ARIA'S POV
Earlier
today, rogues attacked our pack. The chaos reminded me of the last time they
came for us-the night we lost my uncle. His laughter used to fill the air, his
wisdom guiding our pack like a steady beacon. Now, the memory of his final
stand, blood staining the earth as he defended us, is seared into my mind. I
clutched my hands to my chest, feeling the familiar pang of fear that
resurfaced each time the rogues struck.
As
soon as I got home, I searched for Ryan, Mason, and the other warriors. My
heart raced as I imagined the worst. "Mom, where is Ryan? How's everyone? Is
anyone hurt?" I asked in a flurry of words, concern etched into every syllable.
Mom,
as calm as ever, arched a brow. "And which question should I answer first?" she
teased lightly before adding, "Ryan is in his room, and everyone is fine. I
told you not to worry. Your brothers and the warriors took care of
everything-they even captured some rogues and killed others."
Relief
flooded through me, loosening the knot in my chest. "Okay, Mom," I said,
already rushing to Ryan's room.
When
I burst in, Ryan looked up, smirking as if he hadn't just come back from
battle. "Hey, bro," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "Are you okay? Are you
hurt anywhere?"
He
chuckled, waving off my concern. "What is it? I'm fine. We took care of them so
easily. I even wanted to come find you, but… I figured you'd just freak out,"
he said with a grin.
"Find
me? Who are you trying to fool?" I laughed, relief making me bolder. "The Ryan
I know would rather face a hundred rogues than step foot in a classroom. Admit
it-you were thrilled to have an excuse to skip school."
He
shr'g'ed, his smirk growing wider. "You know me too well."
"How's
Abi? Was she able to go for the interview today?" Ryan asked.
"Yes,
she was able to go for the interview. Abi is such a comedian," I replied, then
shared everything that happened.
"She
kept saying, 'Ryan, I'm so sorry for wasting your effort.' It was hilarious!"
The
truth is, even if she had missed the interview, she still would've gotten the
job. The restaurant belongs to us. When she said she needed work, we told her
to apply there because there was supposedly a vacancy-but there wasn't. We just
thought it would be easier for her that way.
At
the same time, I'm kind of worried about her safety. That restaurant is where
all the pack businessmen and alphas gather to discuss business, usually over
dinner or lunch. It's a large, prestigious place owned by the Crystal Pack-our
pack. My brother, Alpha Mason, is the leader of the pack.
We're
not the strongest, but we're among the strongest packs. The most powerful is
the Celestial Fang Pack, led by King Maverick, the king of all werewolves-or
should I say, the king of Lycans. He's the strongest of all the existing
werewolves. He's not just a werewolf; he's a Lycan, and the most feared among
all. I've only seen him once, and I honestly don't want to see him again.
Following
them is the Twilight Pack, led by Alpha Alexander Rio. He's also feared,
but not as much as King Maverick. Both pack are always at odds with one another
It's
been a week since Abigail started working, and I haven't been seeing her as
often as before. She still comes to lectures, but as soon as class ends, she
rushes straight to work at the restaurant. It feels like she's barely around
anymore. I've caught myself staring at the empty seat beside me in class too
many times, wishing she were there.
She's
stressing herself, I'm sure of it. I know Abigail; she pushes herself too hard
when she wants to prove something. I need to talk to her, but what would I say?
She'd probably just wave me off with a joke and her signature smile. Still,
I've really missed her. Other girls in this place are just so annoying, and
none of them compare to her.
She
was in school today but as usual she rushed out as soon as classes was over. I
decided to grab something from the canteen before going home.
I
left for the canteen, which was not far from the lecture hall, on my way I saw
so many people, mostly in group and its felt like I was the only one alone but
I didn't mind. Not like I want to have much friends Ryan and Abigail are enough
for me.
When
I got the canteen, I ordered for milkshake, I took it and sat down sat down on
an empty sit and drank it slowly while going through my phone.
***********
"Well,
well, well, look who we have here," a voice cut through my thoughts, startling
me.
I
turned around, already bristling, and locked eyes with the last person I wanted
to see-Isabella. Of course, she wasn't alone. Elara and Aurora flanked her, the
three of them looking like they'd just stepped out of a magazine spread,
smugness dripping from every pore.
"Ugh,"
I muttered under my breath, trying to keep my cool. These girls were
insufferable. I hated them with a passion, and the feeling was mutual. If it
wouldn't start a war between our pack and theirs, I'd gladly rip the smirks off
their faces. But I couldn't. Starting a pack war over petty insults wasn't
worth it-no matter how satisfying it might be.
"Hello,"
I said dryly, giving them a half-hearted wave before turning my back on them,
pretending they weren't worth my time.
"Aria,
long time no see! Oh, wait-you're always at this university. Wow, amazing! That
means we'll get to see each other every single day," Isabella chirped, her
voice dripping with fake sweetness.
Elara
and Aurora burst into mocking laughter, as if Isabella had just told the
funniest joke in the world. I clenched my jaw but refused to let them see they
were getting to me.
"And
who said I want to see your ugly old face every day?" I shot back, spinning
around to glare at her. "I'd rather visit the zoo daily to watch the monkeys
than look at you."
Isabella's
smile vanished, her face twisting with indignation. Her friends gasped
dramatically, but I wasn't done yet.
"You
know," I continued, my tone saccharine, "at least monkeys have an excuse for
their behavior. What's yours?"
Elara
hissed, stepping forward as if to defend Isabella, but Isabella raised a hand
to stop her.
"I'm
not ugly," Isabella snapped, her voice trembling with suppressed fury. "You're
the old and ugly one, Aria! And trust me-I'll make sure you regret saying
that."
"Oooh,
I'm so scared," I said with a mock shiver, rolling my eyes. "What are you going
to do? Give me a lecture on how to apply foundation properly? Go ahead-I'll
wait."
Her
face burned crimson, and without another word, she turned on her heel and
stormed off, dragging her friends with her. Elara shot me a glare, and Aurora
muttered something under her breath, but they followed obediently.
I
couldn't help it-I burst out laughing the moment they were out of earshot. The
look on Isabella's face was priceless. Sure, she was annoying, but moments like
these almost made dealing with her worth it.
Still,
a part of me couldn't shake the unease. Isabella and her friends weren't just
random mean girls-they were part of a rival pack, and insults like this didn't
just stay in the halls of the university. They had a way of escalating,
especially when pride was involved.
Shrugging
it off for now, I made a mental note to keep my guard up. If Isabella wanted to
"deal with me," she'd have to try a lot harder than throwing a tantrum.