Aria’s POV

Whoever this message is from must be someone who knows me well, too well. The words keep ringing in my head, circling over and over like a curse I can’t escape.

I tried to think, to trace the voice behind the words, but there was nothing to hold on to. Just emptiness and confusion.

I know the hate toward me is much. Being an omega in this pack automatically makes you an outcast. But this… this feels deeper. Personal.

The morning workout helped a little. The burning in my muscles replaced the fire in my chest. Every punch against the bag was a silent scream, every drop of sweat a release of something heavy. By the time I stopped, my body was trembling, not from weakness, but from holding back too much for too long.

I stood in the middle of my small gym house, the air heavy with the scent of iron and sweat. My sanctuary. My little world where nobody could remind me of my rank or my past.

But today, even this space couldn’t silence the chaos in my head.

I locked the door behind me and sighed. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to handle clients or smiles today. The silence in the gym was comforting, but my heart wasn’t still. It beat too fast, restless, uneasy.

The walk back to the pack house felt longer than usual. Each step echoed against the dirt road, the sound of birds fading into the distance. The sun was blazing high, sharp and golden, telling me that the day had already gone far. I must have spent more hours inside than I thought. That’s how the gym traps me, once I’m there, time disappears. It’s my only escape, yet somehow, it reminds me of everything I’m running from.

When the large, tall shape of the pack house appeared, my stomach twisted. I slowed my steps, dragging them against the ground as if my body already knew something I didn’t want to face.

Then came that voice, smooth, mocking, and laced with fake sweetness.

“Hi, Aria.”

I froze. My skin went cold. I turned slowly toward the sound, and there she was, Selene.

She was sitting in the garden, all glowing and perfect, like she had been waiting for me.

And beside her, Damon. My mate. My supposed other half. His hand was locked with hers, fingers intertwined like they had been doing it for years.

The sight hit me like a dagger. My heart clenched, but my face didn’t show it. I glanced at them once, sharp and cold, then turned away, refusing to give her the reaction she wanted.

“Aria,” Damon’s voice thundered behind me. “Be nice. She’s talking to you.”

I stopped. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. The Alpha’s command was never to be ignored, even when it came from a mate who treated you like nothing.

I turned around slowly, my eyes meeting his. For a second, it was like time paused. His face was calm, emotionless, the same face I’ve looked at every morning for three years, trying to find even a hint of love. But there was none. There never was.

I wasn’t angry anymore. Just tired. Tired of trying. Tired of pretending.

It’s obvious now, I can’t earn the love I’ve been fighting for.

Selene smiled then. That kind of smile that isn’t meant to be kind. She tilted her head and said, “Don’t worry, Dam, it’s not her fault.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. Then she turned her gaze on me. “I’m sorry, Dam loves me more than you, Luna.”

That word, Luna, stung, the way she said it, like a joke she was proud of.

I looked at her and smiled faintly. “I know. And it’s fine.”

My voice came out calm, steady. It surprised even me.

This man doesn’t deserve my love anyway. I’ve given enough, lost enough.

“Can I go now?” I asked, still smiling. That smile, the one I had mastered over time, was my only shield now.

Their faces changed. Surprise flickered between them, as if they expected me to cry, scream, or crumble. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I’ve already done all that when nobody was watching.

Selene blinked, then chuckled, her tone sharper now. “C’mon, I know you’re hurt. You don’t need to cover that. It’s not my fault Dam chose me over you.” She rested her head on Damon’s shoulder, eyes still fixed on mine, waiting for a crack in my mask.

“I can see that,” I said simply, still holding that forced smile.

A silence settled, thick and uncomfortable. Even the breeze seemed to pause. Damon’s eyes darkened, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

“Enough, Aria.” His voice was cold, sharp as ice.

He stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the stones. “See you in the room now.”

I didn’t move. I just stared. For a second, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes, guilt, maybe? Or anger? I couldn’t tell anymore.

“I’ll be right there, Selene,” he said, softer this time, and then turned to me. Without waiting for my response, he grabbed my wrist.

His grip wasn’t painful, but firm enough to make me stumble as he dragged me toward the pack house. My heart pounded, not out of fear, but from everything I was holding back.

The garden fell silent behind us. I didn’t look back, but I could feel Selene’s smirk burning into my spine.

Each step toward that door felt heavier. My chest tightened with a thousand words I wanted to scream but couldn’t. The walls of the pack house loomed closer, swallowing the sunlight as we entered the shadows.

I could still hear Damon’s breathing, slow and steady beside me, but he said nothing.

And maybe that silence hurt more than his words ever could.

As the door shut behind us, I realized something.

The woman he was holding in that garden wasn’t just another rival. She was the spark he once had with me, now burning in someone else’s hands.

And the man dragging me through the hallway wasn’t just my mate. He was a stranger wearing the face of the one I used to love.

The sound of the door slamming echoed through the pack house, leaving a stillness so deep it made my skin crawl.

I swallowed hard, forcing the tears back down. No, not here. Not in front of him.

If Damon wanted a show, he wasn’t getting one.

So I straightened my shoulders, kept my chin high, and walked beside him into the silence.

Whatever was waiting behind that door,

I knew it was going to change everything.