THIRD PERSON'S POV
All through the night, Alpha Lucas couldn't sleep. He kept thinking of how close Maria was. She was going to go through so much pain that she wouldn't believe it, yet he wouldn't kill her. He would draw out her pain and suffering for as long as he could. He had trouble falling asleep, and only the lull of Aria's faint pulse finally pulled him into a shallow sleep that was filled with nightmares.
The dreams were different yet the same. He was in all of them. Aria was, too. She was sinking, and he couldn't get to her fast enough because Maria was in the way. He couldn't go through her, not if he wanted to stay alive.
He woke up in a cold sweat and plagued with such deep fear that only the sight of Aria calmed him down.He would fall asleep again, only for him to experi
