Chapter 19

Lucas remained frozen, his hand rising slowly to touch his reddening cheek, stunned disbelief

written across his unshaven face.

"You're... real?" he whispered, staring at her as if she might evaporate.

Aria had reached her absolute limit with this absurd day. She laughed-a sharp, brittle sound utterly devoid of humor.

"Real? Sure. Apparently I'm trapped in a real-life horror movie where my supposed death wasn't enough to get you out of my life."

Without deigning to look at him again, she pivoted sharply toward the staircase.

"Aria, wait-please!"

Lucas lunged after her, alcohol and desperation making his movements clumsy. As he grabbed for her wrist, the combination of his unsteady state and her quick evasion created disaster-her foot slipped on the polished marble step.

"Look out!"

Despite his impaired reflexes, Lucas managed to pull her against him as they fell, positioning his body to take the impact.

Their bodies hit the marble stairs with a sickening thud that echoed through the foyer.

Cushioned by Lucas's intervention, Aria escaped with minor disorientation. Lucas, however, wasn't as fortunate-a crimson stain began spreading across the white marble beneath his head.

"Alpha!" Davis's horrified voice cut through the sudden stunned silence.

The household erupted into chaos. After fifteen minutes, both were being loaded into separate ambulances.

Lucas still hospitalized, Aria decided it

escape.

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Chapter 19

few belongings and headed confidently for the main entrance, only to find her path blocked by two she-wolf guards in

hardened into glacial contempt.

glances. "Luna, we have strict

the premises without

laugh escaped her. "Are you seriously trying

choice."

attempted to push past them

doors.

between following their alpha's orders and physically restraining a clearly unwilling woman, the guards hesitated to use force, instead trailing after her with increasing

reconsider-Alpha Thornwood was very

pleas only accelerated Aria's determined stride

SUV with tinted windows glided to a stop directly in

with an unsettling combination of relief

snapped, actual revulsion contorting her features.

to The Thornwood Pack, Aria had meticulously prepared for an eventual confrontation with Lucas. She'd recognized the reality that

they did encounter each

misinterpreted. Her silence read as invitation. Her avoidance

he'd merely attended her performances, sending messages she systematically ignored. When blocked, he'd found new channels,

his orbit.

16:41

Chapter 19

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