Part 41

(POV-Aria)

Marcus stood at the door of his bedroom, watching Aria pack the few belongings she had before changing into a new shirt. She could feel his eyes boring into the back of her neck as she moved around, and she wanted to apologize and yell at him and cry and walk out. She couldn't decide which emotion was stronger, but she was sure it was the shame warming her cheeks and neck. She'd always known her insecurities were silly, having only gotten worse because of Aiden's blatant and final rejection. It hadn't helped when he'd used her outside the library just to 'scratch an itch'. The memory still made her feel dirty. even though she'd been so elated when he'd finally taken her.

She hadn't felt the same with Marcus. Being with him felt right, like it was what her heart really wanted even though she still felt her disbelief for love keenly. She wouldn't say she loved him. She no longer believed that love existed outside of family and friends.

But it was the closest thing she'd felt to it in so long.

And now, as she tugged off her old, dirty shirt and threw it into her bag and reached for a clean one, she realized that she was going to have to let this go as well.

Maybe she was destined to be alone.

Maybe she was supposed to live out her life as a rejected mate, nothing more. Could she ever find any kind of happiness that way? Surely April would find her own true mate soon, and hanging around a rejected wolf would probably just depress them both. And Aria wanted her best friend to be happy. She didn't ever want to be the reason that April was sad.

She hadn't wanted to leave this way. She had hoped that she'd leave to visit her parents and April, believing she'd be allowed to come back. But this felt too final, and it carved a hole in her aching chest.

She tried not to think about the scent that lingered in the room; both their scents twined and mixed together. The scent brought memories of the time they'd spent together too. It felt like it had happened a lifetime ago, stolen from another wolf's dreams. There was no way that those memories could have belonged to her and yet still caused her pain. It had been mere hours ago that they'd rolled around in his sheets before he'd sent her spiraling into the depths of pleasure again in the shower. And yet, as she zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder, she felt a heavier weight settling in her chest, one that made her wonder if she'd ever be allowed to come back.

If she'd ever be allowed to see Marcus again.

Once she had finished packing, she turned and lowered her gaze to the ground, unsure if she was allowed to look into his eyes anymore.

"Thank you," she said softly, brokenly. "For your hospitality this week. I'm sorry I came back with you, I shouldn't have overstepped your boundaries. It was a mistake to think I could be intimate with someone without developing feelings for that person. I'm sorry."

Marcus said nothing for a moment, and Aria could only see the hands curled into fists at his sides.

"It was a mistake, yes," he agreed, and Aria was so grateful she'd been looking at the ground when he said those words, because she could feel her face twist in a muted agony that made her want to bite into her lip to stop from choking out a soft cry. She tried to mask the hurt, but it was hard because she really did care for Marcus, and leaving broke her heart.

But to realize that, once again, her feelings had been entirely one-sided had been the final straw.

She could only stand aside and wait while Marcus angrily called for Jaden to inform him that Aria was ready to go.

"Jaden," Marcus bellowed, the sudden shout making her jump and flinch. She hadn't meant to, but she felt the ends of her nerves fraying with every passing moment. A part of her just wanted to loop her arms around his waist and bury her face between his shoulder blades, but the rest of her body recoiled in a new fear she hadn't felt from him before. Desperate to keep it a secret from Marcus, she rushed to mask her scent before he noticed it.

Her father had taught her a lot and so had her mother, and one of the most important things her mother had ever taught her was to never let another wolf, especially an Alpha, smell fear on her.

It was difficult, but she managed to mask her scent with a more obvious emotion, like the displeasure he might have expected from her.

Jaden showed up a few seconds after Marcus had called for him, the Beta's eyes glancing between his Alpha and Aria, no doubt scenting the tension between them.

"Yes, Alpha?" he said cautiously. Blocking their path downstairs slightly.

"She's ready to go back," Marcus said coolly, not even bothering to say Aria's name or even gesture to where she stood meekly behind him. "Make sure Mercucio is on stand by while you're gone, unless you want to take him with you."

Jaden quickly shook his head, his eyes subtly glancing at Aria before going back to Marcus. "That's not necessary. I'd rather he stay here in my absence. He can run the first patrol and I'll take the second."

"Whatever," Marcus murmured, some of the fight leaving his voice. "Just be sure not to step into territory that doesn't belong to me."

Jaden nodded and stepped out of Marcus' way before looking back at Aria. He kept his lips sealed but nodded at the bag on her hand and held his own hand out, indicating for her to hand the bag to him.

Her lips parted in surprise and she handed it over to him, and he took it with a gentle smile.

"Let's go," he whispered, leading her down the stairs and into the common area where a few stray wolves scattered at the sight of Marcus' temper.

He was stopped by another wolf, who whispered something urgent into his ear and left Marcus seething even more. Jaden held a hand out to silently stop Aria, and they both watched as Marcus stormed off into his office.

"Let's wait outside," Jaden suggested, turning away from where Marcus had disappeared and making his way to the front door.

"Shouldn't we wait for him?" Aria asked quietly. Jaden turned around and smirked at her, lifting one shoulder in a noncommittal shrug.

"I'd rather sniff the clean air outside than stew in his stupid, self-inflicted anger."

He made a valid point; it had become stifling in the packhouse, even with numerous doors and windows thrown wide to usher in the fresh air, Marcus' fury was overpowering and only served to keep Aria on the edge of a very sharp knife.

"Lead the way," she agreed quickly, following him out and releasing a soft sigh of relief when clean air hit her nose.

"That's better," Jaden chuckled. He took a deep breath and swung Aria's bag over his shoulder, his free hand slipping into the pocket of his jeans. "You okay?"

Aria blinked up at him, not expecting the Beta to ask her anything, let alone if she was okay. And she had no idea how to answer because he was Marcus' Beta, his best friend who thought the world of him. What could Aria say? What right did she have to say any of it?

"Uh," she stammered, nervously picking at the skin on the palms of her hands. "I'm okay, I think."

Jaden squinted at her, like he knew she was lying.

"It's okay to be upset," he said. "I don't know what happened out there, but from how he smells, I have a good idea."

"You do?"

He nodded, head tilted slightly like he was listening carefully to make sure that  Marcus wasn't coming. "He has a lot of things that he needs to work on, things that you can't imagine. It hasn't been easy for him, bringing you here. And as happy as he is around you, he's struggling. But I hope you stick around when he asks you to."

"When?" Aria scoffed, not really believing Jaden. "Why would he ever ask me to stay?"

Jaden looked at her long and hard before pressing his lips into a thin, disapproving line. "Just trust me. I know him."

She didn't get to reply because Marcus was suddenly behind them, silently ushering them out with his unspoken displeasure. She tried not to let it get to her, but it was so difficult.

Marcus kept his distance from her, while Jaden had walked close by his body shielding hers protectively. Jaden led her out to the car and held the door open for her, handing her the bag he was carrying for her and closing the door behind her once she was inside.

Marcus stepped forward then, and just as Jaden slammed the front door shut, Aria murmured one final "Thank you" for their time together. Marcus didn't respond, but she knew that he'd heard her. His face pinched and she almost regretted saying that last "thank you", but she wanted him to know that, even though she was leaving, she was grateful that he'd given her a safe place to stay for a little while.

Jaden turned the ignition and pulled off, leaving Aria to watch as Marcus' figure shrank the further they drove.