My fingers tighten around the phone 43

Aria’s POV
The night air carried a bitter chill as I hurried away from the training facility, my lips still burning from Ethan’s forceful kiss.
My fingers traced the tender spot unconsciously, then jerked away as if burned. Despite my best efforts to focus on
anything else, memories of that night at the medical center kept flooding back—his scent enveloping me like a familiar
blanket, his touch igniting something I’d thought long dead, that soul-deep connection that had felt so frighteningly
right. The way our bodies had fit together as if crafted from the same mold.
“Stop it,” I muttered, forcing the thoughts away with practiced determination. As a single mother, I couldn’t afford to
indulge in impossible fantasies. Not when Lucas depended on me to be strong.
The parking lot was nearly empty, moonlight casting long shadows across the asphalt. My fingers trembled slightly as I
searched for my car keys, the metal cool against my skin. A distant howl echoed through the mountains, making my
chest ache with remembered loss. Six years without my wolf, without that primal connection to my true nature, yet moments like these still caught me off guard.
The drive home gave me too much time to think. Every red light became an opportunity for unwanted memories to
surface. The way Ethan’s forest-green eyes had darkened with possession in that interrogation room. How his alpha
presence had filled the space until I could barely breathe.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, knuckles white with tension. “Focus on what matters,” I whispered fiercely. Lucas
needed new school supplies. The training camp had paperwork waiting. The upcoming wild wolf defense drills needed
planning. These were the real concerns, not the lingering heat of an alpha’s touch or the way his kiss had made my whole
body ache with recognition.
My phone buzzed with a message from Leo: *Made it home safe?*
Ethan’s POV
I stood at my office window, still tasting Aria on my lips, the memory of her anger and desire burning through my veins.
Her scent lingered in the air, untamed despite her dampened powers. Felix prowled restlessly beneath my skin, already
missing her presence with an intensity that bordered on physical pain.
The kiss replayed in my mind: her initial resistance melting into surrender, the small sound she’d made when my teeth
grazed her lip, the way her body had instinctively molded to mine before reason reasserted itself. My fingers clenched
into fists, remembering the silk of her hair, the delicate strength of her wrist in my grip.
A knock at the door interrupted my brooding. Leo’s familiar cologne preceded him into the room, his casual elegance
somehow more irritating than usual. His eyes flickered around my office, noting the lingering traces of Aria’s presence with obvious interest. The sight of him cataloging her scent made Felix snarl with territorial rage.
“Working late at the training facility?” He settled into one of the leather chairs, his tone deceptively light. “The Shadow
Fang mansion not comfortable enough?”
The way he lounged there, so perfectly at ease, made my wolf snap and pace. Here was a man who shared meals with
Aria and Lucas, who knew their daily routines, who had earned the trust I craved. The thought made my voice rougher
than intended: “What exactly is your relationship with Aria?”
“Oh?” A hint of mockery danced in Leo’s eyes as he adjusted his expensive cufflinks. “I’m pursuing her, of course.
Successfully, I might add.” His smile sharpened. “In her current situation, she needs an alpha who’s truly willing to protect
her and Lucas.”
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The casual certainty in his voice made Felix snarl with rage. My claws threatened to emerge as I imagined Leo with Aria—
sharing quiet moments over coffee, making Lucas laugh, filling her office with those damned moonflowers.
“You seem unusually interested in my love life, cousin,” Leo continued, his tone thoughtful.
Before I could respond, David’s mental voice cut through my violent thoughts. *Alpha Heir, the Northern Pack leaders are waiting at Mountain View. They specifically requested your presence to discuss the recent border disputes.*
The interruption gave me the excuse I needed. “You’ll have to excuse me,” I said to Leo, my voice carefully controlled
despite Felix’s continuing growls. “Pack business.”
The drive to Mountain View did little to calm my turbulent thoughts. The upcoming meeting was crucial for maintaining
peace between territories, yet all I could think about was Leo’s casual claim about pursuing Aria. Each time I recalled his words, Felix’s possessive fury threatened to overwhelm my carefully maintained control.
The restaurant’s warm lighting and elegant atmosphere usually provided a suitable backdrop for diplomatic discussions.
But as I followed the maître d’ to our private room, movement at a corner table caught my eye. My steps faltered as I
recognized the familiar silhouette.
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Aria sat there, the soft lighting catching the highlights in her dark hair. And across from her, looking far too comfortable,
was Leo. The sight of him pulling out her chair with practiced familiarity, his hand lingering just a moment too long on
her shoulder, sent a rush of primal rage through my body. Felix’s growl resonated through my mind, a sound of pure
possession that matched the violent surge of jealousy in my chest.
I stood frozen, watching as Leo took the seat beside her, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. The easy
intimacy of their interaction felt like physical blows. Each smile she gave him, every casual touch between them, fed the
growing storm of confusion and certainty within me. Felix paced restlessly in my mind, demanding we assert our claim,
while my rational side struggled to remember why I couldn’t.
David’s concerned voice barely registered through the roaring in my ears. *Sir? The Northern Pack leaders are waiting.*
“Later.” I couldn’t tear my eyes away from their table. Leo’s hand brushed Aria’s arm as he reached for the wine bottle,
and Felix’s growl grew louder. The beast inside me wanted to claim, to mark, to make it clear that Aria belonged to us.
The intensity of these feelings was as foreign as it was overwhelming.
Felix paced through my mind like a caged beast, his agitation bleeding into my own. My skin felt too tight, my control
slipping with each passing second. Whether it was Felix’s restless energy or my own tumultuous emotions, my alpha aura
must have spiked sharply. Aria’s head turned in my direction, her posture suddenly tense. The slight widening of her eyes,
the almost imperceptible catch in her breath—she’d definitely spotted me.
The flash of recognition in her amber eyes sent a jolt through my system. Her carefully composed expression wavered for
just a moment, a crack in her usual armor. The way she shifted in her seat, her fingers tightening almost imperceptibly
around her wine glass—every subtle tell screamed awareness. Of me.
Felix’s growl rumbled through my mind. *Do something. Now