(POV - Aria)

Her lungs squeezed around the air trapped inside them, slipping between the guests at the banquet. She could feel the beginnings of a panic attack scratching at the inside of her throat, threatening to double her over in anxiety alone.

She had spotted Marcus stalking towards her, and she knew that if he found her, there would be no stopping Aiden this time. She feared what he might do to Marcus, and what might happen to the innocent guests in attendance. She didn't want to be the cause of harm and fear, and she knew that Aiden would not be easily restrained. Her father had told her how close Aiden had come to ripping out her mother's throat. If it hadn't been for her father, she would have had to bury her mother because of the bond that Aiden had rejected.

What a stupid, irresponsible reason for almost killing someone precious to Aria. She hadn't forgiven him for it yet. Even though she knew it hadn't been his own actions, but that of his wolf, driven insane by Aria's heat, she couldn't forgive him.

She'd been somewhat relieved when he avoided her, even though it hurt her deeply. But with Marcus' scent growing and getting closer, she knew she needed to disappear.

And disappear fast.

Her wolf, however, disagreed wholeheartedly. She fought against Aria, wanting to twist and turn back, to feel the unique touch that had settled her so quickly, so resolutely, that even her wolf had temporarily forgotten her own true mate.

Even though she'd never spent a rut with another male, she'd never expected to be as... intimate as it had been with Marcus. She could see the feral, primal urge to tear into her body burning bright in his eyes when he looked at her. Yet he'd been attentive, always pulling back, so he didn't hurt her. He had taken care of her. A few times he'd woken her to make sure she ate some of the food that had been slid through the slot in the door, and drink water. He'd even half-carried her to the restroom when her legs had given out, so exhausted and shaky that she couldn't stand on her own, let alone walk.

He'd reinforced his rule about their arrangement being purely sex, with no strings attached, and she'd been convinced that she could handle it.

But she'd spent almost every waking hour in the last few weeks thinking about him. To the point that April had managed to pry more and more information out of her, more than Aria had ever thought she'd be comfortable sharing.

And his scent had brought all of those memories rushing back to the surface. It made her stumble as the arousal flooded her tummy. She prayed that it wouldn't alter her scent enough to make any of the males in attendance notice.

Her situation just grew more precarious, and she shoved the intrusive thoughts from her mind as much as she could. Her dress felt too tight, and it clung to her legs as she tried to outrun Marcus without letting anyone else notice her urgency. She knew that going outside would only mean she and Marcus might be followed, but staying inside was far more dangerous.

Changing tactics, she glanced around. She was trying to locate the nearest exit that didn't lead out onto a balcony.

There, on the far end of the banquet hall, next to the grand staircase. The large double doors had been swung open and guests milled in and out. That was her exit.

She threw a nervous glance over her shoulder and spotted Marcus' broad back, his long hair pulled back into a knot at the back of his head. The lighting in the banquet hall threw his sharp features into contrast, his jaw clenched and ticking in agitation. She knew he was irritated because he couldn't find her. She could scent it on him, how his scent swelled with distaste the longer she evaded him. She'd made it to the opposite end of the hall. She hid among the wallflowers and hoped the scent of the Alphas around would mask her enough to hide her for a little while.

She'd lost sight of her parents and April, and couldn't find any of her other packmates. She tried not to panic, knowing it would only draw attention to herself and it would end with Marcus finding her that much quicker.

She took deep, quiet breaths, willing her heart to slow down and her wolf to quiet. It wouldn't help her situation if she was found.

The bustling crowd suddenly turned, facing the grand staircase that led up into private rooms. To where Aiden and Meredith had been kept while they waited for all their guests to assemble.

Someone must have told them that everyone had arrived, because they emerged at the top, hand in hand, looking so obscenely happy that it made Aria bite back tears. Their mixed scents accosted her again, and she felt the nausea roil in her stomach. Meredith wasn't wearing purple, but a deep, royal burgundy that almost mocked the purple velvet of Aria's dress.

It broke her heart, seeing the color paraded around like a slap in her face, like they'd wanted to hurt her. And it worked.

But the burgundy dress and their clasped hands weren't what broke her.

No, it was the fresh mark on Meredith's neck. Aiden's lips still stained red from her blood.

Aria gasped as a brand new kind of agony ripped through her body, and she fought to keep her screams down, covering her open mouth with a shaking hand. Her wolf cried out for her mate, for the pure and final rejection, and she almost collapsed from the pain.

So that was why their bond had gone dormant so suddenly.

Aiden had marked Meredith, claiming her the way Aria had wished to be claimed. Now he was showing her off like a brand new toy.

She swallowed her sobs, refusing to break down in a sea of strange wolves but couldn't look away. And Aiden's eyes found hers in the crowd. It was so quick it was like he knew exactly where she had been standing.

His wolf surfaced in his eyes, and she saw the regret and guilt swimming there, the apology glaring and hurting her even more. Aiden simply shook his head and turned away indifferently, leading Meredith to a group of Alphas who had gathered at the foot of the stairs with their own Lunas, ready for a round of introductions.

Aria could feel the floor sway beneath her feet when there were hands on her, turning her around to face a shocked, concerned April.

"Aria, pull yourself together," she urged, even though her eyes shone with tears for the pain her best friend endured.

"I don't want to be here, April," Aria whined, her breath shaky and uneven. "I shouldn't have come tonight, there's no way this is going to end well."

"Get a grip, Aria," April pleaded, trying not to cause a scene. She knew as well as Aria that it would be the worst possible place to start a riot. Especially if the other Alphas in attendance found out that there was discord brewing in Aiden's pack. Even worse, if they found out it was because of Aiden himself, his irresponsible choice to reject his true mate.

The older, more experienced Alphas wouldn't hesitate to challenge him, to take Aria for themselves, seeing as she was an Alpha's true mate that had been unclaimed. They'd leap at the chance because an Alpha's true mate had been born to lead alongside her Alpha, her position as Luna a status of her power.

And Aria wanted nothing to do with any of it. She just wanted to go home and disappear.

"Take me home, please," Aria whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, April, get me out, I can't be here."

"We'll get you out of here but I need you to keep your chin up and show him that it doesn't affect you."

Ayla shook her head, the tears overflowing and slipping down her cheeks freely. She didn't want to think. It only made her head hurt more, and besides, he was too wrapped up in his marked mate to even look Aria's way.

What difference would it make?

"April, I can't, please just take me home."

April nodded. "Okay, but we have to get past them. Can you do that?"

The thought of having to walk anywhere near them sent new ripples of pain through her chest and she choked, taking a step back, an overwhelming scent suddenly far too close.

Her back hit something hard and warm, and she spun around, terrified it would be Aiden.

But it wasn't.

She hadn't realised whose scent had closed the distance.

And now it was too late.

"Aria."

It was Marcus, his eyes flickering between storm gray and the lightning silver that she identified as his wolf. He was angry and confused, but it was concern drawing his brows together.

Her wolf stopped howling and quieted in his presence, lowering her head submissively. Aria opened her mouth to ask him why he was there, how he'd found her. She wanted to tell him to leave before Aiden went berserk, but she couldn't bring herself to explain her situation.

She just wanted him to take her away, quickly, far enough that Aiden and Meredith's scent longer suffocated her in insecurities and agony.

"Please," she whispered, tears clinging to her lashes. "Please get me out, Alpha."