Chapter 2
1287 Words
Aria sat in her office, her fingers trembling slightly as she held her coffee cup. The rich aroma did nothing to settle her nerves. The previous night played in her mind like a cruel joke—Emily’s family, the grand dinner, the laughter echoing through the halls. And she? She had been strictly uninvited.
Sophia had made sure to rub salt into the wound.
“She’s his mate, Aria,” Sophia had whispered with a smirk. “And he confirmed it himself. Right in front of me.”
Aria had felt the world tilt, her breath catching in her throat.
Luca had confirmed it?
He’d looked her in the eye, called their bond one-sided, and now… he was calling someone else his mate?
She had no idea how she got home that night. She barely slept, her wolf howling inside her, torn and aching. But the next morning, she had forced herself to get up, to push through the unbearable weight in her chest.
Work. Work was the only thing that could keep her sane.
But as soon as she arrived at her office, dizziness hit her like a wave.
She gripped the edge of her desk, her vision swimming.
“Boss?” her assistant, Megan, rushed to her side. “You don’t look okay. Maybe you should get checked out.”
Aria exhaled shakily. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” Megan folded her arms. “You nearly collapsed just now. I know you don’t want to, but please—go see a doctor.”
Aria hesitated. Maybe she was just exhausted. But what if it was something else?
With a sigh, she nodded. “Fine. I’ll go.”
The drive to the hospital felt endless. Her heart pounded as she sat in the waiting room, fidgeting with her sleeve.
When the doctor finally called her in, she didn’t expect the words that followed.
“Miss Aria, you’re pregnant.”
Her breath hitched.
Pregnant.
The doctor’s gentle smile barely registered as shock rippled through her.
“The baby is fine,” the doctor continued, but then his tone turned serious. “However, you need to take care of yourself. Overthinking and stress can cause complications. If you’re not careful, you might lose the baby.”
Aria’s hands trembled as they pressed against her stomach, the weight of the doctor's words crashing down on her like an unforgiving tide.
Pregnant.
Luca’s child.
Her breath hitched as she tried to steady herself, but the emotions swirling inside her refused to be tamed. A life—fragile, innocent, and entirely unexpected—was growing within her. Her wolf stirred restlessly, a mixture of protectiveness and anguish radiating through her core.
She should have felt joy. She should have felt something other than this suffocating dread.
But how could she, when the father of her child had already claimed another woman as his mate?
The memory of last night resurfaced, a brutal slap to the face. The lavish dinner, the clinking of glasses, the quiet murmur of approval as Emily’s family settled into their new reality—one where Aria did not belong. And Luca…
Luca had confirmed it.
Confirmed that Emily was his mate.
Aria closed her eyes tight, wishing the ache away.
She couldn't tell him. Not now.
Not when he had so painfully made his decision.
The doctor's words reverberated in her mind. If you're not careful, you might lose the baby.
She would not let that happen. She had lived through years of heartache, but this child? This one was different. This one was hers to safeguard.
Forcing air into her lungs, she stood, covering the turmoil with a veneer of determination. "Thank you, doctor," she whispered, her voice more level than she was.
The doctor nodded reassuringly. "Take care of yourself, Miss Aria. Stress isn't good for either of you."
She smiled tightly before leaving the hospital, her head a knotty jumble.
By the time she arrived back at work, exhaustion clung to her bones like a second skin. But the moment she stepped into her office, her phone buzzed.
A single message.
From an unknown number.
Aria frowned, unlocking her phone.
Aria, it’s me. Luca.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Her fingers hovered over the screen, her pulse racing as she continued reading.
My other number isn’t working. Come to Crimsonveil Bar. Let’s talk. I regret everything.
Regret?
Her breath came shallow, disbelief clawing at her throat.
She read the message again. And again.
Luca regretted it?
A spark of something wild lit up her chest. Was this real? Had he finally figured out what he'd done?
Her head shouted at her to be careful. To recall the hurt. The rejection. But her heart—her stupid, bruised heart—clung to the chance.
She snatched up her coat before she could rationalize herself out of it, the fatigue she'd felt moments before giving way to a wave of nervous energy.
She needed to see him.
She had to know.
Aria pulled up to Crimsonveil Bar, her pulse thrumming with nervous excitement. The dim neon lights flickered against the pavement as she stepped out of her car, clutching her phone tightly.
Another message buzzed through.
Check room 188. I’m there.
Her gut curled, but for the first time in weeks, not with pain. Room 188—she knew what rooms like those were for. The private rooms in the pack's most well-liked bar were infamous for being rented by couples.
A wave of relief swept through her. Emily hadn't stolen him from her after all.
Luca desired her.
He wished he'd never done any of it.
Her heart filled with hope, her fingers idly tracing the shape of her stomach as she envisioned telling him about the baby. They could be together now. He would love her, love them.
With a rush of haste, she walked down the dark hallway, coming to stand before the door labeled 188.
Her trembling fingers worked the handle, and she pushed the door open.
Darkness.
"Luca?" she whispered, looking into the room.
No answer.
She took a cautious step forward. “Luca, are you here?”
The door slammed shut behind her.
Before she could react, rough hands grabbed her from behind, shoving her onto the bed.
Aria gasped, twisting violently as a heavy weight pinned her down.
The scent.
Her stomach turned violently. It wasn’t Luca.
Panic surged through her veins. She thrashed, clawing at the man’s arms. “Get off me!”
He was powerful, but she was more powerful. Her wolf howled within her, the urge to defend herself—to defend her child—asserting itself.
Her hands frantically felt the nightstand, grasping a cold, slick surface. A glass.
With every ounce of force she could muster, she swung it back.
A disgusting crack rang out as the glass hit the man's head.
He grunted, his hold releasing just enough for her to push him off.
Aria tried to scramble to her feet, panting as her hands shook. Her eyes darted to the doorway—
And she caught her breath in her throat.
Laughter.
Emily and Sophia stood there with cruel amusement written across their faces.
Sophia crossed her arms and smirked, "Well, that's some pretty great performance.
Emily laughed, holding up her phone. "You looked so desperate, Aria. You really thought Luca wanted you?" She held up the screen in front of Sophia, scrolling through the photos she had taken.
Aria's blood turned ice-cold.
"You should thank me," Emily sneered. "You got your moment."
Sophia smiled. "And now, we get to demonstrate to Luca how pathetic you truly are."
And perhaps. maybe. she had to inform him about the baby.
- Writer
