Chapter 5
1535 Words
Diana almost hit the car in front of her when the traffic light turned red.
Her hands were shaking.
Not because she'd slammed her foot on the brake pedal too hard, but because her mind was completely wrapped up in what she was hearing on the radio.
Her face was hidden beneath a dark hoodie.
She'd even cut her hair into a bob and dyed it black.
From redhead to brunette.
Very funny.
It had been surprisingly difficult to change the color of her hair, especially since she'd done it herself.
Sometimes she'd look at herself in the mirror and get a jump scare, wondering who the strange woman staring back at her was.
She was on the run.
And it was terrifying.
Every day, she feared for her life.
She felt helpless, with a throbbing ache in her chest because she couldn't save her mother.
Except now...
She could.
Every day, she'd tuned into the Silver Moon Pack's frequency, desperately hoping to hear something.
Anything.
News about her mother.
A sign that she was still alive.
She'd gotten nothing.
Until now.
All she had to do was return to the pack.
Return to that monster.
Alpha Aiden.
What would he do to her for insulting him?
Rejecting him?
Escaping him?
Whatever the answer was, she was certain it wouldn't involve her walking away without a scar.
That was if she was ever supposed to walk away at all.
A loud honk jolted her back to reality.
She exhaled shakily and tightened her grip around the steering wheel.
The entire world felt like it was closing in on her.
When she finally returned to the motel room she'd been hiding in, she threw herself onto the bed and buried her face in her hands.
Her mind raced through every possible way to save herself.
And her mother.
Her heart screamed at her to sacrifice herself.
But her head warned her—no, screamed at her—that this was a trap.
She stood and began pacing.
“What do I do?”
Her voice cracked.
Tears blurred her vision.
Go back!
Her heart screamed.
Don't go.
Her wolf spoke quietly.
Diana stopped pacing.
Her wolf had been silent for weeks, ever since she'd chickened out when Diana had needed her the most.
“Our mom...” Diana whispered.
Her throat tightened.
“She... she needs us.”
She wiped away a tear.
“He's going to kill her. I'll never be able to live with myself knowing that I could have saved her. That we could have saved her.”
He'll kill us.
Her wolf's voice was weak with fear.
And Diana knew she was right.
She knew exactly what Aiden was capable of.
She'd seen his wolf.
Felt his hands around her throat.
She'd seen the hatred in his eyes.
But she couldn't let herself think about that.
“If I agree to be his mate, his Luna, or just a concubine...” She swallowed. “Perhaps things might go well between us.”
She almost laughed at the absurdity of the thought.
“You never can tell.”
Her wolf remained silent.
“I can't stay here, living every day with guilt and wondering if I could have really saved her.”
Diana stopped pacing.
Her decision was made.
And not even her terrified wolf could change it.
You're too human...
The words came quietly.
Then silence.
Diana's chest tightened.
They hurt more than she wanted to admit.
But she forced herself to ignore them.
It didn't matter if she was thinking like a human.
It didn't matter if she'd lost touch with the werewolf she used to be.
What mattered was saving her mother.
A few minutes later, she began packing the clothes she'd accumulated since arriving at the motel.
Thanks to the hospital where she'd interned, she'd met a friend who owed her a favor.
He was the one who had been taking care of her.
He'd allowed her to use his car and helped her get whatever she needed to survive.
She'd lied to him, telling him she was in trouble with a stalker ex she'd broken up with.
He'd immediately come to her aid.
Not only because he owed her the favor...
But because he had a crush on her.
If there hadn't been another man in the picture, she probably would have been his.
Especially now, when she was at her lowest.
But there was another man.
A monster waiting for her return.
Aiden was at his wit's end, waiting for a certain someone to appear at his house on her knees, begging and promising herself to him.
He was sure she would come.
Especially after the way his Beta had relayed his command.
It was...
Sweet.
Not that Aiden would have called it that.
He would have been direct.
Bloody.
Threatening.
Hours passed.
The day came to an end, and no one showed up.
It broke his heart.
Not that he had one in the first place.
A glass of brandy rested in Aiden's hand as he stared at the front door.
Then at the clock.
Then back at the door.
Nothing.
His face twisted with disgust and disappointment.
Before he could control his rage, the glass flew from his hand and smashed against the wall.
Shards scattered across the floor.
Thirteen days to go.
Perhaps he should have told Vince to be more specific about the date of judgment.
He should have given Diana two days.
Maybe then she'd have come running immediately.
Or was she an ungrateful b***h?
A coward?
No.
She didn't seem like the kind of woman who would be selfish enough to leave her mother to die.
He exhaled forcefully through his nose.
He hated waiting.
He hated uncertainty.
Most of all, he hated the fact that he cared whether she came back.
When the clock struck midnight, Aiden finally decided to go to bed.
He turned away from the door.
Then it opened.
Aiden's head snapped around.
A grimace formed on his face.
Then disappeared.
Shock replaced it.
Because standing in his living room was the one person who had turned his entire life upside down in a matter of minutes.
Diana.
It was her.
Right?
She didn't look exactly like he remembered.
Her face was leaner.
Her features were delicate.
And those eyes...
Those unmistakable blue eyes.
They were glaring into his own.
Uncertain.
Yet still bold.
Still defiant.
She was dressed entirely in black.
Black hoodie.
Black leggings.
Black boots.
Even her hair was black.
Aiden stared at her.
Then frowned.
“What happened to your hair?”
Diana blinked.
She was standing in front of the monster.
Facing her greatest fear.
And he was asking about her hair?
“You have to set her free.”
Aiden knew exactly who she meant.
Yet somehow, he remained more interested in her appearance.
“Did you dye it?”
Diana stared at him.
“Or is that a wig?”
Her mouth fell open.
She'd risked her life coming back here.
She'd walked straight into the hands of the man who had nearly killed her.
And this was what he wanted to know?
She scoffed.
Her hands landed on her hips.
Her fear evaporated beneath a fresh wave of rage.
“You have to set my mother free.”
Aiden's expression finally hardened.
“I'll do whatever you want.”
The words came out more firmly than she intended.
That caught his attention.
Aiden slowly walked toward her.
Like a predator approaching prey.
He stopped beside her.
Then began circling her.
Diana forced herself not to move.
Not to step back.
Not to show fear.
He stopped behind her.
She felt his presence before she felt his breath.
His mouth moved close to her left ear.
“Anything?”
Diana's body stiffened.
His voice dropped lower.
The sound crawled beneath her skin.
She hated how overpowering he was.
His scent.
His warmth.
His presence.
Everything about him made her senses scream, yet she forced herself to nod.
Aiden was silent for a moment.
“Diana...”
His voice was almost a whisper.
“Are you sure?”
She closed her eyes, then nodded again.
Yes. For her mother. She would do anything.
Anything.
Aiden's lips curved.
Then he laughed.
Diana barely had time to turn around.
His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her sharply against his body.
“What—”
Pain exploded through her neck.
His teeth sank into her skin.
Diana gasped.
Her hands flew to his arms as her entire body stiffened.
What was he doing?
The pain burned through her veins.
Then something strange happened.
A warmth spread from the wound through her entire body.
Her wolf stirred.
For the first time in weeks, she felt her presence.
Awake.
Terrified.
And suddenly screaming inside Diana's mind.
Diana!
Her eyes widened.
Aiden released her.
She stumbled forward, one hand flying to her neck.
Her fingertips came away wet with blood.
She stared at it.
Then slowly looked back at him.
Aiden's eyes were glowing.
Possessive.
Triumphant.
Diana's heart pounded.
She didn't understand what he'd done.
But somewhere deep inside her...
Her wolf did.
He marked us.
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