Cassian's POV.
I couldn’t stand the noise anymore. The laughter, the clinking glasses, the lingering chatter of the pack...it all faded into nothing the moment I saw her across the room. Aria. Standing there, chest rising and falling, eyes wide and alive. My chest tightened in a way nothing else could touch.
I grabbed her hand, firm, unrelenting. She didn’t pull away. “Come with me,” I said, voice low, meant only for her. Surprise flashed across her face, but she followed, like she always did. She always came when I wanted her.
We moved quickly, past the lingering Blackwoods and pack members, the sounds of celebration disappearing behind us. She kept pace easily, silent, breathing fast, eyes wide but unafraid. She trusted me, even if she didn’t know she did.
I pressed her against the
