Chapter 147 CHAPTER 148: Survival Instincts

Chapter 147 CHAPTER 148: Survival Instincts
ARIA’S POV

I stared out the classroom window, my fingers tapping a nervous, erratic rhythm against the wooden desk. Aria couldn't stop thinking about the stranger she saw after school. Even though she managed to get away safely and the brothers came when she called them, she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling from her mind.

Every time she walked through the school hallways, she found herself looking around more than usual. Whenever she heard footsteps behind her, she automatically turned around, half expecting to see that man in the grey jacket staring right back at her.

It annoyed her because she had worked so hard to stop living in fear after Bianca's attack. I had spent weeks sweating in the gym, learning how to throw a proper punch, building up my confidence, and trying to feel safe in my own skin.

She hated feeling weak again. She hated feeling like someone could be watching her at any moment.

"Aria? Are you listening?" Professor Vance asked, tapping his dry-erase marker against the whiteboard.

"Yes, sorry," I murmured, snapping back to reality as a few students turned around to look at me.

She tried convincing herself that maybe she was overthinking things, but deep down she knew she wasn't imagining it. The way he matched my pace, the cold look in his eyes—it was real. Someone was hunting me.

Instead of sitting around worrying, Aria decided to throw herself into training again.

Maya's father had arranged another advanced training session for her at a private security facility on the edge of town. This time the instructors were much tougher than before. They focused less on basic fighting and more on survival.

"You're dead," the instructor, a burly ex-soldier named Miller, barked as I hit the padded mat for the third time. "If an attacker grabs your wrist from behind, you don't hesitate. You pivot, you break his base, and you strike. Get back up!"

They taught her how to react if she was ambushed, how to escape restraints, and how to fight even when she was injured.

At first Aria became frustrated because some of the lessons reminded her too much of her kidnapping. The memory of being dragged into the woods still made her angry. The helplessness, the dirt in my mouth, the terrifying lack of control—it all surged back, burning hot in my veins.

Several times she nearly lost her temper during training. I screamed out in frustration, throwing a flurry of aggressive, uncoordinated punches at the heavy training shield until my arms felt like lead.

However, she refused to quit.

If anything, the memories only made her more determined. I wiped the sweat from my eyes, gritted my teeth, and got back into stance. She promised herself she would never let anyone drag her away helplessly again.

By the time training finished, she was exhausted.

Her muscles hurt, her hands were sore, and she barely wanted to move. I dragged my feet out to the parking lot, my whole body aching with a deep, heavy fatigue.

Reed arrived to pick her up afterward.

His black car was idling by the curb. The second the passenger door opened, I slid inside, dropping my heavy duffel bag onto the floorboard.

The moment he saw her, he could tell something was bothering her. Reed kept his eyes on me as he pulled out of the parking lot, his jaw tight.

"You look wrecked," Reed said quietly, glancing sideways at me. "And not just from the gym. What's going on, Aria?"

Aria immediately tried acting like everything was fine.

"I'm fine, Reed," I forced a weak smile, looking out the side window. She told him she was just tired from training. "Just a really intense session with Miller today. My arms are like jelly."

Reed didn't believe her for a second. He kept his hands steady on the steering wheel, his expression darkening.

During the drive, he kept asking questions until she finally gave up.

"You've been jumping at shadows all week," Reed pointed out, his voice dropping into a firm, gentle register. "You called Cole in a panic yesterday. Now you look like you're about to throw up. Talk to me, Aria. Stop shutting me out."

I let out a long, shaky breath, the defensive wall finally cracking right down the middle.

She admitted that she was scared. Not just because of the stranger. Not just because of Bianca. She was scared because her life seemed to be changing in ways she didn't understand.

"I'm scared, Reed," I whispered, staring down at my sore hands folded in my lap. "Every week brought another secret. Another mystery. Another person who seemed to know something about she that she didn't know herself."

Reed listened quietly instead of interrupting her.

He didn't brush it off. He didn't tell me I was overreacting. For once he didn't try solving the problem immediately. He simply let her talk.

"I found a paper," I confessed, my voice breaking slightly as I looked over at him. "A document with my name on it and a woman I've never heard of. My mom lied to me, Reed. Everyone is looking at me like I'm carrying some kind of target on my back. And today... someone was following me outside campus."

Reed pulled the car over to the side of a quiet, tree-lined street, shifting into park. He turned in his seat, reaching out to take my trembling hands in his.

That alone made her feel better.

Eventually they stopped talking about danger and started talking about other things. Reed reminded her how much she had changed since they first met.

"Look at how far you've come," Reed said softly, rubbing his thumbs over my knuckles. "Back then she used to face everything by herself because she believed nobody cared enough to help her."

"I was used to being on my own," I mumbled.

"Well, you're not on your own anymore," Reed told me, his dark eyes burning with fierce, absolute devotion. "Now she had people standing beside she whether she liked it or not. Me, Cole, Kai, Jasper—we're not going anywhere, Aria."

His words made her feel strangely emotional. A warm, heavy lump formed in my throat, threatening to choke out any smart remarks I usually had ready.

She found herself relaxing around him again.

The conversation slowly became softer and more personal. Reed leaned across the center console, unbuckling my seatbelt so he could pull me closer into his arms. I went willingly, burying my face against his warm chest as he wrapped both arms around me.

Reed pulled her closer and reminded her that she didn't have to carry everything alone.

"I've got you," he murmured against my hair, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "You don't have to carry the whole world on your shoulders, princess. Let us help you."

For the first time in days, Aria felt some of the pressure leave her shoulders as she allowed herself to enjoy being with him instead of worrying about everything waiting for her tomorrow.