Chapter 29
Aria’s POV.
A sharp knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts, my heart jumping in my chest. I was already dressed, a simple blue dress clinging to me, my silver hair pulled back, but my mind was a mess, spinning with questions after the poison scare.
Who wanted me dead? Was it Celeste? Thanos? Someone else? I was still pretending to be Celeste, my twin sister, hiding my real name, Aria, and the weight of that lie pressed heavy on my shoulders.
My hands trembled as I smoothed my dress, my wolf Kyra growling low, uneasy.
"Luna," Beta Brian’s voice came through the door, steady but urgent. "Alpha Kael and his guests are waiting for you in the dining room."
I froze, my stomach twisting. Guests? Who were they? Why did Kael want me to meet them now, after everything? My heart raced, Kyra’s warning sharp in my mind: Be careful. Something’s off.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and nodded, even though Brian couldn’t see. "I’m coming," I said, my voice shaky but firm.
I opened the door, my steps slow, following Brian through the packhouse halls, the stone floors cold under my shoes, the air thick with the scent of pine and tension.
As we reached the dining room, I stopped, my hand on the door, my chest tight. Who was waiting? More enemies? More lies? I took another deep breath, my hands clenching, and pushed the door open.
The room was bright, the chandelier glowing, the long table set with plates of steaming food. My eyes landed on Kael first, sitting at the head, his black shirt tight across his chest, his onyx eyes sharp but soft as they met mine.
Relief hit me, but it faded fast when I saw the others; Seraphina, his foster sister, her blonde hair shining, her smile mean, and a family of four, their eyes fixed on me, judging, cold.