Chapter 11

Aria's POV.

My hands shook as I stared at the crumpled note, the bold words; "Meet me by the garden" burning into my mind. Who sent it? My heart raced, a wild beat that drowned out the quiet of my room.

Fear and curiosity twisted together, sharp and heavy in my chest. I couldn't let anyone find this. Not Celeste, not Mother, not the maids who might whisper.

My fingers tore the paper into tiny pieces, each rip a small act of defiance against the unknown threat. I grabbed a candle from the bedside table, its flame flickering, and held the shreds over it.

The fire caught fast, curling the edges black, the ashes drifting to the floor like dead leaves. I stomped them into nothing, my breath shaky. No one would know. No one could.

I crossed to the wardrobe, my bare feet cold on the wooden floor, and pulled out a dark regalia with a hooded cloak.

The fabric was heavy, its deep green folds swallowing the dim light. I slipped it on, the hood shielding half my face, hiding the makeup that made me look like Celeste.

My reflection in the mirror was a stranger; neither Aria nor Celeste, just a shadow caught between lies. I tightened the cloak's ties, my fingers fumbling, and left the room, locking the door behind me.

The packhouse was quiet, its halls lit by faint torchlight, the air thick with the scent of cedar and wax.

Every creak of the floorboards made me flinch, my eyes darting to the shadows. Whoever sent that note knew something. I had to find out what.

The garden was at the edge of the packhouse, a maze of roses and ivy tucked away from prying eyes.

I took the back stairs, avoiding the warriors patrolling the main corridors. My cloak brushed the stone steps, the hood slipping slightly, but I pulled it tighter, my breath misting in the chilly night air.

The garden's iron gate creaked as I pushed it open, the sound loud in the stillness. I froze, listening, but no footsteps followed.

I stepped inside, my boots sinking into the soft earth, the scent of damp soil and blooming jasmine heavy around me.

The garden was eerily quiet, the moon hidden behind clouds, casting everything in shades of gray.

The roses loomed like dark sentinels, their thorns glinting faintly. I pushed my hood back, letting the cool air hit my face, and scanned the shadows.

"Hello?" I called, my voice soft, trembling. Only an echo answered, bouncing off the stone walls. My stomach twisted.

Was this a trick? Had Celeste lured me here to humiliate me again? I turned to leave, my heart sinking, ready to chalk it up to a cruel prank.

A sudden grip on my wrist yanked me back, hard enough to make me stumble. Before I could scream, a slap cracked across my face, sharp and stinging.

Pain bloomed hot on my cheek, my vision blurring. "How dare you touch my daughter?" a voice boomed, raw with fury.

I steadied myself, blinking through the sting, and my blood ran cold. Marissa, my mother, stood before me, her face twisted with rage, her eyes burning like coals.

Her silver hair was pulled tight, her black dress stark against the garden's gloom. My knees buckled, but I caught myself, numb with shock.

"Mother, I didn't—" I started, my voice cracking, desperate to explain that I hadn't hurt Celeste, that I'd only stopped her from hitting me.

But Marissa didn't listen. Her hand swung again, another slap landing hard, the force snapping my head to the side.

My cheek throbbed, tears pricking my eyes, but I bit them back. She raised her hand a third time, and then a fourth, each blow a punishment for sins I couldn't escape.

I stood there, letting her hit me, my body trembling. I owed her, didn't I? For giving me life, for housing me, even if it was a life of pain.

But as her hand rose for the fifth slap, something snapped inside me. My wolf growled, low and fierce, and my hand shot up, catching her wrist mid-air.

Her eyes widened, shock flickering before rage took over. "I won't let you hit me again, Marissa," I said, my voice steady, cold.

"I took the first slap because you gave birth to me. The second was for killing my sister in the womb, though it was an accident. The third was for the years you housed me, even if they were filled with suffering. And the fourth?" I paused, a sneer curling my lips, my grip tightening.

"That was for giving me the chance to have Alpha Kael in my arms as mine."

Marissa's face contorted, her fury a living thing. "You filthy monster!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the garden.

"The Luna's position belongs to Celeste, not you! You're nothing but a thief, stealing what's hers!" Her words cut deep, slicing through the fragile hope I'd built.

My chest ached, tears burning my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I rolled my eyes, forcing a laugh that sounded hollow even to me.

"And so what? Can you all just stop this already? Celeste can't be Luna, and that's final!"

Marissa's finger jabbed at me, trembling with rage. "You should've never been born," she spat, her voice dripping with venom.

"A monster like you doesn't deserve to breathe, let alone wear my daughter's face." The words hit like a blade, carving into my heart.

I staggered, the pain raw and deep, but I held my ground, my fists clenched. Tears welled, but I blinked them away, nodding slowly.

"Fine," I whispered, turning to leave, my voice barely audible. I couldn't stay here, not with her hatred choking me.

But Marissa's voice boomed again, stopping me cold. "Just wait till the Alpha and the whole pack know about your silly schemes!" she said, her tone gleeful, malicious.

My heart stopped. I spun around, my mouth opening to beg, to explain, but before I could speak, a deep, cold voice cut through the air like a blade.

"And what could it be that the Thorne family wants the whole pack; including the Alpha; to know about?"

I froze, my blood turning to ice. That voice. Familiar. Deadly. I turned slowly, my knees wobbling, and there he was.

Alpha Kael Draven, standing at the garden's edge, his tall frame cloaked in shadow, his black-and-silver attire glinting faintly.

His onyx eyes were cold, calculating, flicking between me and Marissa. My breath caught, my heart racing so fast I thought it might burst. He'd heard her. Goddess, he'd heard her.

Marissa paled, her rage vanishing as she dropped into a low bow. "Alpha Kael," she said, her voice trembling, all traces of her venom gone.

I stood rooted, my legs weak, unable to move. Kael's gaze shifted to her, sharp and unyielding.

"Speak," he said, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "What is it you want everyone to know?"

Marissa hesitated, her eyes darting to me, then back to the ground. I held my breath, my pulse thundering.

She was going to say it. She was going to expose me as Aria, the wrong Luna, the Omega who'd tricked them all.

My vision blurred, panic clawing at my chest. I opened my mouth, but no words came. I was trapped, helpless.

But then Marissa straightened, her lips parting, a glint of triumph in her eyes. "Alpha, I—" she began, her voice gaining strength.

Before she could finish, Kael's gaze snapped to me, cutting her off.

"You shouldn't be outside, Luna," he said, his voice softer but still edged with steel. My eyes widened, my heart stuttering. Luna. He'd called me Luna.

"I… I just needed air," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper, my mind spinning. He'd stopped her.

Why? Did he know? Or was he protecting the lie for his own reasons? Kael's eyes searched mine, unreadable, and my stomach twisted.

He nodded, then stretched out his hand. I stared at it, my breath shallow. Slowly, I took it, his palm warm and calloused, sending a jolt through me.

My hand was slick with sweat, trembling from the tension, but he didn't pull away.

"You don't look good," he said, his tone firm, almost a warning.

"Next time, don't come out this late. Is that clear?" I nodded quickly, my voice gone. His grip tightened briefly, grounding me, then he turned to Marissa, his expression darkening.

"And why are you still here?" he asked, his voice cruel, cutting through the silence sarcastically.

Marissa's face flushed, and she forced a laugh, high and fake. "I was just… leaving, Alpha," she said, bowing again.

She shot me one last venomous glare, then turned and hurried away, her footsteps fading into the night.

I stood there, my hand still in Kael's, my heart pounding, the realisation that I had almost been exposed to lose my head crushing me entirely.