Part 12

(POV - Aria)

As if in a trance, Aria took a step forward, then another, her feet carrying her toward Aiden, who hadn't moved since they'd locked eyes. He only stared at her, his jaw slack as if he couldn't understand what had happened.

But Aria knew. She felt her wolf paw and huff, aching to be claimed because Aiden was her true mate. After all those years of wondering and wishing, she'd been right. Her crush must have been the very first tendrils of an unsealed mating bond curling around the edges of her soul.

So why wasn't Aiden moving forward to claim her?

Her feet had carried her to him, and she stood directly in front of him, waiting for Aiden to mark her. Traditionally, he would claim her because there was no reason to refuse a true mate.

But he shook his head and walked past her like she was nothing but air, stunning her into silence. Aria watched him stride into the arena, his shoulders tense and his hands curled into fists at his side, her heart hurting a little.

Why hadn't he claimed her? Surely it wasn't one-sided. That was impossible. He'd been obviously affected by it, and he had to know that Aria was his true mate. Why had he brushed past her without claiming her first?

Maybe he'd needed to focus on the fight. He would claim her after, for sure. Feeling a little empty suddenly, standing alone while the crowd inside the arena cheered Aiden's return, Aria pressed her lips into a line and nodded.

He would claim her after the fight, she told herself. He needed to keep his head clear for the challenge against his father, and that's why he'd ignored her so coldly.

With that small spark of hope blooming in her heart, Aria walked back into the arena, trying to keep her eyes on Aiden while also navigating back to her seat next to April.

"Where did you go?" April scolded, her nose scrunching when Aria sat down. "Why do you smell... confused?"

Aria tore her eyes away from Aiden, who stood facing his father in the arena.

"Huh?"

April turned her bodily, hands digging into Aria's shoulders until they both faced one another. "Look at me, Aria. What just happened?"

Aria glanced down and noticed the little hairs on April's arms standing on end. April had always been really good at sensing things that others couldn't see. Her sense of smell had developed at a really young age, and she had a keen eye that saw a lot deeper than the surface allowed. Most of the time, Aria was really grateful for her best friend's ability to seemingly read her mind.

Just then, however, she wanted nothing more than for April to let her be so that Aiden could finish the fight and claim her. The way he was supposed to. The way she'd watched countless other mated couples do once they discovered one another.

Her wolf had gone back to pacing, more agitated than she had been before Aiden had arrived, and it set Aria's teeth on edge. She had no idea what to do, and the bone deep knowledge that her true mate was standing right in front of her and she still hadn't been claimed made her want to tear her hair out at the roots. She could hear her heart thumping in her ears, her skin itchy and hot with discomfort because this wasn't right, wasn't right, wasn't right.

"He's my true mate," Aria finally whispered, her voice stolen by a breath of wind. But April must have heard, because her eyes dropped to Aria's neck, obviously looking for a fresh mating bite that wasn't there.

"But where-?" April paused, her eyes slowly returning to Aria's face. She looked as confused as Aria felt. "Why didn't he claim you then?"

Aria shook her head, her mouth dry.

"He must have needed to keep his head clear for the fight," she offered weakly, clinging to that little bit of hope in her chest. "He'll claim me after."

April's shoulders slumped a little,and she chewed her bottom lip nervously. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Aria nodded and turned back to where Aiden stood, shrugging off his shirt while his father did the same. Aria's father stood between the two of them, his arms outstretched like a referee. He wouldn't be allowed to interfere with the fight, no matter how brutal or deadly it got, but he would stay by the Alpha's side for as long as he was able.

April slipped her fingers through Aria's and squeezed tight. Taking a deep breath, they watched as the Alpha and his son shifted. Aria's father exited the field, leaving the opponents facing one another at last.

Their growls sent rumbles quaking through the stands, the entire arena holding its collective breath as the wolves circled one another. Aria marveled at how much bigger Aiden's wolf had become, his dark fur just as silky as she remembered. He had easily outgrown his father, whose dark brown wolf showed the telltale signs of aging in the gray around his muzzle.

In an instant, the two collided with so much force that Aria could have sworn she felt the impact. The crowd cheered, but Aria pressed her palm to her lips, wishing she could look away but being too afraid to do it.

She watched in horror as the Alpha snapped his maw dangerously close to Aiden's exposed throat before the latter pulled away, driving back with colossal force and tearing at his father's side.

Skin shredded under Aiden's claws and teeth, the metallic taste of blood flooding the arena and making Aria retch. The Alpha's whine turned to a snarl, and he turned to sink his teeth into the meat on Aiden's left shoulder, exposing muscle and sinew. April's hand almost crushed Aria's, and Aria fought to stay seated. She couldn't watch. What if Aiden was hurt badly enough that he never recovered? What if he killed his father and had to live with the weight of that for the rest of his life?

The crowd roared again, and Aria heard Aiden's massive body hit the ground. His father was inches away from his throat again when Aiden shifted suddenly, his own jaw locking around his father's neck in an instant.

With wide eyes, Aria tried to process what had just happened, and the silence that settled over the spectators told her that they were also trying to figure it out.

Aiden had been seconds away from losing, from potentially dying, but had somehow used brute strength to grab his father by the throat and toss him down. Aiden's father had lowered his head immediately, submitting to Aiden and forfeiting his role as Alpha. And Aiden stood over the fallen Alpha, triumphant.

April shoved at her shoulder, letting loose a high-pitched howl that broke the spell that was keeping the rest of the pack silent.

The arena erupted, cheering Aiden's name and chanting 'Alpha! Alpha! Alpha!' while Aria's mind reeled.

Her true mate had defeated his father, who had shifted back to his human form and was being tended to by Aria's father and the pack doctor. His wounds looked severe, but not enough to suggest he might die.

Aiden left the arena, his father's blood and his own indistinguishable. They both stained his skin. Aria felt that familiar tug and followed after him, trying to get past the mass of pack members clamoring to show their submission to their new Alpha.

Aria's wolf grumbled, angry that Aria had not been claimed. She followed the refreshing scent that would lead her to Aiden so that he could finally mark her. She felt the renewed excitement coursing through her veins, eager and so happy that she could finally see Aiden and congratulate him. And he could mark her.

It was difficult, trying to squeeze past the throng of wolves itching to get to the new Alpha, and Aria had tripped more times than she cared to count. But Aiden's scent was getting stronger, and she knew he was close. She finally gave in and let the sea of people take her, giving in to the current the way she would when swimming in the river, letting it guide her to her destination instead of fighting it.

The air was still thick with the smell of blood, and the haziness of bloodlust hadn't quite dissipated yet, making it hard for Aria to breathe without gagging.

But finally, finally, she could see Aiden's crop of dark blond hair, obscured slightly by the wolves who were much taller than her.

Only...

Only he was holding another female in his arms.

Another female who had all but wrapped herself around him, her lips pressed tightly to his.

Her legs turned to lead, and she stood rooted in place, jostled by the wolves rushing past to get a good look at what their Alpha was doing.

He was kissing someone else. Knowing that Aria was his true mate.

That was someone else in his arms. That was where Aria was supposed to be, locked so deeply in their kiss that they seemed to barely notice their audience until a few wolves hooted and whistled appreciatively.

They broke apart, their arms still wrapped around one another. It was the way Aiden looked at her, the pure love shining in his dark eyes and the gentle smile on his face, that cleaved Aria's heart clean open and sent her to her knees.

Her wolf howled, mourning while Aria felt the hot, angry tears flood her eyes,

Aiden had rejected his true mate.

Aiden had rejected her.