Ethan’s POV
The full moon cast long shadows across the immaculate gardens as I tracked Jack’s Range Rover through the winding streets of the werewolf district. Something about his eagerness to offer Aria a ride had set my wolf on edge. Felix paced restlessly beneath my skin, pushing me to move faster, to close the distance between us and the silver–clad figure who had walked away from me just minutes ago.
The vehicle turned onto a tree–lined avenue, disappearing behind wrought iron gates that marked Storm Pack territory. Every alpha instinct I possessed screamed that something was wrong. The weight of Emma’s earlier mental link – her desperate attempts to call me back to the ballroom – felt insignificant compared to the urgency driving me forward.
I parked my car a discreet distance away, letting Felix’s enhanced senses guide me. The mansion loomed ahead, its windows glowing with warm light that did nothing to dispel the growing unease in my chest. As I approached, movement caught my eye – a flash of silver through the French doors, like moonlight given form.
Aria’s scent, or rather the distinctive void where it should be, drew me toward the back of the property. Even without a traditional wolf marker, I could track her presence something deep within me, something that felt impossibly familiar.
–
it called to
The sound of breaking china reached my ears, followed by Jack’s voice, too low to make out the words but carrying undertones that made Felix snarl. Through the windows, I caught glimpses of Aria stumbling, her movements uncharacteristically uncoordinated. The sight sent ice through my veins this wasn’t the graceful warrior I’d watched take down three transformed wolves without breaking a sweat.
“No…” Her voice, barely a whisper, carried on the night air. The single word held such vulnerability that it made my chest ache.
Felix surged forward with such force that I nearly lost control of my shift right there. The wolf wanted blood, wanted to tear apart anyone who dared threaten what was ours. The possessive thought should have surprised me, but in that moment, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
I rounded the corner just in time to see Aria collapse against a tree, her silver dress in tatters around her legs. Jack stalked toward her fallen form, his expensive shoes crushing the manicured grass with each step. The sight of him reaching for her unconscious form snapped something inside me.
The shift came without conscious thought, faster and more violent than any transformation I’d experienced before. One moment I was standing at the garden’s edge, the next I was airborne, my massive black wolf form clearing the stone wall in a single bound. Felix’s rage mixed with my own until we were one being, driven by a single purpose – protect.
Jack barely had time to turn before I slammed into him, knocking him away from Aria’s crumpled form. My jaws snapped inches from his throat, a warning that took every ounce of control to deliver instead of following through. As much as Felix howled for blood, killing another alpha heir would have consequences that would reach far beyond this night.
“This doesn’t concern you, Shadow Fang, Jack snarled, struggling to regain his footing. His own wolf pushed to the surface, eyes glowing amber in the darkness. “She came here willingly. What happens between us is pack business.”
The growl that ripped from my chest made the very air vibrate. She is not yours to claim.
Before he could respond, I shifted back to human form, my voice carrying every ounce of alpha authority I possessed. “Touch her again, and our packs will have more than territory disputes to worry about.” The threat hung in the air between us, heavy with promised violence.
Not waiting for his response, I gathered Aria’s limp form into my arms. Her head naturally found the crook of my neck, her warm breath sending shivers down my spine. The silver dress caught moonlight like scattered stars, but my attention was drawn to the way she unconsciously pressed closer, her body seeking my warmth.
‘Ethan… My name fell from her lips in a whisper that made Felix whine with need. Her fingers curled into my shirt as if afraid I’d let her go.
“This isn’t over,” Jack called after us, but his voice held uncertainty now. He had seen something in my eyes, in the way Felix had responded to Aria, that made him hesitate.
I carried her to my car, every protective instinct screaming at how vulnerable the drug had left her. Her skin burned with unnatural heat where it pressed against mine, and her shallow breaths carried a sweetness that made my wolf restless. Whatever Jack had given her wasn’t just a sedative – the way she moved against me, seeking contact, suggested something far more sinister.
When I tried to lay her across the back seat, Aria made a sound of distress that tore at my heart. Her fingers tightened in my shirt, refusing to let go. “Don’t leave,” she murmured, her voice carrying a need that made Felix pace anxiously beneath my skin.
‘I’m just taking you to the hospital,” I assured her, trying to gentle her grip. But Aria’s body arched toward mine, her skin burning through the thin silk of her torn dress. Her fingers traced up my chest to my neck, leaving trails of fire in their wake.
“Please,” she breathed against my throat, the word carrying such raw need that Felix nearly took control. “Don’t go.”
Before I could respond, she surged upward, pressing her lips to mine. The kiss was all heat and desperation, her tongue seeking entrance as her hands tangled in my hair. She tasted of sweetness and forbidden desires, something hauntingly familiar that made Felix howl with recognition. Her body molded against mine perfectly, as if we’d been crafted from the same
mold.
Ethan,” she moaned into my mouth, the sound shooting straight through me. Her hips shifted restlessly against mine, seeking more contact. The combination of her warmth, her scent, and the way she moved against me nearly shattered my control.
With the last shreds of my willpower, I pulled back, though my body screamed in protest. ‘Not like this, I managed, my voice rough with desire. “You’re not yourself, Aria.”
She made a sound of pure loss, her hands still trying to draw me closer. “Need you,” she whispered, pupils blown wide in the darkness. The sight of her lips swollen from our kiss, silver dress sliding off one shoulder – tested every ounce of my restraint.
I quickly moved to the driver’s seat before I could give in to temptation, though my body ached with unfulfilled desire. A certain part of me had grown uncomfortably hard, straining
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Chapter 26
against my pants in response to her touch. Felix paced beneath my skin, angry at the separation, demanding we return to claim what felt rightfully ours.
In the tearview mirror, Aria’s reflection shimmered like a moonlit dream. She had curled onto her side, one hand pressed against her lips as if chasing the memory of our kiss.
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