My fingers tighten around the phone 70

Aria’s POV
I sat rigidly in the passenger seat of Ethan’s Range Rover, my fingers digging into the butter-soft leather as he accelerated
down the winding mountain road. The expensive vehicle hugged each curve with precision, but Ethan seemed
determined to test its limits—pushing the speed until my stomach lurched, then abruptly slowing with a casual ease that
only irritated me more.
Sunlight filtered through the trees lining the road, creating a dappled pattern that flickered across the dashboard. I stole
a glance at Ethan’s profile—his strong jaw, the slight curve of his lips—and found him smirking. Actually smirking.
“Are you toying with me?” I finally snapped, unable to contain my annoyance any longer. My voice came out sharper than
I’d intended, bouncing off the car’s interior.
Ethan’s smirk blossomed into a full smile, revealing perfect white teeth—the kind of smile that probably melted the
hearts of countless she-wolves. His forest-green eyes sparkled with mischief when he briefly turned to look at me.
“Perhaps,” he admitted, his voice a deep, resonant rumble that seemed to vibrate through the small space between us.
“You’re too tense. You need to relax a little.”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t quite suppress the warmth creeping up my neck as his smile sent an unwelcome tingle
down my spine. His presence seemed to fill the entire car, making the spacious interior feel suddenly too small, too
intimate.
“Meeting Shadow Fang’s Luna is reason enough to be tense,” I countered, unnecessarily smoothing my clothes just to
give my restless hands something to do besides notice how his fingers curled around the steering wheel.
Ethan’s eyebrow arched as his gaze flickered briefly to me, lingering just long enough to make my pulse quicken. “She’ll
adore you,” he said softly, his deep voice somehow both reassuring and unsettling at once.
We approached an imposing gate adorned with intricate wolf designs. Without announcement, it swung open as if the
very land recognized its heir.
“Ready?” he asked, turning fully toward me. The morning light caught in his green eyes, making them gleam like sunlit
forest depths. His knee brushed against mine in the confined space, a seemingly accidental touch that nonetheless sent a
jolt of awareness through me.
“Do I have a choice?” I attempted to sound nonchalant, but my voice emerged slightly huskier than intended.
The corner of his mouth twitched upward again as he exited the vehicle and came around to open my door—a gesture
both courtly and slightly possessive. I stepped out, straightening my shoulders and lifting my chin. The gravel path
crunched beneath my boots as I walked beside Ethan toward the imposing front entrance.
We were just about to ascend the stone steps to the front porch when a sound stopped us—laughter, light and melodic,
drifting from the direction of a garden path to our right. Ethan’s body tensed beside me, his casual stride faltering
momentarily.
I followed his gaze and felt my stomach drop. There, walking along a winding garden path, was an elegant elderly woman
accompanied by none other than Emma. The older woman—who could only be Ethan’s grandmother, given those
distinctive green eyes—walked with a regal grace despite her age. Her silver hair was swept into an elegant chignon, and
she wore a simple but obviously expensive pale blue dress.
Gone was the vindictive, scheming she-wolf I knew from the pack. In her place was a vision of demure femininity—her
golden hair falling in soft waves, her expression one of adoring attention as she listened to the older woman speak. The
transformation was so complete it was almost laughable.
“Emma?” Ethan’s voice carried a note of surprise and undisguised displeasure. “What are you doing here?”
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Both women looked up at the sound of his voice. The fleeting look of triumph in Emma’s eyes when she saw Ethan
quickly morphed into poorly concealed hostility when she noticed me standing beside him. Her perfectly manicured
fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on the older woman’s arm.
The elderly woman, however, smiled warmly and began walking toward us, bringing Emma along like an attached
accessory.
“Ethan, darling, you’ve finally arrived,” she said, her voice flowing like water over smooth stones—gentle yet carrying an
unmistakable undercurrent of authority. “Emma came to visit me early this morning. We’ve been enjoying the gardens.”
Her penetrating gaze shifted to me, assessing but not unkind. “And this must be Aria?”
Emma quickly reassembled her mask of sweetness, staying close to the older woman’s side. “I specifically came to visit
your grandmother,” she explained to Ethan, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness that made my teeth ache. “I
never expected to run into you both here.”
Ethan acknowledged her explanation with nothing more than a curt nod, his expression carefully neutral. “Grandmother,
allow me to introduce Aria Reynolds,” he said formally. “She’s the daughter of Silver Moon’s alpha and our special training
instructor at the camp.”
The elderly woman stepped forward, surprising me by taking both my hands in hers. Her grip was warm and strong, her
green eyes—so like Ethan’s—swimming with emotions I couldn’t quite decipher. “Olivia’s daughter,” she said softly, her
voice trembling slightly. “I’ve waited so long for this day.”
From the corner of my eye, I could see Emma’s carefully constructed smile evaporating, replaced by naked jealousy and
rage. She quickly schooled her features when the older woman turned back to her, but I had seen enough.
“Please, come inside,” Ethan’s grandmother said, releasing my hands and gesturing toward the house. “My daughter-inlaw is eager to meet you as well.”
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Just as we entered a spacious sitting room filled with golden morning light, a woman glided down the curved staircase. I
knew instantly this was Luna—Ethan’s mother. Her presence commanded the room even before she spoke a word, her movements graceful yet powerful.
“Aria Reynolds,” she said, her voice warm honey poured over steel as she approached. “Finally, we meet.”
I bowed my head slightly, “Luna,” I said simply. “Thank you for welcoming me into your home.”
Silent servants appeared with tea and pastries that looked too pretty to eat. We settled into plush seats arranged to
showcase the breathtaking mountain view. Emma, ever calculating, slipped into a spot beside Ethan’s grandmother, while
Ethan planted himself firmly next to me—close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
“Olivia was my dearest friend,” Luna said softly, her hands steady despite the emotion in her voice as she poured amber
tea into delicate cups. “Her sacrifice during that wolf attack…” Her voice caught slightly. “Saving Ethan’s life… I can never
repay such a debt.”
The familiar ache of loss washed over me. I stared at my hands, fighting the sudden tightness in my throat. The pain of
losing my mother can’t be dulled, but hearing her remembered with such love soothed something raw inside me.
“Aria,” Ethan’s grandmother leaned forward, her kind voice pulling me back to the present. “Please consider our home
yours. You and your little boy are always welcome here.”
I could practically feel Emma’s hatred burning into me from across the room. Ignoring her, I met the elderly woman’s
gentle gaze. “Thank you,” I said, meaning it. “Your kindness touches me deeply. But Lucas and I…” I hesitated, “we’re more
used to stand on our own.