The Alpha's Heir Secret

Ariel's POV

I knew I was already damned when I woke up with bare skin; coming to the party was a bad decision, I know. I sat in the bathroom, still in the dark, curled against the white bathtub.

The cold tiles pressed against my spine. My heart was palpitating. My throat was dry, and my mind wandered far and wide. Guilt choked me as Jayden’s worried voice kept echoing: “I’ve been looking everywhere for Ariel…”

I hugged my knees and prayed Jayden wouldn’t walk into the bathroom.

When I felt too curious, I walked towards the door and perched my ears on it to hear more. All of a sudden, I heard the sound of them kissing; my wolf wobbled, the mark on my neck ached more, and I felt like a doomed city never to be rebuilt.

Feeling overwhelmed with anxiety as I searched for an escape from this chaos, my thoughts wandered back to my high school days at Georgewill's High School, a time when I was innocent, defenseless, and utterly lost.

It was at the time when the rumor spread of me being disowned by my father that I was relentlessly targeted by the older students and my peers too, who took pleasure in belittling me and deepening my insecurities.

But amidst this turmoil, there was Jayden, my savior, dedicated to ensuring I earned the respect of my classmates. He stood up for me and transformed from a mere friend into a steadfast ally during my struggles as an omega, providing the support I desperately needed.

I freaked back to reality when I heard Jayden say,

“Daniel… what is this mark on your neck?”

“Oh this, I have been scratching that spot since last night. I think I got bitten by an insect or something,”

Daniel lied so well that I did not know if I should be relieved or worried about what would become of me if Jayden found out; Daniel would literally lie his way out.

“Oh, we’d apply some first aid when we get home then.” Jayden returned, very convinced of the stated fact.

I heard the door click open and shut. I waited because I needed to be sure they were gone, completely gone, so I wouldn’t have to face Jayden’s eyes or Daniel’s voice or the shame clinging to me like soaked cloth.

When the silence stretched too long, I stepped out of the bathroom and, of course, the room was quiet now. And empty. Daniel was gone but his scent lingered, though, heavy and selfish, filling the air with that arrogant blend of cologne and betrayal.

I stormed out the front door, and immediately I heard Jayden’s car wheel away. The rest of the house was being tidied by the homekeepers. I just walked as fast as I could to get past them.

The rush of cold air kissed my skin so sharply it felt like it was punishing me, reminding me I was still alive.

I crossed the road, stood beneath a blinking streetlight, and pulled out my phone. It was already 7:30 am and my head hurt.

My fingers shook as I typed a text:

"I’m fine, Jayden. I slept off in one of the rooms. I’m heading home."

That was all I had to do to compensate for all the calls and texts I missed from him.

That was all I could say, and immediately after typing, I turned off my phone completely because I wasn't ready for his kind reply filled with love and care for me. I didn't deserve it.

“Even if Daniel said all sorts of things to you, remember the nasty things he did with you on that bed. Ariel, that was the best feeling we ever had. Chill out, girl.”

Nina, my wolf, was tired of my grumpiness; she decided to remind me of the whole shenanigan from last night, and that made my stomach jump in excitement all of a sudden.

“Jayden is my best friend; he saves and loves us so much. This is not about the climax I had last night or how good the s*x was, it's about my conscience. It hurts when I remember Daniel was my best friend's boyfriend.”

I know that won’t make her fully tap into what I mean, but I had to let it out.

“And look, I know he never liked you because of the way Jayden gives you more of his time and attention more and also for the fact that you joined the pack after your pack disowned you. So, practically, he feels it is cringe that his mate is an omega, but that is his problem, not yours!”

Nina kept talking, but this wasn't about Daniel, it was about Jayden.

What if he finds out?

We walked home silently, the street was quiet and used by a few people. Back to my tiny apartment, I stripped off everything I wore, like they too had a hand in the guilt I was feeling. The shower drizzled down my body for a long time until I felt I was clean enough.

I just turned on my phone and was immediately hit with a flurry of text notifications.

Among them, one stood out in a strange way. It was from a private number:

“Meet me at the tower where I first met Jayden; I know he told you. 10 PM. We need to sort things out. If you don't come, I’ll tell Jayden you seduced me into sleeping with you.”

That was all it said, and it struck me that my own feelings seemed irrelevant in this situation. I took a deep breath, knowing that meeting him at such an unusual time was a risky gamble; there was a 50/50 chance he wouldn’t harm me.

“Don't go, Ariel,”

My wolf warned softly. But I had already made up my mind; I was too curious to ignore what he had to say.