Aria’s POV
The afternoon sun filtered through the tall trees surrounding the training ground, casting long, trembling shadows on the earth beneath my feet. The air was crisp, tinged with the faint scent of pine and sweat, a reminder that this was a place of both strength and vulnerability.
I stood near the edge of the sparring area, my heart pounding louder than the rhythmic thuds of fists hitting pads. The moment felt surreal, Kael had just kissed me. A brief, stolen kiss that still sent warmth flooding through every inch of my body. But it was far from the simple, innocent connection I wanted it to be.
He was my mate. The father of my unborn pup. But Alpha Lucien, my stepfather, the man who had claimed me as his own, had just seen us. The kiss. The undeniable spark between Kael and me
