My fingers tighten around the phone 61

Aria’s POV
I sat in Ethan’s sleek Range Rover, my fingers absently tracing the butter-soft leather of the seat as we drove towards his
parents’ estate. The silence between us wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it was charged with an energy that made my
skin tingle with awareness. Every few minutes, I would catch his profile in my peripheral vision – the strong line of his jaw,
the way his forest-green eyes remained focused on the road ahead, the slight furrow between his brows that suggested
he was deep in thought.
My own mind was racing with what to say to his mother. How does one address the Luna of the most powerful pack in
the region? Especially when you’re a disgraced alpha’s daughter who lost her wolf connection years ago? I smoothed
imaginary wrinkles from my simple slacks, suddenly wishing I’d worn something more formal for the occasion.
The sudden trill of Ethan’s phone cut through the silence, making me instinctively glance toward him. The name flashing
on the screen made something cold twist in my stomach.
Emma.
A muscle in Ethan’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly as he tapped the answer button, putting it on speaker. “Yes?”
“Ethan…” Emma’s voice came through broken and trembling, punctuated by what sounded like sobs. “Help me… my car…
had an accident…” The sound of her labored breathing filled the car’s interior. “North district mountain road… please…”
The call cut off abruptly, leaving Emma’s frightened pleas hanging in the air between us. I watched Ethan’s hands tighten
around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he executed a sharp turn that had me grabbing the door handle
for support. The Range Rover responded instantly to his command, changing direction with surprising grace for such a
powerful vehicle.
Gone was the relaxed man who’d been driving beside me moments ago. His jaw clenched tight, eyes narrowed with worry, shoulders rigid beneath his tailored jacket.
“I’m sorry, Aria,” he said, his voice strained. He glanced at me briefly, genuine concern etched across his features. “Emma’s
been in a car accident. I need to check on her.”
My stomach twisted with an emotion I refused to name. Jealousy? Ridiculous. I had no claim on Ethan’s concern. Still,
seeing how quickly he responded to Emma’s call made my chest ache in a way I hadn’t expected.
“I’ll come with you,” I heard myself say, the words tumbling out before I could analyze them. Even I was surprised by my
offer. But something felt off about this whole situation – the convenient timing, the dramatic plea.
Relief flashed across Ethan’s face as he pressed harder on the accelerator. The engine roared in response, a powerful purr
that vibrated through the floorboards. We shot forward, the landscape transforming into a blur of green as trees whipped
past our windows.
Twenty minutes later, we pulled up to what was supposed to be an “accident scene.” My suspicions were immediately
confirmed. Emma’s luxury sedan was parked neatly on the shoulder of the road, not a scratch on its glossy surface. And
there was Emma herself, pacing back and forth beside it, looking about as “injured” as a runway model after a photo
shoot.
Her blonde hair was artfully tousled, a few strategically placed strands falling across her face. Her designer outfit was
pristine except for what appeared to be deliberately placed smudges of dirt on her knees and cheek. As soon as she
spotted Ethan’s vehicle, her expression shifted from calculation to devastation so quickly I almost admired her acting
skills.
Ethan was out of the car before the engine had fully stopped, striding toward Emma with purpose. I followed more
slowly, my eyes cataloging every detail of this elaborate charade.
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“Thank the Moon Goddess you’re here!” Emma cried, launching herself into Ethan’s arms with such force he had to take a
step back to steady them both. Her fingers clutched at his tailored suit jacket, wrinkling the expensive fabric. “I was so
scared… I thought no one would come…”
Emma finally noticed me standing there, and I caught the split-second transformation in her eyes – shock, then
annoyance, then calculation – all flashing across her face before she quickly buried it against Ethan’s chest. Her shoulders
trembled with perfectly timed sobs.
“A-Aria?” Her voice cracked with practiced precision, the waver hitting just the right note of vulnerability. “Why are you
here?”
I crossed my arms, feeling ice slide through my veins. “Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing.” My gaze
deliberately traveled from her pristine hair to her suspiciously spotless car, lingering on the convenient smudges of dirt
strategically placed on her otherwise immaculate outfit. “Your car looks like it just left the showroom, and you look like
you’re posing for a fashion shoot. What driving school teaches accident staging? Or did you learn that in drama class?”
Emma’s face crumpled spectacularly, tears instantly welling up and spilling over in perfect crystal tracks that somehow
managed not to smear her mascara. She clutched at Ethan’s jacket like she might collapse without his support.
“How can you be so cruel?” she wailed, pressing herself even closer to Ethan. “I almost died, Ethan! The tire just—just
exploded! The car spun out of control!” Her voice rose with each word, hands gesturing wildly toward the cliff edge. “I
was inches away from going over! Inches! And she’s making jokes?!”
A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. The sheer audacity of her performance was almost impressive. “I don’t
have time for this theater production.” I spun on my heel, stalking back toward Ethan’s car.
“Aria, wait.” Ethan’s voice was quiet but firm. His fingers circled my wrist, gentle yet unyielding. The heat of his skin
against mine sent electricity racing up my arm, a sensation I desperately tried to ignore.
I turned back reluctantly, meeting his forest-green eyes that seemed to see right through me. “What?”
“Why are you so convinced this isn’t real?” His expression was unreadable, but something in his tone told me he was
genuinely asking, not accusing.
I gestured toward the pristine car with my free hand. “Because I’m not blind, Ethan. Look at that car – there’s not even a
smudge on the paint. Look at her – hair perfect, makeup flawless except for those suspiciously placed dirt smears. If she
really spun out and almost went over a cliff, where’s the evidence? Where are the skid marks? The broken glass? Hell,
where’s even one dented fender?” I lowered my voice. “Does any part of this look like a real accident to you? Or does it
look like someone desperate for your attention?”
Ethan’s gaze moved between Emma and her pristine vehicle, alpha instincts clearly picking up on the inconsistencies I’d
pointed out. Emma noticed his scrutiny and immediately doubled down on her performance.
“I was so frightened, Ethan…” she sobbed, her voice quavering with practiced precision. “If you hadn’t come… I don’t
know what would have happened…”
“Enough, Emma,” I snapped, my patience finally evaporating. “Stop the act. If you really had an accident, why didn’t you
call emergency services?”
Seeing Ethan’s expression growing increasingly serious, Emma clutched at his arm more desperately. “You don’t believe me, Ethan? When I need you the most…”
Ethan gently but firmly disentangled himself from Emma’s grasp, taking a deliberate step back. “My Beta will be here momentarily,” he said, his voice calm but carrying unmistakable authority. “He’ll ensure you get safely to the hospital for
a check-up.” His eyes, cold now, met hers directly. “Aria and I had a prior commitment.