The morning sun filtered through the thick canopy of trees surrounding Crescent Park, casting dappled light onto the forest floor. Aria walked with a purposeful stride, her thoughts a whirlwind of anxiety and determination. The conversation with Steve the night before had left her restless, her mind racing with the possibilities and dangers that lay ahead. She knew that time was slipping through their fingers, and every passing moment brought them closer to the inevitable confrontation with her father.
Caleb’s offer of help had been an unexpected twist in their already complicated situation. Aria had never imagined that the Beta’s son, the man her father had chosen for her, would become an ally in her fight for true love. It was a risk, trusting someone so closely tied to her father’s pow
