A BOND ALREADY BROKEN
The moment the words left Kael’s mouth, the air around them turned cold.
Aria stared at him.
For a second, she wondered if she had heard him wrong.
“Excuse me?”
Kael stepped forward, his eyes locked on hers.
“You heard me.”
Aria let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
“No, I don’t think I did.”
Her voice turned sharp.
“You rejected me, Kael.”
His jaw tightened.
“That doesn’t change the bond.”
Aria felt anger rise inside her chest.
“The bond you shattered in front of the entire pack?”
Kael didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, his eyes drifted briefly to the Alpha King standing beside her.
The Alpha King had not moved.
But the power radiating from him had grown heavier.
More dangerous.
Rowan quietly stepped a little further back.
Even he could feel the tension growing between the two Alphas.
Kael’s wolf was clearly agitated.
His fingers curled slightly as he fought the urge to shift.
“I made a mistake,” Kael finally said.
Aria blinked.
For a moment she thought she imagined it.
“You… what?”
“I made a mistake,” he repeated.
Her laughter came out louder this time.
“You humiliated me in front of everyone.”
“You told the entire pack I was weak.”
“You said I wasn’t worthy of being your mate.”
Her voice grew colder with every word.
“And now suddenly it’s a mistake?”
Kael looked frustrated.
“You don’t understand the situation I was in.”
“Oh please.”
Aria shook her head.
“There’s nothing to understand.”
The Alpha King finally spoke.
His voice was calm but filled with authority.
“The bond was rejected.”
Kael’s gaze snapped toward him.
“You stay out of this.”
The Alpha King’s golden eyes narrowed slightly.
“I will not.”
Kael stepped closer, anger flashing in his eyes.
“This is between me and her.”
“No,” the Alpha King replied.
His voice turned colder.
“It isn’t.”
Aria felt the Alpha King’s presence shift beside her.
Stronger.
Protective.
Kael noticed it too.
His eyes darkened as realization dawned.
“You’ve already claimed her.”
Aria’s heart skipped slightly.
The Alpha King did not answer.
But the silence itself was confirmation.
Kael’s wolf growled low in his chest.
“You moved fast.”
The Alpha King’s expression remained unreadable.
“I don’t hesitate.”
Kael’s fists clenched.
“You think a claim changes everything?”
The Alpha King’s voice dropped dangerously low.
“It changes enough.”
Aria rubbed her forehead.
“Can we stop talking like I’m not standing here?”
Both Alphas fell silent.
She pointed at Kael.
“You rejected me.”
Then she pointed at the Alpha King.
“He saved my life.”
Her arms crossed firmly.
“So yes, things have changed.”
Kael looked at her like he was seeing a stranger.
“You’ve changed.”
Aria raised an eyebrow.
“No.”
Her voice softened slightly but remained firm.
“I just stopped begging for someone who didn’t want me.”
The words clearly hit harder than she expected.
Kael looked away briefly.
But the tension in the air only grew stronger.
Rowan suddenly sniffed the air.
His expression changed instantly.
“Uh…”
Aria looked at him.
“What?”
Rowan’s voice lowered.
“We have another problem.”
The Alpha King’s gaze turned toward him.
“What is it?”
Rowan pointed toward the forest behind Kael.
“More wolves.”
Kael frowned.
“My warriors.”
But Rowan shook his head slowly.
“No.”
His voice turned serious.
“Not yours.”
Aria felt her wolf tense again.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the trees.
One.
Two.
Three.
Multiple powerful scents filled the air.
Kael’s expression darkened.
“That’s impossible.”
Then three figures stepped out of the forest.
Each one carrying the powerful aura of an Alpha.
Aria’s heart dropped.
Three Alphas stood before them.
And every single one of them was staring directly at her. ????