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Aria's Pov For a moment I thought I've been invaded inside my head. It felt empty as soon as I felt something sharp against my skin. I felt like I was in a deep sleep and I just woke up. Tiara was standing next to me, her expression showed she was in shock. The last thing I remembered was her being taken away by Noah. Nothing else out of the ordinary, so I thought. I didn't think it'd be so easy to get back home since Connor decided to leave me out in the middle of nowhere with a child. He probably saved us but I needed to know where he was and how he did it. I gave Tiara a death glare and she just bowed her head which I knew was all just pretence. Her sight infuriated me, she was a liar and a pretender. I just needed to find Connor to explain exactly what was going on. “Aria, please, just stay here,” Tiara pleaded, her hand gripping my arm tightly. I jerked away, narrowing my eyes at her. “What is this nonsense? What are you doing?” Tiara hesitated, her gaze moved to the entrance of the pack house as though she expected someone to appear. “Connor asked me to keep you safe. He made me promise to stay by your side, especially now that Sofia is out of her cell. I don't know how they did it but it seems they let her slip out of their hands” “Sofia escaped? I was kidnapped and this is all that there is to say?” I spat. “Where is Connor? What does she have to do with any of this? And you! You should be the one locked up in the dungeon” Before Tiara could answer, I turned, intent on finding him myself. But Tiara pulled me back sharply, her voice rising. “Luna! Please don’t go!” The word stopped me, as I tried to move. I wasn't so sure I wanted to embrace that role and it came from the person I didn't even want to hear it from. “What did you just call me?” I demanded, spinning around to face her. “Luna,” she repeated, her tone softer now. “You are the Alpha’s mate, the pack’s Luna. And Connor trusted me to protect you.” Her words stirred something inside me, but before I could respond, a commotion erupted at the edge of the pack’s gathering space. Connor and Liam appeared, their presence I sensed was commanding as they led Sofia into the pack’s clearing. The crowd of wolves parted. Sofia looked battered and defeated, her eyes downcast as she stumbled between them. Connor raised his voice, silencing the murmurs. “Sofia has been captured and will face justice for betraying the pack,” he announced, his tone firm. “She will be confined to the darkest part of the ground until we decide her final punishment.” The pack erupted in cheers and growls of approval, but I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on him. Connor’s gaze swept over the crowd, but he didn’t see me. I remained hidden behind the edge of the training ground, watching as he maintained his composure. I smirked to myself, feeling a small wave of vindication. ‘I knew it,’ I thought. ‘He wouldn’t cheat on me with that bitch. He was ridiculing her all along.’ But my thoughts were cut short when Tiara jumped on me from behind, her arm wrapping around my neck and yanking me backward. “What are you doing?!” I shouted, struggling against her grip. Her voice was cold and filled with an edge I hadn’t heard before. “I’m sorry Aria , but I can’t let you leave.” She pulled a sword from her belt and pressed it to my throat, her hand steady despite the tremor in her voice. “Connor!” she shouted, her voice carrying across the clearing. The entire pack turned to see Tiara holding me hostage, the blade held closely to my neck and I was scared to death. I just escaped one, why should I be scared of another? Probably because I knew Tiara was unpredictable. Connor stepped forward immediately, his body tense. “Tiara, what are you doing?” “Let her go, Tiara. Whatever you’re doing, this isn’t the way, you're acting crazy.” Liam pushed forward. Tiara’s grip tightened, and I felt her breath on my ear as she whispered, “This isn’t personal, Aria. I just need them to listen.” She raised her voice again, addressing the pack. “All I’ve ever wanted was to reclaim what’s mine. For years, I’ve been ignored, forgotten, and pushed aside. Even now, you all fail to recognize me for who I truly am!” Her voice cracked, a raw vulnerability slipping through her anger. “It’s been a decade, and I’ve had enough.” Connor’s voice was low and steady, but there was a dangerous edge to it. “What do you want, Tiara?” She laughed bitterly, her grip on me tightening. “I want what was stolen from me. I want to restore the power that was taken, to regain my place among the pack.” “And you think holding Aria hostage will get you that?” Connor growled, taking another step closer. “I don’t want her dead, Connor. But if you want to keep her safe, the pack must decide who among them will sacrifice themselves to provide the royal blood I need. And we all know who that is. We all know it isn't easy to do that, and that's why I needed to give you motivation and I really hope you wouldn't take long to find a solution. Or else, Aria dies” Her words hung heavy in the air, shocking everyone into silence. Then, with a burst of energy, we became invincible or even terrible, I was gone. With her, vanished into thin air. She dropped me recklessly on a solid ground. She must have prepared really well for it. Everything went as she planned, she had a meal prepared too and tied my arms around a very well laid foundation. “Don’t worry, Aria,” she said mockingly. “You’re safe, for now. But Connor and the pack have decisions to make.”