Aria’s POV
Now that the truth has been revealed to me, that Alpha Lucien, my stepfather, isn’t my mate, but his son is, I don’t even know how to breathe.
How am I supposed to handle this?
How do I pretend nothing has changed when everything has?
I stared at the mark on my shoulder. Still fresh. Still stinging. I might be young, but I know enough that when your mate marks you, something shifts inside. The bond pulls at you, tightens around your soul, and makes you feel things you never asked for.
And it’s true. I’ve felt it. I feel it every time I breathe.
But who the hell wants to admit she’s mated to theman her mother trusted until her dying breath?
A soft knock echoed on the door, breaking through the storm in my head.
I didn’t move at first. My heart slammed against my chest,
