005

~~ ARIA ~~

“So how did hearing me moan your name sound?” Thorne smirked.

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and gosh, those beautiful eyes of his, I couldn't take my eyes off them.

I could literally hear the sound of my own heartbeat.

“What?” I wanted to sound confident, and unaffected by his ridiculous question, but my voice betrayed me.

I mean, how could I keep calm when he was naked and his big cock was on display?

“You heard me Aria. I don't like to repeat anything I say,” He answered and began wearing his boxers.

“I… I don’t… care if you moaned my name, Thorne. It doesn't matter,” I swallowed, trying hard to get away from him.

His lips tipped upwards as he began taking slow but deliberate steps towards me.

He wasn't even putting on a shirt.

I should have backed away, but for reasons I didn't understand, I wasn't able to.

He closed the gap between us. His scent was intoxicating to the extent that I closed my eyes and inhaled, savoring the moment.

He looked at me like I was a prized jewel he longed to have. I felt seen and wanted.

Then I felt something stare inside.

Thorne reached his hand up and used his thumb to brush on my lips.

I closed my eyes when I felt tingles spreading throughout my body.

Fuck… Thorne was going to be the end of me.

However, it was at that moment that I felt the magnetic pull that made my eyes snap open, and so did his.

“Mate?” We chanted in unison.

I was astounded, not even knowing what else to say. I didn't have a wolf so how was it possible that I could sense my mate?

Meanwhile, Thorne’s face hardened. Every trace of his flirtatiousness from earlier vanished.

Why did his countenance change after we just found out that we were mates?

And why did we find out now after all these years?

All these questions ran wild in my head but Thorne’s cold words brought me back to reality.

“Aria Stone, what do you want? Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for your wedding with Magnus?” Thorne asked coldly, while putting on a bathrobe.

I frowned, “You know about my marriage?” I asked him.

“Our packs are rivals Aria. I make it a necessity to know everything that's going on in my rival's pack,” He said simply.

I thought now that we were mates he’d claim me, and ask me not to marry Alpha Magnus.

But he hadn’t said anything concerning it, and that was all the answer I needed.

My heart sank in realization, but I forced myself to straighten my shoulders.

He didn't want me.

Or else, his expression wouldn't have turned cold when he realized we were mates.

Suck it up Aria. Deal with that fact, I said inwardly, and took a deep breath.

“What do you want Aria?” Thorne asked firmly.

“I want you to stop fighting my brother, please. This war has gone on long enough,” I told him.

He huffed, his gaze lingering on my boobs a little longer than it should have, and I could have sworn I saw his eyes darken.

“My council of elders are the ones who spearhead all the retaliation attacks. I have nothing to do with it,” He said curtly.

“But you are the alpha. You can command them to stop the attacks,” I answered.

“Aria, this is more than you think. There is nothing I can do. Your brother caused it. He started the attacks,” Thorne snapped impatiently.

I didn't get it. The whole thing was beginning to make me dizzy just thinking about it.

“Then tell me what started all this. Can’t you see I'm trying to make things right?” I snapped in frustration.

Thorne scoffed and chuckled dryly.

“Make things right? You’re just trying to do that now because you don't want to get married to Magnus,” He retorted.

“That’s not true,” I said firmly, even though I knew he was half right.

“Really? Then why didn't you try to make things right since this war started five years ago? Aria you left without saying goodbye. You didn't even try to contact me all these years. You were busy partying with human men and posting it online,” Thorne yelled with sad eyes.

I creased my brows. The sadness I saw in his eyes made my heart ache.

Was this why he refused to acknowledge our mate bond?

Because he was hurt?

He cussed under his breath, and ran his hand over his face, before he looked at me.

“Your brother is the one who needs your pep talk, not me. So coming here was pointless. You can leave now,” He said, his voice breaking a bit.

Five years ago before I left, Alec collected my real phone, so I had no way of reaching Thorne, and somehow that hurt more than the silence itself.

The human world had nothing to do with the werewolf, so I couldn’t even find Thorne’s social media account while I was there.

I was shocked that he was even able to keep tabs on me.

But then again, if he could access my social media, why didn’t he reach out to me all these years?

“So that’s it?” I scoffed in exasperation. “You aren’t going to talk about the fact that we are mates?”

“It’s pointless. You should go get married to Magnus,” He spat coldly while walking upstairs.

And I couldn’t even bring myself to stop him.

If only he knew how I longed for him and wished to hear his voice all these years, he wouldn’t treat me this way.

I wanted to run to him and hug him from behind, but I was a woman and I needed to have self-respect, so I stayed where I was.

I was done throwing myself at Thorne.

Coming here turned out to be a waste of time, but that didn’t mean I was going to let Alec marry me off to some old man.

~~~~~~

I failed to stop the marriage. Or should I just say, I agreed for Alec’s sake?

Yeah, I did.

He was the only family I had left, and even though we didn’t always see eye to eye on things, I still loved him.

So I wiped the tears from my eyes as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

For the first time, the thought settled heavily in my chest.

Alec didn't send me to the human world just because he wanted to start a war. There was something more at play here.

And whatever it was, it cost me five years… and the man I have had feelings for almost all my life.

Maybe if I could find out why I was sent to the human world and why our packs were at war, I would have had a chance of avoiding this marriage.

“I’m sorry you have to go through all these. If I had the power I would have called off the marriage.,” Mrs Hale walked up behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders, giving them a comforting pat.

I smiled sadly, “You know what happened when I tried to,” I told her and she sighed.

After I tried to call off the marriage yesterday, Alpha Magnus had sent threat messages asking for his money back and Alec didn’t have it.

I knew our pack couldn’t afford to be at war with two packs at the same time. So I gave up.

Maybe this was my fate.

“It’s time,” Alec peeped into the room and announced.

I exhaled sharply and nodded.

Mrs Hale walked me to the Altar where the priestess of the moon goddess waited alongside Alpha Magnus.

How was I going to survive him towering over me when we would have sex?

A wedding was supposed to be full of smiles between the bride and groom, but here I was, fighting back tears of sorrow.

I wished Thorne was the one waiting for me at the altar.

My heart would have been pounding with ecstasy.

But who was I kidding? Thorne wasn't interested.

Alpha Magnus ogled my body with hungry eyes.

The hall was big and filled with people from my pack and his pack.

Then he leaned closer, smiling like this wedding was already a done deal.

Like my consent hadn’t mattered in the first place.

“I can’t wait to off your panties tonight,” Alpha Magnus whispered into my ear.

Just the sound of his voice alone made my skin crawl.

I closed my eyes fighting the urge to break his balls.

The priestess of the moon goddess was about to begin the joining ceremony when the hall door was forced open.

“She is mine,” Thorne's voice boomed through the hall, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.

Was this a dream? Or was Thorne really here to claim me?