Chapter 29: Aria

Chapter 29: Aria

Waking up the next morning was like waking up from a nightmare. Only the nightmare had been very real, and it affected everyone, not just me. The atmosphere over the Silent Shadows Pack was somber. Even though we emerged victorious, there was no celebrating what the battle had done to our pack.

All throughout the day, as I helped my packmates prepare for funerals, I had to keep reminding myself who else had died yesterday. It didn’t seem real. Possibly because I wasn’t staring at a corpse like those belonging to my packmates. Oswald Moore was dead—but maybe the real reason why it didn’t seem real was that the Oswald I knew was dead to me long before yesterday. The man that Lucas killed was little more than a stranger stricken with psychosis. I was sure they were feeling the effects more potently back in the Grey Creek Pack.

After running around all day and then standing in grief-filled silence all evening, paying our respects to the fallen, I was craving a little lightness for my heart. I wanted to move on and begin building my new life with Lucas. I said goodbye to Esther for the night and tracked Lucas down to his office, where he sat at his desk, phone to his ear, looking frustrated.

I hovered at the door, reminded suddenly of a time when hovering outside an office door would yield a snarl or rolled eyes. But Lucas only looked up at me, forcing a weary smile as he gestured for me to come inside.

I closed the door behind myself, wrapping up in the warm wool cardigan on my shoulders.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” said Lucas. “No, he’s the last thing I want to be thinking about right now. You can’t get him transferred here? ...Fine. Aria and I will be there soon.”

It startled me to hear my name spoken in such a professional capacity, but I supposed I’d have to get used to it. The business of the Silent Shadows’ Alpha was my business too. “What’s wrong?” I asked after he hung up.

Lucas sighed and got to his feet, gently embracing my shoulders. “You aren’t going to like this, but we have to go to the Grey Creek villa.”

I resisted the growl brewing in my chest. “Why?”

“It’s Oswald. Something strange is happening to him. The coroner wants us to take a look.”

This time, I couldn’t help the disgust screwing up my face. But there was no use arguing. I’d do what had to be done.

“Let’s hurry so we can make it back before long,” said Lucas, ushering me out of the office.

With time of the essence, we took Lucas’ car to the villa. Lucas made a point of opening the car door for me, holding my hand as we walked into the medical center together. The few wolf shifters inside were all familiar to me—soldiers and medics I had seen during my training—and greeted me as I walked past. I gave them polite smiles, but it was a far cry from forgiveness for the way they treated me. Only time could heal the damage the Grey Creek Pack had done.

The moment we entered the refrigerated examination room, a familiar stench struck me. I hadn’t registered it at the time, in the midst of all the chaos, but I knew immediately where I’d smelled it before, when I was facing off against Mara. Rather, when she was running away, leaking pungent black smoke.

My attention snapped to the white sheet draped across a metal table, rumpled and stained with splotches of black.

“Is that...?” Lucas homed in on it too.

“Your assumptions are correct,” said the coroner. He peeled the sheet back, revealing a horrific rendition of Oswald—or what his human form once looked like. Even though he’d only died yesterday, his body was withered and rotten, rancid meat clinging to wet bones, eye sockets hollow, and lips peeled back over inky teeth. Nausea surged in my stomach. I clasped my hand over my mouth, assaulted by a dozen unpleasant emotions.

Oswald’s death suddenly felt incredibly real.

“Oswald Moore, our former Alpha,” said the coroner. “His body appears to be decaying at a rapid pace that is highly unusual, even for shifters. It’s... unnatural. I didn’t want to declare anything in my coroner’s report until I ran it past you, as I felt you two may have a better idea of what I’m looking at.”

Lucas glanced at me.

All my long nights of theorizing finally came to fruition. “I think this is some kind of dark magic.”

“I thought the same,” said the coroner.

“What evidence do you have?” asked Lucas.

“Remember when I fought Mara? Instead of bleeding, she started leaking this noxious black smoke. Whatever’s happening to Oswald now, she has something to do with it,” I explained.

Lucas pondered for a moment. “She must have had them all under her control. Mind control magic or something. When you took the medallion off of her, it damaged her magical connection.” Lucas excused us, took me by the arm, and pulled me aside, lowering his voice away from the coroner. “I’ve read that the medallions amplify the magic possessed by the Council of Seven. If that’s true, then Mara only recently killed my father in an attempt to amplify her magic, to take control of not just the Grey Creek Pack but possibly our pack too.”

My eyes widened. “She would have taken control of me too if she and Oswald captured me.”

“Yes.” Lucas frowned. “This isn’t good, Aria. If Mara is still out there, she could pose a threat to everyone in Alsa Stone.”

“What do we do?”

Lucas stared for a long time at the decaying corpse. “We prepare ourselves for what Mara’s dark magic is capable of.”

If her dark magic was capable of controlling, manipulating, and warping other people I feared what more she could take away from me. From us. I wasn’t willing to let go of Lucas or my new pack so easily.

There was no sign of the Rogues or Mara for the rest of the summer. Lucas and I met with the Council of Seven to debrief them on what happened the night Oswald died and to relay what we’d learned about Mara and her abuse of the medallion. The Elders were shocked anyone had learned of the medallions’ magic-amplification properties, warning us to keep it secret. Since it was pertinent information to the recent spate of attacks, I disagreed with the secrecy, but Lucas promised that when the time came, the truth would be revealed to all. For now, the Council of Seven would take over the investigation.

I settled quickly and easily into the Silent Shadows Pack. Lucas made it clear to both packmates and strangers that I was his. He wasn’t shy about using PDA to show it, either. Holding my hand and wrapping his arms over my shoulders, kissing my temple. “My darling,” he beckoned to me one evening from across the common room of the pack community center.

Holly, Paula, and Esther, who were sitting together, all cooed at his sweet endearments.

I ignored them, or else my blush would feed their enthusiasm. Rising, I crossed the room toward Lucas. “Yes, Alpha?”

Lucas chuckled behind his lips. “I love it when you call me by my title. There’s something sexy and mysterious about the way you say it.”

He really was making it difficult not to blush. “Behave yourself, Alpha,” I purred.

“I don’t take commands from anyone but my Alpha Female,” he said, sliding his hands around my backside and daring to squeeze my butt as he peered up at me.

Every day, my walls crumbled a little more. The bond between us was growing stronger, enough to chip away at my reservations and convince me he was who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. My brain knew it, and my heart knew it too, but my wounded soul was yet to relent. I tilted my head and ran my fingers through his hair, smiling. “Then I suppose you better get used to taking commands.”

“Oooh!” The girls tittered to one another.

Lucas laughed, but I could tell he’d grown tired of having an audience. Clutching me close, he stood up and lifted me over his shoulder. “I think it’s time for me to retire. And I’m taking this one with me.”

I laughed, trying to hold myself upright. “Goodnight, girls!”

“Goodnight!” they replied, quickly returning to gossiping amongst themselves as Lucas and I left the common room.

He put me back on my feet outside, holding my hand as we walked.

The warmth of Lucas’ bed with him beside me was a comfort I’d grown to look forward to every night. It was part of our routine now. He’d get washed up while I changed into a light t-shirt and shorts for sleeping, then I’d get washed up, then I’d crawl into the bed he had already warmed up with his body heat, his arms waiting to wrap me up. He’d pull me close and kiss my cheek, then, through the course of our affections, we’d find ourselves naked again.

I sat up against the headboard, my head resting in the crook of Lucas’ neck as his arm bent around my waist, fingers trailing across my hip. A soft sigh left my lips as all the thoughts in my head materialized before I realized it. “You treat me so well, Lucas. Sometimes I think I don’t deserve you.”

He tilted his head to press his lips into my hair. “You deserve the world, Aria. The fact that you constantly doubt that just proves it.”

“Modesty is a good trait for an Alpha Female, isn’t it?” I chuckled.

“Yes. There’s no good in an arrogant leader.”

I mulled over his words for a few seconds. “Do you think I’ll make a good leader?”

“You spent four years training to be a leader. But the most important traits of a leader can’t be taught; they’re inherent. And you... You’ll be the most kind, fair, and just leader I’ve ever known.”

His unwavering confidence in me melted my heart. I closed my eyes, smiling into the happiness that burned through me. “I love you, Lucas.”

It didn’t click what I’d said until I realized his breath had stalled, and his fingers fell still. The mate bond I’d been cultivating for Lucas shone brighter and hotter than ever before. A fire of love and adoration rushed through me as the mate bond opened up, connecting our hearts completely. “Aria,” he said reverently, beckoning my lips to his. “I love you too. I love you more than anything in the world.”

Even through the kiss, I wanted to cry with joy. Lucas made me feel whole. I belonged here, truly. And I was so grateful that he had seen that before I ever did. I was grateful for him, and I loved him more than anything in the world, too. “I want to be your mate,” I told him. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Lucas held me tighter, our hearts beating as one. “You will,” he promised.