Aria’s POV
I couldn’t breathe.
The roar of the crowd crashed over like a tidal wave. Thousands of wolves screaming his na. Chanting. Worshipping.
*KAEL! KAEL! KAEL!*
And there he was.
Walking into that cage like he owned the entire world. Like nothing and no one could ever touch him.
Three years.
Three years since I’d seen that face. Those shoulders. That way he moved—predatory, confident, completely in control.
He looked... different.
Not worse. God, definitely not worse.
Better.
The playful arrogance I rembered was gone. Replaced by sothing harder. More powerful. The body I’d once known was bigger now. More muscular. More dangerous.
He’d grown into his power.
And I’d been struggling to survive.
"ARIA!"
Sophie’s voice cut through the fog in my brain. Her hand grabbed my arm. Shook hard.
"Aria! Hey! ARIA!"
I couldn’t respond. Couldn’t move. My eyes were locked on the cage. On him.
He was fighting now. So massive wolf who thought he stood a chance. Kael dodged. Weaved. Struck with precision that was almost beautiful.
*Almost.*
"ARIA!" Sophie yanked around to face her. Her silver mask glinted in the arena lights. "Is that—is that HIM? The Alpha Kael? YOUR Kael??"
I lowered my head. Nodded once.
"Oh my GOD." Sophie’s voice cracked. "Aria, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. I didn’t know—I never would have—oh GOD, I’m such an IDIOT."
The crowd roared again. Soone must have gone down.
I didn’t look. Couldn’t look.
"We’re leaving." Sophie’s arm wrapped around my shoulders. Firm. Protective. "Right now. We’re getting out of here."
She started pushing through the crowd. Pulling along.
I kept my head down. Eyes fixed on the concrete floor. On my own feet moving one after the other.
Don’t look.
Don’t look.
*Don’t look.*
But at the last second—right before we reached the exit—I looked.
Just one glance. One quick peek over my shoulder.
He was standing in the center of the cage. Arm raised in victory. The other fighter crumpled at his feet. Blood on his knuckles. Sweat gleaming on his skin.
And his face...
Still devastatingly handso. Those black-gold eyes I used to drown in. That jaw I used to trace with my fingertips. Those lips that had kissed like I was the only woman in the world.
For one insane second, our eyes almost t.
I turned away. Fled.
"Ma’am! Ma’am, wait!"
Soone grabbed Sophie’s arm near the exit. One of the staff mbers. Young guy with too much gel in his hair.
"Are you sure you want to leave now?" His eyes were wide. Desperate. "The Alpha’s performance is once in a lifeti! Everyone’s going crazy! You might never get another chance to—"
"We’re leaving." Sophie’s voice was steel. "Move."
"But—"
"I said MOVE."
She shoved past him. Pulled through the door. Into the cool night air.
The noise cut off behind us. Like stepping from one world into another.
Silence.
Just the distant hum of traffic. The whisper of wind. My own ragged breathing.
"Aria." Sophie stopped walking. Turned to face . "Aria, look at ."
I looked up.
Her mask was gone now. Abandoned sowhere in the chaos. Her eyes were wet with guilt.
"I’m so sorry." Her voice broke. "I didn’t know. I swear to God, I didn’t know he’d be there. I just saw this place online and thought it looked exciting and—"
"It’s not your fault."
The words ca out hollow. Empty.
"Yes it IS!" She grabbed both my hands. Squeezed hard. "I should have asked more questions! I should have researched better! I shouldn’t have just dragged you sowhere without knowing—"
"Sophie." I squeezed back. "Stop. Please."
She stopped.
We stood there in the empty street. Two won in fancy dresses and smudged makeup. The absurdity of it all suddenly hit .
"I must look insane right now." I wiped my eyes. Realized I’d been crying too. "Standing here in a red dress, mascara everywhere, having a breakdown outside an underground fighting arena."
Sophie snort-laughed. Then clapped her hand over her mouth.
"Sorry! Sorry, that wasn’t funny."
"It was a little funny. I’ll be fine." I started walking. No destination. Just moving. "I just need to... process."
Sophie fell into step beside . Our heels clicked against the pavent. The sound echoed in the empty street.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
Just walked.
The night air was cool. Refreshing after the heat of the arena. A gentle breeze played with my hair. Dried the tears on my cheeks.
"He is really handso though."
Sophie’s voice broke the silence.
I stopped walking. Stared at her.
"What?"
"I an..." She held up her hands defensively. "Objectively speaking. From a purely aesthetic standpoint. The man is gorgeous. Like, unfairly gorgeous. It’s almost offensive how attractive he is."
"Sophie!"
"What! I’m just stating facts!" She started walking again. "Those shoulders? That jaw? The way he moved in that cage?" She fanned herself. "I’m just saying, I understand why you fell for him. Physically, at least. The personality clearly needs work."
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
So I laughed.
A real laugh. Wet and wobbly, but real.
"You’re impossible."
"I’m HONEST." She linked her arm through mine. "There’s a difference."
"You’re insane," I told her. "Completely and utterly insane."
"You love ."
"Unfortunately."
"HA!" She grabbed my arm again. Pulled along. "See? That’s progress. You’re making jokes. Jokes are good. Jokes an you’re not spiraling into a pit of despair."
"I was never spiraling into a pit of despair." I shoved her. Playfully. She shoved back.
And sohow, impossibly, we were laughing.
Real laughter. The kind that bubbled up from sowhere deep. The kind that made your stomach hurt and your eyes water.
We stumbled down the street. Clutching each other. Cackling like lunatics.
The night air wrapped around us like a blanket. Cool and clean. Washing away the heat and chaos of the arena.
We turned another corner. The street opened up into a small square. A fountain in the center. Benches. Trees with fairy lights strung through their branches.
"Hey Sophie?"
"Yeah?"
"I’m really glad you ca too."
She smiled. That bright, warm Sophie smile.
"Obviously. I’m a delight."
I rolled my eyes. But I was smiling too.
We walked on. The fountain’s sound faded behind us. The fairy lights disappeared around the corner.
Just the two of us. The night. And the road ahead.
That’s when I heard it.
A car engine. Slowing down. Rolling up behind us.
Then a voice.
Male. Low. Flirtatious.
"Ladies, need a ride?"
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