TWELVE

TWELVE
ARIA

A secret…

I looked at her, curiosity flickering behind my eyes.

“You barely know me,” I said slowly. “Why would you trust me with something like that?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Because,” she said, matter-of-factly, “you’ve been taking beatings for something you clearly didn’t do. And yet, no one seems to know the truth. The ones who might suspect can’t pry it out of you either. That tells me everything I need to know.”

Her gaze stayed steady, her voice calm but unflinching. “You’ve got loyalty, grit, and a backbone made of steel. Even if your total lack of self-preservation is… mildly alarming.”

She let out a breathy laugh, the kind that teetered between amusement and exasperation.

“Seriously, though. What’s the real story?
Someone’s putting you through hell, and it’s not over some petty teenage drama. You don’t give off cheater vibes, or the kind of energy that screams ‘mean girl.’ That means one thing—you’re a threat. And the scariest part? I don’t think you even realize it.”

“I honestly don’t know what I did to end up with a target on my back,” I admitted. “And honestly? The ‘who’ doesn’t matter anymore. It started the day I stood up for this younger kid getting bullied in the courtyard. One moment, I was stepping in, thinking I was doing the right thing, and the next… everything went downhill.”

I shrugged like it didn’t matter. But it did. It mattered more than I let on.

Selena cocked her head, her lips twitching with a teasing smile. “Let me guess—that’s the same story you gave Delta Nolan too?”

“Maybe.” I dropped my gaze to my lap, fingers picking at a loose thread on my jeans. She wasn’t buying it, I could tell. The way she studied me said she was only just beginning her personal investigation. The girl would make one terrifying interrogator in another life.

She moved to her full-length mirror, trying on a third coat—something beige and oversized and twirled like she was testing its dramatic flair. “Back to the whole ‘no friends’ comment. That part’s been bugging me.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “What about it?”

“Well, from what I’ve seen, you’re thoughtful, honest, and real. And I happen to be an excellent judge of character,” she said, dramatically tossing the coat onto the chair near her vanity. “So either you’re hiding a deep, dark secret, or people around here are absolute idiots.”

I couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. “It’s… complicated,” I said finally. “Keeping people at arm’s length? It’s easier. Safer. I’ve learned the hard way that getting close to someone can backfire.”

She stopped midway into her closet, her head peeking around the doorframe as I continued.

“Anyone who stands beside me becomes a target too,” I said. “It’s not fair to them.”

There was a long pause. Then I added, “My brother is next in line for beta. He’ll have his place in the pack secured. Me? I’ll take whatever rank my mate assigns me—if that ever happens. I’m not special. I don’t have anything people want. You’re only still talking to me because you’re new here. You haven’t figured out the social pecking order yet.”

I looked away. “You’re gorgeous, and my brother and his friends have already noticed. Once they decide you’re interesting enough, they’ll pull you into their circle. And once that happens…” I let the thought hang like a truth I didn’t want to voice.

“You’ll forget about me.”

She stepped back into view, now wearing a bright red peacoat that made her eyes pop and her presence impossible to ignore. She twirled playfully in the mirror, adjusting the matching hat on her head.

“You’ve clearly never had a real friend before,” she said, matter-of-factly. “Because I’m not going anywhere. And after what I saw during training today? I’m honestly shocked you let anyone touch you, let alone hurt you.”

Her tone was fierce now, protective in a way that threw me off. I’d spent so long being on my own, I didn’t know what to do with someone willing to stand next to me without asking for anything in return.

She studied her reflection a moment longer, then turned to me, expression sobering.

“What I don’t get,” she said carefully, “is why your Alphas—or your brother, for that matter—haven’t done anything. Are they really that blind?”

I let out a slow breath. “Like I said… it’s not that simple.”

“Try me,” she challenged.

“They don’t know about the really bad stuff. No one does,” I said quietly. “And the things they do see? They’ve chalked up to pack politics or growing pains. If I told them everything, I’d just look weak.”

She opened her mouth, but I cut her off.

“In their eyes, I’m a beta by blood. That means I’m supposed to be strong enough to handle whatever’s thrown at me. I can’t just run to them every time something happens. Not unless I want to be treated like I’m not capable.”

I looked down at my hands again. “My brother and his friends… they tolerate the small stuff. They say it builds resilience. Survival of the fittest and all that.”

“Sounds more like an excuse to be lazy and look the other way,” she muttered, shaking her head. “If that’s what leadership looks like, then they’ve already failed.”

She crossed the room, sat beside me, and bumped her shoulder into mine.

“They probably don’t even realize the extent of it,” she added. “From the scars I’ve seen, they clearly haven’t been paying attention. Not really.”

Her voice softened. “And the stuff inside? The kind you don’t show anyone? Yeah, they’d have no idea what that feels like. Most guys don’t. That kind of pain? It’s not something they’re equipped to understand.”

I didn’t mean to laugh—but I did. A real one, from deep in my chest. She wasn’t wrong.

Everything inside me—the mess, the silence, the constant ache—it had become my normal. She said it like it was obvious, but hearing it out loud? It almost made it feel less heavy.

She smiled at the sound of my laugh, clearly satisfied with herself, and clapped her hands.

“Alright,” she said brightly. “Here’s the game plan. First, we make you look as stunning as you actually are—because believe me, you’re not hiding in the background tonight. Second, we go to this bonfire and see if we can rattle a few truths out of those boys while we’re at it.”

She gave me a mischievous wink. “And if anyone even thinks about messing with you again? I’ll set their car on fire.”

I snorted. “That escalated quickly.”

She grinned. “I didn’t say I would. I said I could. Big difference.”

And somehow, for the first time in a long time… I felt like I wasn’t facing the world alone.