My fingers tighten around the phone 55

Aria’s POV
Twilight painted the city in shades of purple and gold as Ethan’s car pulled up outside my apartment building. The
shopping bags rustled in the back seat, reminding me of our shopping. Despite my initial reluctance, watching Ethan trail
behind me like an oversized puppy through every store had been… oddly endearing. The way his forest-green eyes had
followed my every movement, barely concealed longing in their depths, should have made me uncomfortable. Instead,
I’d found myself hiding small smiles behind my hair.
“I think that’s enough for today?” I said softly, trying to dispel the sweet tension that had been building between us all
afternoon. The memory of how he’d pretended to be interested in baby clothes just to stay close to me made warmth
bloom in my chest, even as my rational mind warned against these dangerous feelings.
Ethan nodded, but his eyes held that intense look that made my pulse quicken. The air in the car felt thick with possibility, with things better left unsaid. But before I could sort through these conflicting emotions, rapid footsteps approached the
car.
“Instructor Reynolds!” A young trainee from the facility sprinted toward us, her face flushed with urgency. She hesitated
for a split second at the sight of Ethan in the driver’s seat, clearly surprised to find me with the Shadow Fang heir, but the
gravity of her message overrode any curiosity. “Marcus Alpha has been trying to reach you! He says it’s an emergency!”
The panic in her voice shattered the evening’s delicate atmosphere. Something was terribly wrong – I could feel it in the
way my heart suddenly began to race, in the way Ethan’s alpha energy shifted from intimate tension to alert wariness.
Something in her tone made my heart stutter. I rushed to the facility’s landline, my fingers trembling slightly as I dialed
my father’s number. The moment the call connected, I knew something was terribly wrong. Gone was Marcus’s usual
commanding presence, replaced by a raw anguish that made my blood run cold.
“Damn Bella!” My father’s growl crackled through the line with such force I had to pull the phone away from my ear. His
alpha rage vibrated in every syllable, but underneath, I could hear something worse – raw fear and crushing guilt. “I
should never have trusted her… What kind of grandfather am I, letting her anywhere near my grandson? I’ve already
contacted the authorities, and every available pack member is searching.”
My fingers tightened around the phone until the plastic creaked in protest. Something in his voice – the barely contained
panic, the self-loathing – made my blood run cold.
“Dad,” I fought to keep my voice steady. “Tell me what happened. Everything.”
There was a shaky exhale on the other end. “Lucas…” The crack in his voice sent ice through my veins. “He’s missing. Bella
offered to take him shopping while I handled some urgent pack business. Said she wanted to bond with her nephew, make amends…” He spat the last word like poison. “Twenty minutes ago, she came running back, crying that she’d lost
him in the crowd.”
“She claims she only let go of his hand for a second.” Marcus’s voice darkened with fury. “Says the crowd was too thick,
that he disappeared before she could grab him again…”
“Has he tried to call you?” The hope in his voice was almost painful to hear.
“What?” I fumbled through my pockets frantically, the dread in my stomach growing heavier with each empty pocket. The
shopping bags dropped forgotten at my feet as I searched my jacket, then my jeans. “No, no, no…”
“Aria?” The playful warmth in Ethan’s voice from our shopping trip had vanished, replaced by sharp concern. He stepped
closer, one hand reaching out as if to steady me. “What’s wrong?”
“My phone…” My hands were shaking now as I upended my purse onto the passenger seat. “I can’t find it anywhere. And
Lucas – Dad just called the training facility. He’s missing. Bella was supposed to be watching him and now they can’t find
him anywhere in the shopping district.”
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The warmth from our afternoon together evaporated instantly, replaced by cold fear. Ethan’s expression shifted from
gentle concern to intense focus, his forest-green eyes darkening as he processed my words. His alpha energy, which had
been a gentle caress all afternoon, now crackled with protective intensity.
“When was the last time you saw your phone?” His voice was steady, calming. While I continued my frantic search, he
carefully gathered the scattered contents of my purse, his movements precise and controlled.
I forced myself to stop, closing my eyes and pressing my fingers to my temples. “Think, think…” I muttered to myself.
“Before my shower. I remember putting it in my locker along with my clothes…”
“Then let’s check there first,” Ethan said, already moving to open my car door. When I stumbled slightly getting out, his
hand caught my elbow, steadying me. The warmth of his touch anchored me, helping cut through the panic.
“You don’t have to come with me,” I said weakly, even as I leaned slightly into his support. “I’m sure you have more
important things—”
“Nothing is more important right now,” he cut me off firmly. His hand moved from my elbow to the small of my back,
guiding me toward the training facility. The gesture was both protective and possessive, but for once, I didn’t have the
energy to protest.