Aria’s POV

I’d been waiting for this moment quietly and patiently, pretending to be the cornered one. But I’d seen him. Yesterday. The way he bent to pick something up from the gutter when he thought no one was looking.

I hadn’t been sure what it was, not then. But his scent had changed, excitement and fear tangled together, the kind of smell people get when they think they’ve found treasure that isn’t theirs.

If I’d accused him right away, he would’ve denied it, maybe even gotten rid of it before anyone arrived. But now? Now he was panicking. His pulse hammered so loudly I could almost feel it vibrating in the air.

I kept my tone calm. "You started moving it the moment Mrs. Jennifer mentioned her ring. I can smell the panic on you, James."

He flinched.

Jennifer glanced between us, her eyes sharp, reading every subtle motion.

James’s face went red, then blotchy. "You’re lying! The cameras have been broken for months! You’re trying to fool me!"

His voice cracked halfway through.

I met Jennifer’s gaze, and in that silent moment, understanding flickered between us.

Then the maid spoke, realization dawning. "Now I understand why Mrs. Jennifer asked me last night to rush to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get the surveillance footage replaced overnight."

The crowd gasped.

The truth had surfaced, and everyone smelled it.

Anita immediately took a step back, her perfume curdling with anxiety. "He has nothing to do with me. I didn’t know anything about this."

Laughter rippled through the workers — bitter, vindicated laughter.

One woman gasped, "Isn’t he your nephew? How could you not know?"

Another echoed, "Yeah! Just a minute ago, you were screaming for her to hand over her wages to your nephew. Where’s your ‘not involved’ now?"

Their voices emboldened the air, and my wolf stretched within me, satisfied.

The maid turned to the officers who had come with them, her voice crisp. "Officer, those two are definitely working together."

The police stepped forward. "Come with us."

The clink of metal filled the air as the cuffs snapped around their wrists.

As Anita turned to leave, she kept throwing suspicious glances over her shoulder that slid over me like claws. I could practically smell her confusion. She couldn’t wrap her tiny mind around it, how a poor single mother, sweeping streets with a baby strapped to her chest, could outsmart her and her thug of a nephew.

She didn’t know when it happened, when she’d stepped straight into the trap I’d set, simple and patient as breathing. Neither of them did.

The officers lifted the sapphire ring from the grass, its blue light flashing in the afternoon sun. Such a beautiful thing. They placed it carefully into a small evidence bag.

Watching it, I felt a slow smile stretch across my lips. Not of joy but of Satisfaction and justice.

"Wait," I called, my voice steady even as I let my eyes glisten. Lana stirred in my arms, sensing my shift. I held her close, letting her tiny warmth keep my fury in check. "I want to report a case too."

The officers turned. I could feel their skepticism.

I kept going, calm but fierce. "A few days ago, I was accused of stealing a gold necklace. But I’ve never seen such a necklace in my life. Since you’re investigating this street... could you help clear my name too?"

My voice cracked just enough to sound fragile.

They exchanged a look, then nodded. "Write it down," one said.

Five minutes later, my statement was done.

The officer read it over and looked at me, serious now. "We’ve received your report and will investigate thoroughly. If what you say checks out, we’ll make sure your record is cleared. Any punishment from your workplace will be overturned."

His tone softened, almost respectful.

Anita’s face drained of color.

"You—!" she sputtered, her voice rising like a cornered rat’s. "What nonsense are you spouting? This was all your doing! I only docked three thousand dollars from your salary, and now you hold a grudge? I could’ve told you directly, the one trying to get you fired isn’t me, it’s—"

She stopped.

That one word, ‘it’s’ — hung in the air like a snare pulled too tight. Then she clamped her mouth shut, her eyes wide, her breath quick.

You almost said it, I thought. Who protects you, Anita? Who’s really pulling the strings?

But she wouldn’t speak.

I took a slow breath and met her gaze. "Ms. Clark," I said softly, "you just said you ‘only’ docked three thousand dollars. Do you realize that’s not just money? That’s food, formula, rent — the lifeline for me and my daughter."

My voice rose, low and steady, like the growl before a bite. "It’s money I earned inch by inch, sweat and blood from cleaning these streets. If you’re greedy enough to covet a worker’s wages, what wouldn’t you do? The mess you’re in today isn’t because of me. It’s because your greed caught up with you."

For a moment, she just stood there, pale, trembling and speechless.

The officers led her and her nephew to the car.

The sirens wailed, then faded into the distance.

Lana shifted against me, letting out a soft sigh. I kissed the top of her head, breathing in her sweetness, her calm.

"It’s over," I whispered.

But deep inside, my wolf stirred.

No, it murmured. Not yet. Not until we know who she almost named.