ARIA's POV
Six months later
And here I was, still stuck in this shitty little cottage.
I'd thought life would be different. I'd thought running away would make me feel free but it didn't.
All it did was make me feel more lonely that I'd ever felt in my entire life.
It was night and the storm was howling like someone had committed an abomination.
My stomach was on fire, i felt pain, the type of pain I knew wasn't like a normal woman's labor.
I curled on the floor, knees pulled to my chest, fingers digging into the wooden boards of the cabin.
My breaths came in short, I had sharp gasps as the pain pierced through me again.
"I'll be fine, I need to calm down," I muttered to myself, trying to steady my breath.
"I'm fine. Totally fine. Just a wolf having a baby. No big deal." My voice cracked halfway through, and I winced.
I placed my hands on my swollen belly, feeling the soft movements inside. "You're gonna be fine. We're gonna be fine," I whispered, but the words tasted like dust in my mouth like I was lying to myself
To be honest, nothing had been fine since I left the pack. Nothing.
Another contraction hit, and I cried out, my body arching off the floor.
I was alone. There was no one here to help me. No pack healer. No Alpha to step in, even if he'd ever given a damn. There was no one. Not Kael. Not Seraphina. Not even the damn storm seemed to care.
I gasped for air, pushing through the pain, biting my lip until I tasted blood.
And then finally
Finally, it came. The first cry.
The sound of a life born under the moon.
I breathed, not even sure if I could move at first.
I looked at my son, he had tiny silver-flecked eyes which glowed up at me as he let out his first full cry.
"Welcome to the world,my little wolf," I whispered, brushing my thumb over his soft cheek.
The pain didn't fade immediately.
It took its time, took a while for everything to settle.
But as the night wore on, I sat there with him, holding him close, whispering every promise I could think of.
There was no one to hear it except the walls.
---
Three years later...
Three years had gone by and I was tired of hiding in my little cottage. I wanted a new life, one that didn't have to do with wolves or packs.
The urban world was the only option left for me.
I lived in a tiny but comfortable apartment with my son by my side, growing faster than I could keep up with.
He was a lot like me, hard-headed, curious, and stubborn.
His silver eyes had softened over time, but still had that sharpness in them
I worked as a salesgirl in a shop down before the park, selling whatever people needed. Towels, food stuff, you name it. It wasn't glamorous, but it was peaceful.
One afternoon, as I was ringing up a customer, a familiar voice drifted to my ears.
"Can I get two of those?" He asked.
I didn't raise my head because I was too busy with the customer in front of me.
"Sure," I said without looking up, "Anything else?"
"Actually," the voice said, "I think you've got me mistaken for someone else."
I paused, his voice began to sound familiar.
I slowly raised my eyes and I saw him.
"No way" I muttered
There, standing in front of me, was the same face I had spent sleepless nights trying to forget.
The same strong jawline, the same dark hair. But it wasn't Kael. It was his twin. Kian.
Shit.
Kian's silver eyes locked onto mine, and for a split second, we both didn't move.
"Kael?" I called out quietly,
Kian furrowed his brows. "No," he said, a strange smile on his face. "I'm Kian. Kael's twin."
Kian... he was the one who used to save me from Kael's pack, the one who stepped in when things got bad.
The one who had never left me alone when I needed someone.
I blinked at him, still shocked, and then, before I could stop myself, I moved forward and hugged him.
I didn't even care if he thought I was crazy.
He was stiff for some seconds and then he relaxed into it, his arms wrapping around me carefully, like he was afraid I would break.
But that was the thing about Kian. Even when everything felt wrong, he always seemed to know how to make it right.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered, pulling back to look at him.
My son, who had been hiding behind me, suddenly ran up and latched onto Kian's leg.
Kian looked down, his face softening. "I've been looking for you," he said quietly. "I... I never stopped looking."
I swallowed hard. "Why? After everything?"
"I couldn't just let you go Aria"
I looked down at my son, who was looking up at Kian like he knew him before, "This is my son," I said, "His name's Kimal."
Kian smiled, "He looks just like his mummy,"
We spoke for hours and talked about old memories back at the pack to the way Kian's quietly watched over me when Kael wasn't around. I told him about my life here and the little things that kept me going.
And then, the next day, he came back. And the day after that. Every day, he was here. Just... here. Watching me, playing with Kimal, making me feel like my life was complete.
It wasn't until the fifth day that he confessed about how he truly felt
"I never stopped thinking about you, Aria," he said, "And I think... I think we're meant to be together. Not just as a bond, but as mates."
I paused looking at him as he looked back at me
He reached out to touch my hand, his fingers rubbing mine. "I've always wanted you. But I couldn't because my brother chose you before I could"
I swallowed spit, "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I'm yours. And you're mine and I promise you everything, Aria. I'll protect you. I'll keep Kimal safe. I want you to stay with me. Please."
I looked at Kian speechless, all I could do was wonder, wonder where all these would lead me to.