wolf ever could. Following these feelings means risking everything – my
arrangement with Emma, the delicate politics between packs, and maybe even secrets others have fought to keep buried.
The mountains rise ahead, their peaks gleaming like silver in the morning sun. Somewhere out there, Aria is probably
having breakfast with Leo and Lucas, the t