Aria’s POV

Amelia and I were still enroute to Duckspire when I had a chat with Nathan regarding a paternity test result he sent me.

Amelia leaned closer, her sharp eyes flicking to my phone screen when the chat ended. I’d been careless, just a second too slow to lock it.

She narrowed her eyes. "What’s this supposed to be?" she scoffed. "Did Nathan’s conscience finally wake up? Now that you’re divorced, he suddenly wants to play the devoted mate again?"

Her words were sharp, but what stung more was how accurately they hit. My wolf stirred uneasily, her ears flattening. Heat crept up my neck before I could stop it.

Damn it.

Amelia noticed instantly. She always did.

She shifted closer, her gaze no longer teasing but intent. She touched me, her cool fingertips brushing my cheek, right where the scar lay hidden beneath illusion and time. It was faint now, barely visible unless you knew where to look, but my wolf remembered every second of pain that had carved it there.

Amelia’s breath caught.

"Aria..." Her voice softened, then hardened with restrained fury. "Have you forgotten how he treated you? This scar, you got it in prison, didn’t you? And because of whom?"

My wolf growled low in my chest, a silent snarl only I could hear.

Amelia clenched her jaw. "Do you know why I keep trying to set you up with Jonathan? I’ve seen how he looks at you. How he treats you." Her eyes locked onto mine. "No matter what Nathan does now, don’t let his regret soften your heart."

Warmth spread through me, not the dangerous kind Nathan once ignited, but something steady and protective.

I leaned forward and hugged Amelia, breathing in her familiar scent. "Don’t worry," I whispered. "I won’t look back."

The words settled into my bones like a vow sworn under the full moon.

Amelia pulled back, studying me carefully. My face reflected in the window, pale and composed. My eyes were calm, my wolf flickering behind them.

Satisfied, she finally relaxed. "Good."

Then she frowned again. "But Rowland isn’t a good choice either. He’s still Nathan’s nephew."

"I know," I said softly. "We’re just friends."

I rubbed my temples, exhaustion finally catching up with me, and leaned back against the seat, closing my eyes. Amelia understood and said nothing more.

That was when a male voice cut through the low murmur of the carriage.

"Excuse me... is there a delay? Shouldn’t we have arrived by now?"

The accent was faint, the English careful, but the voice itself was clear and clean, like wind moving through an untouched forest.

My wolf lifted her head instantly.

Amelia stiffened beside me as she looked up. I followed her gaze.

Sitting diagonally across from us was a man who looked almost unreal.

He had snow-pale skin. Bright blue eyes that shimmered like enchanted gemstones. His features were sharp but gentle, and something about his presence radiated calm, an aura so pure it made my wolf pause, wary but intrigued.

Amelia’s fingers tightened around my hand.

"That looks like Alpha Logan Stone of the Stoneridge Pack in Veridale," she whispered, barely containing herself. "He is an internationally renowned pianist."

Alpha Logan Stone?

The name sent a strange ripple through my mind. He seemed a bit familiar but distant, like a melody I half-remembered from another life. Frankly, I didn’t know much about the packs in Veridale. I only know a few of those in Asterfell. That shows how disconnected I am from the world.

"I don’t know him," I murmured. "Why would someone like that come to Duckspire?"

Amelia frowned. "Exactly. Duckspire isn’t exactly a hotspot for global performances."

"Maybe he’s just a tourist," I offered weakly.

The train slowed again.

I checked my phone. "Looks like we’ll be about half an hour late."

Outside the window, the world was wrapped in darkness, stars scattered like silver dust across the sky. My wolf settled, calm and watchful.

Coming home again... I felt no dread. Only quiet resolve.

I’d see Kate’s grave soon.

A voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Excuse me... are you from Duckspire?"

I opened my eyes.

The man stood before us now, the very one Amelia recognized as an alpha from the Stoneridge pack in Veridale. He was close enough that my senses flared instinctively. He didn’t seem like a threat, he wasn’t ordinary either.

His ocean blue eyes were fixed on me.

"M-me?" I asked.

He nodded eagerly, his hands clasped in front of him. "Yes."

"I am," I said cautiously. "Do you need help?" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

His face lit up instantly, his eyes shining like stars reflected on water.

"Can I go home with you?" The words landed like a thunderclap.

"What?!" Amelia yelped.

Water splashed violently across the table.

Amelia choked, coughing so hard her shoulders shook before she finally caught her breath. Her eyes were wide as moons as she stared at the pale man standing before us. Then she slowly turned to look at me, disbelief written all over her face, as if silently asking whether she’d misheard.

My mouth twitched despite myself.

The strange man seemed startled by our reaction. His scent shifted instantly, lined with nerves. Still, he didn’t retreat. Instead, he clasped his hands together tightly, his fingers digging into his own skin as if anchoring himself.

"I... I..." He swallowed hard, forcing himself to look up at us, those impossibly blue eyes trembling. "Can I go home with you?"