Aria’s POV

I shot May a re. Why would you tell him?!

She stuck her tongue out at me, then turned right back to Grayson, “That scumbag followed Aria all the way here, grabbed her by the neck, and threatened her! Who knows what he would’ve done if I hadn’t shown up in time?”

“This is May, I mumbled reluctantly. “And bMay /byou know who this is.”

“O of course! It’s such an honor to meet you, Alpha Grayson.” She was stammering so bhard /bher bvoice /bturned high and squeaky.

Grayson gave her a brief smile. “Nice to meet you. bAria’s /blucky to bhave /ba friend like you”

May blushed, her bface /bp

practically glowing. Watching her melt under his charm made me sigh inside–Traitor.

“It’s gettingte,” Grayson said in that low,manding voice. “My driver can take you home.”

“Actually…”

I opened my mouth to tell him May and I had ns to hang out tonight..

But before I could bsay /bba /bword, May yanked on bmy /bsleeve with a grin and cut in. “It’s fine. I can head home by myself.”

“Wait, I thought you were dying for those gossips,” I whispered into her ear.

“Girl, please,” she whispered back, giggling. “He obviously just got back and came bstraight /bto find byou/b. I’m not about to third–wheel your billionaire love story. Rain check?”

“How

many times do I have to tell byou/b…there’s no love story!”

Yet all she did was given me a wink, bwaved/b, and jogged off into the night.

*Get in the bcar/b.

Grayson’s cold voice cut through the air like a knife

Nervous, I scrambled into the backseat, slipping in beside him. He sat there, stone–faced, his sharp profile unreadable–but the tension in the car bwas /bthick.

“Um- how bwas /byour trip?” I tried to break the ice.

“It’s fine.”

“So was it exhausting? bI /bmean, I heard long flights can really ruin your mood. Though I’ve never been on a ne for more than two. bhours /bmyself-

“bAria/bb. /bPlease stop talking to me right now.”

I mped my mouth bshut/b, cheeks burning. Thank God the car was dark, so he couldn’t see how red and embarrassed I was.

Neither of bus /bsaid a word for the rest of the ride.

When we got home, I shuffled in behind him as the omega house staff greeted us by bthe /bentrance. I figured he didn’t want to see me anymore tonightb, /bbso /bI quietly turned to sneak back to my room.

“Where are you going?”

1 froze mid–step band /bturned around

He was frowning at me again like I’d done something terribly wrong.

“Uh to my roomb?/b”

b2:47 /bAM

“Come.”

He didn’t wait. Just turned band /bwalked deeper into the house. I had no choice but to trot after him.

He took me to bthe /bliving roomb. /bA doctor band /btwo nurses were already waiting there.

“Alpha, I bcame /bas soon as I heard,” the doctor said, a little breathless. “Are you bhurt/b!”

“Aria was attacked tonight. I want a full and thorough check–up.”

I blinked. “Me? O Ohollibno/b. bI’m /bfine. Jace didn’t even break the skin-”/li/ol

“Miss Collins,” bthe /bdoctor said with a smile, the examination won’t take long. But Alpha will only rest easy if we confirm you’re okay.”

“I bam /bokay! Really. This is too much! I could run bps /baround bthe /bhouse right now just to show you how healthy I am—”

“Ariab. /b

1 bshrank /bbinto /bmyself. The authority in his tone left no room for argument,

And just like that. I was surrounded by the medical team. Blood pressure, pulse, blood samples… the whole thing. They treated me like I

was made of ss, hovering like I’d shatter at the slightest touch,

After what felt like forever, the doctor finally reached his bconclusion/b.

“Alpha Grayson, Miss Collins is fine. No major injuries”

“Told you.” I muttered.

But Grayson ignored me and stared at the doctor. “And the bbruising /bbon /bher neck?”

“Just mild contusions. Miss Collins has very delicate, sensitive skin–it bruises easily. I’ll prescribe ba /btopical ointment. Apply it for a week, and I’lle back bfor /ba follow–up.”

“That’s really not necessary–1 started.

“I’ll make sure she has btime /bfor it,” Grayson said.

Then the medical team packed up their stuff band /bleft. That left me with him alone in the living room.

The tension in the room spiked again.

I sat there with my head hung low, nervously ying with my fingers. The silence! It’s killing me.

Finally he stood band /bwalked bover/b, towering above me. With one hand, he tilted in chin up, his fingers firm but gentle, forcing me to look up at bhim/b–and exposing the marks on my neck.

“I bwas /bvery angry at you tonightb,/b” he said darkly.

“Yeah..I can tell.” I murmured.

“You made a bmistake/b. Now tell me what it was”

My heart started racing.

“I–I should’ve stayed away from Jace. He’s married to your sister now. I shouldn’t bhave /beven spoken to him—”

“Wrong”

í gulped, my mouth dry. “II shouldn’t have led to you. I should’ve told you the truth right away.

“Wrong again

His hand bwas /bsteady on bmy /b

on my jaw, his palm warm against my cheek. I couldn’t resist the temptation. Before I knew it, bI /bwas already leaning into his touch

9:47 AM

Yet he pulled away immediately.

“Bad girls don’t get to cuddle.”

My cheeks burned. “Sorry. But I really bdon’t /bknow…”

“Your biggest mistake,” he said, voice low and dangerous, “was letting someone hurt you–band /bacting like it was no big deal.”

I stared up at him, speechless.

“I made it clear the night we signed our contract You belong to me now. I have total control over your time, your mind, and your body. Without my permission, no one–not even youself–is allowed to damage what’s mine.”

Harsh Possessive.

bWay /btoo much for any normal man to say.

But he was bno /bway near normal. He was Grayson bHart/b. Somehow, when he said it, every word made my knees weak and my heart race.

In this entire bchaotic /bworld, being in bhis /barms was the only ce that felt safe.

NOW

Now say you understand and remember everything I said,” he demanded forcefully.

“I–1 understand,” I whispered.

“Good. Anything else you’ve been keeping from me?”

“No..Well–bJace /bdid say something before he left. He said if I didn’t stay away from byou/b, this wasn’t over. What should I do about it!

“Nothing. I’ll handle it.”

His tone was ice–cold. Oh Jace. He’d be su screwed.

“This is good, bAria/b. You being honest with me.

His fingers brushed my cheek again, then moved to gently rub my ear. The sensation sent shivers down my spine. I almost moaned. But I quickly bit my lip to stop it.

His gray eyes had darkened. bI /bsensed my chance.

“It’s been 2 weeks. Alpha, did you miss my scent?

I slowly tugged my cor down, exposing one naked shoulder under his bgaze/b.

He growled in his throat “Greedy girl”

“I bknow /byou want this,” I bsmiled/b.

I was being bold. Maybe reckless. But I knew he’d indulge me.

Or so I thought

bInstead /bof grabbing me and pinning me to the couch like I wanted, he pulled away.

“bNot /btonight, Aria. I want you fully rested tonight.” he said in ba /bstrained voice,

I let out a quiet sigh and bstood/b. “Then.. goodnight, bAlpha /bGrayson

“Goodnight.”

Tran straight back to my room, locked the door behind bme/b, and threw myself on the bed.

I put one bhand /binto my pants

ats band /bunderwear and found my folds

It’s drenched wet

I turned and buried my face into the pillow, while gently sliding two bfingers /binto my pussy. The void and longingness had finally been filled. I groaned and breathed softly, and started fingering myself.

This was wrong.

I shouldn’t be doing this.

My identity, the education I’d received. Nothing allowed me to masturbate while thinking about my Alpha

bBut /bI couldn’t help it.

Orgasm reached fast and hard. My body trembled with pleasure. My toes curled up let myself fal

up on the sheet. And with his name o

on my lips, I finally

AD