Chapter 23 Rumors
Chapter 23 Aria’s POV
Rumors
I sat by the window, my fingers clutching the edge of the sill as if it could hold me together. Outside, the sun had begun to dip, throwing long shadows across the garden, but inside, my world felt darker than any night could ever be.
Whispers. Rumors. Hints of lies. I had heard them—the soft, almost casual remarks from the pack members who had come to greet me in the last days. Some were subtle, so faint I wondered if my ears had imagined them. But others—others were too pointed to ignore.
“Is she really ready to be Luna?”
“She carries a secret… a child she shouldn’t have.”
“Can she be trusted with the pack?”
Each word struck me like a cold wind, seeping into my chest and curling around my heart. I had never felt so exposed, so small, so uncertain. My hands shook, and for the first time since meeting Aiden, I felt fear—not the sharp thrill of danger—but the slow, creeping fear that maybe I didn’t belong anywhere.
I wanted to disappear. I wanted to shrink into the floorboards, into the walls, into the shadows where no one could touch me, no one could whisper, no one could judge. But I couldn’t.
And then… the door opened.
I froze, holding my breath. The soft click of the hinges, the faint sound of footsteps, and then… his voice.
“Aria?”
My heart leapt. Relief and fear collided in me, twisting my stomach. I turned slowly and saw him—Aiden. His tall frame filled the doorway, his eyes scanning me carefully, concern etched deep in the sharp lines of his face. He wasn’t smiling, not yet, but there was softness there, the kind that only belonged to me.
I couldn’t move. I just stared. My chest heaved, and for a moment I felt like a child again, waiting for someone to hold me and tell me that everything would be okay.
He walked toward me slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. “I heard what you’ve been feeling,” he said quietly, almost a whisper. “The rumors, the gossip…” His voice broke slightly, and I felt the weight of his concern. “It has nothing to do with the love I have for you, Aria. Nothing. Not a word.”
I blinked, unsure if I wanted to believe him. “But… the pack…” I started, my voice trembling. “Everyone… what if they—”
“They will talk,” he interrupted gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. The warmth of his touch burned through the fear that had rooted me to the floor. “Let them talk. Their words can’t touch us if we don’t let them. I will make sure of it. No one will let lies affect what we have. You and me—we are stronger than gossip, stronger than whispers. And I will clear this, every single doubt, every suspicion. You won’t face this alone.”
The intensity of his words, the certainty in his voice, made something inside me unravel. Tears pricked my eyes, but this time, they weren’t only for fear—they were relief, gratitude, and something I hadn’t expected… love, raw and overwhelming.
I wanted to fall into him, to hold on until the world stopped spinning. And I did. I stepped forward, closing the small distance between us, and he wrapped his arms around me. His hold was firm, grounding, yet gentle, like he was shielding me from everything that could hurt me.
“I don’t want to be scared,” I whispered into his chest. “I don’t want to feel alone anymore.”
“You’re not alone,” he said, his lips brushing the top of my head, soft and steady. “I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”
His hands held my face, tilting it up so that our eyes met. “No matter what anyone says, no matter what they whisper,” he said, voice low and deliberate, “you are mine. And I am yours. You understand?”
I nodded, unable to speak, my throat tight with emotion. My hands clutched at his jacket, holding on as if letting go could mean losing him.
He smiled faintly, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “You don’t have to worry, Aria. I will clear every doubt. The pack, the elders… everyone will know the truth. You are the Luna I chose. You. And no one can change that.”
I couldn’t help it—I leaned forward and kissed him. It was gentle at first, almost hesitant, but the warmth and certainty in his arms encouraged me. His lips moved against mine with the same mix of tenderness and possessiveness I had come to recognize. I felt safe, seen, and loved. For the first time in weeks, maybe months, I felt like I could breathe again.
He deepened the kiss, his hands resting firmly on my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space between us. The world outside the walls of this room—outside the house, outside the pack—vanished. There were no whispers, no rumors, no fear. Only us.
When we finally pulled back, I rested my forehead against his chest, my arms still around him. I could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong, and I realized I didn’t have to fight the fear anymore—not when he was here. Not when he promised me that the whispers and lies would mean nothing.
“I love you,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.
“I love you too,” he replied, his lips brushing my temple. “More than anything. And I’ll show them. I’ll show everyone that no rumor, no lie, no whisper can come between us. You are my Luna, Aria. And I will protect you—always.”
I closed my eyes, letting myself soak in the warmth, the safety, the certainty of him. My hands clutched his jacket tighter, my tears falling freely now—not from fear, but from the overwhelming relief of knowing that I wasn’t alone. That I never had to be alone again.
And in that room, with his arms around me, the world felt right again.