Nathan’s POV
My office felt like a tomb.
There was no light, no warmth. Just the scent of old paper and cold tal. My wolf paced under my skin, unsettled, its claws scraping at the walls of my chest.
Knock. Knock.
The sound echoed like bones breaking.
Sophia’s voice followed, sugary-sweet and grating. “Nathan?”
Collins glanced at and I nodded, signaling for him to bring her in.
With long strides, he went to the door and opened it.
“Alpha Nathan is in the records room,” he said curtly.
I could sniff her excitent from her scent.
She approached with a docunt in hand.
She extended them to and my eyes imdiately darted to the words written boldly at the top. They were divorce papers.
The world narrowed. I was already weighed down by the case file Peter had given , and now this?
“Nathan, Aria asked to give it to you,” Sophia blurted, her voice trembling between excitent and nerves.
My fingers twitched around the edges.
Was Aria really in such a hurry?
She had barely moved out. Her scent still clung to the house...and now she really wanted to sever everything?
Just like that?
My control wavered. My wolf clawed against bone.
“Did she say anything?” My voice sounded steady, but my canines pricked longer, ready to tear through sothing or soone.
Sophia paused, her eyes darting, then she replied, “She said she doesn’t fancy you.”
The words hit harder than any blow. They burned worse than silver. My heartbeat staggered.
A low growl vibrated in my throat, causing Sophia to step back.
The papers crumpled in my grip.
“Leave,” I said, my tone cold and lethal.
My wolf’s voice layered over mine.
Fear spiked in Sophia’s scent and
she fled.
Silence swallowed the room again, except for the ticking of the ancient clock and the drum of my pulse in my ears.
I slid down the bookshelf, my breath shaking loose. My claws itched beneath my fingertips.
My wolf pressed against , restless, snarling.
A file slipped off the shelf and thudded against my shoe. As if fate was shoving it into my path.
I picked it up.
The mont I flipped it open, my blood went still.
Suit be damned, I dropped to the floor, the papers sprawled around like broken wings.
I read and read.
And with every word, every truth, my wolf howled like it was being torn apart.
My chest constricted. If I shifted now, I would destroy this room. Destroy this building, destroy everything.
Because suddenly, divorce wasn’t the pain.
The pain was realizing I might have failed her long before she handed these papers.
Night swallowed the sky, the clouds heavy like the world wanted to smother .
By the ti I left, the storm inside had no calm, just purpose and a destination.
My luxury car tore through the night, asphalt screaming under the tires as I sped toward Shevron Estates.
Toward answers.
Toward her.
Aria’s POV
I lounged on the couch, scrolling through the latest online news, it all still centered on the lies Patrick had peddled about .
I huffed. They really thought this would break ?
My wolf snorted inside , it’s tail flicking with amusent.
I ssaged Alia, my thumbs moving fast, the soft pads on my fingertips brushing the screen.
“How’s the investigation going?”
Alia replied almost instantly. I had told Alia about the phone call incident, the ti my father had called and insisted that Sophia’s blood and mine were a match and I needed to donate to her.
There is sothing about that that still sets off alarm bells in my head. Why was he so sure that we would be a match when we weren’t even related and Sophia’s AB blood type has rejected several other AB blood types.
“I found so leads. Waiting for deeper investigation.” Alia replied.
Good. We weren’t alone in this hunt.
“Thank you for your hard work.” I texted back.
I closed my phone, my eyes reflecting the overhead lights like gold shards.
They made the first move.
They thought I would just bare my throat and surrender?
I smiled.
They were wrong. Once I am done with investigating my suspicions, they would hear from .
“Mom...” Lana’s little voice reached , pulling from my thoughts. She nuzzled against my arm, her eyelids fluttering.
My expression softened, my wolf instincts switching from warrior to guardian in a heartbeat. She was mine to protect and I would raze every kingdom or person that tried to take her from .
“Be good, Lana. I’ll sing you a song.”
My voice drifted through the room, soft as moonlight:
“The dark sky hangs low...”
Gradually, Lana’s breathing steadied, her limbs going slack in that trusting, boneless way pups sleep.
A few minutes later, a loud knock sounded at the door, rattling it and startling Lana awake.
BANG. BANG.
My wolf bristled, ready to defend and destroy.
Who dares co to my place at this hour?
Still holding Lana, I cracked the door open and the reek of alcohol hit like a wave.
It was Nathan.
His eyes were red and wild like a wolf fresh off a battlefield, or a man drowning in sothing he didn’t want to feel.
My heart paused, just for a breath.
Then instinct kicked in and I moved to shut the door.
He stopped it effortlessly, his fingers curling around the edge like steel. Our gazes clashed.
My muscles strained as I tried to shut the door despite his resistance but it was fruitless.
He didn’t budge.
“What do you want?” I snapped, patience fraying into threads. My wolf bared her teeth; I didn’t bother to hide it.
His voice was low and trembling as he asked.
“A year ago... what really happened, Aria?”
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