Billionaire Alpha's 99 Deadly Games

Chapter 9

Lucas stood frozen in place, his gaze fixed on the charred remains. Time seemed to stop around him.

He became a statue amid the chaos-paramedics rushing about, police radios crackling, his friends sobbing in the background-all of it faded to white noise.

The rescue wolves approached with measured steps, their faces grim beneath rain-soaked helmets as they carried the stretcher toward him. With solemn reverence, they placed her body at his feet.

"Alpha Thornwood," the guard said softly, "we're deeply sorry for your loss."

The rain intensified, fat droplets splattering against Lucas's face, mingling with tears he didn't realize he was shedding. His legs gave way as he collapsed to his knees beside her, his eyes burning red. Inside him, his wolf let out a heart- rending cry, thrashing wildly.

His outstretched hands trembled violently as he tried to reach for her. Once, twice, three times he attempted to gather her into his arms, but his muscles refused to cooperate. Finally, with gentle guidance from a paramedic, he cradled what remained of Aria against his chest.

Just hours ago-was it really only hours?-she had sat beside him in his car, her smile soft and knowing, eyes bright with something he now recognized as farewell as she'd confessed her love one final time.

Now she lay motionless in his embrace, the she-wolf who had once been so full of life reduced to this.

Her cold body temperature seeped through his rain-soaked clothes, sending ice straight to his core. The sensation was wrong-Aria had always been warm, always radiating heat like her own personal

sun.

“Aria,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Stop playing games. Wake up, please? Just wake up."

He called her name over and over, the desperate pleas of a drowning man, but she remained silent, as if she were simply ignoring him after a petty argument.

Lucas pressed his face against hers just as he used to do when he wanted her attention, not caring as blood and soot transferred from her ruined features to his skin.

Memories crashed over him in relentless waves.

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Chapter 9

There were so many things he'd never told her. So many truths he'd hidden.

The first and most profound secret was that he'd knew she was his fated mate long before she knew

that.

Several years ago, during the Wolf Moon Festival at the pack borders, while everyone else had been half-drunk on moonlight and ceremonial wine, his attention had been completely captured by the graceful figure dancing around the bonfire-her fluid movements, flowing dress adorned with ancient pack symbols, and that radiant smile that seemed to challenge the flames themselves.

He remembered every detail with crystalline clarity-the way the firelight had caught in her hair, how her laughter had carried across the clearing when she'd playfully dodged an advancing male during the courtship dance.

Noticing his captivation, his beta had leaned over, whispering excitedly about the she-wolf.

"That's Aria Collins. From the Silver Crescent Pack. Supposedly rejected the Alpha's son in three packs. Every unmated male in the gathering is already tracking her scent."

His beta had continued, but Lucas had stopped listening after her name, his wolf stirring beneath his skin.

Aria Collins.

That's him mate's name.

name for a creature of such grace. He had silently repeated it several times, letting the syllables roll

together once, testing how they sounded. Aría

Perfect harmony.

the thought away, disgusted

was the one he'd known since childhood, the one deserve

only one he could imagine introducing

stay committed to the idea of Leila,

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Hillionaire Aluba's 99 Do

Caines

Chapter 9

seeking out Aria

forest winds, notice her

when Aria had begun pursuing him with

be like to say yes, to let himself have what his

time, he'd ruthlessly suppressed the

tearfully demanded he help her get revenge on Aria, his first

refusal..

of person," he'd argued. "There must be

couldn't reconcile the Aria he'd observed-who helped strangers carry groceries and volunteered at animal shelters-with someone capable

heard his defense of Aria, she'd thrown a terrifying tantrum, even threatening to

he was accustomed to caring

he agreed to the

pack, execute 99 acts of revenge, and then publicly humiliate her before rejecting her and

then watching her search all night in a blizzard for something that didn't exist-the guilt had been almost

dawn, feverish and shivering yet still smiling when

conditioned himself to grow numb to her pain. He'd convinced himself she deserved it, that her kindness was just an act, that hurting her

smile return had seemed worth the

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Chapter 9

and left her with those rogues

the first time in years, genuine protective

with its intensity.

was just pride-after all, she was still

that his mate had been assaulted, how would that reflect

known it was more. The sight of those rogues touching her had awakened

had begun to crack the walls he'd built around his feelings, though he'd still

that cabin and she'd

his "gift" with such

panic unlike anything

even than when Leila

that moment of hesitation before he closed the door, with her blind-folded and trusting, a

final revenge, he would publicly expose their relationship as a sham, forcing her to leave

knew.