Chapter 179 179

Chapter 179 179
Arielle's POV

"Scott," Mandy answered and shook her head. "Can you imagine…he's the Alpha heir of a foreign pack known as the Silvercrest Pack. It seems like he just came in disguise to spend a few weeks."

I wasn't expecting to learn that.

"Really?" I blinked.

“Yeah. He wasn't that bad.”

"Honestly, he was okay, even though he was annoying,” I muttered.

Mandy nodded in agreement, a big smile spreading across her face. She rose, taking her plate. "I'll finish eating in my room. I need to talk with my boyfriend." She winked. "You two enjoy your privacy."

She left before Aeson could stop her. He looked at me, raising his eyebrows. Then he took my hand and caressed it, his thumb tracing circles on my skin.

Later, we lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The room was quiet, the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains.

"I don't want to have things hidden," he said.

I lifted my gaze to look at him. "Are there cockroaches in your cupboard?"

He chuckled, and I laughed too. "That was a good joke." He shrugged, but the smile faded, his expression growing serious. "I used to have a mate."

I looked at him, my heart tightening. "You did? What happened?"

"I don't want to hide anything from you, no matter how huge it is." He was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"So who was your previous mate? Is she... dead?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

He shook his head. "She's alive."

I swallowed. "Tell me more.”

He inhaled. "I was crazy over her. But she chose a man who was actually my friend and business partner... and then I never thought about it, but I finally realized he was the right one for her."

He paused, taking a breath. "I was broken for some years; hence I acted like a free bird, not wanting to think about them and indulging in my Casanova lifestyle."

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine. "The woman... my previous mate was... your mother. Serena."

I adjusted, looking at him fully. "What?"

"Yes." He nodded slowly. "And the person she chose was your father, Hades. He was also her fated mate."

I stared at him, my mind reeling. "Did you want to use me? To get back at my parents? Especially my mother?"

"No." He shook his head firmly. "I thought I was going to keep passing time with different women until you showed up. Then you became my new obsession. The one I found thrilling."

I let out a shaky breath, my heart pounding. "You're not just saying that?"

He turned to face me fully, taking my hand in his. "Arielle, I'm not saying this lightly. I loved you before I knew who you were, before I even understood the feelings. And I love you even more now that I know.”

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine. For a moment, the silence stretched between us. Then he spoke, his voice low, raw with honesty. "But, at first, yes, I wanted to use you to get back at your parents." He paused, his gaze dropping to our intertwined hands. "But not when I learned what you were going through. Not when I started liking you so much, even though I couldn't admit it." He looked up, a faint, self-deprecating smile tugging at his lips. "Even though you're quite annoying."

I smiled, the tension in my chest easing. "I'm glad you're honest. But... I don't know why my mother despised your pack and forbade me from coming here as she did."

He nodded slowly. "Maybe your mom hates me because she thinks I'm a threat." He paused, his jaw tightening. "You know, back then, I wanted to have total control of this pack and also have her. I couldn't prioritize her like your dad did. I was young, foolish, and consumed by my own ambitions. But I won't make the same mistake with you."

He leaned in and kissed my forehead, soft and tender. "Are you upset?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

I inhaled. “It takes a lot to be this open. I appreciate your honesty." My hand reached up to cup his cheek. "I'm not upset. I'm just... processing. It's a lot to take in."

He let out a breath, relief evident in his eyes. "I know. And I'm sorry if I hurt you by keeping it from you from the beginning. I just didn't want to lose you before I had the chance to explain."

"You won't lose me," I said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere."

He smiled, and this time it reached his eyes. "Good. Because I don't think I could survive losing you now."

I leaned in, kissing him softly. He responded immediately, his hand threading through my hair as he deepened the kiss. The warmth spread through me, chasing away the lingering doubts.

We pulled apart, our foreheads resting together. "Thank you for telling me," I whispered. "For trusting me."

"Always," he murmured. "I'll always trust you with the truth, no matter how hard it is."

I kissed him again, and this time, the kiss was slower, more intent. His hands slid down to my waist, pulling me closer, and I melted into him.

When we finally broke apart, I was breathless. "We should probably get some sleep," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

He chuckled, his thumb tracing lazy circles on my hip. "Or we could stay up a little longer."

I laughed, shaking my head. "You're impossible."

"And you will learn to love it," he teased, his eyes glinting with mischief.

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. "You're lucky you're charming."

"Lucky?" He raised an eyebrow. "I prefer to think of it as skillfully irresistible."

"Skillfully irresistible?" I snorted. "Is that what you tell yourself?"

"It's what you tell me, with your actions." He pulled me closer, his lips brushing against my ear. "You can't deny it, little wolf."

I shivered at the feel of his breath against my skin. "You're silly," I repeated, my voice softer this time.

"And you're mine," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my jaw.

I tilted my head, giving him better access. He took full advantage, his lips trailing down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I gasped, my fingers tangling in his hair.

"We should really get some sleep," I breathed, though my body was telling me otherwise.

"We will," he said, his voice low and husky. "Eventually."

I laughed, the sound breathless. "You're going to be the death of me."

"What a way to go," he teased, pulling back to look at me. His eyes were warm, filled with a tenderness that made my heart ache.

I reached up, tracing the line of his jaw. "I love you," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

He stilled, his gaze softening. "I love you too, Arielle. More than I ever thought possible."

I didn't deny it. I just snuggled closer, resting my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "Goodnight, Arielle."

"Goodnight, Aeson."

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything was falling into place.