Chapter 52: Unspoken Fears

Connor

I’d been trailing Aria for weeks now, trying to get close enough to her without raising suspicion. Each time, it felt like some invisible force kept pulling her away from me. Either she was surrounded by bodyguards or stuck with Leo Ashton, her so-called fiancée. My wolf churned in frustration, desperate to get close to her, but there was always a wall. 

But it wasn’t just Aria I was worried about. Lila. That damn woman had been creeping around, her movements more suspicious than I cared to admit. Every time she tried to seduce me, I rejected her, made it clear I wasn’t interested anymore. 

But there was something about her energy these days—something I couldn’t put my finger on—that felt dangerous. I couldn’t shake the fear that Lila might go after Aria, seeing her as a weakness to exploit. That thought made my wolf snarl, the tension between us nearly unbearable.

Aria—no, Ivy—is my mate. And despite Leo’s warnings, I’d fight to my last breath to claim her as mine. The memory flooded back—the moment my wolf howled in agony, feeling its mate in pain. But Ivy doesn’t have a wolf. So, what was that ache?

That same ache hit me again as I stood outside her company building, scanning the area. It had become a routine: watch for any sign of Aria, any chance to see her, even if it was just for a minute. But today, something felt different. Something was off.

I froze when I heard it—the sound of a conversation, not too far from the café nearby. The voice was low, urgent, like someone was giving orders. As I inched closer, I realized it was a man on the phone. His tone was dark, filled with malice, and every word he spoke made my wolf stir with violent fury.

“You’ll get her out of the building. Make sure she’s alone. Ivy Blackwood needs to learn a lesson, one she’ll never forget. Make her shiver with fear for the rest of her life. I want her broken, mentally and physically. She’ll never dare cross me again.”

The words hit me like a slap, each one slicing through my control. My fists clenched, my teeth gritting. Whoever this man was, he was planning to hurt Aria. My mate. A wave of primal rage surged within me. My wolf was howling, ready to tear this bastard apart, but I forced myself to stay calm. I couldn’t act on impulse—not yet. 

I watched him for a moment, waiting for his companion to leave. When the coast was clear, I moved. My steps were silent as I grabbed the man by the collar, dragging him into a secluded part of the busy area. His eyes widened in fear as I shoved him against the brick wall, the force making him grunt.

“Who are you?” I growled, my voice like gravel. “Why the hell do you want to hurt her?”

The man stammered, clearly shaken, but I didn’t care. He was going to talk. And if he didn’t, I’d make him.

“I—I’m Eugene,” he muttered, his voice shaky. “Ivy... Ivy Blackwood stole a deal from me. I’ve been working on it for months, and she took it all from me. She needs to learn. I just... I want to teach her a lesson.”

“Teach her a lesson?” My wolf growled, fury dripping from every word. “How dare you even think about touching her?”

Before he could respond, I grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground. His feet dangled for a moment before he started gasping for air. His eyes bulged in panic, his hands scrabbling at my grip.

“You have no idea who you're messing with, do you?” I hissed, tightening my grip. “You think you’re going to hurt her? Not on my watch.”

I slammed him back against the brick wall, his head knocking with a sickening thud. He groaned in pain, but I wasn’t finished. The anger inside me was like a wildfire, scorching every ounce of restraint.

I began throwing punches, each blow landing with brutal precision, making his face swell with every strike. His body jerked with each hit, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Every time my fist connected, I thought about Aria—how close she was to being hurt, how she didn’t deserve this. The thought of it made me snap, my wolf taking over just enough to make sure Eugene felt every ounce of my fury.

“You want to teach her a lesson?” I growled, landing another punch to his gut, hearing the air whoosh out of him. “This is just a taste of what happens when you threaten someone you shouldn’t cross.”

But I wasn’t done.

“And if you so much as breathe when Ivy is close by, or go anywhere near her,” I continued, “I’ll make sure you never walk again. I’ll teach you what it means to be a prey. Do you understand?”

The man’s eyes were wide with terror, but he nodded furiously. 

“Now,” I said, voice cold and deadly, “you’re going to call the person you sent to Ivy. You’re going to tell them to stop whatever they’ve planned and leave her alone.”

His hands trembled as he fumbled for his phone, trying to unlock it. His fingers shook as he dialed the number. I leaned in close, watching as he pressed it to his ear, my anger building with every passing second.

“Put it on speaker,” I ordered.

He hesitated for a moment, but when I tightened my grip on him, he complied. The phone rang for a few seconds before someone answered. 

I heard a voice crackle through the line, the words making my blood boil. “Eugene, what’s going on? The plan’s already in motion. We can’t back out now.”

“Stop it!” Eugene barked, his voice high with panic. “Stop the plan. Leave Ivy Blackwood alone! Don’t go near her. I’m serious. Don’t hurt her. She... she’s off-limits.”

“What do you mean ‘off-limits’?” the voice on the other end demanded. “We’ve already set it up. She’s as good as ours.”

“No!” Eugene shouted, his fear palpable. “I can’t do this. I can’t hurt her. I’m telling you—stop it. Leave her alone!”

He quickly ended the call, his body still shaking.

I leaned in, eyes burning with deadly intent. “You’re lucky I’m letting you walk away. But make no mistake, Eugene: if you ever lay a hand on her, or if I catch a whiff of your scent near her, I’ll make sure you never walk again. Understand?”

Eugene nodded quickly, his breath coming in rapid gasps.

“Good. Now get the hell out of my sight,” I growled.

I shoved him away from me, watching as he scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with terror. He bolted, disappearing into the crowd.

As he disappeared into the crowd, I adjusted my clothes, wiping the blood from my knuckles. My wolf was still growling, angry, but I was in control. For now.

I walked toward my usual spot, hoping, praying that today would be different. As luck would have it, my eyes locked onto a figure walking down the street. 

Aria. Alone.

No Leo. No bodyguards.

My heart raced, and I smoothed down my shirt, took a deep breath, and moved toward her. I hoped she would at least let me talk to her. 

“Hi,” I said, my voice awkward, unsure as I waved. 

Something flickered in her eyes. For a brief moment, it looked like her eyes shifted—like her wolf was trying to come forward. But she doesn’t have a wolf. Right?

But just as quickly, the look was gone, replaced by cold indifference.

“What do you want, Connor?” she asked, her tone tired, like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. She rubbed her temples as if the conversation alone was giving her a headache.

“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice gentle, stepping closer. She didn’t back away, and I took it as a sign to take another step.

“I’m fine,” she replied quickly, but there was something hollow in her words. “And I’m sorry for what happened last time at your pack. I was confused, and I’m sorry if I caused any harm to you or anyone in your pack.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I didn’t say anything at first, just looked at her, studying her closely. Something was wrong. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew it wasn’t just exhaustion.

Instinctively, my hand reached out and touched her elbow. 

And then I saw it. Again.