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.

days later, with Lucas still hospitalized, Aria decided it was finally time to

escape.

16-41

Chapter 19

belongings and headed confidently for the main entrance, only to find her path blocked

hardened

she-wolf exchanged uncomfortable glances. "Luna, we have strict

the premises

escaped her. "Are you seriously trying to hold me prisoner? That's a bold

choice."

a response, she attempted to push past them

doors.

unwilling woman, the guards hesitated to use force,

reconsider-Alpha

Aria's determined stride

glided to a stop directly in her path. The rear door

an unsettling combination of relief

actual revulsion contorting her features. "It makes my skin crawl hearing it in

an eventual confrontation with Lucas. She'd recognized the reality that neither she nor

had been calculated avoidance-minimal contact, neutral responses if they did encounter each other,

hadn't anticipated was how her careful restraint would be misinterpreted. Her silence read

she systematically ignored. When blocked,

his orbit.

16:41

Chapter 19

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255