Maria.

The noise of the arena still rang faintly in my ears as I hurried down the corridor.

I didn’t look back.

I didn’t wait to see what happened after Aidan’s victory was announced. I didn’t want to see the celebrations, the cheers, the triumphant expressions on the faces of those who supported him.

And most of al....I didn’t want to see Noah lying there.

The image of him on the sand with Aidan’s sword pressed against his neck was already burned too deeply into my mind.

My chest felt tight as I pushed open the door to my room and stepped inside.

The silence swallowed me instantly.

I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, closing my eyes as I released a long breath. I hadn’t realized how tense my body had been until that moment.

My shoulders sagged.

Everything hurt.

Not physically.

But somewhere deeper.

I crossed the room slowly and sank onto the edge of the bed, pressing my palms against my face.

Why did it have to be like this?

I lay back on the bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling above me. The quiet of the room was almost comforting after the chaos outside.

For a moment, I allowed my eyes to close.

Just for a little while.

Just enough to breathe.

But I had barely begun to relax when a sharp knock sounded on the door.

I frowned.

Who now?

I pushed myself upright with a sigh and walked toward the door. When I opened it, a young rogue stood there, his posture stiff and respectful.

"Rogue 456," he said quickly. "Alpha Aidan is calling for you."

Of course he is.

I rolled my eyes immediately, my patience for that man had already run thin.

Still, I gave the rogue a short nod.

"Alright."

He bowed his head slightly and stepped away, leaving me alone again in the corridor. I shut the door and took a deep breath before turning toward the hallway.

What the hell does he want now?

The question echoed in my mind as I walked.

My footsteps were steady, but my mood was far from calm.

The path to Aidan’s room felt longer than usual, and by the time I reached his door, my irritation had grown into something heavier.

I raised my hand and knocked. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Before I could even lower it again, the door swung open.

Aidan stood there.

His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were sharp as they settled on me. I had barely stepped inside when everything happened at once.

His hand shot forward, his arm wrapped around my waist, and before I could react, his lips crashed against mine.

My entire body froze for half a second in pure shock.

Then anger surged through me like fire.

I shoved him hard.

"Stop!"

My hands pushed against his chest, forcing distance between us as I stumbled back a step.

Aidan staggered slightly from the force, clearly not expecting the resistance, his hand rose slowly to his mouth.

He wiped his lips.

The stunned look in his eyes quickly darkened.

"Noah..." he muttered, his gaze sharpened as he took a slow step closer. "So you like him that much?"

My stomach twisted, but I refused to back down.

"Your eyes were fixed on him throughout," Aidan continued, his voice colder now. "Tell me... do you want him to win?"

My fists clenched at my sides. I lifted my head and looked straight into his eyes.

"If Noah winning will enable me not to see your face again," I said steadily, "then yes. I want him to win."

The words hung between us like a blade, for a moment, Aidan simply stared at me, then his expression twisted with anger.

"Shut up, Maria!" His voice thundered through the room, exploding from him with such force that it seemed to rattle the very air around us.

"You belong to me!"

The words struck harder than the volume behind them. They landed heavily in the space between us, thick with anger and possession.

Before I could even process what he had said, before my body could react or step back, his hand shot forward.

Fast.

His fingers closed around my chin roughly.

The grip was sudden and unyielding, his hand large and firm as it forced my face upward. My head tilted back under the pressure, the sharp edge of his hold digging into my skin just enough to sting.

It hurt.

Not enough to make me cry out.

But enough that I felt the ache spreading slowly beneath his fingers.

"I won’t let you have it your way," he growled.

His voice was lower now, rough and dangerous, vibrating with restrained fury. He leaned closer as he spoke, and I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin. It brushed across my cheek and lips, too close, too invasive.

"You will remain in this pack and serve me."

Each word sounded like a command carved in stone, final and unchallengeable.

His grip on my chin tightened slightly as if to emphasize the authority behind his declaration.

Then his fingers shifted.

Slowly.

They brushed across my lips.

The movement was deliberate, almost casual, but the sensation made my stomach twist violently. The touch dragged lightly across my mouth, and a wave of pure disgust rolled through me so suddenly I had to force myself to remain still.

Every instinct inside me screamed to jerk away, to slap his hand aside, to break the contact between us immediately.

But I didn’t move.

I didn’t flinch.

I refused to give him that satisfaction.

Instead, I held his gaze.

My eyes locked onto his with as much defiance as I could summon, even though my pulse was racing hard against my ribs.

If he expected fear...If he expected submission...He wouldn’t get it.

Not from me.

The air felt heavy between us, thick with anger and resistance, both of us locked in a silent battle of wills.

Then suddenly he thundered, "Get out!"

The command burst from him with such force that it echoed against the walls of the room, the sound bouncing sharply through the space before fading into silence.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

His hand was still on my chin.

My eyes were still fixed on his.

But the moment had broken.

Slowly, I lifted my hand and pulled my chin free from his grip.

The motion was calm and controlled.

I didn’t rush.

I didn’t react with anger or panic.

I simply removed myself from his hold as if it had never belonged there in the first place.

Then, without saying another word...Without even glancing back at him...I turned.

My body moved toward the door with steady, deliberate steps. I refused to give him anything else.

No argument.

No tears.

No reaction.

The door opened quietly as I stepped through it, leaving the tension of the room behind me.

My footsteps echoed softly down the long corridor as I walked straight back toward my room.

The sound followed me with each step, steady against the stone floor.

Only then did I realize how fast my heart was beating.

It pounded hard in my chest, each thud loud in my ears as I continued down the hallway, carrying the weight of the confrontation with me.