Chapter 17 ARIA
ARIA'S POV
The smell of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked bread filled the air, wrapping around me like a blanket I didn’t ask for. Marty’s was buzzing, just like every weekend, filled with laughter, clinking plates, the occasional bark of someone calling out an order. It was cozy, warm, alive.
And I hated it. The stares kept coming.
“This is exactly why I didn’t want to come out today,” I muttered, slumping further into the booth as if I could hide behind the stack of pancakes in front of me. “People are staring.”
“They’re not staring,” Nina said, barely glancing up from her latte, though the amused twist to her lips said otherwise.
“They definitely are,” Nyx countered, grinning. “And honestly? I don’t blame them. You smell like an Alpha, Ria. You’re bound to turn heads.”
I groaned, dragging my hands down my face. “That’s not helping.”
Nina leaned forward, eyes glinting with mischief. “No, seriously. When you came up behind me earlier, I almost bowed. Thought it was an Alpha standing too close. My instincts jumped before my brain caught up.”
“Stop it,” I said, half-laughing, half-mortified.
Nyx chuckled, stirring her drink lazily. “I told you this would happen. You practically reek of him.”
“Nyx!”
“What? I’m just saying,” she teased, biting into her croissant. “It’s like, honeysuckle and spice, a lot of spice. Strong combo. You’re lucky it’s Lucian’s scent and not, you know, someone random.”
I dropped my head onto the table with a thud. “I hate both of you.”
Nina laughed, nearly spilling her drink. “You love us. Admit it.”
“Not right now,” I mumbled into the wood.
The two of them continued teasing me relentlessly, trading jokes about how “sweet little Omega Aria” was walking around smelling like she’d been rolled over by an Alpha twice her size. Every time I protested, they laughed harder. It was chaos, a warm, familiar chaos and despite my embarrassment, I couldn’t help smiling.
Eventually, the teasing faded into comfortable chatter. We talked about everything from Nyx’s upcoming market stall to Nina’s latest disastrous date with the guy who apparently thought “sharing a toothbrush was intimate bonding.”
“Some people are hopeless,” Nyx said, wrinkling her nose.
“Some people just need boundaries,” I added, laughing softly.
The bell over the door chimed, and my head lifted automatically. A tall figure entered, broad shoulders, easy stride and for one terrifying moment, I thought it was him. My heart skipped.
But it wasn’t Lucian.
It was Darius.
He spotted us immediately and broke into a grin that was all charm and warmth. “Ladies,” he greeted, making his way to our table. “Mind if I interrupt?”
Nina blinked, then smiled back. “Darius. Hey.”
He nodded politely before turning to me. “You must be Aria.”
I straightened a little, trying not to seem awkward. “Uh, yeah. Hi.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said, eyes glinting with something… knowing. “Nice to finally meet you.”
My stomach twisted. Heard about me? From who? But Darius just smiled that easy, disarming smile and turned to Nyx and Nina, chatting like they were old friends.
“Lucian mentioned you once,” he added casually after a moment. “Said you were... different.”
I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to sound as loaded as it did, but Nyx’s smirk said everything.
“Well, she is,” Nyx said lightly, “in all the best ways.”
“Lucky Alpha,” Darius teased, chuckling when my face flamed.
“I’m going to crawl under this table now,” I muttered, earning another round of laughter.
He didn’t stay long, just enough to charm the table, exchange a few jokes, and leave with that knowing smirk still plastered on his face.
The rest of brunch went by quickly after that. My friends chatted; I tried to keep up, but something in me was… off. My head felt too heavy, my body too light, and even the noise of the diner seemed to muffle around me.
When Nyx asked why I hadn’t touched much of my food, I brushed it off. “Just a little tired,” I said. “Didn’t sleep much.”
Nyx frowned. “You sure you’re okay? You don’t look great.”
“I’m fine,” I said automatically, forcing a small smile. “Maybe I just need a nap.”
Her eyes lingered on me a little too long. “You didn’t take the new pills this morning, did you?”
I froze, then quickly shook my head. “No, no. I did. Promise. I’m just… tired.”
It was a lie, I had taken them, a slightly higher dose than usual. Maybe that’s why I felt weird. Maybe.
“Okay,” Nyx said finally, though her frown didn’t ease. “Call me if you need anything, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
\---
By the time I made it home, every inch of me ached. My skin was clammy, my head heavy. Nyra murmured in the back of my mind, restless and uneasy.
“Maybe we caught a cold,” she offered softly. “That lake was freezing last night.”
“We swim in that lake almost everyday,” I mumbled, kicking off my shoes and collapsing onto my bed. “It’s nothing.”
“You’re burning up,” she countered.
“I’ll be fine.”
Still, I reached for the small box of cold pills in my drawer, it was empty. Figures. The thought of walking to the pharmacy made my stomach twist, so I let out a tired sigh and curled up instead. “Just an hour,” I promised myself. “Just a little rest.”
Sleep came fast, thick, and dreamless.
When I woke up again, it was to heat. Suffocating, heavy heat. My shirt clung to my skin, and sweat dampened my hairline. Every breath felt like dragging air through fire.
“Nyra…” I whispered weakly.
“Aria, you’re not fine,” she said sharply. “You need to get help.”
My eyes flicked to my phone on the bedside table, its screen lighting up with unread messages. Blinking through the haze, I reached for it with trembling fingers.
Lucian: Hey, I was wondering if you’d like to meet up later.
Lucian: Are you okay?
Lucian: You’re not answering. Did I do something wrong?
Lucian: Aria, please just let me know you’re alright.
Lucian: If you see this, call me. Please.
Guilt clawed at me. My heart pounded harder. I didn’t even think before hitting the call button.
He picked up on the first ring.
“Hey…” I managed, my voice croaking.
“Aria?” His voice came fast, sharp with concern. “What’s wrong? You sound…”
“I don’t feel… good,” I managed, breathless. “It’s just a fever, I think.”
There was a pause, short and tense. Then: “I’m coming over.”
“You don’t…”
But the line went dead.
I don’t know how much time passed before the knock came, it felt like seconds, maybe minutes. My body felt too heavy to move, but I forced myself up anyway, each step a battle.
The door seemed miles away. I barely managed to twist the knob before the world tilted sideways.
Strong arms caught me.
“Aria!” His voice was closer now, urgent and grounding cutting through the fog. “Hey, hey, I’ve got you. I’m here.”
I tried to answer, but the words never made it out. Everything blurred, his scent, his warmth, his voice calling my name again and again before the darkness pulled me under completely.