Aria's pov
The scent of coffee still hung in the air when I looked up and met Alpha Damien's eyes. His cold stare locked on me, sharp enough to make my pulse stumble.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to narrow to that single look—black eyes, unreadable, heavy with authority.
The hum of the office faded, replaced only by the faint hiss of the espresso machine still running behind me.
My heart pounded so hard I could hear it echo in my ears
"Yes," I managed, my voice steadier than I felt."As Talia said, all the women in the binder looked the same. None of them stood out, so I thought any of them would work."
I still didn't know what I had done wrong, but I refused to back down.
Alpha Damien's eyes turned darker. "You chose her just because you could pick anyone?"
