Chapter b17 /b

Aria’s POV

“Nob… /bstop.

I finally forced the words out between my teeth.

“We barely even started.” his voice was cold bas /bice.

“No, I’m begging you. Please, bmake /bit stop.” I clutched his bhand/b, bshaking/b.

He paused. Then bsaid/b, “Novab, /bbtake /bhim out.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

His hand was still covering my eyes. I heard footsteps, the sound of someone being dragged. bAnd /bthen silence.

When he finally let go, the officer was gone.

Only a faint smear of blood remained on the floor.

vaf

1 flinched bagain/b, but Grayson pulled me into his arms

“Let’s go.”

My legs felt weak, but I followed him as we walked out of the station. On our bway /bbout/b, I noticed the looks people were giving us—every single one filled with fear and awe

We went to the door. But instead of his silver Rolls–Royce, what was waiting outside… was a helicopter.

1 stared,pletely stunned, as he picked me up and helped me binside/bb. /b

“Why the helicopterb?/b” bI /basked.

“I was a bit far from where you were,” he said simply.

“Alpha wanted to get here ASAP” Nova added with a grin as bshe /bclimbed in behind us. “By the time I managed to sneak into the dinner. it was alreadyte. And that ce bis /bat least three or four hours from the city by car. He couldn’t wait that long. A chopper was the fastest option. The old Alpha, bLuna/b, and a bunch of high–ranking guests were all there–but the second bAlpha /bheard about you, he walked out. Didn’t care what anyone said.”

“Nova” bGrayson /bcut her off warningly.

She zipped her lips with a finger and faced forward.

“Will this cause problems for you?” I asked quietly, worried. “That dinner sounded… important.”

“That’s bnot /byour concern,” he said calmly, absentmindedly twirling ba /bbstrand /bof my hair between his fingers.

The helicopter flew through the night sky. The city below sparkled like ba /bsea of neon, breathtaking and bsurreal/b, I’d never seen skyline bfrom /bthis high upb, /bband /bfor a moment, I just leaned against the window,pletely mesmerized.

the

“You like it?” he asked behind me.

“Yeah I’ve barely flown in my life.” I was just ba /bbsmall/b–town girl. The only time I’d ever been on a ne was when I left Frostpine bPack /bfour years ago.

“I’ll take you flying myself one day,” he said

I looked bup /bat him, surprised.

One bday/b.

1 liked how that sounded.

9:47 AM

Chapter b17 /b

Like we had time.

Like this was more than just a c

a contract

“But for now, we’rending.”

The chopper hovered for a moment, then descended onto the hilltop beside his vi.

I was exhausted. All I bcould /bthink about was grabbing a sandwich and some warm milk, taking a hot bbath/b, and crashing face–first into bed.

But the moment we stepped out of the helicopter, I heard a familiar bvoice /bscreaming from inside the house:

“LET GO OF bME/b–get your filthy hands off I’m Delh Hart, you omega scum!”

1 froze.

Grayson gave Nova a subtle nod, and she gently tugged my hand. “Miss Collins, this wayb. /b

She led me toward the side. I nced bback /band saw Grayson striding straight through the front doors.

*What’s going bon/b?” I whispered. “Aren’t we going inside?”

“Oh, we bwill/b. Through the side entrance so nobody can see us,” Nova replied. “Things are about to get… ugly. bAlpha /bdoesn’t want byou /bbcaught /bin the middle of it.”

She took me through the side, up a hallway, and then into an open balcony overlooking the grand hall. She pulled aside a gauzy curtain and gestured for me to look down.

What I saw made me cover my mouth in shock

Delh was being held down by several guards in front of Grayson. Her hair bwas /ba mess, her clothes disheveled, and her face streaked with tears.

“What the hell happened?” I whispered.

“bLady /bDelh’s little ‘prank earlier btoday /bpissed Alpha off. She’s in serious trouble, Nova whispered back.

“But they’re siblings.

bNova /bgave me a smirk. “The Hart siblings aren’t like normal siblings.

Just then, I heard Delh yelling, her voice bshrill /band furious:

*Grayson, have you lost your damn mind?! It’s the full moon banquet and you drag me out in front of everyone like a criminal–what the hell are byou /btrying to do?!”

“bYou /bdid ba /bstupid thing. There are consequences, Grayson said coldly.

Delh squirmed furiously. “I know why you’re doing this. It’s that damn assistant of yours. bYou /bare getting bback /bat me for her. God, bhow /bthe hell did she get to you-?”

“Delh Hart,” he said, voice like a de, slicing the air. “bPush /bme any further, and it’ll getawhole lot worse.”

bDelh /bmped her mouth shut and burst into sobs.

An older wolf with gray hair stepped forward to stand beside her

“bAlpha /bGrayson,” he bsaid /bpolitely. The old bAlpha /band Luna sent me with Lady Delh to better understand the situation. Regardless, Delh is the heiress of Redstone Pack. Punishing her over a minor offense seems… unwise.”

“This isn’t minor,” Grayson snapped. “She brought a maniptive, powerb–/bhungry idiot into our family and bhas /bbeen defying me over and over because of him. Let this slide, and she’ll destroy everything the Hart family stands for,”

The elder sighed. “And what punishment bdoes /bAlpha intend to bgive /bLady Delh?”

“Ten bshes/b. bAnd /bone month of house arrest.”

Gasps echoed around the bhall/b.

Delh’s eyes went wide with tears. “That’s crazy. Mommy and Daddy didn’t even hit me before! Elder Russell, tell him he can’t do this -I’m supposed to travel to Europe with Jace for the summit. He can’t lock me up!

“Two months,” Grayson growled. “bTime /baway from that man will do you good.”

Elder Russell stepped in again. “Alpha, physical punishment is unnecessary, Delh is still your sister–please don’t humiliate her like bthis/b.

“Then maybe next btime /bshe’ll think twice before humiliating someone else,” Grayson bsaid /bcoldly.

“You’re doing this bto /bavenge her!” Delh cried, sobbing. I swearb, /bI didn’t really bhurt /bher–Leven like her a little! It bwas /bball /bjust ba /bstupid joke! I was going to tell the cops to let her go beven /bif you bhadn’t /be–I swear!”

My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.

Before I even realized what I was doing. I threw the bcurtain /bopen and ran out.

Aria, no- Nova tried to stop bme/b, but I was balready /bhalfway down the stairs.

-Stop!”

I rushed between Grayson and Delh, shielding her with my body. “bWait/b, please. You don’t have to do this.”

Grayson’s jaw bclenched/b, fury zing in his eyes.

“Who bsaid /byou coulde down here?” he growled at me.

“She’s telling the btruth/b,” I said quickly. “She didn’t really hurt me. I’ve been through worse in bpublic /bschool. I wasn’t injured anyway. So isn’t tenshes too bit much?”

“Yeah, listen to her Grayson,” Delh sobbed from behind me.

Grayson suddenly grabbed my arm, his grip like iron. I winced from the pain.

That’s when Elder Russell spoke up. “So this is your assistant, Alpha Graysonb? /bbI /bdon’t believe I’ve met her. Would you mind introducing

“There’s bno /bneed,” Grayson growled.

“But I’m bsure /bthe old Alpha and Luna would be very curious to know who she is.”

“Then I’ll tell bthem /bit’s none of their bbusiness/b,” he snapped. Then turned to the bguards/b. “Tenshes. Now, Lock her in the dark room after.

But he wasn’t listening anymore.

He pulled me with him, storming off down the bhallway/b.

I stumbled behind him, barely able to keep up. When I tripped and nearly fell, he just scooped me up and stormed faster.

He pushed open the door to my room and threw me inside. Then mmed the bdoor /bshut behind us.

“What the fuck made you think you have a say in bthi /b

He had me pinned to the wall in seconds, bhis /bhand on my bthroat/b, his eyes zing with fury.

“bWho /bthe hell do you bthink /bbyou /bare?!”