Chapter 155 You're Absolutely Ruthless

Chapter 155 You're Absolutely Ruthless
Derek's POV

Someone had actually struck Aria.

I forced myself to breathe deeply, pushing down the killing rage that threatened to consume me. Not now. Not in front of Aria. I needed to be what she needed—gentle, supportive, safe.

I reached out and gently wiped away a tear that had escaped down her face, my touch as soft as I could make it. "I'll wait for you after work," I said, keeping my voice calm despite the storm raging inside me.

Aria looked up at me with those beautiful amber eyes, confusion written across her features. She pulled back slightly from my touch, that familiar wariness in her expression. "Wait for me? Why?"

"There's been too much chaos lately," I explained, letting genuine concern color my voice. "I don't feel safe leaving you alone. And I'm worried about more confrontations." Especially with what's already been set in motion.

She hesitated, and I could see the internal struggle playing out on her face. But the practical part, the part that was tired and hurt and scared, finally won out.

"I... okay," she said quietly. "I need to get back to work."

I nodded, watching her disappear through the hospital doors. Only when she was completely out of sight did I allow my carefully constructed mask to slip.

The gentle expression melted away, replaced by something much darker. My wolf snarled, demanding action, demanding justice for the woman we loved.

I went straight to check the surveillance footage, and it clearly showed that Isabella was the one who hit Aria. The slap was vicious, deliberate—a display of territorial aggression that made my blood boil.

I was furious at Isabella, yes. But I was even more angry at Marcus—the so-called Alpha who was supposed to protect Aria but instead stood by while his mate struck her. What kind of Alpha allows another woman to hit the woman he claims to love? What kind of protector watches his beloved get hurt and does nothing to stop it?

Weak. Pathetic. Marcus Sterling had proven once again that he didn't deserve Aria.

Since he's such a coward, let me be the one to love Aria.

I pulled out my phone and dialed my beta's number. He picked up on the second ring.

"Tell me you have good news," I said without preamble.

"Better than good, Alpha. The campaign we launched this morning is exceeding expectations. Everything's been distributed online just like you wanted. We bought additional bot accounts to amplify the reach."

A slow smile spread across my face. "Excellent work."

"The response has been... intense. Social media is going crazy with the Sterling Pack scandal. Rowan Sterling's affair, the miscarriage—it's everywhere. Their major business partners are starting to distance themselves."

"And the Pack's business interests?"

"Taking a major hit. We're monitoring their stock prices and public contracts. One of their biggest clients just announced they're 'reviewing their partnership.' This chaos is exactly what we needed to destabilize their position."

I felt a dark satisfaction settle in my chest. After years of watching Marcus Sterling stride through life like he owned the world, finally he was getting a taste of what it felt like to lose everything.

"Keep pushing," I instructed. "I want Sterling Pack's reputation in ruins by the end of the week. Marcus Sterling needs to learn that there are consequences for failing to protect what matters most."

I ended the call and stared up at the hospital building where Aria was working, probably helping people, being the angel she'd always been. Marcus had failed her when she needed him most, and now he was paying the price.

But that's what love looked like sometimes, wasn't it? Making the hard choices. Doing what needed to be done.

The satisfaction I felt at their downfall should have been enough. But then my thoughts drifted back to Aria, to the way she'd stiffened slightly when I'd reached for her, to the sadness in her voice when she'd said Marcus's name.

Does she really not love me? The question tormented me, had been tormenting me for years. But maybe... maybe it didn't matter.

Maybe love wasn't something that just happened—maybe it was something that could be cultivated, encouraged, created under the right circumstances.

I'd been patient long enough. I'd tried being the perfect gentleman, the supportive friend, the shoulder to cry on. But perhaps it was time for a more direct approach.

My phone rang, interrupting my dark thoughts. Isabella's name flashed on the screen.

I wasn't particularly surprised. Isabella White had always been a calculating woman, and I suspected she was just as frustrated with the current situation as I was.

"Derek," her voice was crisp. "I think it's time we had a conversation."

"Oh? What kind of conversation?" I asked, though part of me wanted to tear her throat out for what she'd done to Aria.

There was a pause, and when she spoke again, I could hear the steel beneath her polite tone. "The kind where we both get what we want. I have a proposition for you."

I leaned against the wall, genuinely intrigued despite my anger. "I'm listening."

"You've been coveting Aria for years," she said bluntly, and I had to admire her directness even as I despised her. "And I love Marcus. So why don't we help each other get our respective prizes?"

"You're already with Marcus," I pointed out. "What exactly do you need my help with? And more importantly, why would I help the woman who just struck the woman I love?"

The silence stretched long enough that I wondered if she'd hung up. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter, more vulnerable. "He hasn't fully accepted me. Not completely. And today... today was a mistake. I lost control when I saw them together."

"So what exactly are you proposing?" I asked, my curiosity outweighing my disgust for the moment.

"Marcus is planning to propose to me publicly at the Christmas festival. Aria will be there—I've made sure of that. I'm arranging a special reception afterward, and I think... well, let's just say that after a few drinks and some carefully arranged circumstances, Aria might find herself in a position where..."

She didn't say it outright, but I understood exactly what she was implying.

A cold knot formed in my stomach. Part of me recoiled at the sheer ruthlessness of her plan. But then, Aria's wary eyes flashed in my mind, the way she pulled back from my touch even when she was grateful for my help. She pushed me away, again and again. My patience had earned me nothing but watching her love another man who couldn't even protect her when it mattered.

Perhaps... perhaps this was the only choice I had left.

The suggestion was coldly calculating, but I had to admit... it had potential.

"You're absolutely ruthless," I said, unable to keep a note of grudging admiration from my voice.

Isabella's laugh was sharp and humorless. "Don't pretend you're any better than me, Derek. We both want the same thing—to possess someone who doesn't want us. At least I'm honest about what I'm willing to do to get it."

"That's not—" I started to protest, anger flaring in my chest. "I love Aria. I've always respected her."

"Have you?" Isabella cut me off. "Then why are you orchestrating the destruction of her mate's Pack? Why are you manipulating situations to put yourself in her path? Why are you always conveniently there when she needs rescuing?"

Her words hit uncomfortably close to home, and my wolf snarled in response.

"Are you going to cooperate or not?" Isabella continued, her voice returning to that crisp, businesslike tone. "Because frankly, I'm tired of playing games. I want this resolved once and for all."

I thought about Aria's face when she'd pulled away from my touch. I thought about the way she'd instinctively stepped back, even when she was grateful for my help.

And I thought about the red mark on Aria's cheek where Isabella's hand had struck her.

"Fine," I said finally. "I'll cooperate. But if you ever touch Aria again, I'll forget we're allies."

Isabella's pleased laughter echoed through the phone. "Understood. I'll be in touch with the details."

The line went dead, and I stood there for a long moment, staring at my phone and feeling something cold settle in my stomach.

My wolf was restless, excited by the prospect of finally claiming what we'd wanted for so long. And if Aria ended up grateful to me afterward, if she finally saw that I was the one who truly loved her...

Well, wasn't that what mattered in the end?

The afternoon sun felt suddenly cold against my skin as I waited for the woman I loved to finish her shift, already planning how to make her mine.