bChapter /bb51 /b

Aria’s POV

literally stopped breathing.

I’d never been this scared of him before,

Zane pulled a gun from his pocket and pointed it straight at him. “What if I say no?”

Grayson let out a lowugh, the kind that made your skin cal. He wasn’t even slightly threatened. It was like Zane’s gun actually amused him.

“That’s a really dumb choice,” he said, his voice soft but dipping with danger

“Why the hell do you still want her back, huh?” Zane shouted. “You don’t even give a damn about hert Where were you when your sister humiliated her? When everything she worked for got ripped away? bDo /byou have any idea how much she cried because of your

“That’s none of your damn business, Grayson snapped.

“It is my business. Because I was there for her. I did what you wouldn’t. If you had even hall a conscience, you’d let her go

Grayson’s eyes flicked between bus/b. When his gazended on me, a chill ran down my spine.

“I thought byou /bwouldn’t break your promise to me, Aria,” he said, his voice terrifyingly cold. “But you still chose to betray me. The contract’s still binding. And yet here you are–messing around with someone else.”

“No, it

it’s not like that I blurted.

“Yeah we’re together now. What are you gonna bdo /babout it, asshole? Zane barked,

I wished Zane would just stop. Poking the beast never ended well. And judging by the way soldiers on the surrounding boats were now aiming their gar atus, there really wasn’t a way out of this,

“Come here.”

Grayson held his hand out to me. His storm–gray eyes locked on mine, and it felt like I bwas /bbeing swallowed whole by a dark fog.

b“/bCome to me, Aria. Now, Then maybe think about letting him lide.”

Zane grabbed my hand tighter. “Don’t listen to his bullshit. Remember what I said to you? This bis /byour only chance

Grayson let out a chillingugh. “Be smart Aria. Or at least be smart for your bgrandma /band your best friend May.”

It felt like someone punched me in the chest.

“What did you do to them?!” Iscreamed.

“Your grandmother’s at the St. Mary’s hospital. May volunteers there sometimes. Am I right? You shouldn’t have left them behind, A

Rage and panic surged up my spine,

No. No way. Was he seriously using my grandmother and May to threaten me? That wasn’t the Grayson I knew… but how well did I ever know him to begin with21

b“/bGo fuck yourself, Grayson Hart! That’s low even for byou/b!” Zane exploded. “And you still wonder why people leave you? First I, now Aria–because you’re one fucking monster

Then i saw it.

Chapter b51 /b

A red dot. From a sniper scop

Centered Light on Zane’s chest.

“WATCH OUT!!!” Escreamed.

1shoved Zane as hard as bI /bcould when a gunshot rang out.

And in the same split second, pain exploded in my chest. Like fire ripping through my bones.

I screamed in pain. My legs gave out. I copsed to the floor

There were voices–shouting, yelling–but I couldn’t make any of it out. The pain drowned out everything the only thing could feel was warmblood bsoaking /bthrough my clothes

A pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped around me. I was pulled against a bchest /bthat smelled like pine woods.

That scent used to make me feel so safe and secure.

Now it only terrified me

“No…no… let me go…“I sobbedb, /bbbut /bhe did the opposite and hugged the even tighter. I was too weak to fight him off.

“Get me a doctor” he roared, carrying me bas /bfast as he could

I groaned in pain bas /bhe walked. My ears were pressed to his chest so i could hear his heartbeat–his heart was thumping like it had gone wild. bThen /bheard him reared.

b“/bWho fired that bfucking /bshot, kill him!”

“Yea Alpha!”

My teeth ttered. His ruthlessness terrified me.

My

“Swear to me…” I gasped, reaching to clench at his shirt. “Swear you won’t hurt Zane…”

“You’re still worried about him he growled.

“Swear!”

His jaw clenched, hard. bHe /bdidn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no other. And right now, I’d take that.

The pain tore through me again.

Everything went ck.

I must’ve been out for a long time.

When I woke up, my surroundings hadpletely changed, I was now in a sterile white room. Probably a hospital, A doctor was lea checking my bwound/b.

“How is she?” I heard Grayson’s voice, low and Light, from nearby.

burme /b

“It’s a through–and–through, Alpha,” the doctor bsaid/b. “It shattered multiple ribe it’s definitely painful. She’ll need surgery!

recovery soo

y immediately if we expect a ful

“Then do it. Now. If she doesn’t recover ball /bof you are fucking dead.”

A sharp sting in my arm. Someone injected something–probably a sedative, I fought to stay awake, blinking hard.

He was beside me now, holding my hand gently, and garing into my eyes. Was that… worry

“How are you feeling?” he asked softly.

“My grandmother and May…” I mumbled.

“They’ll be fine if you cooperate,” he saidb, /bvoice cold again. His pip on my hand tightened. “You shouldn’t have taken that buffet for Zane. It’s fucking stupid.b” /b

“I need to call my family,” insisted, my voice barely a whisper “Just to make sure they’re okay..

His jaw twitched with fury. “You don’t trust me?”

I stared at him, stubbornb. /b

He cursed and stood up. “Worry about yourself for now. No calls, no contact, not buntil /bbyou’ve /brecovered. Then we’ll talk about the consequences of your

betrayal.”

He had no right to cut me off from my family!

I wanted to scream at him. To tell him he was insane.

But the sedative kicked in.

And I passed out bagain/b.

The surgery went sessfully during my sleep. My wolf would hell the brest /bof the wound. And apparently I was ready to be checked out of the hospital.

But I still wasn’t allowed to leave.

Grayson had locked me inside the hospital room. No phone. No contact with the outside world. I couldn’t even beg him to set me free because he hadn’t showed up since.

I had no idea what was happening to the people i loved. And it was driving me insane.

Finally, on the fourth day, the door opened up.

I thought it was him.

But instead Ms. Jones walked into the room.

“You look much better now Aria,” she gave me a warm smile. “The Alpha asked me to bring you some clean clothes.”

“I’m shocked he remembers I’m even here,” I said sharply “I almost thought he nned to keep me locked in here forever.”

She gave me a look of pity. “You shouldn’t have tried to run away from him. You really struck a nerve this btime/bb./b”

But I didn’t try to escape.

It had been all just a stupid misunderstanding

Zane and I were just trying to get away for a few days. None of this was supposed to happen.

But now…any sort of exnation was polulleys.

“Still. No normal person would react like this,” Imuttered.

She sighed. “You should know the darkness inside him, Aia. He’s the strongest one born into the Hart family in a century. But that kind of pow takes toll on him. That’s why he brought you close in the first ce, He wants you to help him”

“Well, clearly I haven’t been much of a help,” I said bitterly. Then I sat up straight, staring at her. “Mrs. Jes, need bto /bbask /byou something I need to

borrow your phone.”

Her eyes went wide. “No. Absolutely not. The Alpha gave strict orders.”

“He said I had to recover. Fine. I can stay here. But why does he have to cut me off from the world? What’s he trying to hide!!” My voice rose in anger.

“He’s just trying to protect you…

“bPlease/bb,/b” I begged, reaching to grab her hand. “Just one call. That’s all I’m asking, it’s not like I’m running away.”

She stared at me for a long time.

Finally, she sighed and pulled her phone from her pocket.

“Five minutes,” she said, cing it on the bed before slipping out of the room.

I grabbed the phone and called bMay /b

She picked up after one ring

“Hello?

“May, it’s me!”

Aria?” Her voice shot up, full of panic. “Oh my god, where the hall have you been?! You’re everywhere on the news! The whole damn world’s been looking for you!”

“It’s a long story. Anyway, are you okay? How’s grandma?”

I was ready for her to say everything was fine. That I had nothing to worry about

But nob. /b

“I’ve been going crazy trying to find you Aria. Those motherfuckers pulled your grandma out of the nursing home! She hasn’t seen a doctor in days, they’re not giving her any of her meds. bShe’s /bnot doing well!”

My brain nked.

“bWait /bba /bsecond. Who are they?”

“Who do you think? The only person capable of it/Alpha bGrayson/b!”

bChapter /bb52 /b

Aria’s POV